Tag Archives: drama

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For November: A Crime Thriller or an Emotional Adventurous Romance Novel?

Hi readers, we are already thinking ahead into November, and once we have all been zombied out, witched out and spooked out over Halloween we are thinking maybe you would like to relax a little with either a crime thriller or an adventurous and emotional romantic journey!

We have two reviews scheduled for next month that just may be what you are looking for. Two great reads from Wattle Publishing: crime thriller, Entropy, by Robert Raker and contemporary romance, The Love of Marisol by Christos Toulouras! Please scroll down for blurbs and author bios.

Happy reading!

Caroline & Tina 🙂

Entropy_WP2014Book title:  Entropy
Author:  Robert Raker

RRP:   PB: £8.99 | Kindle & eBook: £5.99

Synopsis:

When a series of child abductions and murders disrupt the life of an economically blighted community, the consequences have far-reaching implications. The brutal crimes take a different toll on a disparate group of individuals; the scuba diver who retrieves the children’s bodies; the disfigured cellist who thinks he knows who’s responsible; the undercover federal agent; and the mother of one of the victim’s.
United in a situation not of their choosing, they are forced to take a deep, introspective look into their intersected, yet isolated lives.

Author biography:
Robert Raker graduated with a degree in Journalism from the University of Pittsburgh. He currently resides in Philadelphia where he enjoys art, music, literature and live theater. He is currently working on his next novel.

Link to retailers: http://wattlepublishing.com/catalogue/entropy/

Twitter:  @RobertRaker1
Facebook:  Entropy by Robert Raker

TheLoveofMarisol_WP2014Book title:  The Love of Marisol
Author:  Christos Toulouras

RRP:   PB: £6.99 | Kindle & eBook: £5.99

Synopsis:

When Leo’s marriage ends, he falls into the depths of depression. He decides to escape the loss and the heartbreak with a trip to the other side of the world – Lima, Peru. In some ways, his journey becomes an unexpected salvation as his passions are reignited by the local food and people, the climate and the beautiful and alluring Marisol. The Love of Marisol is a poignant and passionate journey of heartbreak, loss but most of all self-discovery… it reminds us that at the end of one love story, there is always the possibility of a new one…

Author bio:
Christos Toulouras was born in Cyprus. He has lived in South Africa and Cyprus. He studied Tourist administration in Thessaloniki. He continued his studies in the UK at Leicester University where he received his MBA. He currently lives in Cyprus.

Link to retailers: http://wattlepublishing.com/catalogue/love-marisol/

Twitter:  @wattlepub
Facebook:  Wattle Publishing

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Review of *THE PRINCE’S EX* by Nadene Seiters

Fun, Flirty and Entertaining!

Book Blurb

22041506Amelia Radley thought she had it all when she met a man in a bar and he ended up being royalty. Their love affair was anything but boring, and yet he dumped her almost exactly a year after asking her out to their first dinner date. While the wound was deep and fresh thirty days after their separation, she picked up the morning paper only to see that the man she thought she loved had already become engaged to another woman.

Her best friend, Tina, suggests the only thing she knows would make her feel better. Amelia should start dating any man she meets that she likes so that she can get over her ex. The idea is ludicrous, and yet Amelia agrees to a date with a man she has never met before. All the while, she considers herself nothing more than the prince’s ex, a woman who could not hold the affections of every woman’s dream.

When she finds love in an unexpected place, it’s challenged by the past and the future looks rocky. Amelia’s insecurities might get in the way of her finding true love, in more ways than one.

My Review

Fun, Flirty and Entertaining!

The Prince’s Ex is a fun and flirty read which also examines the deeper side of relationships and shows that love can often be found in the most unlikeliest of places!

The heroine Amelia, is in tatters after the news that her ex, (a prince who dumped her a mere month ago) has become engaged hits the media. Amelia’s BFF, Tina, persuades a reluctant Amelia that she needs to embark on some fun and carefree dates with other men to expunge her ex from her memory. What follows is a hilarious tale of Amelia’s attempts at dating!

Her first date, with a dentist called Ryan, seems to be going well until it turns out that his liking for a bit of slap and tickle strays into the realm of S & M, which sees Amelia running a mile before Ryan’s paddle sees any action! Turned off by the whole experience Amelia strikes up a friendship with Peter, the barista at the coffee bar where she and Tina get together on a daily basis.

