#Blog Tour #The Good Wife by Eleanor Porter @Boldwood Books @elporterauthor @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for The Good wife, a new historical novel by Eleanor Porter.

The Good Wife

Where will her loyalty lead her?

Once accused of witchcraft Martha Spicer is now free from the shadow of the gallows and lives a safe and happy life with her husband, Jacob. But when Jacob heads north to accompany his master, he warns Martha to keep her healing gifts a secret, to keep herself safe, to be a good wife.

Martha loves Jacob but without him there to protect her, she soon comes under the suspicious eye of the wicked Steward Boult, who’s heard of her talent and forces her to attend to him. If she refuses, he promises to destroy the good life she has built for herself with Jacob.

Desperate and alone, Martha faces a terrible decision: stay and be beholden to Boult or journey north to find Jacob who is reported to have been killed.. The road ahead is filled with danger, but also the promise of a brighter future. And where her gifts once threatened to be her downfall, might they now be the very thing that sets Martha free…?

The brilliant follow-up to Eleanor Porter’s first novel of love, betrayal, superstition and fear in Elizabethan England. A story of female courage, ingenuity and determination , this is perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier.

Purchase Link

My thoughts:

Set in Elizabethan England, The Good Wife is a sequel to The Wheelwright’s Daughter, Eleanor Porter’s brilliant debut novel. It can be read as a standalone, although once you get to know Martha, you will want to go back and read where and how her story began.

We meet Martha as she has just been acquitted of witchcraft. Her beloved Jacob has saved her life again and now he is taking her away from the place where Martha will always be seen as a cripple and a witch. In her new home Martha can leave it all behind and stop fearing people. Jacob doesn’t want Martha to practise healing as it would attract more attention to her and Martha agrees. All she wants is to be a good wife of a good man. Jacob is working as a stablehand for Sir Thomas and is asked to accompany his master on his two month journey to the north. Jacob warns her against treacherous Steward Boult who has ruined countless girls and young women. Steward Boult puts her into an impossible position and when Sir Thomas returns with his servants, but without Jacob who is presumed dead, Martha sets off on a journey to find her beloved husband.

The writing is simply beautiful. There’s so much emotional power and rich detail in Eleanor Porter’s vivid descriptions. I could feel warm sunshine and tender touch of nature that surrounded Martha and Jacob in the first weeks in their new home.I could feel Martha’s grief and the cold shadows that were trying to swallow her whole being when was trying to wrap her head round the fact that Jacob might never come back to her.

It is impossible not to relate to Martha in some aspects: Martha’s delight at reading Ovid’s stories that open doors to new worlds and new ideas or her fear that her past is not that far away and can be used to manipulate her, her sense of freedom once she sees how big the world is. Martha changes a lot throughout the book, becomes less naive, more worldly, but never loses her sincerity. She reflects on gender roles and how our identities are not set in stone. There are other equally compelling secondary characters that all make up a rich tapestry of this spellbinding story of love, longing and discovery.

I really enjoyed this captivating read set in one of the most fascinating historical periods and I can’t wait to return to Martha’s world and find out what future holds for her.

Author Bio

Eleanor Porter
has lectured at Universities in England and Hong Kong and her poetry and short fiction has been published in magazines. The Wheelwright’s Daughter was her first novel.

Social Media Links

https://twitter.com/elporterauthor
https://www.facebook.com/eleanorporterauthor
Newsletter sign up: http://bit.ly/EleanorPorterNewsletter
https://www.instagram.com/eleanorporterauthor/


The Wheelwright’s Daughter (Goodreads)

#Book Blitz #House of Diamonds by Amber Jakeman @XpressoBook Tours

Book & Author Details:
House of Diamonds
by Amber Jakeman
(House of Jewels, #1)
Publication date: February 10th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

A heartwarming, emotionally satisfying contemporary Australian romance with an international flavour, by Amber Jakeman

A fresh start. An instant enemy. But Stella is determined.

Sparkles fly when former office manager Stella Rhees, 30, flees a failed affair with her old boss, Damian. Determined to run her own show, she pursues her dream of creating and selling her own jewellery.

The problem? She’s opened her jaunty stall directly outside the famous Huntleys House of Jewels at the very moment handsome James Huntley the Third, 33, asks her to move so he can stage a publicity stunt. Feisty Stella won’t budge.

