Promo: A Cornish Escape

 

Promo: No Chance

 

A romantic comedy of missed chances, awkward encounters, and one unforgettable trip across Europe. In the summer of 1985, Will Evans sets off interrailing with one goal: win the heart of Ruby, the girl he’s been hopelessly in love with since university. But with bad timing, bad jokes and a rival named Tom Bellows, Will’s chances are slim. As they journey through cities, cultures and chaos, Will must navigate more than train timetables - like growing up, letting go and learning what love really means.  Funny, heartfelt, and painfully relatable, No Chance is a nostalgic coming-of -age story for anyone who has ever loved too hard, too soon

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Chance-Gareth-Thomas-ebook/dp/B0FWDDT9BT

https://www.amazon.com/No-Chance-Gareth-Thomas-ebook/dp/B0FWDDT9BT

Author Bio – Gareth Alun Thomas was born in Dinas Powys, just outside Cardiff but now lives in Blackwood in the Welsh Valleys. He has worked for over 34 years for the NHS as a Biomedical Scientist and has recently retired but returned to work part time. Working less hours, Gareth finally had time to write his first novel, No Chance, something he always wanted to do. When his parents passed away Gareth and his brothers had to clear their house and came across old diaries he had written when he travelling with 5 friends across Europe on an interrail ticket. Using this diary as a template, Gareth finally wrote and completed his first novel, No Chance. Gareth has been happily married to Amanda for over 30 years and they have 3 children 2 girls and a boy. In his spare time Gareth enjoys walking the dog, travelling and playing the guitar as well as cooking for the family.

Social Media Links – Facebook Gareth Alun Thomas, X @garethalun5, Instagram garethalun5.

Promo: Time of My Life

 

How far would you go to change your life?

When Eliza Woods sees an advertisement for someone’s whole life for sale – their house, car, all their belongings, even their clothes and cat – not to mention a trial-run in their job and an introduction to their friends… she decides it’s fate.

Grabbing a different life with both hands is exactly what she needs. Even if 26-year-old Carrie’s wildly-social life and job in a bar couldn’t be more different from Eliza’s quieter existence.

As for Carrie, she’s heading off to Greece, desperate to run away from everything she’s familiar with in England. The two women message each other after the deal has gone through, with Eliza excited to go for cocktails with Carrie’s friends before her first shift at her new job.

What Carrie doesn’t tell her is why she put her life up for sale. And what Eliza doesn’t tell Carrie is that she’s about to turn 75. And that isn’t her only secret…

Don’t miss this absolutely brilliant, escapist read. Available now!

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/TheTimeofMyLife

The Time of My Life Is currently available for only 99p!

Author Bio –

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.

Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines. She is represented by Darley Anderson Agency & Associates. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2020 one of her novels won the RNA's Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award. Currently Samantha writes uplifting, emotional women's fiction for Boldwood Books. She seeks to raise a smile, and make a reader feel they are not alone with the challenges of life.

 

Social Media Links –  X – https://x.com/SamTongeWriter

Instagram – samanthatongeauthor

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

Review: Witch Hunt

 

Murder, witchcraft, and a race against time – welcome to Pendle Hill.

A young woman is found brutally murdered and mutilated at the foot of Pendle Hill and the local police are in no doubt who the killer is. Newly released from a psychiatric unit, Will Perkins has delusions that the victim is a witch. When DCI Liam Doyle and his team are brought in to investigate, the suspect is already in custody and the case apparently wrapped up. Except for one key detail – evidence.

Is it really possible the origins to this murder lie in Pendle’s infamous past?

Recently returned to work, DS Anna Morgan is battling her own demons. The physical wounds from her last case have healed, but the psychological trauma still haunts her. When another body turns up the investigation is blown wide open and Doyle has to face up to the horrifying possibility that he could have prevented this killing.
Can Doyle overcome his own doubts and track down the killer before they strike again? Will Morgan be able to conquer her fear before it destroys her?

