28.8.12

Book Review: Goodbye For Now by Laurie Frankel

Imagine a world in which you never have to say goodbye.
A world in which you can talk to your loved ones after they've gone-
About the trivial things you used to share. About the things you wish you'd said while you still had the chance. About how hard it is to adjust to life without them.
When Sam Elling invents a computer programme that enables his girlfriend Meredith to do just this, nothing can prepare them for the success and the complications that follow. For every person who wants to say goodbye, there is someone else who can't let go. And when tragedy strikes, they have to find out whether goodbye has to be forever. Or whether love can take on a life of its own...

This book has been compared to One Day by David Nicholls and I can completely understand why. Laurie Frankel gives us two brilliant characters in Sam and Meredith and we get to be part of their relationship from the very beginning.
Laurie Frankel has quite a snappy style of writing, it almost feels like a stream of consciousness at certain points which gives a real feeling of intimacy with the characters.
Goodbye For Now obviously deals a lot with death and this gives rise to many questions. Would you want to keep in touch with your loved ones, what would you say, would you keep things from them and would there ever be a time when you could say goodbye forever?
I think what I liked most about this book is that it was entirely believable . We use the Internet so much to communicate that I didn't find the idea of Sam creating this programme to be far fetched at all. It did make me think about communicating in this way though. Is it a good thing that we can email and video call people who are far away or does it make us lazy in that we feel less urgency to go and visit them in person?
I highly recommend Goodbye For Now, it's such an interesting idea and I loved how many questions it left me with.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

Many thanks to Headline for sending me a copy of the book to review, Goodbye For Now is out now!

22.8.12

Book Review: The First Time I Saw Your Face by Hazel Osmond

Jennifer had it all. But a terrible accident has taken almost everything. Moving back home, her future isn't looking too bright. Until she meets Mack.
Sexy, dishevelled and just a little clumsy, he starts to make her believe that she can move on from the past and embrace life all over again. But he has a secret he'd do anything to protect and he'll have to betray her to keep it...
The First Time I Saw Your Face explores what happens when you betray those that you love. Mack Stone is a freelance journalist, he is blackmailed into taking on a job which will mean him betraying someone in the worst possible way.
Mack travels to Northumberland under the guise of Matt Harper, a writer writer working on a new book about walking in the area. His real aim is to befriend Jennifer Roseby; she is the cousin of Cressida Chartwell, a  Hollywood starlet. Mack needs to gain Jennifer's trust in order to find out who Cressida is sleeping with in America. Gaining Jennifer's trust will not be easy. Mack was not informed about her accident, a car accident that has disfigured her face and stripped her of any confidence. Mack did not want to take the job in the first place but he has no choice. However, he had no idea that he would fall in love with Jennifer and still have to betray her.
This book is 501 pages long but I read it very quickly. The book is clearly set out to deal with Mack being given the job, carrying it out and falling in love with Jennifer and then finally, the aftermath and consequences of his betrayal.
What Mack does is truly horrible but I did have sympathy for him. I don't think he would have taken the job on unless he had been blackmailed and he really didn't expect to fall for Jennifer. Regardless of what he has done in the past, Mack is clearly a good guy and he is completely devastated to hurt those close to him. Jennifer is quite a complex character, the injuries she sustained in the accident have obviously changed her life. But her interactions with Mack show us glimpses of the woman she used to be. They are only brief glimpses but Jen cannot believe how different he makes her feel, which makes his duplicity even worse.
Hazel Osmond gives you a lot to think about and she keeps you guessing right to the very end as to whether Jennifer will be able to forgive Mack.
As I said, I did read this book very quickly, there was a lot going on to keep me interested. You want to know how Mack will gain Jennifer's trust, will she allow him in, can he really betray someone he has fallen in love with, will Jen ever be able to forgive Mack and face the world again?
The First Time I Saw Your Face is a book that I would highly recommend.

Dot Scribbles Rating 4/5

Many thanks to Quercus for sending me a copy of the book to review, it is out now!