Despite a mutual physical attraction, Stella and James become instant enemies, their rivalry fanned by a social media war.

While Huntleys appears prosperous, it’s facing bankruptcy, and James’s mother and playboy brother are squandering the family fortune overseas.

James finds Stella and her fresh ideas irresistible, and she becomes the catalyst for him to change Huntleys’ path of self-destruction. He offers her a job, but how can she accept when she’s vowed to never fall into the old trap of falling in love with the boss?

For Stella and James to find their Happily Ever After, each must overcome personal demons, take risks and learn to trust the other. In this delightful first book of the House of Jewels series, will this dazzling couple ever work out how to put a Huntley engagement ring to its proper purpose?

Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo

AUTHOR BIO:

Partial to sunsets, picnics and poetry, feel-good fiction writer Amber Jakeman was a journalist, ghost writer and editor before succumbing to her addiction to uplifting endings.

She writes from her tiny apartment on the edge of Sydney Harbour, creating wholesome historical and contemporary romance with an international flavour.

When not writing, Amber enjoys time with family and friends, sailing with her husband, travel, walking and savouring other writers’ creations.

Amber Jakeman acknowledges Australia’s first storytellers and offers respect to Aboriginal people past and present and to their descendants.

Links:

website / instagram / facebook / twitter

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

$25 Amazon gift card

rafflecopter

#Thriller Thursday #Beneath Her Skin and Dying to be Her by Gregg Olsen #YA Paranormal Thriller

Synopsis:

Dying to be Her

Just as the lightning bolt of memory passed, a pair of hands grabbed Olivia’s shoulders and shoved her body backwards against the wooden floor. I’m not going to die here, am I? she thought, though the answer seemed all too clear. Am I?

Port Gamble, Washington: When the body of English exchange student Olivia Grant is found at the palatial home of local schoolgirl, Brianna Connors, the town assumes that it was a Halloween prank gone wrong. But when Brianna and her boyfriend Drew are spotted casually shopping the next day, people start to talk: how could they be so unaffected by Olivia’s death?

Twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan have received signs from beyond the grave for as long as they can remember. As the local police piece together the mystery, the girls begin to receive messages suggesting that something darker was at play that night. The killer had a target and they’re not done yet.

When the prime suspects disappear, the twins know that time is running out. But to get to the killer, they will first need to confront a close family member who has harboured a long-held secret and committed the ultimate act of betrayal.

My thoughts:

These paranormal thrillers were previously published as:

Book 1 -Beneath Her Skin = Envy (2011)
Book 2- Dying to be Her = Betrayal (2012)

I really enjoyed this YA mystery set in the sleepy town of Port Gamble (formerly known as Empty Coffin, hence the name of the series). The protagonists of the series, Hayley and Taylor Ryan, are 16-year-old identical twins with unusual extrasensory powers. Not only do they share a mysterious ability to sense when one of them is in trouble, but they also get visions of jumbled letters that once unscrambled help them solve crimes.


In Dying to be Her Hay-Tay are dealing with a gruesome murder of a British exchange student, Olivia Grant, who was stabbed to death during a Halloween party in the largest and most modern house in this historic town The host of the party Brianna Connors and her boyfriend Drew seem to behave in a particularly uncallous way and this means that they are immediately accused, judged, and found guilty by the press and social media. Brianna gets the dubious honour of being labeled the Worst Best Friend Ever. Brianna may have two extremely uncaring divorced parents, but can it justify the way she behaves?


There appears to be some evidence that points to Beth Lee, Hayley and Taylor’s best friend. As they are trying to figure our what exactly happened to Olivia, the twins re-visit the horrific bus accident that killed four children and landed the twins in a coma when they were just five. They also discover some genuinely creepy secrets from their mother’s past.


There are plenty of red herrings, twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. While some (most?) characters are quite exaggerated, I liked the way the author took pains to show how the sisters are both similar and very different in their character, attitudes and interests.

