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Showing posts with label rebecca chance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rebecca chance. Show all posts

27 February 2014

March 2014 releases!

The month of March has already arrived, which means Spring is getting closer! I'm already hearing birds singing the occasional song when I'm making my way to work every morning and the sun is showing its lovely bright face more and more... Hopefully, March will have some lovely Spring days in store for us, but if not, no worries, because there will be plenty of fabulous book releases to keep you occupied, whether that means sitting inside with a comfy blanket on the couch or perhaps outside with the first rays of Spring sunshine on your face!

Amy Hatvany - 'Safe With Me' (4th of March)

The screech of tires brought Hannah Scott’s world as she knew it to a devastating end. Even a year after she signed the papers to donate her daughter’s organs, Hannah is still reeling with grief when she unexpectedly stumbles into the life of the Bell family, whose child, Maddie, survived only because hers had died. Mesmerized by this fragile connection to her own daughter and afraid to reveal who she actually is, Hannah develops a surprising friendship with Maddie’s mother, Olivia.

The Bells, however, have problems of their own. Once on the verge of leaving her wealthy but abusive husband, Olivia now finds herself bound to him as never before in the wake of the successful transplant that saved their fifteen-year-old daughter’s life. Meanwhile Maddie, tired of the limits her poor health puts upon her and fearful of her father’s increasing rage, regularly escapes into the one place where she can be anyone she wants: the Internet. But when she is finally healthy enough to return to school, the real world proves to be just as complicated as the isolated bubble she had been so eager to escape.





Jane Linfoot - 'The Right Side of Mr. Wrong' (6th of March)

One-off, moving on sex, wasn’t meant to be this hot…

When determined singleton Shea Summers is persuaded to become the “wife” of the Lord of Edgerton Manor, the last thing she wants to do is play house with a stranger.

Brooding playboy Brando Marshall is far from happy when Shea turns up at his sprawling estate with production crew in tow. Surely she’s just another woman after his wallet? And if she’s looking for Mr Right, she’s definitely hitting on the wrong guy. Then again, after catching an unscheduled glimpse of her knickers, perhaps Brando needs to teach this “gold-digger” a lesson!

She’s seizing the moment, he’s breaking the rules, and when bad boys can be so much fun, who can resist getting on the right side of Mr. Wrong…



Zoe Miller - 'A Husband's Confession' (6th of March)

Some marriages work out to plan; others are torn to shreds...

When Ali met Max in the summer of 1990, he turned her empty life around and filled it with love. Now, years on, Ali's greatest fear is that their happiness and hard-won success might be taken away. But just as Max's star is rising, unsettling incidents at their artisan bakery in Dublin's creative quarter threaten to damage its reputation and their dream.
Finn and Jo were running away from heartache when they met in Australia over twenty years ago. They married on a beach after a whirlwind romance and came back to Ireland to start afresh. But now Finn is in shock after the demise of his gritty role in a popular television crime drama, and Jo fears for him and their marriage.
When an accident one Saturday night has devastating consequences for both families, both Jo and Ali find out that there is no going back to the sparkle and excitement of those early years, and the future depends on the strength of their love and courage. 

 



Katie Fforde - 'The Perfect Match' (13th of March)

Three years ago Bella Castle left her home town nursing a broken heart over Dominic Thane, the man she fell in love with but couldn't have .

Now she's made a new life for herself in the country, working as an estate agent.

Bella loves her job and she loves her boyfriend Nevil. But recently he's been preoccupied, and she's starting to question if his future hopes and dreams are a perfect match for hers.

And when Dominic turns up unexpectedly in search of his dream house, she begins to wonder if home is really where the heart is. But she's over him, isn't she?
 



Claire Dyer - 'The Perfect Affair' (13th of March)

What happens if you fall in love with the wrong person?

Rose knows only too well the exhilaration and devastation of loving a married man. So she watches with a keen eye as Eve - her closest companion, the granddaughter she never had - meets Myles, the new tenant in her downstairs flat.

Quietly and softly and against the backdrop of their own unsatisfactory marriages, Myles and Eve fall in love and, as they try to have the perfect affair like Rose did before them, they come to learn about the pain of lost opportunities, to decide whether it is ever better to follow your head or your heart, to know what it is to be torn between love and duty.

