The Wedding of the Year by Jill Mansell #TheWeddingOfTheYear @JillMansell @headlinepg #BookReview

 

Love, friendship and secrets revealed as the sun beats down on dazzling blue Cornish seas . . .

It's set to be a perfect day - until the chauffeur is asked to keep driving the bride around the church. This wedding definitely isn't going as planned.

Lottie is a guest at the wedding when she sees Max. No kiss has ever matched the last one they shared fifteen years ago. They were on the brink of a beautiful love story, until a shocking event tore them apart. Now here he is, still ridiculously good-looking, teasing Lottie in the old way - and that overwhelming electric attraction is back. But Max is way out of bounds.

Freya owes Cameron everything. But she doesn't love him. Which is a shame, because they're about to be married.

Ruby has been the perfect wife. When she discovers the truth about her husband, her response is reckless and delicious. But after that, nothing will ever be the same again.

The Wedding of the Year by Jill Mansell is published on 18 January 2024 by Headline. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review.

A version of this review was originally published in S Magazine - Sunday 14 January 2024

Jill Mansell is the absolute queen of romantic, witty and heart warming novels and in this, her 36th book, she has, once again produced a story that will capture the heart. 

A small seaside town in Cornwall is the setting of the wedding of Freya and Cameron. The church is beautiful, the bride is serene and the groom is eagerly awaiting her. However, when vicar’s wife Ruby makes a dramatic entrance, the wedding becomes the least important part of the day. 

Meanwhile Lottie spots another of the guests. Shocked to see Max, the guy who stole her heart fifteen years ago, she is instantly attracted to him again, but events of the past mean that he is out of bounds. 

Freya, Lottie and Ruby’s stories interweave throughout the book. As Ruby comes to terms with the end of her marriage, and Freya is relieved that hers hasn’t even begun, Lottie tries to avoid bumping into Max.

Three wonderfully created female characters, supported by a large cast of friends, family members and potential love interests, this is a story to devour and one that produces that feel-good factor in such huge amounts. 

The Cornish setting is scintillating, and the close-knit community who all know each other feels like just the place that I’d love to visit. The stories of each character seamlessly blend together, and whilst this is an up lifting and romantic read, the author also deals with more serious issues, but in her own special way. 

Once again, Jill Mansell has served up a delicious treat, full of joy and fabulous characters.

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 MAYBE THIS TIME, THIS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING 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.

Airside by James Swallow #Airside @jmswallow @welbeckpublish #BookReview

 

Two million in cash. Nowhere to run. Nothing left to lose. Would you risk it?

Today is the worst day of your life.

The deal you risked it all for has fallen apart at the last minute.

You're stranded at a remote airport as a storm rages outside.

Then you discover an unattended bag. Inside is two million euros in cash.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Airside by James Swallow was published in paperback by Welbeck Books on 8 December 2022. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I've set myself a couple of book-related challenges this year. The first is to read a book with a one word title for each letter of the alphabet. The second challenge is to read at least twenty four books set in twenty four different countries. Airside hits both of these challenges - it's a two for one! 

James Swallow has written over fifty novels and this is the first of his books that I've read. He is best known for his Marc Dane series. 

Airside is a book that I probably wouldn't have picked up if it were not for the challenges that I've set, it's been on my shelf for a couple of years, being sadly overlooked for other titles.  I'm really glad that I picked it and read it.  It is, at times, totally bonkers, but there is no doubt that it is a gripping, fast paced chase-thriller. I absolutely flew through it. 

Set in a small provincial airport in Germany during a thunder storm, this is the story of an ordinary guy whose life is going down the pan, and who seems to attract chaos, has a history of not quite getting things right, but who is also a fabulous lead character. Kevin Tyler has travelled through this airport for months, but this will be his last departure. His hard work, trying to secure a deal for his small company has fallen through. He is facing life with no money, no business and no hope. To make things worse, the thunder storm has grounded many flights, and because he had a stand by ticket, he's just been bumped off the last flight out to London. The nearby hotel is full and Kevin will have to spend the night in the airport. 

The setting is fabulous. As the night falls, the airport gets emptier, the shops begin to shut down and there are just a few stranded passengers left. It's an impersonal place, full of strangers, with no warmth, harsh lighting and uncomfortable seats. 

In the rest rooms, Kevin makes a discovery. It is because of his total frustration about his situation that he makes the decision to keep the stash of used Euro notes that he has found - probably around two million in total, instead of handing them in. 

