Category Archives: REVIEWS (ALL) – Reverse Chronological Order

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*REVIEW* ~ Zenka, by Alison Brodie

#blackcomedy #drama #romance

Blurb

Devious, ruthless, and loyal.

Zenka is a capricious Hungarian with a dark past.

When cranky London mob boss, Jack Murray, saves her life she vows to become his guardian angel – whether he likes it or not. Happily, she now has easy access to pistols, knives and shotguns.

Jack discovers he has a son, Nicholas, a male nurse with a heart of gold. Problem is, Nicholas is a wimp.

Zenka takes charges. Using her feminine wiles and gangland contacts, she will make Nicholas into the sort of son any self-respecting crime boss would be proud of. And she succeeds!

Nicholas transforms from pussycat to mad dog, falls in love with Zenka, and finds out where the bodies are buried – because he buries them. He’s learning fast that sometimes you have to kill, or be killed.

As his life becomes more terrifying, questions have to be asked: How do you tell a mob boss you don’t want to be his son? And is Zenka really who she says she is?

My Review ~ 5 stars

Sheer brilliance – do yourself a HUGE favour and read this now! TOP READ

Zenka is a book like no other I have reviewed this year – a brilliant read and a guarenteed pick me up! One minute I was laughing out loud, the next I was cringing at the desperate straits and misunderstandings that befall the characters. Throughout it all Zenka, who acts as both the muse and the catalyst for the plot, entertains the reader with her wild and outlandish actions. The novel contains madcap and side-splitting antics galore, contrasting starkly with a host of gory and violent scenes.

The plot explores the very worst of the human condition – greed, deceit, violence and the abuse of trust, and also the very best – love , friendship , honour and loyalty. This dichotomy plays out in a deliciously devilish exposé that sweeps the reader and characters along into a vortex of black comedy and emotionally charged scenes. The novel delves into family, friendship ties and romance and  culminates in a heartfelt ending which expertly resolves the disparate plot strands.

I just loved the pairing of the mild mannered  and gentle nurse Nicholas and the fiery and unpredictable Zenka, the Hungarian pole dancer and friend of the gangster Jack. The couple are brought together, at Zenka’s insistence, when Jack, to whom she owes a huge debt, finds out that he has a son from a former lover. Zenka is determined to bring father and son together and to transform Nicholas into a man worthy of entering a life of crime.

The plot delves into what motivates us all and also poses the question of whether a leopard can change its spots – can the wimpy Nicholas become an alpha male worthy of his gangland dad and conversely can Jack renounce a life of crime for the son he never knew he had? If Zenka succeeds will she like the man Nicholas has become? Moreover how will Nicholas react when he finds out who is dad really is? And what will his response be when he learns of Zenka’s deceit when he has fallen in love with her? The result of all these shenanigans is life-changing for the main characters and those within their orbit. Indeed, The supporting cast, all of whom are beautifully portrayed, have their own trials and tribulations which are woven masterfully into the story.

Zenka, which would make an excellent film/TV drama, is a must read. It also has a seasonal flavour, making it a fantastic Christmas read.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note that a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK   Amazon US

Connect with the Author

Link to website: http://www.alisonbrodiebooks.com/#!the-double/c1253

https://www.facebook.com/AlisonBrodieAuthor/

 

 

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*ARC Review* ~ The Silver Wolf: A James Ryker Thriller, by Rob Sinclair

#thriller #spythriller #actionthriller

Book Blurb

A fast paced and unmissable thriller from the international bestselling James Ryker series

Ryker wants blood, and one way or another he’ll get it…

Still tormented by the disappearance of his wife, ex-intelligence agent James Ryker sets out on a personal mission of revenge, prepared to go to any lengths in search of the truth.

The trail takes him from the crystal waters of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, back to a place he thought he would never set foot again – his country of birth, England. But there he discovers more than even he bargained for. Stumbling across a terrorist attack targeted against his old employers – the secretive Joint Intelligence Agency -the faint clues to many events in his recent past are all seemingly linked to one mysterious character; The Silver Wolf.

But just who is the Silver Wolf, and why is he hell bent on punishing not just Ryker, but his closest allies at the JIA too?
Has Ryker finally met his match?