Set in and around Lancashire’s legendary Pendle Hill, Witch Hunt is a gripping British crime thriller with dark humour and a nail-biting climax. This fast-paced novel, the second in the series featuring DCI Doyle and DS Morgan, will have listeners on the edge of their seats.

If you have enjoyed books by authors such as Val McDermid, MW Craven, JD Kirk and Alex Smith, you won’t want to miss Witch Hunt.

Review

Witch Hunt is an interesting procedural that looks at the intersection of mythology, madness and murder. The story is gritty, not cozy, but the gore and details didn’t get in the way of fhe story. For me, it was more of a how-dunnit than a who-dunnit. The book builds to an exciting climax regardless of when you figure out the mystery  

I listened to the story on Audible. The audiobook is well-read by Aubrey Parsons. He has a good grip on voices and accents and the male/female voices were discernible without being annoying  

Purchase Links

UK Links:

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0GV51STB8

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GV4XCNLT 

USA Links:

https://www.audible.com/pd/B0GV5659QN

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GV59H5TQ

Author Bio –

Fast approaching fifty; without enough money for a sports car, BD Spargo decided to express his mid-life crises by turning to crime …

Thankfully for pretty much everyone this meant writing crime fiction rather than anything more nefarious. Originally from London, he spent his early career working in television and theatre including on the Ruth Rendall Mysteries broadcast on ITV.

A life changing accident necessitated retraining and a change of direction going on to work in mental health services. This culminated in ten years managing a groundbreaking forensic psychiatric service. He now lives in Lancashire with his family and is getting acclimatised to the rain.

 

Social Media Links –

Website:                           https://bdspargo.com

Facebook:                         http://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557017745842

Twitter:                           https://twitter.com/BDSpargo

Bluesky:                            https://bsky.app/profile/bdspargo.bsky.social

Instagram:                        https://www.instagram.com/bdspargo/

 

Review: The Fatal Farandole

 

The Fatal Farandole

The Fatal Farandoleis a cozy mystery full of plot twists and small-town secrets. It’s perfect for fans of character-driven crime novels with emotional depth.

A beloved Provençal festival.
A murderous conspiracy.
A bullfighter who knows too much.

When two local chefs are killed within a week, shockwaves ripple through the region’s tight-knit culinary world.

Suspicion lands squarely on baker Julie Cavallo.

As whispers turn to accusations, her eccentric family closes ranks, and her loyal friends rally to her side.

But Julie’s running out of time. Her pastry shop is at risk. Her love life is unraveling. The gendarmes are tracking her every move. Julie can’t afford to wait for the official investigation to uncover the truth.

Her instincts go into overdrive. Dots connect. Patterns appear…

Can Julie make it through this case, when asking the right questions has already gotten others killed?

Review

I am so completely in my Jessica Fletcher era.  Ana Drew's Beldoc series has just the right vibe. Baker Julie Cavallo has that uncanny ability to land herself in the middle of a murder mystery even though she'd rather be proving that gluten-free can still be decadent. 

It's easy to make me dive into a cozy mystery, not always as easy to get me to finish it or to read the next one. However, I find these little charmers by Ana Drew to be just the right length and complexity to be intriguing and fun without becoming burdensome or dull. 

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F749KMMK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F749KMMK

Author Bio –

Ana T. Drew is the evil mastermind behind a recent string of murders in the fictional French town of Beldoc. A first-place winner of the Chanticleer MYSTERY & MAYHEM Awards, her books have been released in several languages, both independently and through traditional houses, including HarperCollins France and Straarup & Co.

When she’s not plotting mysteries, Ana can be found perfecting her low-carb cookie recipes or watching The Rookie to cope with the void left by Castle.

Ana lives in Paris with her husband and their dog, but her heart resides in Provence.