And so, Kevin becomes the hunted. We are thrust into a world of dangerous and vengeful people who will stop at nothing to get what they think is theirs. Serbian ex military, with no qualms about hurting anyone. A twisted politician who thinks that he can do as he wants. A woman who escaped brutality, only to go on and dish out the same punishments to others. These are people who are not to be messed around with, yet ordinary Kevin does just that. 

It's a real roller coaster of a read. With characters who deceive and betray, some who show their true sides when under pressure, and all of them wonderfully created. It can be an exhausting read at times, as the pressure mounts and the reader is really not sure if Kevin will survive this. 

Explosive and a bit crazy. I enjoyed this one. 

James Swallow is a New York Times, Sunday Times and Amazon bestselling author, a
BAFTA nominee, a former journalist and the award-winning writer of over fifty books, along with numerous scripts for video games, radio and television. 

His writing includes the critically aclaimed Marc Dane action thrillers, the Sundowners steampunk Westerns and fiction from the worlds of Star Trek, Warhammer 40000, Doctor Who, 24, Deus Ex, Stargate, 2000AD and more.

X / Twitter @jmswallow

Hot Springs Drive by Lindsay Hunter #HotSpringsDrive #LindsayHunter @dialoguepub @millieseaward #BookReview

 

Today, she walks in on her husband and best friend having an affair. Tomorrow, her body is found.

Seven years ago, Theresa and Jackie meet in a maternity ward. Sleep-deprived new mothers; instant friends.

Then they become neighbours on Hot Springs Drive - a nice street in a nice neighbourhood, filled with flower boxes and emerald lawns.

The story ends like this: in the depths of a sweltering heatwave, Theresa discovers that her husband and Jackie are having an affair. The next day, Theresa's body is found.

The truth lies somewhere between the picket fences and pink blossoms, where friendships twist into tragic jealousies and barbecues hide bed hopping and bloodshed. By summer's end, the residents of Hot Springs Drive will never be the same...

An unputdownable, unmissable, vicious blade of a novel that peels back the fragile veneer of two suburban families and the deadly secrets roiling between them.

Hot Springs Drive by Lindsay Hunter is published by Renegade Books on 11 January 2024. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

There is something quite voyeuristic about this novel. The reader is exposed to the inner most thoughts and feelings of two families on one street. The street itself is a nice place to live, its well kept and filled with ordinary everyday folk.  However, it is those ordinary people that hide the biggest secrets and these two house on Hot Springs Drive are bursting with secrets.

Theresa and Jackie are the two mothers in the story. They met and bonded over their newborns in the maternity hospital, became instant friends and are now neighbours. Theresa's life seems a little easier than Jackie's, with just one daughter, whilst Jackie has four sons to care for. 

It is a visit to a weight-loss class that triggers the tragedy that is to befall them. Jackie has become very overweight, but as the pounds fall off, she discovers that she is being noticed for her looks, rather than her size. Her decision to flaunt those looks, and to engage in a hot affair with her best friend's husband will have long lasting effects on both families, forever. 

The reader can feel the heat coming from these pages, not just from the steamy sex sessions experienced by Jackie, but from the incredible sense of place that the author delivers. Those hot, overbearing summer days, filled with tension and betrayal are so finely detailed.

Whilst this book can certainly be called a thriller, it is also a devastating look at relationships and especially motherhood. Jackie's sons need attention and as she begins to focus more on her own needs, those four boys mature into individual, but very flawed characters. There's also the complicated relationship between the children from each household, how they interact, how they react and how their early sexual encounters reflect on them for years to come. 

Told from varying perspectives, the reader is aware of everything that is happening and it is often uncomfortable, with a sense of dread that gets deeper and deeper with each turn of the page. 

A compelling page turner that delivers a real smack to the stomach. Highly recommended. 

Lindsay Hunter is the author of two story collections and two novels. 

Her second collection, Don't Kiss Me, was named one of Amazon's 10 Best Books of the Year: Short Stories. 

Her latest novel, Eat Only When You're Hungry, was a finalist for the 2017 Chicago Review of Books Fiction Award and a 2017 NPR Great Read. Along with the writer Alex Higley, she co-hosts the podcast I'm a Writer But, a series that focuses on how writers with jobs and/or families get the work done. 

She lives in Chicago with her husband, three children, and elderly pitbull mutt.

Instagram @lindsaydevon

The Guests by Agnes Ravatn BLOG TOUR #TheGuest #AgnesRavatn t. @rosie_hedger @OrendaBooks #BookReview #TranslatedFiction

 

It started with a lie…

 Married couple Karin and Kai are looking for a pleasant escape from their busy lives, and reluctantly accept an offer to stay in a luxurious holiday home in the Norwegian fjords.