Gregg Olsen’s writing is as compelling as always and I am really looking forward to reading the third instalment. While Olivia’s murder is solved in this one, there are still more questions than answers in Hayley and Taylor’s story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

#Can’t Wait Wednesday #Book Spotlight # Girl One by Sara Flannery Murphy @FSG (MCD)

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted  by Tressa at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The book I can’t wait for this Wednesday is …

Description:

Orphan Black meets Margaret Atwood in this twisty supernatural thriller about female power and the bonds of sisterhood

Josephine Morrow is Girl One, the first of nine “Miracle Babies” conceived without male DNA, raised on an experimental commune known as the Homestead. When a suspicious fire destroys the commune and claims the lives of two of the Homesteaders, the remaining Girls and their Mothers scatter across the United States and lose touch.

Years later, Margaret Morrow goes missing, and Josie sets off on a desperate road trip, tracking down her estranged sisters who seem to hold the keys to her mother’s disappearance. Tracing the clues Margaret left behind, Josie joins forces with the other Girls, facing down those who seek to eradicate their very existence while uncovering secrets about their origins and unlocking devastating abilities they never knew they had.

A spellbinding supernatural thriller, Girl One combines the provocative imagination of Naomi Alderman’s The Power with the propulsive, cinematic storytelling of a Marvel movie. In her electrifying new novel, Sara Flannery Murphy digs deep into women’s extraordinary power and reveals an unassailable truth: so much strength lies in numbers.

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (MCD)

Publication Date: June 1st, 2021

Sara Flannery Murphy is the author of the novel The Possessions and Girl One. She grew up in Arkansas, studied library science in British Columbia, and received her MFA in creative writing at Washington University in St. Louis. She lives in Utah with her husband and their two sons.

What upcoming releases are you excited about this Wednesday?

#Book Review #Like You Love Me (Honey Creek#1) by Adriana Locke #Contemporary Romance @Montlake

Synopsis:

Two childhood friends are playing house—and maybe playing for keeps—in this sexy, and unpredictable marriage-of-convenience romance.

To save her Tennessee bed-and-breakfast, Sophie Bates needs a fast-cash miracle. Holden McKenzie, her childhood best friend, needs to prove to a prospective employer that he’s a committed man. Their fortunes on the line, Holden proposes…a solution.

He’ll take care of Sophie’s bills if she agrees to a temporary marriage of convenience. And why not? They’re comfortable together, they have fun, and they trust each other. It’s as simple as saying “I do.” But the off-the-cuff wedding has all of Honey Creek talking—and Sophie and Holden realizing that their perfect arrangement is working too well. If they’re not careful, this marriage could turn into a love story.

My thoughts:
Like you love me has two things that make me swoon every time I come across them in a book- a small town setting with kind, supportive, quirky in their own way inhabitants, and my favourite trope- friends to lovers. There’s nothing more romantic than falling in love with the person you’ve known and respected for years….


Holden, a.k.a. Dr Holden, aka Dr McKenzie comes back to a small Tennessee town where his grandfather runs a veterenary practice. Holden has just lost both his dream job (through no fault of his own) and his fiancee. The problem is in his field employers would like a prospective candidate be serious and settled down. Holden with all his charm, an easy smile and a kind, sweet, and generous disposition cannot prove that he is dependable and trustworthy.


Sophie Bates is about to lose her beloved bed-and-breakfast…unless she comes up with a quick cash intervention. The business is a bit slow, so however hard she wracks her brains, she is no closer to finding a solution. Until Holden, her childhood friend, comes up with a perfect arrangement that will help them get weather their respective storms and get on their feet, ready to face life. A fake marriage. You can probably guess what is going to happen with these two charming newly weds. Yep, it’s obvious, they are bound to find out that they are perfect for each other.


I loved Adriana Locke’s writing style- it was so easy to fall into the story and keep turning pages on and on. You know what is going to happen and you are there for every minute of the characters’ journey to their happily-ever-after.
Can’t wait to read the next story in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

About the author:

Adriana Locke is a USA Today bestselling author who lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana created her own with such series as Dogwood Lane, The Gibson Boys, and The Landry Family.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, two dogs, two cats, and a bird. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice, and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.

Besides cinnamon gummy bears, boxing, and random quotes, her next favorite thing is chatting with readers. She’d love to hear from you!

Visit the author at http://www.adrianalocke.com.

#Book Blitz #My Sweetest Valentine by Lacey Baker @Xpresso Book Tours

Book & Author Details:
The Sweetest Valentine
by Lacey Baker
(Sweetland Valley, #1)
Publication date: February 16th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

When the idea for a new script brings Hollywood actor Kelan Hunter to the Wine & Chocolate Festival in the small town of Sweetland Valley, MD, sparks fly with the charming candy shop owner who has a list of reasons for why their love isn’t meant to be.