After a promising romance with the big boss at the firm where Amelia used to work falls flat, Amelia questions what she is doing with her life. It also turns out that what started off as a friendship with Peter has developed into more……… Yet Peter is not the type of guy Amelia is used to dating and he has a secret past which he only divulges to her as they become closer. Although their relationship is passionate and loving, up until now Amelia has only had her own needs to accommodate and she has to decide if she is willing to put the needs of others on a level footing and sometimes above her own. The novel has a number of twists and turns and surprises from Peter’s past before their HEA is in reach.

I really enjoyed this novel. What started off as a fun and sexy read soon became a lot deeper. I adored Peter, who is one helluva character – a good looking, dependable, sexy guy, who has his own insecurities and who becomes a good friend and lover to Amelia. He has had a lot to deal with in his life and I prayed that Amelia would be strong enough to work through things with him. For me the inner journey that Amelia undertakes is at the centre of the novel. At first she comes across as little shallow and selfish – traits which at one point she acknowledges in herself. However, she begins to mature in her outlook and considers others a lot more. I certainly liked her a lot more at the end and thought that she and Peter made a lovely couple.

I suspect that Amelia’s friend Tina has her own secrets and backstory which has made her the female Lothario she appears to be! I am interested in finding out more about her character in the author’s forthcoming novel Adonis’ Kiss, where she is the heroine. I also hope we will get to see little more of Amelia and Peter in it too and maybe even Ryan, who piqued my interest!

A copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon US  Amazon UK

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To Hear the Rest More Clearly by Anne V. Pyterek **SPOTLIGHT**

To Hear the Rest More Clearly banner

Genre: Literary Fiction, Magical Realism

To Hear the Rest More Clearly CoverSynopsis: Calliope Braintree has a lot working against her, but the forces of Nature and Love conspire to make her an instrument in the liberation of her fellow humans and the Wildness they have suppressed and perverted.

Aided by the Muse of Epic Poetry, an urban coyote, and the Chicago River, Calliope saves herself from the ravages of abuse, self-loathing and sexual humiliation. It’s not easy for her to remember the plan she and Muse had made for this life, but memories do come, in confusing fits and starts. A homeless orphan, sure of nothing but her urge to write, she ignores the mind-numbing conventions of civilized society, preferring to listen to her Muse. She follows Coyote, who leads her away from the degrading and harsh brutality of her life, into a haven of safety. Calliope goes to live in a hidden pocket of Wildness alive in the city. Still in the world, she is no longer of it, and she’s glad.

River is a powerful entity, her world a parallel reality existing in the cracks of civilization’s façade. And, polluted and tormented as she is, River is still able to transform the toxins polluting Calliope’s mind, absorbing what is hideous and making it holy. This process climaxes in a Trickster-ized version of Revelations, after which Calliope’s life will never be the same again. (ADULT CONTENT)

Author Bio

Anne Victoria Pyterek is as much the product of her protagonist, Calliope Braintree, as she is her producer. For in the ten year process of bringing Calliope into being, she ended up completely re-writing the story of her own life.

Very much a daughter of Daniel Burnham, Anne left the City of Big Shoulders—at Calliope’s request—driving off into the sunset in a big blue bus with her then 11 year old son, a managerie of animals and no income. She did this for the adventure, the learning and to find out about Calliope’s childhood. She and her son live in Colorado now, still in the bus, on 120 acres with a pack of semi-feral dogs, surrounded by coyotes.

Author Post:

Why I Write

What I Write

You know how seemingly unrelated things can come together and create something new and unexpected? Well, that’s the story of my life. There were a lot of disparate seeming (at the time) elements that came together for me in the long process of finding my voice. Luckily, I didn’t realize how much I was taking on when I started writing To Hear The Rest More Clearly. All I knew was how high my skirt was blown up over the idea of writing a book about a young woman who finds her voice. The thought never occurred that writing it would be how I found my own. I thought I already had a voice!

Ha ha! That’s pretty funny, considering how stifled I felt. Which maybe explains why it took ten whole years…? But it’s really not funny at all. Silencing women has been the status quo for some 6,000 years now. I felt strongly compelled to push through that, both for myself and for my readers. We need real heroines—super heroines who know how to save themselves. Helpless females obsessed with submitting to a man make me sick. They say we write the books we most want to read. Well, I wanted a heroine who learns how to see through all the artificial conditioning of male dominated society; a heroine who follows her own path, no matter how weird it may seem.