The Silver Wolf is a globe-trotting thriller that sees James Ryker at his hard-nosed best as he fights the ghosts of his past. As skilled as Jason Bourne, as no-nonsense as Jack Reacher, James Ryker delivers in another heart-pounding thriller.

My Review ~ 5 stars

Ryker is back in a high octane revenge thriller.

In The Silver Wolf revenge is the name of the game in this rip-roaring spy thriller, the latest release by Rob Sinclair. The offering is another stunning tour-de-force by this author whose larger than life characters and devilishly clever plots never fail to deliver.

The reader immediately feels for Ryker, a man tormented by his wife Lisa’s disappearance. He needs to employ all the skills learned from his past as a field operative and then some – at times the situations he finds himself in appear to be insurmountable. The reader is left in no doubt however, as to his determination to make those who hurt her pay the ultimate price. Ryker’s quest for vengeance takes him from Mexico, to London and beyond as he becomes embroiled in a tangled web of illicit criminal activity and the covert work of government operatives, including his old colleagues at the Joint Intelligence Agency.

As the plot progresses all roads lead to the elusive Silver Wolf who appears to have not only played a pivotal role in Ryker’s recent past but the JIA’s current problems. Who is he? Will he succeed in his machinations or will Ryker get to him first? How much collateral damage will there be before Ryker achieves his ultimate goal – if indeed he does? There are scenes of blood and gore aplenty and a number of plot twists, including one major one which I did not see coming, before the book reaches its stunning and bloody denouement. As with other books in the series Rob Sinclair does not shy away from some violent and fairly gruesome scenes as befits the book’s genre!

The novel can be read as a standalone, but if you enjoyed this read I thoroughly recommend reading the other novels featuring the main character – Carl Logan/James Ryker.

Highly recommended for lovers of character driven and high action spy thrillers.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note that an ARC of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Connect with the Author

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8389261.Rob_Sinclair

http://www.robsinclairauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Rob-Sinclair-746087495413628/

 

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*REVIEW* ~ Girl of Glass, by Megan O’Russell

#youngadult #dystopian

Blurb

Two worlds…one glass wall…no turning back.

The human race has been divided. The chosen few live in the safety of the domes, watching through their glass walls as those left on the outside suffer and die. But desperation has brought invention, and new drugs have given the outsiders the strength to roam the poisoned night unafraid – but it comes at a price.
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Seventeen-year-old Nola Kent has spent her life in the domes, being trained to protect her little piece of the world that has been chosen to survive. The mission of the domes is to preserve the human race, not to help the sick and starving. But when outsider Kieran Wynne begs for Nola’s help in saving an innocent life, she is drawn into a world of darkness and danger. The suffering on the other side of the glass is beyond anything Nola had imagined, and turning her back on the outside world to return to the safety of the domes may be more than she can stand. Even when her home is threatened by the very people Nola wants to help.

My Review

Addictive and hard-hitting – 5 stars

I absolutely LOVED this hard-hitting and addictive dystopian novel. It’s the first book I have read by the author and she is extremely talented in creating well-rounded characters and a riveting and thought-provoking read.

The central character Nola, the ‘Girl of Glass’ of the title, is flanked by two friends and would-be-lovers in an emotional love triangle: Kieran, who along with his father, has been banished from the domes for flouting its rules, and Jeremy a strict defender of the rules set by the dome dwellers and whose father is captain of the outer guard.

The writing flows beautifully and I felt the emotions of Nola, Kieran and Jeremy and empathised with their respective predicaments. The book also features some strongly developed secondary characters and excellent world building. The lives of those outside the domes , whose existence revolves around survival in a hostile environment, contrast with those of the dome dwellers, a privileged and ordered elite dedicated to science and duty. The impact of the drugs that many outside the dome are compelled to take to survive is pivotal to the plot and I enjoyed this element immensely.

Normally I shy away from books involving love triangles but here it worked for me, particularly so as Kieran and Jeremy, Nola’s friend and fellow dome dweller, shared a past history. I hugely enjoyed the tension filled plot as Nola is thrust into danger and is torn between two young men, whilst wrestling with her own moral compass in which she wants the best for all in the world and not just those fortunate to reside alongside her in the glass dome.