 Instead of finding a relaxing retreat, however, their trip becomes a reminder of everything lacking in their own lives, and in a less-than-friendly meeting with their new neighbours, Karin tells a little white lie…

 Against the backdrop of the glistening water and within the claustrophobic walls of the ultra-modern house, Karin’s insecurities blossom, and her lie grows ever bigger, entangling her and her husband in a nightmare spiral of deceits with absolutely no means of escape…

 Simmering with suspense and dark humour, The Guests is a gripping psychological drama about envy and aspiration … and something more menacing, hiding just below that glittering surface…

The Guests by Agnes Ravatn is published in paperback by Orenda Books on 18 January 2024, and is translated from Norwegian by Rosie Hedger. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this blog tour.

I have been a fan of this author since I read her first book published by Orenda; The Bird Tribunal in September 2016. This was followed in 2020 by The Seven Doors, another wonderful read. I have been eagerly awaiting this latest and can assure you that I've not been disappointed.

Ravatn writes short books, but writes with such precision and beauty that no more words are required. This is something of a 'quiet' book, gently unfurling and exposing the lead characters to their fullest. 

Karin and Kai are married with two young boys. When Karin bumps into Iris, a person from her past, she is reluctant to interact, but as we come to find out, Karin is a people-pleaser, she puts aside her initial feelings and does what she thinks she should do, rather than what she really wants to do. Iris offers them the use of her cabin to take a short break. In exchange, carpenter Kai will fix up the jetty outside. Although reluctant, Karin agrees.

The cabin is so much more than just a holiday home. Iris is obviously very successful and her holiday home is full of luxury. Looking around and seeing such wealth just increases Karin's feelings of worthlessness, and instead of embracing the opportunity, she broods and thinks far too much about her own life compare to that of Iris.

Out walking, Karin come across Per; a neighbour and also an author. Once again, Karin feels inferior and tells a lie about her circumstances. This lie will make life very difficult for her and Kai during their stay. 

Ravatn excels in bringing ordinary characters to life, those who could be dull and drab seem to vibrate with life as she exposes their inner feelings, even whilst they are carrying out the most mundane of tasks.  Karin is a complicated, often unlikeable character who has carried a feeling of inferiority around with her since childhood. She finds it difficult to accept that having a loving family, and a roof over her head can bring happiness, she is always searching for more. Comparing and contrasting, trying to appear better, wealthier, happier, and it is this that is her downfall. 

Full of understated tension, with flashes of the darkest humour, the story pulsates with menace. The atmospheric setting alongside the Norwegian Fjords adds depth and a certain sense of bleakness to the plot. Recommended by me

Agnes Ravatn (b. 1983) is an author and columnist. 

She made her literary début with the novel Week 53 (Veke 53) in 2007. 

Since then she has written three critically acclaimed and award-winning essay collections: Standing still (Stillstand), 2011, Popular Reading (Folkelesnad), 2011, and Operation self-discipline (Operasjon sjøldisiplin), 2014. 

In these works Ravatn shows her unique, witty voice and sharp eye for human fallibility. Ravatn received the Norwegian radio channel radio NRK P2 Listener’s Novel Prize for this novel, a popular and important prize in Norway, in addition to the Youth Critic’s Award for The Bird Tribunal which also made into a successful play, and premiered in Oslo in 2015.

Rosie Hedger was born in Scotland and completed her MA (Hons) in Scandinavian
Studies at the University of Edinburgh. 

She has lived and worked in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and now lives in York where she works as a freelance translator. 

Rosie was a candidate in the British Center for Literary Translation’s mentoring scheme for Norwegian in 2012, mentored by Don Bartlett.

Visit her website: rosiehedger.com and follow her on Twitter @rosie_hedger

The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini BLOG TOUR #TheWomanontheLedge @RuthMancini1 @centurybooksuk @Tr4cyF3nt0n #CompulsiveReaders #BlogTour

 

A woman falls to her death from a London bank's twenty-fifth-floor roof terrace.

You're arrested for her murder.

You tell the police that you only met the victim the previous night at your office party. She was threatening to jump from the roof, but you talked her down.

You've got nothing to do with this tragedy.

You're clearly being framed.

So why do the police keep picking holes in your story? Even your lawyer doesn't seem to believe you.

It soon becomes obvious that you're keeping secrets.

But who are you trying to protect? And why?