I’ve always preferred the company of other animals and wanted, somehow, to give them a voice, too. That’s a lot easier said than done. Ultimately, it was a combination of being an avid reader of Thoreau and my magnificent home births that got me tuned so completely in to the sense of Wildness and the Wisdom of The Body. Wildness is not a place, it is a state of mine. Another word for it might be authenticity. It’s a state of mind that does not allow for anything fake. And I experienced this authenticity more and more over the time I spent writing this book.

It was better than therapy. It brought my life into focus for me. It made me have these odd resolution experiences. Over and over I would have these realizations, “Oh! That’s why I had to do that thing back then. I needed it for this!” This happened a lot. It was pretty gratifying to realize my strange learning process actually was single-minded, after all. I had spent so many years beating myself up for being “too flighty” and having no direction. I did have a direction! It just didn’t follow any well-worn paths! So the more I applied myself to the process of becoming who I felt I was meant to be, by writing the story I most needed to read, the more I became who I already was. This is one of the things my protagonist Calliope learns as well. (She gets it from me. Obviously.)

I’ve learned a lot about myself by writing the first three books in this series. Now that I’m working on the fourth, my realizations are more along the lines of “This is who I’ve always been. Why did I allow so much to get in the way of this? I worked so hard to strip away all the lies, and I’m glad. But they were never part of me in the first place. How did they get there? And why did I have to make it so hard for myself?” I feel embarrassed for having been so easily distracted, for having wasted so much time. I struggled enormously over stuff that was never true. But it’s a Zen thing: you have to fill yourself up with information in order to be able to let it all go. Which would be great if I were a Buddhist. But I’m not. These days, I’m quite good at not beating myself up. I’m proud of un-learning that. And I know, it is because of my writing that I’ve been able to recover to this degree. It’s the most perfect therapy anybody could ever devise. I plan on writing for the rest of my life.

Author Blog: Anne of Blue Bus Books (http://blue-bus-books.com/)

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1qrqkRr

PURCHASE LINK: Smashwords

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When it Happens to You: A Novel in Stories by Molly Ringwald – *Review*

When it Happens to You

Short stories entwined make for an empathetic and emotional narrative!

Blurb: When it happens to you, you will be surprised. That thing they say about how you knew all the time, but just weren’t facing it? That might be the case, but nevertheless, there you will be.

Molly Ringwald mines the complexities of modern relationships in this gripping and nuanced collection of interlinked stories. Writing with a deep compassion for human imperfection, Ringwald follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbors while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life–revealing the deceptions, heartbreak, and vulnerability familiar to us all.

In “The Harvest Moon,” a stay-at-home mom grapples with age, infertility, and an increasingly distant husband. In “Ursa Minor,” a former children’s television star tries to rebuild his life after being hospitalized for “exhaustion.” An elderly woman mourns the loss of her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter in “The Little One.” In “My Olivia,” a single mother finds untapped reserves of strength to protect her flamboyant six-year-old son who wishes only to wear dresses and be addressed as Olivia. And in the devastating title story, a betrayed wife chronicles her pain and alienation, leading to an eviscerating denouement.

As the lives of these characters converge and diverge in unexpected ways, Ringwald reveals a startling eye for the universality of loss, love, and the search for connection. An unflinching yet poignant examination of the intricacies of the human heart, “When It Happens to You” is an auspicious literary debut.

Review

As a fan of Molly Ringwald’s acting work in movies such as The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles, when I popped into my local store and spotted When it Happens to You I was intrigued as to what her writing work would be like. I was not disappointed. When it Happens to You is an enjoyable, profound character-based narrative, exploring morals and betrayal of love and emotion.

When it Happens to You provides examples of people’s real life troubles in everyday life. It explores emotions and reactions, as well as a chance to view the situation by different perspectives which allows the reader to empathise with many of the characters. Molly Ringwald has certainly mentally placed herself in the shoes of each character, discovering their personality, flaws and reactions.

Many readers may have experienced one or more of the ordeals that the characters are experiencing themselves or will know of someone who has. It is because of this that makes it so easy to relate and connect with the characters and their story. The reader can begin to understand how an unfaithful partner, an act of betrayal, can affect their partner’s life, their child’s life and their own life, as well as the lives of their friends, families, neighbours and new acquaintances they may meet.