Should she chose the safety and order of the domes dedicated to protect the few or the danger and chaos of the world outside, where death can be just around the corner? It is only a matter of time before these two worlds collide and Nola will be caught in the crossfire and forced to choose.

A super read, one I’d recommend to teenagers and above.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note that a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair aand honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon US  Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

https://www.meganorussell.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ORussellauthor/

 

 

 

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*REVIEW* ~ Ascension: Placard of Shame, by Carmen Capuano

#dystopian #thriller

Blurb

I am blessed–or cursed–with the ability to see the colour of peoples’ souls, something I dare not reveal. Keeping my secret hidden has kept me safe. Until now.

Now I am afraid that I can no longer hide from the evil in our society. Our laws are intended–or so I have always believed–to protect us from sinfulness and chaos. But my friend, Sarah, is pregnant and unmarried. Her child will be taken from her at birth and she will be forced into a life of shame. Time is slipping away. I must discover where the father of her child is and why he’s disappeared.

But will the answers I find save, or destroy our society? Will they save, or destroy Sarah?

I’m torn between doing the right thing and the wrong thing. The trouble is that I don’t know which is which.

I settle for the truth. It’s all I have.

My Review ~ 4 and a half stars

Thought-Provoking Dystopian Novel

This is the first book that I have read by the author and I found it both page-turning and thought-provoking, which played on my emotions. I enjoy dystopian novels and in Ascension Carmen Capuano has written a worthy heroine in Jessica, as she delves into her own abilities and unearths some sordid truths about the society she lives in.

Written in the first person POV, the narrative has an immediacy about it that pulled me into the story, as Jessica gives her all to solve the mystery of the whereabouts of the man who fathered Sarah’s unborn child. The consequences for an unmarried woman giving birth in the dystopian society of Ascension have grave and life changing impications for both mother and baby, implications which are especially brutal for the mother.

It has a number of themes which have resonance for me – the control of society through the rule of doctrine and law; the treatment and control of women in a patriarchal society, particularly their sexual freedoms (or rather lack of); whether we are born good or evil and whether we have any choice in what we become. We are also left to ponder whether or not we should tolerate some evil is to exist for the greater good to prevail.

The main character’s ability to sense the colour of people’s souls is key to the plot. Jessica has hitherto kept this a secret, but in order to help her friend Sarah, she will have to learn to use and exploit it to its full potential, a potential she has yet to explore. This could put her at grave risk as her path exposes truths about the society she lives in.

I won’t reveal anything about the intracacies of the plot as it would spoil the read, but I will say that I enjoyed it immensely. It will appeal to readers of dystopian novels, particularly those who enjoy coming of age stories.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of  a fair and honest review.

Buy Links

Amazon UK  Amazon US

Connect with the Author

http://carmencapuano.blogspot.co.uk/

 

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*ARC REVIEW* ~ The Spymaster’s Redeemer (Dreda’s Men), by Alexie Bolton

#historical #romance

Blurb

Two people on opposite sides of a civil war. Frances Dreda is an officer in the Taylian State Security Bureau who enforces obedience to the law by the deterrent of prison and the noose. He investigates the activities of the outspoken and intellectual Lady Felea Whelani who he suspects aids the rebels by codebreaking and feeding and educating their children.

They should be mortal enemies but are intrigued by each other but he mistrusts women and Felea is repulsed by his detachment and his severity. Can love overcome cultural differences and prejudice? Can Felea humanise this officer?

My Review ~ 4 and a half stars

Entertaining and Compulsive 

Alexie Bolton’s The Spymaster’s Redeemer, the author’s first novel, kept me entertained from beginning to end. It is a sweeping historical romance with complex characters and a well developed plot.

The central story is that of the relationship between the two protagonists – the ‘Spymaster’ of the title Frances Dreda, and Lady Felea, the daughter of an academic suspected of supporting enemies of the Emperor of Taylia, a fictional country near the Austria- Hungary border. There is also much emphasis on the politics and power play between different individuals and factions. The push and pull between the couple also highlight the differing expectations put on men and women. I found the result to be a thoroughly compulsive read as the author skilfully weaves these different threads together.