 

Social Media Links –

Website: https://www.ana-drew.com

Facebook: facebook.com/AnaDrewAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/anadrew   

Haunting Willows Cottage

 

Ingrid and her daughter Susan return to the Western Highlands of Scotland, staying at Strathbairn with Gertrude McCleod while their new home, a cottage by the loch, is redecorated. The very same day, the ghosts of Ingrid's past return when Gertrude's brother Miles arrives with his new bride and his friend Timothy.

When her former beau turned betrayer Hamish starts work on a barn conversion, Ingrid is desperate to leave Strathbairn. She rushes to move into the cottage only to find she is sharing her new home with a violent ghost.

Realising the haunting is somehow connected to Strathbairn and sensing that something at Willows Cottage must be returned, she makes every effort to discover what that it is.

While Hamish and Gertrude conspire to force Ingrid into marriage, Timothy becomes a regular caller with a romantic motive. With two suitors and two marriage proposals, who will she choose - and can she solve the haunting of Willows Cottage?

A gripping conclusion to a classic gothic mystery trilogy laced with dark family secrets.

Review

This book offers strong characters, beautiful settings and an intriguing mystery. I love a good gothic mystery, and this is one. The author keeps the mood taut, dropping the right number of hints to drive you through the novel. Gothic horror is largely psychological and eerie, rather than more overt horror. For me, that's the sweet spot, but others might prefer more grab-and-stab than this novel provides. 

This is part of a trilogy and I wish I had read the other books for a deeper understanding of the backstory and characters. So, consider reading these books in order for the best experience. 

Purchase Links

UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK: https://books2read.com/u/mYJzVp

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXJDKJQ3

APPLE BOOKS: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-haunting-of-willows-cottage/id6754550008

BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-haunting-of-willows-cottage-isobel-blackthorn/1148696029?ean=2940182364515

GOOGLE BOOKS: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=laCSEQAAQBAJ

RAKUTEN KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-haunting-of-willows-cottage

Author Bio –

Isobel Blackthorn is an award-winning author of immersive and inspiring fiction. She has penned over twenty-five books including a number of bestsellers. She majors in strong female leads and empowerment narratives.

Among her credits, Isobel’s biographical short story ‘Nothing to Declare’, which forms the first chapter of her biographical novel Emma’s Tapestry, was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Prose Prize 2019. One of her Canary Islands novels, A Prison in the Sun, was shortlisted in the LGBTQ category of the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2020 and the International Book Awards 2021. The Cabin Sessions was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award 2018 and the Ditmar Awards 2018. And The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Book Awards.

Blackthorn is the author of the world’s only biography of Theosophist and mother of the New Age movement Alice Bailey – Alice A. Bailey: Life & Legacy.

Isobel has a background in Western Esotericism. She holds 1st Class Honours in Social Studies, and a PhD from the University of Western Sydney for her ground-breaking research on the works of Alice A. Bailey. Her doctoral thesis has been downloaded over 13,000 times.

Isobel’s first work, which she wrote in 2008, is Voltaire’s Garden. This memoir is set in the mid 2000s and tells the story of building a sustainable lifestyle B&B in Cobargo on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, which gained international attention when a firestorm razed the idyllic historic village on New Year’s Eve 2019.

Isobel’s writing has appeared in journals and websites around the world, including Esoteric Quarterly, New Dawn Magazine, Paranoia, Mused Literary Review, Trip Fiction, Backhand Stories, Fictive Dream and On Line Opinion. Isobel was a judge for the Australasian Shadow Awards 2020 long fiction category. Her book reviews have appeared in New Dawn Magazine, Esoteric Quarterly, Shiny New Books, Sisters in Crime, Australian Women Writers, Trip Fiction and Newtown Review of Books.