When it Happens to You is made up of short stories based on each of the characters and the events that are taking place in their lives and how they respond and feel about them. Each short story centres strongly around that particular character, however as the reader goes from one story to another it becomes obvious that the book as a whole can be read fluid-like through each chapter and has a strong current running through all of them which allows the reader to see the bigger picture as well as the individual one. The stories are all connected, some more subtle than others, and they all share a main theme based on betrayal and different kinds of relationships that people have with others.

My favourite short story has to be ‘When it Happens to You’ as it explores every possible mental thought that a hurt, deceived individual would think. It asks all the questions, no matter how insane they sound and goes on to reveal how priorities are mixed up and how one loses all sense of logic when in this dark, lonely place. For example, regardless of all global troubles, natural disasters and tragedies, etc, the mind will focus on the one hurt that affects them personally. There is a great deal of powerful description, language and feeling in this one particular story. I felt that this was the core of the book and could have used the whole chapter as a quote, however this would certainly spoil the book for any future reader.

The strength and emotive power that takes over the audience when watching Molly Ringwald in character in her movies are all too apparent in her writing also. Emotions run high, there are scenes that can bring on tears, whilst around the corner Molly provides the characters (and the reader) with hope and opportunity.

Aside from the novel itself, the reader is also provided with two fantastic features in the book once the story has been read. Firstly, there is a section About the Author ‘Meet Molly Ringwald’ which provides the reader with background knowledge of Molly Ringwald’s career. This is followed by About the Book ‘A Conversation with Molly Ringwald’ where the reader is able to discover ideas and main themes of the individual short stories, as well as the book as a whole and what holds it all together. Although I found this to be fascinating to read as it breaks up the emotions and parts of the story even more, the story speaks strongly for itself and requires no clarification. It is an absolutely captivating read!!

Molly Ringwald’s ‘When it Happens to You is available on Amazon US and Amazon UK in hardback, paperback and Kindle editions.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

 

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Stray by Mark Matthews

StrayA Gritty, Realistic, Touching and Emotional Journey (Recommended for more adult readers (17yrs+) due to the subject matter.)

Book Blurb: Therapist Tomas Cleaves is many years sober from his addiction but is now losing his mind. There are voices in his head and the occasional seizure, and then his wife has a miscarriage on the same day his client dies of a heroin overdose. Tom becomes certain that the addicts he treats must have infected the womb of his wife.

Lost and bitter after the miscarriage, Tom is in desperate need of a client who can give him some hope.

James White is one such client — a newly orphaned alcoholic dead bent on drinking again until he gets discharged and finds himself rescuing lost strays at the next door animal shelter. Can James find a reason to live by rescuing the throw-away pets of the city? 

A gritty novel with an edge yet surprisingly gentle and sweet, Stray will take you through the dog fighting dens and crack houses of Detroit where Stray souls can find connections in the most unusual of places.

Review

In between the fantasy, paranormal and romance reads I always enjoy a book that brings me back down to earth. Even though still a fictional story, Stray is a little more realistic, focusing on the unfortunates that are too easily pulled down into drug and alcohol addiction. However, amid the darkness and despair of some, Stray also offers hope and a brighter side with some very sweet, emotional and touching moments.

The story opens up following the Tom’s life, along with some of his clients. Tom constantly beats himself up. He’s trying his best to counsel his clients and guide them to a life of sobriety, yet he can’t control them. At times it seems that there is no hope for some of them. During the tragic times Tom tends to blame himself and links these moments with his wife’s miscarriage, thinking maybe if he hadn’t let his clients down the miscarriage wouldn’t have happened. The affect that this has on Tom’s state of mind is quite concerning. The voices in his head become more frequent and there are times when the reader may question whether Tom himself will remain sober or not.

Clearly there is a significant psychological element to this drama with Tom’s voices and seizures, the effect that the death of his clients have on him and his wife’s miscarriage. As well as the way in which love affects him – love for his wife, unborn child, clients and even those poor strays from the animal shelter opposite the treatment centre. It is these thoughts and feelings that help the reader to relate to the characters.

I was a little confused to begin with as it appeared that some areas of the story were a part of Tom’s memory as he reminisced, and then the reader would be brought back to the present. As the story continues it all becomes clearer and we follow each character’s life which later leads to a dramatic turn of events.

Although quite a serious read there are some heart-warming moments that provide the reader and some of the characters hope for a better future and faith that they can rise up from the rut they are stuck in by staying sober and rebuilding their life with work and relationships. James is a great example of this and my favourite character.