I enjoyed both the sexual tension and the heated exchanges between Dreda and Felea which begin as soon as their paths cross. Dreda is investigating her father’s potential guilt, a crime punishable by death and as his daughter Felea herself is under suspicion. Dreda takes an uncharacteristic personal interest in the case as something about the young woman intrigues him, taking it on himself to establish the extent of her guilt or innocence. As for Felea, she fears for her own fate and that of her father and wants rid of this odious man who is an unwelcome threat to her sanity and wellbeing! I will not divulge how the plot develops, suffice to say that the story is a complex one and is full of unexpected twists with plenty of action, suspense and romance.

Of particular merit is the good job the author does in developing both Dreda’s and Felea’s characters. I found Dreda to be a fascinating individual who attracts and repels at the same time. As the Emperor’s right hand man, he is cold and calculating, a misogynist who uses women for his own ends and a master manipulator. Felea blindsides him not only with her exuberance and apparent innocence but also with her intelligence. I enjoyed how she gets under his skin and challenges his preconceptions. For her part she is an accomplished individual due to the freedoms given to her by her academic father and loathes the thought of being controlled by a man. Although they are opposites in many respects, they are well matched and I enjoyed how their relationship develops given the obstacles in their way, not least their own pride and preconceptions.

It is an impressive first novel by the author and I am looking forward to reading more of her work.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note, an ARC of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Connect with the Author

https://www.facebook.com/The-Spymasters-Redeemer-292324974543422/

 

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*REVIEW* – Hiding in Plain Sight, by Lucy Felthouse

#romance #espionage #romanticsuspense

Adult content

Book Blurb

Mallory Scott is an espionage operative, working for the British government. She’s travelled all over the world, often going undercover and infiltrating criminal organisations in order to extract the intelligence needed to dismantle their operations and bring the perpetrators to justice. Given her usual targets are terrorists, people-traffickers, drug-traffickers and arms dealers, her latest assignment should be relatively simple. A small group of Brits is raking in serious money in the diamond-scamming business—and although their MO is theft and forgery, rather than hurting people, they still need to be stopped. But up until now, they’ve proved elusive—no one can catch them in the act, or find a shred of evidence against them.

That’s where Mallory comes in. She follows the group to Amsterdam, planning to get her claws in to one of the gang. Luck is on her side, and within twenty-four hours she’s lunching with Baxter Collinson, the youngest—and most handsome—diamond thief. What she’s not expecting, however, is to get on with him quite so well. Attraction bubbles between them—and for once, on Mallory’s part, it isn’t an act. For the first time in her career, Mallory struggles with what she must do.

Can she ignore her heart for the sake of her career?

My Review – 5 stars

Fun and sexy romantic suspense!

A super romantic suspense from Lucy Felthouse. Mallory’s work as an espionage operative is often dangerous and she fully expects her latest assignment, that of gathering evidence to take down a group of diamond thieves, to be a doddle. She has absolutely no qualms about using her feminine wiles to entrap one of the gang’s members, the young and handsome Baxter Collinson. All goes to plan except she makes an immediate connection to Baxter and begins to lose her heart in the process… For the first time she feels guilty about the role she has played in a criminal’s impending arrest and incarceration and she is torn.

I won’t delve any more into the plot but suffice to say I LOVED the unexpected twist. Do the couple have a future? How will Baxter view Mallory’s deceit? Can Mallory continue to maintain her professional detachment towards the very man who has made her question her actions?

I adored Mallory, a strong woman and a consummate professional, dedicated to her work as an undercover agent – she reminded me of a female James Bond as she enjoys her job and has a healthy attitude when it comes to sex! As for Baxter, he is both SO sexy and cheeky and has a fantastic sense of humour – it is no wonder Mallory falls for him. I really felt for him when he realises that Mallory deliberately orchestrated their relationship.

The characters are realistic and I easily identified with their emotions – I particularly loved the banter and the scenes between the main couple. It’s also got plenty of smexy and sizzling scenes which the author excels at.

Recommended for readers of romantic suspense who enjoy a read which contains some sexy and explicit scenes.