The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini was published on 4 January 2024 by Century. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this Compulsive Readers Blog Tour 

This is the first book by Ruth Mancini that I've read and it's certainly a book that keeps the reader on their toes. Cleverly structured, and at times a little puzzling, it has a plot that twists and turns and can make you feel a little dizzy. 

The prologue finds lead character Tate Kinsella (great name!) being roused from her bed by the police hammering on her front door.  She is arrested on the suspicion of the murder of a woman whose body was found on the pavement below a tower block. Tate has little defence, she was at the scene of the murder, and has already admitted that she was with the victim just before she died. However, she claims that she is not responsible for the murder of the woman.

Let's talk about the character of Tate. She's an actress, although has only been in one commercial, she works as a temp in the building where the woman died. We, the reader can assume that everything we know is true ..... the fact that Tate met a woman called Helen at the top of the building and stopped her from jumping. The fact that she and Helen returned to that building to search for a missing earring.  But can we?  This is the thing, the title of unreliable narrator is awarded to Tate! 

The author is very clever. She's created a story based on truths and lies and woven them together, but we are never quite sure what is correct and what is imagined. I particularly enjoyed the scenes between Tate and her solicitor, these have been used so well, to drip feed the reader with just a little more information, and then just a little more. It's hard to believe the accused if their own solicitor is doubting their words too! 

This is a really unsettling story, and one that had me flicking back to previous chapters to try to work out what is the truth. The introduction of various characters add much to the depth of the story, although there were times when I found the different points of view quite repetitive. However, I do understand why the author decided to do this, layering the plot and the characters expertly like a finely tuned instrument. 

No, I didn't work it out!  I had no idea, and the end reveal and motives, and in fact, the victim's own story are incredibly well done. I'd probably have been happier if the book were a little shorter, but will certainly read this author again. 

Ruth Mancini was born in south-west London and started her career as a marketing executive for a publisher before undertaking a post-graduate diploma in law and retraining as a solicitor.

Ruth has spent the past twenty-five years in and out of courts and police stations, representing those accused of crimes. She still practises as a lawyer for a large criminal law firm with offices in London, conducting advocacy in the courts and defending people arrested at the police station.

She also reviews trial files across the firm and juggles her legal work with writing crime and psychological fiction.

She can be found on Twitter @RuthMancini1 and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ruth.mancini.author.

The Dancer by Óskar Gudmundsson BLOG TOUR #TheDancer @oskargudmunds @CorylusB t.@graskeggur #BookReview

 

Tony is a young man who has always been on the losing side in life. 

He was brought up by his troubled, alcoholic mother who had a past of her own as a talented ballerina, until a life-changing accident brought her dreams to a sudden end. 

As her own ambitions for fame and success were crushed, she used cruel and brutal methods to project them onto her young son - with devastating consequences. 

There's no doubt that a body found on Reykjavik's OEskjuhlid hillside has been there for a long time. 

The case is handed to veteran detective Valdimar, supported by Ylfa, who is taking her tentative first steps as a police officer with the city's CID while coping with her own family difficulties. 

It's not long before it's clear a vicious killer is on the loose - and very little about the case is what it appears to be at first glance.

The Dancer by Óskar Gudmundsson is published by Corylus Books on 5 January 2024, and is translated by Quentin Bates. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this Blog Tour. 

The Dancer is the second of this author's books that I've read. Back in March 2022 I read and reviewed The Commandments and clearly remember the emotional punch that one dealt. 

What I really like about this author is his ability to pack so much into such short books. At just under two hundred pages, this one could be a one-sitting read. However, it's very very dark, it's violent and it's shocking. Maybe take a break half way through, to give your heart a little recovery. 

If you prefer your crime to be a little cosy, then this is probably not for you. If, however, you are a fan of the dark and the dangerous contained in a story that has an intriguing lead character and an opening chapter that almost knocks you out, then you are in for a treat! 

Gudmundsson takes no prisoners, he doesn't allow his readers a little time to settle in. No, he opens his novel with a scene that really takes some thought. It's so well written, it's almost like a film opening, unfurling bit by bit until the reader sees the whole dramatic episode. And it continues .... 

Tony is something of a loner. A skilled carpenter who works alongside his grandfather creating unique pieces of furniture by day. At night he changes. He's also a very talented dancer, tutored by his mother who was herself talented, before the accident that brought her career to the end. This is no ordinary teaching though and Tony's mother fears him every time the music begins. When he stumbles upon a dance company locally who need players for a production, the fear really begins. 