 
 



Nic Tatano - 'The Adventures of Jillian Spectre' (13th of March)

Welcome to the Mystic Quarter...

Jillian Spectre knows what happens after you die.

Because the seventeen-year-old mystic seer can see the future of her clients even after they've passed on. And that's not even her coolest power...

She can be in two places at once. Problem is, her heart can only be in one.

Supernatural abilities aside, she's a typical high school senior torn between two guys. But that gets put on the back burner when she discovers the father she had long assumed was dead is actually alive, with unique powers of his own. He's a technopath, with the ability to interface his mind with technology. And he's got a plan to take down society.

Unless Jillian can stop him.
 



Jenny Colgan - 'Little Beach Street Bakery' (13th of March)

Polly Waterford is recovering from a toxic relationship. Unable to afford their townhouse, she has to move miles away from everyone, to the sleepy little seaside resort of Polbearne, where she lives alone above an abandoned shop.

And so Polly takes out her frustrations on her favourite hobby: making bread. But what was previously a weekend diversion suddenly becomes far more important as she pours her emotions into kneading and pounding the dough, and each loaf becomes better and better. With nuts and seeds, olives and chorizo, with local honey (courtesy of local bee keeper, Huckle), and with reserves of determination and creativity Polly never knew she had, she bakes and bakes and bakes . . . And people start to hear about it.

Sometimes, bread really is life . . . And Polly is about to reclaim hers.
 



Fiona Gibson - 'Take Mum Out' (13th of March)

Three blind dates
Two teenage boys messing up her plans
And one man who'll melt Alice's heart.

'You need to get back in the saddle…' Alice despises that phrase. She's fine being single – with two slothful teenage boys and a meringue business to run, she has enough on her plate without negotiating the troublesome world of modern dating.

However, Alice's three best friends have other ideas. Each one will present her with an utterly delicious, eligible man – all Alice has to do is pick her favourite.
 





Elizabeth Maxwell - 'Happily Ever After' (18th of March)

At forty-six, Sadie Fuller's life isn't exactly romantic. A divorced, overweight, somewhat sexually frustrated mother of an eleven-year-old, she lives in the suburbs, shops the big box stores, makes small talk with her small-minded neighbors, and generally leads a quiet life. But while her daughter is at school, or when Sadie is up late at night, she writes erotic fiction under the name KT Briggs.

Then, during a routine shopping trip, Sadie runs into someone familiar...too familiar, in fact. She encounters an incredibly handsome man exactly like the one in her imagination--and her latest novel. Is Aidan Hathaway really one of her characters? And if so, what is he doing in Target? As Sadie tries to negotiate this strange new world, her eyes begin to open to romantic possibilities in places she never dreamed of looking...places where Happily Ever After might not be so far-fetched after all.
 



Susan Rieger - 'The Divorce Papers' (18th of March)

Twenty-nine-year-old Sophie Diehl is happy toiling away as a criminal law associate at an old line New England firm where she very much appreciates that most of her clients are behind bars. Everyone at Traynor, Hand knows she abhors face-to-face contact, but one weekend, with all the big partners away, Sophie must handle the intake interview for the daughter of the firm’s most important client. After eighteen years of marriage, Mayflower descendant Mia Meiklejohn Durkheim has just been served divorce papers in a humiliating scene at the popular local restaurant, Golightly’s. She is locked and loaded to fight her eminent and ambitious husband, Dr. Daniel Durkheim, Chief of the Department of Pediatric Oncology, for custody of their ten-year-old daughter Jane—and she also burns to take him down a peg. Sophie warns Mia that she’s never handled a divorce case before, but Mia can’t be put off. As she so disarmingly puts it: It’s her first divorce, too.
  



Jane Fallon - 'Skeletons' (27th of March)

Jen has discovered a secret.

It's not hers to share, but is it hers to keep?

If she tells her husband Jason, he might get over the shock but will he forgive her for telling the truth? She might drive a wedge through their marriage.

If she tells someone else in Jason's family - the family she's come to love more than her own - she'd not only tear them apart but could also find herself on the outside: she's never really been one of them, after all.

But if she keeps this dirty little secret to herself, how long can she pretend nothing is wrong? How long can she live a lie?

Jen knows the truth - but is she ready for the consequences?
  