20.8.12

Book Review: On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves PLUS Author Interview

Anna, a thirty-year old teacher and T.J., who's she's tutoring over the holidays are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when their pilot suffers a fatal heart attack and their sea-plane crash-lands in the Indian ocean.
Marooned on an uninhabited island, Anna and T.J. must work together to obtain water, food, fire and shelter. But as the days turn to weeks, then months and then to years, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who, with each passing day, is becoming more of a man...
This book is extremely exciting; it has spent five weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and film rights have already been sold to MGM. Tracey Garvis Graves has written a book that you will not want to put down so be warned!
T.J. and Anna are marooned on a desert island when their pilot suffers a heart attack. Initially they are certain that they will be rescued but days turn into weeks, months and then years. They only have each other and obviously a particularly strong bond is formed but a fourteen year age gap is quite a big hurdle to get over, no matter how strong each others feelings are.
It's very hard to review this book without giving too much away but I really want to emphasise how much I enjoyed it. Each chapter is either from Anna or T.J.'s perspective which is a brilliant idea as we get to know them both really well and gain an insight into what they are thinking and more importantly what they are hiding from each other.
On the Island was such a different read, it is part adventure and part love story. I was completely captivated by Anna and T.J. and how they would survive.
The only slight criticism I have of this book is the front cover. If I were to see it in a shop then I may not have picked it up as it gives the impression of something much more light hearted. So don't let the cover put you off as what's inside is truly excellent.

Dot Scribbles Rating 4.5/5

Many thanks to Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of the book to review, On the Island is out now!

The very lovely Tracey Garvis Graves answered some of my questions, here's what she had to say:


1. Where did the idea for On the Island come from?
I loved the movie Castaway but could never quite wrap my head around a relationship between a man and a volleyball. I couldn't help but think how interesting the desert island premise could become if there were two people on the island. Two people that really shouldn't have a relationship.
2. The film rights have been sold which is very exciting, will you be involved at all?
Sadly, no. I do have a clause in my contract that gives me veto power if they try to insert any elements that really don't fit with the storyline (I've interpreted that to mean the addition of aliens or dinosaurs or something equally as silly!).
3. If you were marooned on a desert island, what three objects couldn't you live without?
A book (I'd prefer my Kindle but there wouldn't be anywhere to plug it in!), a picture of my family, and a satellite phone so I could call for rescue.

4. I loved the characters of T.J. and Anna, do you think they would have fallen in love anyway, without the shared experience of the crash and the island etc?
No, I really don't. It was the crash and being marooned - and relying solely on each other - that allowed them to form such a bond. Age was irrelevant on the island; there were no societal norms in place.

5. Can you tell us anything about your next book?
Covet is the title of my next book. It's my first foray into upmarket women's fiction (but it will still have plenty of romance). It's the story of a married couple's struggles after the husband loses his job in the recession. It's a story of hope and heartbreak and though it is ultimately uplifting, you should have your Kleenex box handy.

17.8.12

Author Interview: The Fabulous Victoria Connelly

I am a big fan of Victoria Connelly, I have read A Weekend With Mr Darcy and The Perfect Hero, I loved them both so I was very excited to be offered the opportunity to ask Victoria some questions about her latest books. It's Magic is a collection of three romantic comedies which caused a bidding war between five publishers, Victoria tells us more about it:



1. Can you tell us about your latest publication, It's Magic?

It’s Magic is a collection of three novels which were originally published in Germany: Flights of Angels, Unmasking Elena Montella and Three Graces.  They’re all romantic comedies with a touch of magic and Flights of Angels was even made into a film in Germany which was incredibly exciting. 

All three titles are published as separate ebooks but I wanted to bring them all together in one collection too.


2. What led you to go in a different direction with your writing?

The three magical rom coms aren’t that different from my non-magical rom coms.  It’s just that they happen to feature naughty guardian angels, a magical Venetian mask and an opinionated eighteenth-century ghost!  I really love writing books with a fantastical slant.  I think writers should try different things and push boundaries and not be tied to writing the same thing over and over again.  It’s more exciting for both them and their readers.