Theres's a touch of Hitchcock's 'Psycho' here, but it is darker and more devastating and very dramatic. In the beginning Tony seems flawed but harmless, but as the story expands, the reader realises that those flaws run so deep and when he discovers something relating to his mother's past, his quest for revenge is deadly. 

Expertly translated from Icelandic by Quentin Bates, this is another fine example of the crime fiction currently coming out of this small country. There's so much imagination in this story, so much fear and yes, it's violent, and yes it will shock. However, I'm eagerly awaiting the next book from this author. I thought it was excellent. 

With a unique voice and a style that doesn’t shy away from a sometimes graphic take on shocking subject matter, Óskar Guðmundsson is one of the rising stars of the Icelandic crime fiction scene.

His debut novel, Hilma, was awarded the Icelandic Crime Syndicate’s Drop of Blood award for the best crime novel of 2015. Since then he's been a regular on Iceland's bestseller lists.

Óskar’s talents don’t end there, as he’s also an artist and has held a number of exhibitions of his work.

Quentin Bates has roots in Iceland that go very deep, and in addition to his own fiction, he has translated many of Iceland’s coolest writers into English.

The Happiest Ever After by Milly Johnson #TheHappiestEverAfter @millyjohnson @simonschusterUK #RespectRomFic @TeamBATC #BookReview

 

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?

The Happiest Ever After by Milly Johnson is published by Simon & Schuster on 15 February 2024. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

I adore Milly Johnson's writing, she never fails to make me smile, pull on my heartstrings and ensures that I  laugh out loud in places. This is Milly's twenty-first novel (she has also written a novella and some digital-only books). I have no idea how she continues to create her amazing characters and satisfying plots but I'm really glad that she does. 

Polly Porter is fed up with life. Sidelined in her career by new management of a company that she's worked for for years and years, taken for granted and often ignored by her partner Chris.  She left him once, after he had an affair, but he still treats her like muck. Now she has the 'honour' of being a bridesmaid to Chris's totally overbearing sister when she and her husband renew their vows. The dress that has been chosen for Polly is drab, beige and far too big.  There are three things that keep Polly going; her step son Will who she really cares for, her secret creative writing class and the novel about Sabrina Anderson that she's working on and her plans to finally leave Chris ... she's going to do it as soon as the wedding is over. 

However, things don't go to plan and Polly makes her escape before the wedding actually begins, but it doesn't go smoothly. After an encounter with a thief and an episode involving a lost handbag and a bang on the head,  Polly ends up on the Yorkshire coast, living and working with a fabulous Italian family, and she really believes that she IS Sabrina - the lead character in her novel. Apart from her name, and a feeling of dread when she tries to remember her life, she cannot recall anything at all. 

Sabrina soon finds herself a huge part of the Bonnetti family. Marielle takes her in, and her son Teddy gives her a job. Every now and again Sabrina gives advice on how to make Teddy's restaurant better and more popular, she realises that she's a business analyst and when a rival chain of Italian restaurants announce that they are moving in next to Teddy's, she really starts to put her skills to work. 

As always, Milly's novel is full of Northern warmth and wit, I especially love the snippets from the Daily Trumpet - always apologising for mistakes in their paper, and always making it worse. There's a huge cast of characters here, from the loving Italian family, to the rogues who make a living in more nefarious ways. The sense of family is so strong, the tight bonds of friendships, especially between Marielle and her friends is wonderful and quite joyful. 

There's always something very special about a book from Milly Johnson and although her novel is full of joy, and lots of smiles, she doesn't shy away from serious issues either. There are some heart breaking and shocking reveals through out the story and these are dealt with so compassionately and with style. 

Another top notch read from a very favourite author. Highly recommended. 

Milly Johnson was born, raised and still lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. 

A Sunday Times bestseller, she is one of the Top 10 Female Fiction authors in the UK, and has sold millions of copies of her books sold across the world. 

The Happiest Ever After is her twenty-first novel.    

Milly's writing highlights the importance of community spirit and the magic of kindness. Her books inspire and uplift but she packs a punch and never shies away from the hard realities of life and the complexities of relationships in her stories. 

Her books champion women, their strength and resilience, and celebrate love, friendship and the possibility and joy of second chances and renaissances.

Milly's website is www.millyjohnson.co.uk. 

She is on X / Twitter as @millyjohnson 

Instagram as @themillyjohnson  and has a Facebook page @MillyJohnsonAuthor. She also has a monthly newsletter www.millyjohnson.co.uk/newsletter with exclusive, news, offers and competitions.