Ruthlessly organized Sydni Murray’s life goal checklist was derailed after her broken engagement last Valentine’s Day. Now, with the holiday fast approaching again and the town’s biggest chocolate festival on the horizon, she must put her biases about love on the backburner. Until Kelan walks into her shop with his model good looks and a box of his grandparents’ love letters that melt her heart.

But happy ever after may not be in the cards for the couple as Sydni’s in danger of losing her shop and Kelan’s plan to stay in Sweetland is threatened by an unbelievable career opportunity.

Goodreads

Purchase

Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:

Lacey Baker, a Maryland native, lives with her husband, three children, two grandchildren and English Bulldog in what most would call Suburban America–a townhouse development where everybody knows each other and each other’s kids. Family cook-outs, reunion vacations, and growing up in church have all inspired Lacey to work towards her dreams and to write about the endurance of family and the quest to find everlasting love. To date she has written in several genres including small town romance, YA paranormal (as Artist Arthur), a cozy mystery series titled Rumors and adult paranormal (as A.C. Arthur).

Author links:

https://acarthur.com/faq/who-is-lacey-baker/

https://www.facebook.com/ac.arthur.1

https://www.pinterest.ca/acarthur22/_saved/

https://www.instagram.com/acarthurbooks/

https://twitter.com/AcArthurhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6458381.Lacey_Baker

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (INT)

$20 Amazon gift card

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#Book Birthday Blitz # Only When It’s Love by Olivia Spring @rararesources

Happy Book Birthday to Only When’s It’s Love by Olivia Spring!

Only When It’s Love: Holding Out For Mr Right

Alex is tired of being single. After years of disastrous hook-ups and relationships that lead to the bedroom but nowhere else, Alex is convinced she’ll never find her Mr Right. Then her newly married friend Stacey recommends what worked for her: a self-help book that guarantees Alex will find true love in just seven steps. Sounds simple, right?

Except Alex soon discovers that each step is more difficult than the last, and one of the rules involves dating, but not sleeping with a guy for six months. Absolutely no intimate contact whatsoever. Zero. Nada. Rien. A big challenge for Alex, who has never been one to hold back from jumping straight into the sack, hoping it will help a man fall for her.

Will any guys be willing to wait? Will Alex find her Mr Right? And if she does, will she be strong enough to resist temptation and hold out for true love?

Join Alex on her roller coaster romantic journey as she tries to cope with the emotional and physical ups and downs of dating whilst following a lengthy list of rigid rules.

Only When It’s Love is a fun, feel-good, romantic comedy by British author Olivia Spring, about self-acceptance, determination, love and the challenge of finding the one.

The sequel, When’s The Wedding? will be published on 25th March 2021.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK  / Amazon US

My thoughts:

Do you remember He’s Just Into You rom-com from 2009? It was based on a best selling self-help book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. The message was super-simple- if a man is interested, he will treat you right and there is no point wasting your time overthinking things, microanalyzing your ‘ghost’s’ behaviour, finding faults with yourself and feeling dejected. You deserve better, you deserve a person who will put an effort making you like them. You deserve commitment.

The protagonist of Olivia Spring’s book Alexandra is getting tired of dating, getting hopes high and then being crushed when men in her life leave as they always do. Some after a few dates, some after a few hours. Some resurface with a booty call. When her colleague Stacey recommends a self-help book and tells her that this was what helped her meet her gorgeous husband, Alex isn’t convinced. Would any man really wait six months? Surely not for her. Alex’s cousin Roxy thinks she’s raving mad just for thinking about taking up the challenge set in the book. But what has Alex got to lose? After all, she is an incurable romantic who adores 1990′ comedies and would like nothing better than being married and having children. She just isn’t sure she’s worthy of this kind of love. Off she goes following the seven steps outlined in the book and trying multiple dating, until she faces an unexpected dilemma. She meets not one, but two attractive, serious, successful men and has to choose. Of course, it isn’t all that it seems to be, because in her haste to find commitment, Alexmight have jumped to some conclusions or failed to read some fairly obvious signs.