James leaves therapy and could go down either of two paths. He could return home and return to his addiction or he could explore a new life. After hearing the dogs in the animal shelter near to the Treatment Centre, he decides to take a look. In doing so he meets Rachel (Ra) and learns of a job vacancy that surely he’d be suitable for. During James’ time working for the animal shelter the reader has an incite into similarities between the strays and that of an addict. The stray dogs are occasionally re-homed, but many are given an injected drug to end their struggle.

Ra is another of my favourite characters. She is a saviour without realising. She helps rescue the strays of the city, including James. Is there hope for a little romance here? And in many ways, Tom’s character is similar to Ra, in that they both try to save lost souls by re-homing or therapy but sadly very few seem to move on to a better life. Stray is a perfect example of how a life can save another, whether it be through friends, family, children and/or indeed pets and animals.

One of my favourite aspects of Stray is the way in which each character’s story is connected to another. Some connections are more subtle than others but many are connected to Tom, Treatment Centre and/or the animal shelter and pet dogs that some of the characters have or have had.

Stray opens the mind to the ideas that some addicts may have – if things go wrong it must be their fault. It can appear to some that they have high ego’s in thinking that the world evolves around them by always thinking they are at the fore of all problems, and yet in contrast, they don’t deem themselves worthy. It’s a vicious circle, a dark rut that many find impossible to break free from. Stray shows the ups and downs -addiction at it’s worst and those that have beaten it.

Mark Matthews, a therapist himself, has written with delicacy and care. The dark moments are written in such a way that the reader is completely aware of the scene, however Matthews has written so carefully as to not horrify or appal the reader. I congratulate the author on writing in a very sensitive manner. For what is such a serious subject matter, Stray is quite refreshing at times albeit gritty and realistic.

A copy of Stray was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

Stray is available at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

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The Debt & The Doormat by Laura Barnard

The Debt & the DoormatFUN, FUNNY, FUNNIER AND………….FREE, FREE, FREE!!!!

If you are looking for an amusing adult chick-lit with plenty of comedy, romance and a little drama then look no further than this incredible story by Laura Barnard, ‘The Debt and the Doormat’. This FREE fun chick-lit has the British humour like that of Helen Fielding’s ‘Bridget Jones’ and Miranda Hart’s tv sitcom, self-titled ‘Miranda’. The comedy is silly, dry, sarcastic and some great slapstick clumsiness. The humour is strong throughout but brilliantly written around the main plot of a hopeful romance that brings its own drama to the fore. Tuck in girls – grab a glass of wine and/or a box of chocs for this delight of a story!

After living alone for a year after a break-up with her boyfriend life is about to change for Poppy. She discovers that her sociable, party-animal best friend, Jazz, is in debt and whilst having a few drinks together, they get absolutely sloshed, share a few antics and agree to swap lives for a while! Poppy is to move into Jazz’s house, shared with three roomates and live a party-style life, making friends and overcoming her life of possible reclusiveness since her relationship to Stuart ended. Meanwhile, Jazz is to remain at Poppy’s flat, keeping a low profile and saving some cash to pay off her debt!

This is a fantastic beginning for a story. The reader initially follows the main plot, is curious how the change in lifestyles will affect both women and is kept smiling from the sheer craziness of these two gals and their idea. There is something here for every woman as we connect to these characters, some of us are Poppy’s while others are more like Jazz. These two characters are so easy to relate to – we either know somebody like them or we are them!

Once Poppy settles in her new home the reader meets the housemates, Izzy, Ryan and Grace. Izzy doesn’t seem too different to Jazz. She is quite open, sociable and bubbly, if not a little too energetic and heavily into her exercise regime! Grace is the perfect model-type with great looks and a super body. However, Grace’s attitude lets her down as she can also be perceived as a super bitch (not a word I like to use, however the best word to describe Grace’s character)! And last but not least there is………

……… Ryan – oh yes, Ryan! Initially perceived as a slightly scruffy layabout he does have an air of gorgeousness about him and although he appears somewhat moody and grumpy he does go out of his way a fair bit to cover for Poppy’s awkwardness and mistakes. Poppy and Ryan appear to be the complete opposites to each other, with Ryan’s sophistication and coolness at times making Poppy feel like a fool. But, there are some slight sparks amid all the craziness and this gives the reader hope that these two will be together. One minute your heart is beating so fast with intensity as they grow a little closer and the next your heart hits the floor every time a new problem gets in the way! Laura Barnard doesn’t make this an easy straight forward read as there are many ups and downs that these two strong characters have, making it impossible for the reader to guess the outcome.