Please note, a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Goodreads

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Connect with the Author

http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/lucyfelthousewriter/

 

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*REVIEW* ~ Waking for Winter (Philadelphia Coven Chronicles #4), by Katherine McIntyre

#paranormal #romance #urbanfantasy

Blurb

The Philadelphia Coven has thwarted the Order of the Serpent’s every attempt to destroy their city only to draw out the scariest nightmare from the Otherworld, the Caoranach. One of the Coven’s own, Cami Akiyama, has already met this creature—the very monster who tortured her, branding her with a mark. Given Cami’s history with the big bad, the Coven leader assigns her a bodyguard, none other than the gorgeous and lethal necromancer, Dante Martinez, the ex-boyfriend she disappeared on years ago. One conversation confirms the spark between them never died, and based on the way Dante flirts, he won’t allow that flame to extinguish out without a fight.

No one has ever compared to Dante and the incendiary passion he inspired in her, but the Caoranach broke her—Cami’s too damaged for any sort of relationship. Not like that stops him. If anything, he fights harder for the memories of a love that kept her sane on the bleakest nights. And despite every effort to distance, she finds herself falling for him all over again. Except the Caoranach isn’t finished with her—the branded mark holds the secret to the city’s destruction or salvation, and Cami stands in the center of the storm.

My Review ~ 5 stars

Fast Paced and Passionate Second Chance Romance

Waking for Winter is a fast paced and passionate second chance romance. It contains one damaged Banshee who is not going down without a fight and a Necromancer who will give anything to keep her alive and make her his. It is the fourth and final instalment in the author’s Philadelphia Coven urban fantasy series which combines kick-ass scenes and heated encounters.

The Order of the Serpent has been the proverbial thorn in the side of the Coven, the organisation dedicated to prevent creatures from the Otherworld wreaking havoc and destruction on their city and humanity. The Order’s actions have drawn out the nightmare of the Caoranach, a creature intent on destroying the city. Cami has had the misfortune to have been held captive by this creature and bears both mental and physical scars, the latter in the form of the Caoranach’s mark. Cami is in an impossible situation – she is hell-bent on destroying her nemesis but fears the mark bestowed on her has formed an unwelcome bond with her enemy, enabling the creature to use her as a weapon against those whom she loves. Once Cami’s mark becomes known to the Coven, the necromancer Dante, whom Cami walked out on years ago is assigned to protect her.

Cami is a heroine whom I was rooting for from the off. She is so stong when the chips are down despite havng to cope with PTSD from her time in captivity. Her actions in the novel and in the past are motivated by protecting those whom she cares about and I admired how she put the welfare of others before her own, even if to do so risks her heart and soul. Dante, who we met earlier in the series, comes across as a bit of a man-whore, but we soon learn that this is just a front. Tasked with protecting Cami, the couple are forced into close proximity and the feelings they once had for each other soon resurface.

Yet Cami is adamant that she will not re-kindle their relationship and as the tale unfolds we learn her reasons for this. However, Dante is extremely persistent and as the danger increases so soes the passion! Brought together once again in the shadow of the death and destruction threated by the Caoranach will Cami and Dante reunite or even survive? I loved the story from beginning to the end.

Recommended for lovers of fast-paced and sexy urban fantasy.

Reviviewed by Tina Williams

Please note that a copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review. 

Purchase Links

Amazon UK   Amazon.com

Author Links

Website: http://www.katherine-mcintyre.com

Tumblr: http://www.booksteacoffee.tumblr.com

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kmcintyremt

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kmcintyreauthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pixierants

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*REVIEW* ~ Blaire Dark Romance (Part 1), by Anita Gray

#darkromance #suspense #psychological #bdsm

Book Blurb

BLAIRE: part 1 in the Dark Romance Series

Bought. Conditioned.

My name is Blaire. I’m head of security to a man who controls the Russian underworld in Europe. His name is Maksim and he’s my master. He bought me ten years ago and conditioned me with brutality to worship and protect him. And I have protected him. I’ve slain everyone who has tried to do him harm. Everyone but a man he loans me to; a man who threatens to break me and everything I believe in.