Isobel’s interests are many and varied. She has a long-standing association with the Canary Islands, having lived in Lanzarote in the late 1980s. A humanitarian and campaigner for social justice, in 1999 Isobel founded the internationally acclaimed Ghana Link, uniting two high schools, one a relatively privileged state school located in the heart of England, the other a materially impoverished school in a remote part of the Upper Volta region of Ghana, West Africa. After working as a teacher, market trader and PA to a literary agent, she arrived at writing in her forties, and her stories are as diverse and intriguing as her life has been.

Isobel has performed her literary works at events in a range of settings and given workshops in creative writing.

British by birth, Isobel entered this world in Farnborough, Kent, UK. She has lived in England, Australia, Spain and the Canary Islands. She now lives and writes in Spain. She is currently at work on two novels composed in Spanish.

 

Social Media Links –

https://isobelblackthorn.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Isobel.Blackthorn/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5768657.Isobel_Blackthorn

https://www.instagram.com/isobelblackthorn/

@isobelb-author.bsky.social

Review: Bad Moon Rising

 

Rock and roll relationships are complicated. They’re even worse when one of you is a werewolf.

Stevie Vane, nightclub manager of Dusk, prefers London’s nightlife to life in the pack — fewer claws, fewer challengers, far less bloodshed.

But when tragedy strikes, Stevie is forced back into a world where dominance of the pack is won by strength… and every weakness is punished. Some new members begin a brutal contest for control, and they soon discover his greatest weakness is Kat Matthews.

Kat’s band has just landed the best gig of their career at Dusk. And the instant chemistry between her and the charismatic manager is undeniable — but so are the secrets he’s keeping. Secrets that come with sharp teeth.

As the rival wolves close in and old grudges resurface, Stevie realises it isn’t just his pack at risk. It’s the woman he loves.

Witty, romantic, and gripping, Bad Moon Rising is the third book in The Immortals of London series– where feelings run wild and loyalty can cost you everything.

Review

This rock-and-roll werewolf romance was quite the ride. I have been dabbling in romantasy over the past six months. Most are high on paranormal and light on romance. This one was the opposite. It was fun that the paranormal aspects were almost mundane. The romance got to stand central. I enjoyed the lighter tone than I've found in most romantasy books. It was very easy to read and I didn't get lost in the world-building. This was an easy, quick read that would be great as an introduction to the genre.

This is the 3rd book in a series so new readers should go and find the first book so that they understand the world adequately to enjoy the romantic payoff. 

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Moon-Rising-thrilling-Immortals-ebook/dp/B0GQCBNSNK

https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Moon-Rising-thrilling-Immortals-ebook/dp/B0GQCBNSNK

 

Author Bio –

Berni Stevens lives in an ancient cottage in Hertfordshire, which sounds like it's in the depths of the countryside, but really isn't (because the green bits keep getting built on!)

Berni spent four years at art college in Sussex before starting her first job in publishing as a book cover and promotions designer and then solely as a book cover designer for many of the big London publishers. She's now freelance, and designs for both publishers and many self-published authors. Although she still makes sure to leave time for her writing, and various hobbies. Berni was a finalist for the RNA Cover Designer of the Year Award both in 2021 and 2023.

Berni's first full-length novel was a paranormal romance, called Fledgling, which was first published in the US in 2011, and retitled Dance Until Dawn, made its UK debut three years later, followed by the sequel, Revenge is Sweet and so beginning the Immortals of London series.

Veering away from the paranormal for a while, Berni's first festive RomCom, One Magical Christmas, took some people by surprise - including herself. So much so, that she wrote three more!

With the re-appearance of the Romantasy genre ... a new paranormal romance has finally broken free – Bad Moon Rising – the third book in the Immortals of London series.

Berni can be found on Facebook, X, Linkedin, Instagram and Threads ... come and say hello!

 

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/BerniStevens1620Author/

https://x.com/Berni_Stevens1

https://www.instagram.com/berni.stevens.5/

https://www.threads.com/@berni.stevens.5

https://www.linkedin.com/in/berni-stevens-palmer-75242a14/