As well as the main plot there are other sub plots taking place with Poppy having troubles at work with the creepy bosses son, a colleague having trouble with her husband’s affair, her mother adding pressure to Poppy’s personal life and preparing for her brother’s wedding. Even more trouble comes Poppy’s way when her ex, Stuart, re-enters her life. There truly isn’t a quiet moment with The Debt and the Doormat and I loved every little bit of it. Every now and then throughout reading a book I like to check how far I have read and I was very pleased to see that I was only half way through the book as I didn’t want it to end.

The Debt and the Doormat is proper girly fun. Funnier than Bridget Jones, The Debt and the Doormat is possibly the funniest book I have ever read. It does have its more serious moments, especially in the latter half of the book when the characters Poppy and Ryan seem to be developing some feelings for each other, which really helps balance the story out. It is certainly well worth a read. I personally would love to read the story again and would like to hear more from Poppy and Ryan. We have been informed that a sequel is due in March/April 2014 which is brilliant news!

At the time of posting this book (in Kindle edition) is FREE at Amazon UK, Amazon US and (in many formats) at Smashwords! Don’t miss out!!!

The Debt and the Doormat was received gratefully from Laura Barnard for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

Laura would love you to check out her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/laurabarnardbooks and while you’re visiting please give her a ‘like’!

Laura also has her own website at www.laurabarnardbooks.co.uk and is available on Twitter: @BarnardLaura

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

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Patriotic Duty (When Riley Met Cara, Book 1) by C.J. Pinard

Patriotic-duty-smashwords1400Patriotic Duty (When Riley Met Cara, Book 1) has everything that I love in this contemporary romance by C.J. Pinard (Enchanted Immortals series). This short novel is fun, cheeky, sexy and saucy but not without the drama of a beautiful romance. If you’re looking for a hot, cute soldier who’s looking for more than somewhere to spend the night, then Riley is your man and Patriotic Duty is your kind of book!

Single mum and recent divorcee, Cara Reid spends most of her weekends with her best friend, Miranda, having fun going to clubs, living it up and meeting hot guys. She is young and not in the least thinking to settling down any time soon, especially after her experience with her ex. However, one night after hooking up with Riley her summer is planned. He is to be in California for the summer before he is due back in Colorado, and so they spend summer together.

Cara naturally opens up to him and accepts his ways far more than she would anyone else. She is falling for him, even though she doesn’t want to admit it. Of course, it is just a summer fling. Or at least that is what she keeps informing Miranda when she stops partying for a while to be with Riley. However, as the summer comes to a close, Riley is given orders to do a tour of nine months in Afghanistan. As they agree to keep in touch, Cara is left feeling a little lost. Still not wanting to admit to her true feelings and yet not wanting to return to her life of partying with Miranda, Cara is left with a decision to make. Will she wait for her cute, hot soldier or does she move on with her life?

During the summer that they are together, Cara and Riley spend day trips together, go to a concert, visit bars, have some hot, fantastic sex, and Riley even gets to meet Cara’s son on some occasions. This shows how well their relationship is going, as usually Cara keeps this side of her life away from her son. Riley is very sweet, although the strong, silent type in some instances. Cara seems to be his world and the reader feels his sincerity to her. It is only his quieter side at times that makes Cara and the reader wonder what he is really thinking. But all will be revealed as the story moves on.

Patriotic Duty is a nice, light romance that becomes a little more serious and dramatic as the novel enters its second half, especially with Riley on tour in Afghanistan and Cara having little contact with him. What is going through Cara’s mind? Can she focus on getting her party life back with Miranda?

When Riley Met Cara has the potential to bceome much more complex and darker as the series moves on. However, for the first book of the series it does have a simple straight forward plot, which I loved after reading some heavy psychological horrors recently!! There were parts early on that made me laugh out loud as the interaction between Cara and Miranda was fun. They certainly knew how to have a laugh and cheer each other up.

I found Miranda to be a great supportive friend for Cara. Miranda, also a single mum, had been left by her ex to bring up their child and therefore, was in the same boat as Cara. Both characters are realistic and so long as the babysitters are available, of course young women would want to go out at weekends and have some fun. They also spend time together with their kids and meet up for lunch during their working week, and so have a tight bond, like sisters.