You’re going to need a strong stomach and a strong heart to follow my story, because take my word for it, it’s no fairy tale.

My Review

Totally Amazing Dark Read! – 5 stars

What can I say? I was GLUED to this AMAZING dark, psychological read. I am a self-confessed book whore when it comes to dark  reads and I put this up there amongst the best. It has an original plot line and in Blaire and Charlie the author has created a truly awesome couple – their relationship is complex and intense and the scenes between them range from deliciously dark to sweet. I need to point out that it contains some brutal scenes of violence, physical and sexual in the book (dubious and non consent, bdsm, torture and abuse) which are not for the faint hearted. 

Blaire is one of the most kick-ass and lethal females I have come across of late yet she is so vulnerable. I wept for her as the plot unfolded and little by little we leared about her history and Maskim’s role in it. The way the author drip feeds this information adds to the suspense and I was gob smacked when I learned about her past.

I ADORED Charlie – just what is his game? What hold does he have over Maskim? Can Charlie protect Blaire or is he just exploiting her too? Will Blaire overcome Maskim’s conditioning or is it too ingrained in her psyche? Will Charlie succeed in breaking her hard exterior to reveal the woman beneath and how will this impact on her? Will his kindness save her or lead to her destruction? I was fascinated with the psychology of the relationships in his book and if you love dark romance as much as I’d encourage you do add it to your ‘to read pile.’ I’m relieved that part 2 of Blaire’s story is out at the end of this month so that I can see what happens next.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Purchase Links

Amazon UK  Amazon US

Connect with the Author

https://www.facebook.com/AnitaGrayAuthor/

http://anitagrayauthor.wixsite.com/anitagrayauthor

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*ARC REVIEW* ~ The Divinity Bureau, by Tessa Clare

#newadult #dystopian #romance

Blurb

The Hunger Games meets Romeo and Juliet in a stunning debut about a forbidden romance between a young activist and a government employee for a corrupt bureau that controls the population by deciding who lives and who dies.

Roman Irvine is a disgruntled IT Technician for the Divinity Bureau, a government agency that uses random selection to decide who lives and who dies. In a world where overpopulation has lead to pollution, a crippled economy, and a world in crisis, he’s accepted the bureau’s activities as a necessity… until he meets April McIntyre.

April has every reason to be suspicious of Roman. He works for the Divinity Bureau, which sent her father to an early grave. But he’s also sweet and loyal, and unbeknownst to her, he saved her life. As Roman and April fall deeper in love, the deeper they’re thrust into the politics of deciding who lives and who dies. Someone wants April dead. And the bureau’s process of random selection may not be so random after all…

My Review – 5 stars

Super Dystopian Romance 

The Divinity Bureau is a page-turning New Adult read, full of danger, suspense and romance. It has a thought provoking plot, with well-rounded and believable characters, which kept my interest throughout.

In the novel science has found a way to render the lucky few who can afford it immortal. The ensuing overpopulation has resulted in an environmental and economic catastrophe where there are huge divisions in society. To manage the population the government has set up the Divinity Bureau, an organisation which decides by random selection who can live or die. Although this is brutal Roman, an IT Technician for the Bureau, has accepted it as a necessary evil. However, he inadvertently discovers evidence that the selection is not as random as he believes, a discovery that will change his life and that of another…

Roman’s actions save the life of April, a young woman of privilege, whose own father was selected for death. Their growing friendship and romance, against the backdrop of growing civil unrest, is a sweet one. It is also full of danger and suspense as both Roman and April find themselves under threat, a threat that for April may result in her death. I enjoyed how their relationship develops and how they come to empathise with each other despite their differences in social standing and personalities. I appreciated how the author slowly revealed the secrets at play and the motivation behind the threat that hangs over April, which made for a page-turning read.

Roman is an out an out geek, but clearly a good guy and his actions are honourable throughout, even if he is less than truthful with April. He has a lot to lose and must tread carefully, lest he lose all he has achieved. Can he step up to the mark, reveal all that is rotten at the heart of the Bureau, save his skin and protect April in the process? It is a tall order and I was totally gripped at how the story develops!