Isabel Wolff - 'Ghostwritten' (27th of March)

A childhood mistake. A lifetime of regrets.

Jenni is a ‘ghost’: she writes the lives of other people. It’s a job that suits her well: still haunted by a childhood tragedy, she finds it easier to take refuge in the memories of others rather than dwell on her own.

Jenni has an exciting new commission, and is delighted to start working on the memoirs of a Dutchwoman, Klara. As a child in the Second World War, Klara was interned in a camp on Java during the Japanese occupation – she has an extraordinary story of survival to tell.

But as Jenni and Klara begin to get to know each other, Jenni begins to do much more than shed light on a neglected part of history. She is being forced to examine her own devastating memories, too. But with Klara’s help, perhaps this is finally the moment where she will be able to lay the ghosts of her own past to rest?

  



Emma Hannigan - 'The Summer Guest' (27th of March)

Lexi and her husband Sam have put their heart and soul into renovating No. 3 Cashel Square. Lexi's mother thinks it's high time they had a baby, but Lexi's thriving art gallery keeps her more than busy. Plus her headstrong niece Amelie seems to have practically moved in. And then, just as summer arrives, a mysterious stranger knocks on the door. Kathleen Williams has come from America, longing to see the house in Cashel Square where she was born, over sixty years ago. Kathleen's visit is tinged with sadness but she finds comfort and laughter with Lexie and Amelie. Soon the three women are sharing their hearts, tears and secrets, little knowing their unexpected friendship will touch them all in more ways than they can imagine... 
   



Jane Costello - 'The Time of Our Lives' (27th of March)

Three best friends. One five-star hotel. Will it be the holiday of a lifetime ...? 

Imogen and her friends Meredith and Nicola have had their fill of budget holidays, cattle-class flights and 6 a.m. offensives for a space by the pool. So when Meredith wins a VIP holiday at Barcelona's hippest new hotel, they plan to sip champagne with the jet set, party with the glitterati and switch off in unapologetic luxury. But when the worst crisis of her working life erupts back home, Imogen has to juggle her BlackBerry with a Manhattan, while soothing a hysterical boss and hunting down an AWOL assistant. 

Between a robbery, a run-in with hotel security staff and an encounter on a nudist beach that they'd all rather forget, the friends stumble from one disaster to the next. At least Imogen has a distraction in the form of the gorgeous guy who's always in the right place at the very worst time. Until, that is, his motives start to arouse a few suspicions ...
  



Rebecca Chance - 'Bad Brides' (27th of March)

Good brides promise to obey. Bad brides wouldn't dream of it… 

Milly Gamble is an up-and-coming actress, and the perfect English flower child. At 23, she's always been cast as the innocent heroine. But looks can deceive. Calculating and fiercely ambitious, Milly is determined to be the most famous star in England. And how better to achieve her goal than by dating Tarquin Ormond, lead singer of the biggest folk band of the moment? Tarquin is madly in love with Milly; Milly is only in love with herself. 

Brianna Jade is an all-American pageant girl. The daughter of Tamra Maloney, a stunning billionairess, Brianna is a sweet, pretty girl who is more than happy to go along with her mother's ambitious plans for her. Now Tamra's brought her to the UK and hooked her up with an Earl. He has a crumbling stately home and needs a rich wife to help restore it to its former glory. Tamra is as ambitious and determined as Brianna is sweet and innocent - is this more a case of mother-in-law-zilla than bridezilla? 

Both Milly and Brianna's upcoming weddings will be huge, lavish events that garner national press. But with the cover of the biggest magazine in the country to be won, things are about to get very dirty…




Mary Hogan - 'Two Sisters' (27th of March)

One family, two sisters, a lifetime of secrets . . .

The third child in a family that wanted only two, Muriel Sullivant has always been an outsider. Short, dark-haired and round, she worships her beautiful blonde sister, Pia, and envies the close bond she shares with their mother, Lidia. Growing up in their shadow, Muriel believes that if she keeps all their secrets—and she knows plenty, outsiders always do—they will love her, too.

But that was a long time ago. Now an adult, Muriel has accepted the disappointments in her life. With her fourth-floor walk-up apartment and entry-level New York City job, she never will measure up to Pia and her wealthy husband, their daughter, and their suburban Connecticut dream home. Muriel would like nothing better than to avoid her judgmental family altogether. One thing she does quite well.