Although, Miranda’s attitude towards Cara does slightly change as she realises that Cara is becoming quite serious with Riley. She is perhaps worried for Cara that Riley will treat her bad in the end, and she may be a little jealous of the time that Riley spends with Cara when she could be with her. This is what makes Patriotic Duty realistic and easy to connect with. The characters have real feelings and thoughts that the majority of us have, and these lead to similar situations that we have either been in or those that we know have been in.

Brilliantly written by C.J. Pinard, Patriotic Duty is very fluid and there is not a moment that you lose grips with the story. I read this book in one day and so it is a very quick read. Due to the hot love scenes this book is recommended for those above the age of 18 yrs.

If you are a fan of C.J. Pinard’s urban fantasy/paranormal series, Enchanted Immortals, you will see a whole different side of her work in Patriotic Duty. C.J. has shown just how versatile her writing can be, and I for one absolutely love it. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the When Riley Met Cara series.

A Reader’s Review Blog received a copy of Patriotic Duty from the author in return for fair and honest review.

You can find Patriotic Duty (When Riley Met Cara, Book 1) by C.J. Pinard on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Smashwords.

If you would like to contact C.J. Pinard you can reach her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CJPinardAuthor or you can e-mail her at cjpinardauthor@gmail.com.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

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Ratty’s Bones (a short story) by Gary Richardson

Product DetailsRatty’s Bones is the second story from author Gary Richardson, following The Purple Haze which we reviewed earlier this year. Ratty’s Bones, however, is a completely different read to that of The Purple Haze. Whereas The Purple Haze was a fantastic zombie horror story, Ratty’s Bones is a very powerful, disturbing and violent drama. The reader follows Bruce Stevens, an inmate at the young age of 22, who hasn’t spoken a word since his arrest 6 years previously. During which time he has been visited regularly by his social worker, Diane Parker. Therefore, you can imagine her surprise when at one meeting Bruce decides to talk about his childhood, family, friendships and how his life connected with a talking rat.

When we are first introduced to Ratty I did find him a little difficult to connect to, however some of the scenes with Ratty are quite refreshing in between the seriousness of the remainder of the book. It was the powerfulness of the drama that made me want to continue reading as there are many reasons to connect and sympathise with Bruce. He is a young man who has had to deal with his fair share of abuse, tragedy and bullying. The story divides itself into three areas; Bruce at the age of 8 and 9 when he enjoyed a fun childhood, Bruce at the age of 15 and 16 after his life had made a downward spiral, and then the man of 22 who has had time to process his whole life and situation he is in.

Ratty is a funny sort of character. He speaks at times with a comical air about him – which to begin with is difficult to see how he fits into the rest of the story. Although, at the time when Bruce meets Ratty, Bruce’s life has been quite negative for a few years and there is a comparison between Ratty’s life and Bruce’s which does help to connect the reader with Ratty as the story goes on. It is Ratty that begins to urge Bruce to be brave and to try and change the course that his life is on.

I would recommend this short story to a more mature reader due to its violent content in parts. It is a nice length story, with nothing being dragged out, written in a direct manner whilst holding back some areas of the story until the reader approaches the end of the book. This creates a great tense atmosphere as the reader is desperate to find out what has happened to Bruce throughout his life.

Although I  found it difficult to begin with, it became clearer as the story unfolded that Ratty’s role had a much more profound meaning. I found the whole story to be quite tragic, with a surprising turn towards the end. Due to the manner in which this short story finishes, I would love Gary Richardson to write a follow-up simply to find out what becomes of Bruce in the near future!

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

Here is our review of the highly recommended – The Purple Haze (short story) – by Gary Richardson

Please check out some author info and Gary’s books at Amazon.co.uk. Both short stories can be purchased in the UK for 99p (Kindle version) or Ratty’s Bones ÂŁ4.75 (paperback) and The Purple Haze ÂŁ5.99 (paperback)!

Here’s Gary’s page on Amazon.com. Prices for the Kindle versions are around $1.50. Paperbacks are ÂŁ6.74 for Ratty’s Bones and $8.54 for The Purple Haze – both prices are accurate at the current time of writing this post, however they are possible to change.

We hope you enjoy these stories. It would be great to hear your thoughts on these great short stories!