April is a young woman who wears her heart on her sleeve and will not shy away telling it like it is – a character trait that has got her into a lot of trouble in the past. She is nonetheless a poweful individual, due to her family background. When she discovers exactly what and who she is up against, she must re-evaluate her close relationships, including that with Roman, and the couple must decide where their loyalties lie.

I don’t want to say any more about the characters and plot, except to say that it’s a super dystopian read. I would love to see other books set in this world. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note that an ARC of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK  Amazon US

Connect with the Author

https://www.facebook.com/tessaclareofficial/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16900628.Tessa_Clare

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*ARC REVIEW* ~ The Great Escape (Dilbury Village #2), by Charlotte Fallowfield

#romanticcomedy #humour #chicklit #contemporaryromance

Blurb

A tropical beach paradise in Mexico was the last place Georgie Basset expected her decimated heart to be jump-started again, not after she’d been jilted the year before by spotted Weston Argent jogging along the beach, all bronzed with ripped muscles like some Greek God out of a modern day Baywatch scene, she nearly choked on her cocktail. She knew immediately she was in trouble, she’d never reacted so strongly to a man on first glance.

However, after a disastrous first date with him, she headed back home to Dilbury, resigned to never seeing him again. That is, until Weston turned up unexpectedly at her dog grooming parlour with Bertie the French bulldog, a species she had a real weakness for. She couldn’t help but wonder if fate was playing a helping hand. But each time she saw him, their encounters never went smoothly, resulting in some mortifying and hilarious escapades. Despite their undeniable attraction, there was something about Weston that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, something that concerned her.

When the truth finally came to light, Georgie was convinced that all men were dogs, except she knew that was an insult to dogkind. Ever the meddler, her best friend, Abbie, intervened, knowing in her heart that despite what had happened, Weston was full of good intentions, and was undoubtedly Georgie’s Prince Charming.

The question remained, could he convince Georgie of that, or would he forever remain in the dog house?

While The Great Escape is a standalone story, it’s the second in the Dilbury Village series of romantic comedy novels. All of them will be set in the quaint fictitious English hamlet in the Shropshire countryside, but feature a different village couples’ story.

Warning, if you are of a sensitive disposition when it comes to toilet humour, then the Dilbury Village series may not be for you!

Charlotte Fallowfield’s novels have hit #1 category bestseller charts internationally for Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, and Humour. Her alter-ego, C.J. Fallowfield, has also hit #1 category bestseller charts internationally for Humorous Erotica, and Romance (English), multiple times.

My Review

A Riotous Read ~ 5 stars

Oh my giddy aunt! If you love rip-roaring laugh-out-loud reads which pair hapless but lovable heroes and heroines then do yourself a HUGE favour –  get your mitts on Charlotte Fallowfield’s romantic comedy The Great Escape. I also loved the previous book, Never The Bride (Abbie’s story), and I really enjoyed revisiting Dilbury (a fictitious  Shropshire village) and being reunited with its larger than life characters, where there is never a dull moment. The humour is very British throughout and #turdgate makes a number of hilarious reappearances – you will need to read the previous novel to appreciate the reference!

The central romance, between Georgie and Weston is a delight to read. Georgie  has been sworn off men since her fiancé cheated on her and understandably has major trust issues. When, on her hols, she unexpectedly encounters the uber attractive sex god that is Weston, she is overcome with unfamiliar lust! They embark on what is probably the most hilarious (and disastrous) first date I’ve ever read, before Weston returns to the UK. Georgie thinks that will be the last she sees of him. However, fate and Weston have other plans and he eventually turns up, dog in hand, seeking her company and her dog grooming expertise. 😉

Their relationship goes from strength to strength but not before there are a series of side splitting and unexpected mishaps. Weston is very secretive about his life. Can Georgie trust him? What is he is hiding and is it a threat to their HEA? Georgie finds herself falling for him hard, but will she be able to forgive him when his past comes to light? I was dying to find out even as I laughed at their antics. The read also ripped my emotions to shreds as the story unfolds and it is fortunate that Georgie has such a close knit group of friends, Abbie, Charlie and Deirdre, who are there for her when she needs them.

A TOP READ, recommended for lovers of irrepressibly funny romcoms.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Please note an ARC of this book was sent to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

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