Until the day Pia shows up to visit and share devastating news that Muriel knows she cannot tell—a secret that will force her to come to terms with the past and help her see her life and her family in unexpected new ways.
  



Lucy Clarke - 'A Single Breath' (27th of March)

The deeper the water, the darker the secrets

There were so many times I thought about telling you the truth, Eva. What stopped me was always the same thing…

When Eva’s husband Jackson tragically drowns, she longs to meet his estranged family. The journey takes her to Jackson’s brother’s doorstep on a remote Tasmanian island. As strange details about her husband’s past begin to emerge, memories of the man she married start slipping through her fingers like sand, as everything she ever knew and loved about him is thrown into question. Now she’s no longer sure whether it was Jackson she fell in love with – or someone else entirely…

The truth is, it was all a lie ...

  
 

23 September 2013

Review: 'Killer Queens' by Rebecca Chance (2013)

Every little girl grows up dreaming of finding a prince - but what if the fairy tale turns into a right royal nightmare?

Lori is a beautiful, blonde, all-American athlete. When the charismatic ruler of a small, filthy rich European state asks for her hand, she thinks she's snagged Prince Charming. But she soon realizes that all that glitters is not gold...

Belinda was once the most recognized and loved princess in the world. Forced to stage her own death, she lives incognito abroad with her adoring royal lover. Now, she is determined to return to England to see her son Hugo wed, even if it means risking her own life.

Chloe, Prince Hugo's fiancée, is the archetypical English rose. But it's a long road to becoming a princess, even when you're dating the heir to the throne. Perhaps the fairy-tale ending isn't all it was cracked up to be...

Killer queens, scheming kings, murder plots and lashings of steamy sex - find out what REALLY goes on behind closed palace doors.

Rebecca Chance is a name I’ve come across a lot the past couple of weeks. On the 1st of August, her latest novel ‘Killer Queens’ was released and on my Twitter timeline I noticed how incredibly excited everyone was about this new novel, and they couldn’t wait to get their hands on a copy. I was not familiar with Rebecca Chance’s ‘bonkbusters’, but all the excitement and the blurb of ‘Killer Queens’ convinced me that I needed to read this one as well. Thanks to the lovely Sophie I received a review copy, and with a glass of lemonade, I sat down, ready to step into the world of Rebecca Chance’s ‘bonkbusters’...

‘Killer Queens’ focuses on the royalty of Europe and zooms in on three different women: Chloe is just your average English girl, except for the fact that she is engaged to Hugo, the prince and future king of the United Kingdom. Chloe’s love for Hugo is deep and real, but there are lots of people ready to make her life difficult, including her future sister-in-law Sophie. Lori is an American Olympic medal winner who is about to marry King Joachim of Herzoslovakia, after a few short but intense weeks of dating. Lori is convinced she is in love with her future husband, but something seems to be off and she can’t quite figure out what it is. Is she really willing to give up everything for this marriage? And then there’s Belinda, who married and divorced Prince Oliver of the United Kingdom (Hugo’s father), before she tragically died in a skiing accident numerous years ago. She was trapped in an unhappy marriage and was willing to do anything to see her children grow up happily, including staging her own death. But now, circumstances are forcing her to return to England and to uncover her big secret. These three women have the promise of a true fairy tale in common, the question is: what happens when they find out what goes on behind the closed doors of the castle...?

Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been in love with anything that has to do with royalty, castles, gorgeous gowns, princesses, fairy tales... So, it’s not strange that the blurb of ‘Killer Queens’ immediately made me want to add the book to my to-read list. After reading it, there’s only one thing I can say: WOW. ‘Killer Queens’ is a brilliant and addictive read with three great storylines at its core. I loved Chloe, Lori and Belinda, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen to them. The novel includes a fabulous mix of characters, from evil stepmothers to hilarious best friends that made me laugh out loud, and it is great how everything is connected to each other one way or another.

The novel includes some very steamy, full-on sex scenes; it’s not called a bonkbuster for nothing! While some of these scenes might have been a bit too saucy for my personal liking (I will never look at a banana in the same way), they are well-written and did not change the fact that this novel is not just sex; there’s a real story behind all of it, which I really enjoyed. If you decide to pick up ‘Killer Queens’, which I hope you will, make sure to have enough free time ahead of you, because it is a highly addictive read which you will not want to put down. ‘Killer Queens’ is an outrageously sexy, glamorous fairytale for grown-ups, which gives you a sneak-peak into the world of royalty and what goes on behind those palace walls.  

Rating:9/10


29 July 2013

August 2013 releases to look forward to! (Part 1)

At the end of July, I guess we can finally say that summer has definitely arrived in Europe! I've been on holiday for two weeks in the UK and had the loveliest weather, so managed to spend some nice days wearing sun dresses, reading good books, and enjoying (probably too much, oops) ice cream! And *snap*, before you know it, August is almost upon us, which of course means lots of great new releases! Whether you still need some ideas for novels to take with you on holiday, or whether you are already back home and need some cheering up because you had to say goodbye to the summer holiday bliss too soon... I'm sure this list of upcoming releases will bring a smile to your face!

Rebecca Chance - 'Killer Queens' (1st of August 2013)
Every little girl grows up dreaming of finding a prince - but what if the fairy tale turns into a right royal nightmare? 

Lori is a beautiful, blonde, all-American athlete. When the charismatic ruler of a small, filthy rich European state asks for her hand, she thinks she's snagged Prince Charming. But she soon realizes that all that glitters is not gold... 

Belinda was once the most recognized and loved princess in the world. Forced to stage her own death, she lives incognito abroad with her adoring royal lover. Now, she is determined to return to England to see her son Hugo wed, even if it means risking her own life. 

Chloe, Prince Hugo's fiancĂ©e, is the archetypical English rose. But it's a long road to becoming a princess, even when you're dating the heir to the throne. Perhaps the fairy-tale ending isn't all it was cracked up to be... 

Killer queens, scheming kings, murder plots and lashings of steamy sex - find out what REALLY goes on behind closed palace doors. 

Why so excited? --> I'm so incredibly excited about this novel, and I am sure many of you will want to pick up your own copy as well after just reading the blurb! As a real girly-girl, I love everything that has to do with royalty, princesses, gorgeous gowns, castles... So, the fact that this novel focuses not on one, but three different female characters within the world of glamorous royalty, makes me want to get my hands on this book as soon as possible!

Claudia Carroll - 'Me and You' (1st of August 2013)

I’m fine. I’m sorry. Please take care of him for me. And maybe one day I’ll get to explain.

Angie knows a lot about her best friend Kitty.
She knows Kitty is mad and wild and loves to wear clashing colours. She knows she’s incredibly funny and generous but also very unreliable.
And she knows that there is a perfect explanation for Kitty standing her up on her birthday.
She thinks she knows everything about Kitty, except she doesn’t.

Kitty knows that she is the happiest she has ever been.
She knows she’s so lucky to have a lovely boyfriend, Simon and a best friend like Angie. But what she doesn’t know is that on this night, her past is finally going to catch up with her and change everything.

Why so excited? --> I read my first Claudia Carroll novel at the start of this year, and really enjoyed it. I've heard good things about her latest release, 'Me and You', so I can't wait to read this one. The blurb doesn't give too much away, but already manages to intrigue me. What will happen to Angie and Kitty? What is it about Kitty's past? I have high hopes for this book and can't wait to read it!

Louise Candlish - 'The Disappearance of Emily Marr' (1st of August 2013)

Arriving on the windswept Ile de Re off the coast of France, Tabby Dewhurst is heartbroken and penniless, unable even to afford a room for the night. Then she overhears a villager repeating aloud the access code to her front door and, hardly believing her own actions, Tabby waits for the villager to leave and lets herself into the house...

And so she enters the strange, hidden world of Emmie, whose sudden offer of friendship is at odds with her obsession with her own privacy. Soon Tabby begins to form suspicions about Emmie, suspicions that will lead her back to England – and to a scandal with shattering consequences.

Why so excited? --> I've never read anything by Louise Candlish before, but the beautiful cover of 'The Disappearance of Emily Marr' straight away caught my eye. The blurb also has a mysterious sound to it, and I've become quite curious to learn more about Tabby and Emmie and the scandal that is mentioned!