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Hidden Agenda by Peter S. Berman

Hidden Agenda‘Hidden Agenda’ by Peter S. Berman is an amazing five-star crime-thriller/courtroom drama novel! It keeps the reader engaged, with plenty of dialogue, brilliant characters and most importantly, a dramatic storyline. Hidden Agenda is separated into four sections (books), beginning as a crime thriller, taking the reader right into the thick of a courtroom drama as it builds it’s way with many twists and turns into the concluding fourth section.

After losing his wife in an accident a few years before, Jeremy Hart, a senior prosecutor in the LA District Attorney’s office, is encouraged by his counselor to try socialising again. She offers him a ticket for a charitable event where he first meets Claire Carleton. Ex-model Claire is trapped in a loveless marriage to a wealthy and powerful man, Peter Carleton, who is also very abusive and possessive towards her.

Love blossoms between Claire and Jeremy and they wind up in an affair that neither one wants to walk away from. However, with Peter always looking over her shoulder it is difficult for Claire and Jeremy to meet up. After messaging to each other over the internet, Peter’s suspicions of an affair are proven when he catches Claire sitting as her computer as a message from Hart pops up. Peter goes on to violently attack Claire and threaten her life – either that or she could lose her two daughters if Peter was to take them to Brazil with him. Leaving her with no options, Claire is trapped and reveals all to Jeremy.

Later, Peter’s body is found on the driveway of his home where he has been shot to death. It is then up to the detectives, Gibson and Donahue, to establish the motive, the opportunity and the culprit. Jeremy Hart is suspect no.1 and as the evidence points to him it is not long before a trial begins. However, as more questions are raised, Gibson and Donahue continue to investigate behind the scenes to find out the truth of Peter’s murder.

Hidden Agenda is beautifully woven together and is written in such a way that it is easy for the reader to follow and yet produces an engrossing story. The first section (Book 1) of Hidden Agenda introduces the readers to Jeremy Hart and Claire Carleton as the reader follows Jeremy’s story, getting to know the main characters involved. Book 2 focuses on detectives Gibson and Donahue as well as the main investigation where we are made aware of the evidence. This takes us to Book 3, concentrating on the courtroom drama of the trial with lawyers, Brunon and Kelly, and then finally we reach the concluding section Book 4!

As a reader, I really enjoyed that Hidden Agenda keeps to the one crime continuously and is written and broken down in order. It keeps the reader engaged and interested as well as opens up your eyes for those who are not too familiar of the courtroom system. I really enjoyed reading this style of writing. Even during the trial scenes Donahue and Gibson were still working and questioning certain areas of the case behind the scenes which constantly keeps the story moving forward and the reader hoping that they find out the answers to all of their questions.

One of my favourite pieces of writing in this book is when Berman describes the sun setting as Hart is about to visit his colleague, John Taylor. At this point Hart is at a loss as to what to do regarding the beating that Claire has taken from her husband, Peter:

“It was just after 6.00pm. The sun had set in a crystal clear sky and the city far below him was a twinkling sea of lights, blanketing the horizon like so many stars in the Milky Way.”

These lines create a beautiful and moody atmosphere for the reader and I personally drowned in these words as I felt the dilemma that Hart was in.

I found myself being a little sympathetic for Hart’s character when he becomes emotional when speaking with his attorney, Brunon. After being locked up, awaiting for his trial, Hart is growing weary and was a shadow of a man in comparison to earlier on the book.  However, this was mentioned subtly but still had an impact on me. This certainly helped keep the character Hart alive.

My overall favourite section of Hidden Agenda was Book 2 where the reader is introduced to detectives Gibson and Donahue. Gibson is a family man with a loving wife. He is used to working alone but on this particular case he is asked to work with female detective Donahue. Donahue is a feminine but strong and level-headed woman. Gibson and Donahue work really great together and whilst keeping a great sense of professionalism there is also a nice friendship that grows between them. The reader really gets a sense that Gibson admires and respects Donahue to the point where he considers working with her on a more permanent level. Considering that Gibson was always used to working alone this would be quite a change for him.

For the characters alone, especially ‘Gibby’ and Donahue I would love to read another story by Peter S. Berman. I can only hope that he will create another great crime novel with these fantastic detectives in. The crime in Hidden Agenda is laid out well for the reader and this style of writing is so easy to follow and yet constantly keeps the reader interested and guessing the outcome. If you like a great crime-thriller you will not be disappointed with Hidden Agenda!

For the purpose of an honest and fair review A Reader’s Review Blog received Hidden Agenda gratefully from BookHub publishing.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker