Book Presents from Santa! #bookhaul

Just thought I’d share a little post about the lovely books that Santa brought my way for being such a good girl this past year ….. stop laughing at the back!! I was good!! Sometimes!!  There may have also been book tokens bought for me as well, one of which I’ve already put to good use on the Waterstones website while their sale is on, so there’ll be another book haul post soon when they start arriving!!
Santa did get some help in choosing the books for me as I handily provided a little list!

THE RABBIT FACTOR by ANTTI TUOMAINEN

An insurance mathematician’s carefully ordered life is turned on its head when he unexpectedly loses his job and inherits an adventure park … with a whole host of problems. A quirky, tense and warmly funny thriller from award-winning Finnish author Antti Tuomainen.

What makes life perfect? Insurance mathematician Henri Koskinen knows the answer because he calculates everything down to the very last decimal.

And then, for the first time, Henri is faced with the incalculable. After suddenly losing his job, Henri inherits an adventure park from his brother – its peculiar employees and troubling financial problems included. The worst of the financial issues appear to originate from big loans taken from criminal quarters … and some dangerous men are very keen to get their money back.

But what Henri really can’t compute is love. In the adventure park, Henri crosses paths with Laura, an artist with a chequered past, and a joie de vivre and erratic lifestyle that bewilders him. As the criminals go to extreme lengths to collect their debts and as Henri’s relationship with Laura deepens, he finds himself faced with situations and emotions that simply cannot be pinned down on his spreadsheets…

Warmly funny, rich with quirky characters and absurd situations, The Rabbit Factor is a triumph of a dark thriller, its tension matched only by its ability to make us rejoice in the beauty and random nature of life.

THE TROUBLED MIND OF MARY SHELLEY by WENDY L BARDSLEY

Mary Shelley was the daughter of philosopher William Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft. Her mother died soon after her birth and her father remarried. The poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was a friend of Godwin and a frequent visitor to his home. Though married with young children, Shelley flirted with Mary and when she was aged sixteen they eloped to Italy. Shelley was always in trouble financially and was forced to move frequently to avoid his creditors. Mary tolerated this lifestyle and also Shelley’s constant philandering though she was often desperate with worry about Percy’s infidelity. Lord Byron and Shelley met and became friends and this association was another cause for concern to Mary, who at eighteen, began writing Frankenstein, a novel that would bring her lasting fame. After Shelley’s death from drowning in Italy, Mary returned to London and pursued her own writing career. In her novel Wendy Bardsley has captured the intensity of Mary’s early life and her troubled marriage and the result is a remarkable book and an excellent addition to the genre of historical fiction.

LILY by ROSE TREMAIN

Nobody knows yet that she is a murderer…

Abandoned at the gates of a London park one winter’s night in 1850, baby Lily Mortimer is saved by a young police constable and taken to the London Foundling Hospital. Lily is fostered by an affectionate farming family in rural Suffolk, enjoying a brief childhood idyll before she is returned to the Hospital, where she is punished for her rebellious spirit. Released into the harsh world of Victorian London, Lily becomes a favoured employee at Belle Prettywood’s Wig Emporium, but all the while she is hiding a dreadful secret…

Across the years, policeman Sam Trench keeps watch over the young woman he once saved. When Sam meets Lily again, there is an instant attraction between them and Lily is convinced that Sam holds the key to her happiness – but might he also be the one to uncover her crime and so condemn her to death?

BEWILDERMENT by RICHARD POWERS

Theo Byrne is a promising young astrobiologist who has found a way to search for life on other planets dozens of light years away. He is also the widowed father of a most unusual nine-year-old. His son Robin is funny, loving, and filled with plans. He thinks and feels deeply, adores animals, and can spend hours painting elaborate pictures. He is also on the verge of being expelled from third grade, for smashing his friend’s face with a metal thermos.

What can a father do, when the only solution offered to his rare and troubled boy is to put him on psychoactive drugs? What can he say when his boy comes to him wanting an explanation for a world that is clearly in love with its own destruction? The only thing for it is to take the boy to other planets, while all the while fostering his son’s desperate campaign to help save this one.

📚📚📚

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My Bookish Weekly Wrap Up – CHRISTMAS DAY 2021!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!! I hope Santa treated you kindly!! I may have sent Santa a list with a few books on it….. have I been good enough?!
Looking back at the last week on the bookish front and it’s been pretty productive! Another 4 books have been finished, 2 new additions to the NetGalley shelf and then 2 newbies to my physical book shelves! nice and balanced!
Here’s my look back..

BOOKS FINISHED

THE WOLF AGE by TORE SKEIE – 5 STARS

THE NUTCRACKER by E.T.A. HOFFMAN – 4 STARS

CHRISTMAS AT SERENITY BAY by HELEN BRIDGETT – 5 STARS

A CORNISH CHRISTMAS AT PEAR TREE FARM by ANGELA BRITNELL – 5 STARS

BOOKHAUL

starting over at Netgalley..

THE ATLAS SIX by OLIVIE BLAKE

The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation.

Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications.