3. Can you talk us through an average day for a best selling author?

I like to start writing as soon as I get up and aim to do a few hundred words before taking our dog for her walk and looking after our hens.  I’ll then return to the desk and work until lunchtime.  I like a long lunch break and then I get some more work done on the novel.  I try to finish the day’s work before the afternoon dog walk but that doesn’t always happen so I often work into the evening. 

Of course, a good day’s work is also interrupted by the presence of Facebook, Twitter and emails.  It’s easy to get distracted but writing can be very lonely and it’s always fun to chat away to other writers online and meet readers too. 

4. Your life in rural Suffolk looks truly idyllic but is there anything in particular that you miss about London?

I have to say that I miss very little about London.  I’m a country girl at heart – I grew up in several lovely villages in Norfolk and it was a bit of a surprise that I ended up living in the London suburbs for so long – it wasn’t me at all!  But I was at an interesting stage in my writing career and it was very handy to be able to hop on the tube and go into town to meet agents and publishers and other writers.  So I do miss the occasional launch party now but that’s about it. I love our new life in Suffolk.  We have a two hundred year old cottage in a quiet village and a gorgeous garden filled with fruit trees, roses and ex-battery hens!  You’ll never get me back to London!

5. Do you have any writing superstitions? A lucky pen? A special chair?

I don’t have any superstitions but I do have a routine when starting a new book.  I like a nice bright ring binder folder and I always make a spider diagram featuring the characters in my new novel.  I like to have that in front of me and think about the relationships between the characters.  I then fill the folder with notes and photos of the settings or maybe pictures of actors who could play my characters (my current obsession is Tom Hiddleston and I hope to cast him as a future hero soon!)  I also get very unsettled until I have all my characters named and I have a title I’m happy with.  It took me an absolute age to name Molly Bailey in Molly’s Millions – I drove my husband crazy trying to come up with a surname that fitted her character.  And A Weekend with Mr Darcy was originally called Bennets and Bonnets but nobody but me seemed to like that title!

6. It's Magic must be keeping you very busy  but can you tell us anything about your new book?

My next rom com out in the UK is Wish You Were Here.  It comes out in April and I’ve just seen the cover and it looks amazing!  I can’t wait to share it with you all.  It’s about a Plain Jane who suddenly becomes irresistible to men after making a wish on a statue of Aphrodite whilst on holiday in Greece.  There’s definitely a touch of magic in there somewhere!

I’m also working on a novella sequel to my Austen Addicts’ Trilogy - Christmas with Mr Darcy – which comes out in October.  It unites all the main characters from the trilogy as they meet at Purley Hall for a very special Jane Austen conference.

I’m also going to be publishing Escape to Mulberry Cottage – about our move from the London suburbs to rural Suffolk.  So, plenty to keep me busy for the rest of this year!

If you would like to find out more about Victoria Connelly and her fabulous books then check out her website or click here to follow her on Twitter!

15.8.12

Book Review: Second Time Around by Erin Kaye

With a successful business and two loving children, divorcee Jennifer Irwin is quite content. But when her forty-fifty birthday approaches, Jennifer starts to feel lonely in her empty nest.
Then she meets the handsome and self-assured Ben Crawford and while sixteen years her junior, he sweeps Jennifer off her feet. Knowing the residents if their small town wouldn't approve, they conduct their affair in secret.
But a secret is never a secret for long in Ballyfergus...
Second Time Around is a really lovely read. This is Erin Kaye's eighth novel but the first that I have read.
Jennifer Irwin is a likeable character, she is divorced and mum to Matt and Lucy who are both grown up and have flown the nest. Just as Jennifer begins to notice the empty house, she meets the gorgeous Ben Crawford, the attraction is instant but he is sixteen years younger than her. She fights against her feelings as she knows that people will talk but Ben is not prepared to take no for an answer. Their affair becomes a secret but when you live in a small town, secrets become very hard to keep.
Erin Kaye has a very warm and inviting writing style. The relationship between Jennifer and Ben is believable and I really wanted it to work out for them. It seems as though Jennifer deserves some happiness and Ben could be the one to offer it to her.
Second Time Around is an absorbing and lovely read, I shall be looking at Erin Kaye's other books as I enjoyed this one so much.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

Many thanks to Avon for sending me a copy of the book to review, Second Time Around is out now!