Catherine Alliot - 'My Husband Next Door' (1st of August 2013)

When Ella married the handsome, celebrated artist Sebastian Montclair at just nineteen she was madly in love. Now, those blissful years of marriage have turned into the very definition of an unconventional set-up. Separated in every way but distance, Sebastian resides in an outhouse across the lawn from Ella's ramshackle farmhouse.

With an ex-husband living under her nose and a home crowded by hostile teenaged children, gender-confused chickens - not to mention her hyper critical mother whose own marriage slips spectacularly off the rails - Ella finds comfort in the company of the very charming gardener, Ludo.

Then out of the blue Sebastian decides to move on, catching Ella horribly unawares. How much longer can she hide from what really destroyed her marriage . . . and the secret she continues to keep?

Why so excited? --> 'My Husband Next Door' sounds like a trustworthy, enjoyable chick lit novel, and to my opinion you can't ever read enough of those. I like the idea of Ella living so close to her ex-husband, and can only imagine the kind of situations that will lead to. Especially if you add a hunky gardener to the story!

Sinead Moriarty - 'Mad About You' (1st of August 2013)

Emma and James Hamilton have weathered lots of storms in their ten-year marriage. From the heartbreak of infertility, to the craziness of then becoming parents to two babies in one year, to coping with James losing his job, somehow they have always worked as a team.

However, the pressure of moving from Dublin to London for James's new job - away from familiar surroundings and the family Emma loves - puts them under stress like never before. So when James starts getting texts from a stranger - texts that show startling insights into their lives - Emma is not sure what to think. She is far from home, isolated and before long finds herself questioning everything about their relationship.

Maybe those texts are telling her the truth and the life she believed to be solid and secure is just a mirage. Somehow she has to get a grip, but how can she do that when a stranger is set on driving Emma out of her home and her marriage?

Why so excited? --> I've read about Sinead Moriarty being compared to authors like Marian Keyes and Jodi Picoult, which are both big names within women's fiction. 'Mad About You' sounds like a slightly more dramatic novel than a typical chick lit, and it has definitely caught my attention. Looks like a promising read!

Milly Johnson - 'It's Raining Men' (1st of August 2013)

A summer getaway to remember. But is a holiday romance on the cards…? 

Best friends from work May, Lara and Clare are desperate for some time away. They have each had a rough time of it lately and need some serious R & R. So they set off to a luxurious spa for ten glorious days, but when they arrive at their destination, it seems it is not the place they thought it was. In fact, they appear to have come to entirely the wrong village… 

Here in Ren Dullem nothing is quite what it seems; the lovely cobbled streets and picturesque cottages hide a secret that the villagers have been keeping hidden for years. Why is everyone so unfriendly and suspicious? Why does the landlord of their holiday rental seem so rude? And why are there so few women in the village? Despite the strange atmosphere, the three friends are determined to make the best of it and have a holiday to remember. But will this be the break they all need? Or will the odd little village with all its secrets bring them all to breaking point…?

Why so excited? --> I adore Milly Johnson's novels. They're always great fun and have gorgeous covers! I have been looking forward to the release of 'It's Raining Men' for quite some time now, and I'm really glad it's almost August so I can finally get my hands on a copy! I love the sound of the story: three best friends needing some time off, finding themselves in a small village with a secret... Can't wait!

Diane Chamberlain - 'Necessary Lies' (1st of August 2013)

North Carolina, 1960. Newlywed Jane Forrester, fresh out of university, is seeking what most other women have shunned: a career.

But life as a social worker is far from what she expected. Out amongst the rural Tobacco fields of Grace County, Jane encounters a world of extreme poverty that is far removed from the middle-class life she has grown up with.

But worse is still to come. Working with the Hart family and their fifteen-year-old daughter Ivy, it’s not long before Jane uncovers a shocking secret, and is thrust into a moral dilemma that puts her career on the line, threatens to dissolve her marriage, and ultimately, determines the fate of Ivy and her family forever.

Soon Jane is forced to take drastic action, and before long, there is no turning back.

Why so excited? --> Another enchanting cover and an intriguing blurb! I received a review copy of this novel, and I can't wait to start reading it. I like the fact that the novel is set in the 1960's and Jane sounds like a fascinating character with an interesting story to tell. Looking forward to reading this!

Be sure to visit this blog in the upcoming days to read about more fabulous August 2013 releases!