When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will.

Most of them.

THE GIFTS by LIZ HYDER

publication date – February 2022

October 1840. A young woman staggers alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of impossible wings rip themselves from her shoulders.

Meanwhile, when rumours of a ‘fallen angel’ cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger . . .

THE GIFTS is the astonishing debut adult novel from the lauded author of BEARMOUTH. A gripping and ambitious book told through five different perspectives and set against the luminous backdrop of nineteenth century London, it explores science, nature and religion, enlightenment, the role of women in society and the dark danger of ambition

And in the post…

AFTER THE RAIN by LUCY DILLON

publication day – March 2022

First, the clouds…
Tara Hunter is a therapist on a mission to restore Longhampton’s community spirit after catastrophic flooding. But with her boyfriend AWOL, her family fragmented, and only a cat for company, Tara’s own life is crumbling.

Then the storm…
On top of everything, Tara’s father – last seen as he walked out on her when she was ten years old – is suddenly back, with a surprising offer that could change everything.

And after the rain…
Dr David Dalloway is Longhampton Wellness Centre’s new star counsellor. He’s charming, caring and has a knack for reading people’s minds – which is the last thing Tara needs right now. Will having David and her dad around make for a bigger storm on the horizon? Or is this Tara’s chance for a fresh start?

THE DOVES IN THE DINING ROOM by LAURA LAAKSO

Yannia Wilde arrives in rural Sussex to attend her friend Jessika’s aristocratic Mage wedding. When two butchered doves are left in the hotel dining room, Yannia volunteers to take charge of the investigation. More disturbing events follow, leaving Yannia convinced that somebody is trying to sabotage the wedding.

Yannia teams up with the groom, Robbert, a wheelchair-using fan of detective fiction, and Wishearth, her ever-loyal Hearth Spirit, who surprises her by taking an active role in the investigation. But as the clock ticks towards the big day, the sabotage continues and the contradictions mount. The case turns sinister when Yannia herself is targeted, and Wishearth has to act quickly to rescue her.

But can they solve the mystery and save the wedding before somebody loses their life?

This is a “sideways” story in the Wilde Investigations series (number 3.5!)

CURRENTLY READING

GEORGE by SEAN SMITH

HAPPY CHRISTMAS READING!!!

#BookReview UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by T.J.KLUNE

ABOUT THE BOOK

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.
Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop’s owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.
But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo’s help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.
When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Under the Whispering Door is a contemporary fantasy about a ghost who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with.

PUBLISHED BY TOR BOOKS

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon

MY REVIEW

A story that put tears in my eyes! Lots of them!! This was one of those slow burner stories for me, but then BAM you are sucked straight into the lives, and deaths!, of these characters and your emotions are put through the wringer as this funny but touching story plays out in front of you.

The author wrote this book to try and understand grief, and his approach is nothing short of remarkable. When the main character dies, there are no tears shed for him, and he finds himself at a little tea shop, where Hugo fixes the world with cups of teas and is also the ferryman waiting to take you on to the other side.

As Wallace spends time amongst these people, and drinks more cups of tea than he ever thought possible, he begins to wake up to himself in the realisation that there was more to life but it took him dying to find that out.

This was such a beautiful story! The connection with drinking tea was so simple but it worked so well! It’s grounding, it’s normal and also allows reflection. Wallace evolves so much throughout this book that it’s just wonderful to witness. A delight – but don’t forget to have tissues by your side!!

★★★★★

#BlogTour THE LOST PROMISE OF IRELAND by SUSANNE O’LEARY #BookReview @bookouture

Hello! Delighted to be with you today on the blog tour to share my thoughts on the wonderful new book from Susanne O’Leary – THE LOST PROMISE OF IRELAND. My thanks to the author and publisher for putting the tour together and letting me be part of it all!

About the Book: 

A completely gorgeous story about lost loves and small-town secrets that will sweep you away to the Irish coast.

Maggie remembers her summers in the village of Sandy Cove in Ireland like they were yesterday. She and her family would swim in the crystal-clear waters, collect beautiful seashells and relax on the sand. So when she sees that her family’s old coastguard cottage is available, she wonders if renting it for the summer will finally help her move on from the man who just broke her heart.

As soon as Maggie arrives she is delighted to find her childhood best-friend Sorcha and Sorcha’s cousin Brian still living in town. They enjoy cosy nights in the local harbour pub, with its stunning views across the ocean, as if no time has passed. And when Brian reveals he had a fierce teenage crush on Maggie, she can’t help but notice just how handsome he has become.

But then Maggie finds a worn metal box hidden in the attic of the house, full of love letters she exchanged with a sweet American boy she met one summer. During their last night together, star-gazing on the beach, they promised to find each other again. Soon it becomes clear that Maggie is not the only one returning to Sandy Cove.

Torn between her growing feelings for Brian and the romance she’s held in her heart for many years, Maggie realises that her summer may be more complicated than she’d expected. Will Maggie finally find a true love who can sweep her off her feet or will this holiday in Sandy Cove be her last?