A lot of people will find Alex’s dating disasters and her insecurities relatable. Let’s say her mother didn’t exactly help Alex form healthy ideas what a good relationship might look like. She didn’t help her daughter develop a high self-esteem either. It is easy to get lost and lose the sight of what is real, especially with all the confusing messages we are bombarded with by the media. It might all seem a bit heavy-handed and preachy, but if you believe self-help books may genuinely set a person on the journey of self-discovery and usher in a new life, then this is a romcom for you. Undoubtfully, a wise word and good advice (given at the moment, when we are ready for it) may help us to see the light. And if this new life also has someone special who gets your interests and genuinely cares for you, the better. Even if they do seem a bit too perfect. I guess we’ll find out what future holds for Alex and her Mr Right in the sequel, which is coming out in a couple months.

Thank you to Rachel, the author and the publisher for the gifted review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio

Olivia Spring is a British, London-based writer of contemporary women’s fiction, sexy chick lit and romantic comedy. Her uplifting debut novel The Middle-Aged Virgin, which was released in July 2018, deals with being newly single in your thirties and beyond, dating, relationships, love, sex and living life to the full.
In addition to The Middle-Aged Virgin, Olivia has published four novels: The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy, Love Offline, Losing My Inhibitions and Only When It’s Love. When’s The Wedding?, the hotly anticipated sequel to Only When It’s Love and Olivia’s sixth novel, will be published in March 2021.

When she’s not writing, Olivia can be found travelling to Italy to indulge in pasta, pizza and gelato and of course, seeking inspiration for her next book!

Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: @ospringauthor
#OnlyWhenItsLove

BookBub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/olivia-spring

#Book Spotlight #Publication Day #Photographed in the Writer’s Room by Michelle L. E. Price @rararesources

Happy Publication Day to Photographed in the Writer’s Room by Michelle L.E.Price!

Photographed in the Writer’s Room

Former TV star Brandi Tyler’s big screen debut crashed and burned amid rumors of an affair with her married co-star… Now, she wants nothing more than to quietly slink away from Hollywood. When she’s offered an opportunity to get out of town and work on a project involving the photographer that launched her career, it seems like the perfect escape! Unfortunately for Brandi, her famous face makes hiding out even a huge city like Houston a little tricky.

When the celebrated photographer’s son offers to let her use his home for privacy, it seems like everything is falling into place. Little does she know that Michael Ames a gorgeous best selling author, and he comes with the package! As Brandi makes her way through old photographs and new scandals, Michael struggles with his next project, and they both fight the growing attraction between them.

Maybe a posse of new girlfriends, some Texas-sized boozy brunches, and a little private time in the writer’s room will help this leading lady find her path back onscreen. And, if she can just picture it, maybe this time she’ll even find love?

Purchase Links
UK US

Author Bio

Born in Montreal but raised in New England, author Michelle L. E. Price has been writing as long as anyone can remember. An avid reader who was on the verge of losing her mind as a mom to two small children, Michelle began writing her first book, Hidden in the Writer’s Room, as an escape… at least her characters would do exactly what she told them to do and she could always count on a happily ever after ending. She also enjoys wine, re-watching 90’s sitcoms and occasionally running, but heavily relies on writing to stay sane. Michelle is a firm believer that laughter and love are the best parts of life.

Social Media Links
instagram  /  twitter

#Book Blitz # A Flood of Posies by Tiffany Meuret @Xpresso Book Tours

Book & Author Details:
A Flood of Posies
by Tiffany Meuret
Publication date: February 9th 2021
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Synopsis:

*2020 Cygnus Book Award for Science Fiction Long List*

It’s 2025.


Sisters, Doris and Thea, exist worlds apart, despite living within a few miles of one another. Doris with her regular home and regular husband and regular job, and Thea slinking along the edges of society, solitary and invisible. When a storm of biblical proportions strikes, the wayward sisters are begrudgingly forced together as the rain waters rise, each attempting to survive both the flood and each other.

One year later, Thea—now calling herself Sestra—floats throughout a ravaged, flood soaked world. Her former life drowned beneath metric tons of water, she and her only companion, Robert, battle starvation, heatstroke, and the monstrous creatures called Posies that appeared alongside the flood. When they run across what they assume to be an abandoned tugboat, their journey takes a new turn, and the truth about the flood and the monsters seems more intricately linked to Thea’s past than she may realize.