13.8.12

Book Review: Bereft by Chris Womersley

Australia, 1919. Quinn Walker returns from The Great War to the New South Wales town of Flint: the birthplace he fled ten years earlier when he was accused  of a heinous act.
Aware of the townsmen's vow to hang him, Quinn takes to the surrounding hills. Here, deciding upon his plan of action, and questioning just what he has returned for, he meets Sadie Fox.
This mysterious girl seems to know and share his darkest fear. And, as their bond greatens, Quinn learns what he must do to lay the ghosts of his past, and Sadie's present to rest.
I wasn't too sure about this book when it arrived but I'm extremely glad that I read it. It's part crime, part literary fiction and Chris Womersley's writing is brilliant.
Quinn Walker returns to the small town of Flint haunted by his experiences of The Great War. He fled the town 10 years ago when he was found cradling the body of his beloved sister Sarah who had been raped and murdered. Quinn knows that if anyone recognises his face then they will waste no time in hanging him but he knows that he must return. Whilst hiding above the village, he meets Sadie Fox, she is a curious girl; her parents are both dead but she is sure that her brother will return from the war to claim her. A bond between the two is quickly formed, especially when they are being hunted by the same person. They need each other in order to confront their pasts so that they have any chance of a future.
Quinn Walker is a particularly interesting character. I just wanted him to find some kind of peace; it seems as though he is continually haunted by his dead sister and his time in the war. Sadie is equally as interesting, she has a magical quality about her. There are several instances in the book where you are left to wonder whether she is real or not.
The pace of this book is good overall but I think I gave this book 4/5 due to a few parts feeling a little slow. Bereft is an excellent read though and I shall look out for Chris Womersley's other books.

Dot Scribbles Rating 4/5

Many thanks to Quercus for sending me a copy of the book to review, Bereft is out now!

8.8.12

Book Review: The Greatest Love Story of All Time by Lucy Robinson

It's Fran's thirtieth birthday and things are good. She's bluffed her way into a very Posh Job and her outlandishly handsome and talented boyfriend Michael is escorting her to the Ritz with a bulge the shape of a ring box in his pocket.
But something has gone very wrong. Very wrong. By the end of the evening Fran is howling in bed with a bottle of cheap brandy and one of Michael's old socks.
In her quest to figure out why her life has suddenly gone down the pan, Fran comes up with a fail safe plan: live like a badger, stalk a stranger called Nellie and cancel her beloved Gin Thursdays in favour of drinking gin every night. But then Fran's friends force a very different plan on her and it's nowhere near as fun. How could eight dates possibly make her feel better?
But eventually she agrees. And so begins the greatest love story of all time...
I completely fell in love with this book and I didn't want it to end. The Greatest Love Story of All Time is Lucy Robinson's debut novel and I hope that she writes many more.
The book revolves around Fran, everything was perfect, exciting job, gorgeous boyfriend, regular Gin Thursdays. But then on her 30th birthday, Fran's boyfriend Michael tells her that they need to have a three month separation. Just like that, no warning, no real explanation. Fran is utterly devastated and so begins the downward spiral involving cheap Morrison's brandy and hiding in bed.
Fran's friends are having none of this; they devise a plan to get her back on track and stop her drinking during the day. The idea is that she will go on eight dates over the next three months, it will take her mind off things and she may even meet someone else. Fran is not convinced, all she want is Michael back but she doesn't want to let her friends down.
Lucy Robinson's writing is extremely funny and the books if full of brilliant characters. My favourite was Stefania who lives in Fran's garage. We aren't told where she is from but she has a thick accent and a habit of getting her words muddled up. She is extremely loyal to Fran though and she will do anything to make her friend feel better.
At the end of the day this book is about love, the places in which we find it and the lengths we will go to, to keep hold of it. But also Lucy Robinson shows how we can be blinded by love, should you really change who you are in order to be loved by someone?
The Greatest Love Story of All Time is an excellent book. Lucy Robinson has a very entertaining and inviting writing style and I hope that she has another book out soon.

Dot Scribbles Rating 5/5

Many thanks to Penguin for sending me a copy of the book to review, The Greatest Love Story of All Time is out now.

6.8.12

Book Review: Dinner At Mine by Chris Smyth

When Rosie decides to get her friends together for their own version of Come Dine With Me, she's convinced they'll love it: four couples, each hosting a dinner party, each scoring the others, with one winner at the end. What could possibly go wrong?
What Rosie doesn't anticipate are the lengths her fellow hosts are prepared to go in order to claim the prize- outlandish recipes, rare ingredients sourced from abroad, and a chocolate tart that looks just too good to be homemade...
But perhaps she should be more worried about the simmering tension between the guests, as passions come bubbling to the surface and resentments begin to boil over. As the temperature in the kitchen rises, relationships wilt in the heat, and suddenly dinner seems to be about so much more than food. 
I am a massive fan of the TV show Come Dine With Me so I was particularly excited when this book arrived to review. Dinner At Mine is one of the funniest books that I have read so far this year. It's such a good idea for a book, four couples are thrown together, they don't all know each other that well and when you add the element of competition, you often learn of people's true nature.
In the book you have Rosie and Stephen, Sarah and Marcus, Justin and Barbara plus Matt and Sarah who are actually both single but they have agreed to cook together for the competition. I think that my favourite couple were Justin and Barbara, the books is split into each couple's dinner party and I had several laugh out loud moments during theirs.
I think that Chris Smyth captured how much pressure we put on ourselves when trying to please and entertain others. All of these couples want to win so that they can say they hosted the best night and it is amazing, the lengths that they will go to.
Dinner At Mine is a very entertaining read. If you like Come Dine With Me then you will love this book. This is the author's first book but I hope that he writes more as I found his writing style extremely witty and accessible.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

Many thanks to the lovely people at Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of the book to review, Dinner At Mine is out now.

2.8.12

Book Review: Because You Are Mine, Part One: Because You Tempt Me by Beth Kery

Francesca Arno has been commissioned to create a grand centrepiece painting for the lobby of Ian Noble's new sky scraper. It's at a cocktail party in her honour that she first meets him- and the attraction is immediate and bewildering. Enigmatic, darkly intense, with a commanding presence, Ian completely unnerves her. And she likes it.
If you are unaware of the Fifty Shades phenomenon then you must have been living in a hole for the past few months. I, like many others became addicted the the Fifty Shades trilogy so I was very interested to receive an email from Headline explaining that Christian Grey could move over because Ian Noble was in town!
I like Headline's approach to their latest acquisition, Because You Are Mine will be published in eight e-books over 8 weeks. This is a very clever idea, I have only read the first instalment but I already want more. Part One is entitled Because You Tempt Me and we are introduced to Francesca Arno and Ian Noble. Francesca has won the commission to paint the centrepiece in Noble's newest skyscraper. When they meet at a cocktail party there is instant attraction. Both battle against it but what will happen when Francesca spends time at Noble's penthouse home creating her painting?
There are of course going to be comparisons with Fifty Shades of Grey. The obvious ones being that Ian Noble is an extremely wealthy businessman and dominant. Francesca is pretty innocent but I already feel as though she has a little bit more about her than Anastasia Steele. I am a big fan of Fifty Shades of Grey but I do think that Beth Kery's writing style is better. I felt as though she avoided some of the cliches that she could have fallen into and was less repetitive.
I am very excited to read the next instalment which will be available from August 7th. The instalments of Because You Are Mine are only available in e-book format and are priced at £1.49 each, bargain!

Dot Scribbles Rating 5/5

Many thanks to Headline for allowing me to review Part One which is available to download now! If you would like to follow the author on Twitter then search for @bethkery

All change here!

I have made the decision to stop doing written reviews on here for a little while. I shall keep this page open but for the time being I sha...