Goodreads

Purchase

Amazon / B&N /iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

AUTHOR BIO:

Tiffany Meuret is a writer of monsters and twisted fairy tales. Her publications include Shoreline of Infinity, Luna Station Quarterly, Ellipsis Zine, and others. When not reading or writing, she is usually binge watching comfortable sitcoms from her childhood or telling her kids to put on their shoes for the tenth time. She lives in sunny Arizona with her husband, two kids, two chihuahuas, gecko, and tortoise.

Author links:

website / instagram / twitter / goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Blitz-wide giveaway (US only)

Print copy of A Flood of Posies

rafflecopter

#Blog Tour #Beneath The Fear by Sheila Rawlings @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to participate iin the blogtour for this new exciting psychological thriller. Sheila Rawlings is a new author to me, but I’ll be looking forward to reading her future work after being totally immersed in this gripping story.

Beneath the Fear

‘Spoilt and indulged since childhood, Samantha Copeland believes bad things only happen to other people. However, after witnessing her husband’s murder during a bank robbery in Oxford, that illusion is cruelly shattered.

Traumatised by the experience, Sam eventually retreats to the Cornish coast, where she hopes to heal her fragile state of mind. Unfortunately, instead of the peace she so desperately craves, she soon finds her vulnerability tested to breaking point by a series of unnerving and unexplained incidents. However, after meeting her enigmatic neighbour, Tony Walker, and local handyman, Nathan Scott, Sam soon discovers the worst is yet to come.’

Purchase Links
UK  / US

 My thoughts:

I was initially attracted to this book by its bold and eye-catching cover- what is this woman running away from? who or what is she looking at? The description promised a thrilling read in one of the most atmospheric settings possible, the Cornish coast, and I jumped at my chance to discover Sam’s story.

Sam Copeland is living wrapped in her own happy  bubble, when one fateful day she and her husband Stephen accidentally witness a robbery and Stephen gets shot. Since it was Sam who insisted on taking the walk on that day, she is consumed with unbearable grief exacerbated by guilt. Sam needs time and space to recover and she chooses retreating to a remote village in Cornwall where daily walks on lonely paths next to the rugged clifftops are helping her to heal. In her mind she keeps reliving the day when Stephen died, but something is eluding her. Strange things begin happening around her and Sam’s already fragile sanity is tested again. There are three more important characters to mention: Suzy, Sam’s childhood friend -it is nice to see a familiar face, somebody you can rely on in your time of need, Tony Walker, Sam’s neighbour, and Nathan Scott, a handyman responsible for the cottage repairs and odd jobs.

The book is very engaging and easy to read. I kept saying ‘Just one more chapter…and this one…’ until the end when all the mysteries were solved and all the secrets  were revealed. The chapters are fairly short and snappy which contributes to the book’s great pace. There are plenty of clues and plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing. As every good psychological thriller, Beneath the Fear has twists and a mystery to solve, but it isn’t all the book is about. For me Sam’s development, the way she changes throughout the book was equally important.

This was my first book by Sheila Rawlings and I am glad to have discovered a new great author. I can definitely recommend this well-written psychological thriller.

Thank you to Rachel, the publisher and the author for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

Author Bio

Sheila Rawlings is an author of adult crime and psychological thrillers, and her debut novel, ‘Truth and Revenge’ was chosen as a finalist for the Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards 2014. ‘Beneath the Fear’ is her second novel.

Born in Bexleyheath, Kent and educated at the prestigious Bexley Technical High School for Girls, Sheila originally trained as a graphic designer at Medway College of Art and Design (now the University of Creative Arts – part of Kent University). After graduating from college with a diploma in visual communication, she worked as a graphic designer for two mail order companies, designing and producing their catalogues. Wanting something more challenging, she then worked for several years as a graphic designer and production manager for a magazine publisher. During that time, she also assisted their PR and marketing department, designing exhibition stands for various clients.

It was while working with journalists she eventually rekindled her childhood love of reading and storytelling, prompting her to write her own novels. Sheila now lives in South London with her husband, Martin.

Social Media Links

Twitter:https://twitter.com/SheilaRawlings (@SheilaRawlings)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheilaRawlingsAuthor
Instagram: Sheila Rawlings (thrill_writer)

Thank you for reading the post! Have a great weekend!

If you would like to find out what other bloggers thought of Beneath the Fear, here is the full blog tour schedule:

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