Fans of Mary Alice Monroe, Sheila O’Flanagan and Debbie Macomber will fall head over heels for this enchanting, feel-good romance.

published by Bookouture

AUTHOR BIO

Susanne O’Leary is the bestselling author of more than 20 novels, mainly in the romantic fiction genre. She has also written three crime novels and two in the historical fiction genre.
The wife of a former diplomat, she has also been a fitness teacher and a translator. She now writes full-time from either of two locations, a rambling house in County Tipperary, Ireland or a little cottage overlooking the Atlantic in Dingle, County Kerry. When she is not scaling the mountains of said counties, or doing yoga, she keeps writing, producing a book every six months

 Buy Link: 

Amazon: https://geni.us/B09FY24WHKsocial 

Apple: http://ow.ly/xgFS50GaeQr 

Kobo: http://ow.ly/R4yh50GaeMY 

Google: http://ow.ly/FKQs50GaeRZ 

MY REVIEW

This is one of those ‘hug yourself’ books! Those stories that bring you comfort, whatever time of year it is, but makes it more meaningful in the run up to Christmas! And I found the story to be full of wonderful characters that made up a lovely community that you just wanted to be part of!

Maggie spots her old childhood family cottage up for rent, and makes a decision to move there for the Summer as she has nothing but good memories of the past.  She’s looking to get herself back on track after  a recent break up so this step back in time is hopefully going to be the reset she needs to get her spark back!

She notices a lot of changes in the area since she was last there, but the locals are all still very friendly and lots remember her from the past so she’s warmly welcomed home and soon finds herself involved in the daily goings on! She also unearths her old letters and diaries so that brings back fresh memories of her family growing up and her first love.

This was just so easy to read and to feel connection with the characters.  In Maggie, there’s a woman who has been hurt but knows how the past can heal and she soon finds her strength again and support amongst those who knew her a long time ago.    Then there is the power of community coming together when plans to change the local area forever threaten all they know and love.  

This was a wonderfully warm read and the author has done another great job of creating a comforting story that is delightful to read!

★★★★

My Bookish Weekly Wrap Up – 18th December 2021

Hello all! Happy Saturday! And Season’s Greetings to all!  I’ve made an effort to get the tree up now – all this effort for a day that flies by so quickly LOL! Yep, I’m still a Grinch haha!  
On to books! A quieter week this week as the reading mood hasn’t grabbed me! I did manage to finish 2 books off though, and have added 3 books to my shelves, but none from Netgalley!
Here’s my look back..

BOOKS FINISHED

HOPE AND HAPPINESS IN BLUEBELL WOOD by ALI McNAMARA – 4 STARS

THE BEACH READS BOOK CLUB by KATHRYN FREEMAN – 3 STARS

BOOKHAUL

My indie publisher subscriptions have added to my shelves this week!

From PEIRENE PRESS came these two…

MARZAHN, MON AMOUR by KATJA OSKAMP

publication date – Februrary 2022

A woman approaching the ‘invisible years’ of middle age abandons her failing writing career to retrain as a chiropodist in the suburb of Marzahn, once the GDR’s largest prefabricated housing estate, on the outskirts of Berlin. From her intimate vantage point at the foot of the clinic chair, she keenly observes her clients and co-workers, delving into their personal histories with all their quirks and vulnerabilities. Each story stands alone as a beautifully crafted vignette, told with humour and poignancy; together they form a nuanced and tender portrait of a community. Part memoir, part collective history, Katja Oskamp’s love letter to the inhabitants of Marzahn is a stunning reflection on life’s progression and our ability to forge connections in the unlikeliest of places.

WINTER FLOWERS by ANGELIQUE VILLENEUVE

It’s October 1918 and the war is drawing to a close.

Toussaint Caillet returns home to his wife, Jeanne, and the young daughter he hasn’t seen growing up. He is not coming back from the front line but from the department for facial injuries at Val-de-Grâce military hospital, where he has spent the last two years.

For Jeanne, who has struggled to endure his absence and the hardships of wartime, her husband’s return marks the beginning of a new battle. With the promise of peace now in sight, the family must try to stitch together a new life from the tatters of what they had before.

And from RENARD PRESS this arrived..

IN THE CLOUDS by SARAH BERNHARDT

In 1878 Gustave Flaubert looked on in horror as his publisher picked up a manuscript from the mysterious stage actress Sarah Bernhardt and published it in place of a new edition of his latest work, and watched it go on to become an instant bestseller, achieving international fame.

Narrated by a chair in a hot-air balloon, In the Clouds is a light-hearted, humorous tale that follows a character reminiscent of Bernhardt through the skies above Paris. Sadly the story sunk into obscurity, lying out of print in the English language for much of the twentieth century. Featuring the original illustrations by Georges Clairin, and in a fresh edit of the first English translation, this edition seeks to bring the tale to a new generation of readers.

CURRENTLY READING

THE WOLF AGE by TORE SKEIE

HAPPY READING & HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

#BookReview CHRISTMAS WITH THE RAILWAY GIRLS by MAISIE THOMAS @MaisieThomas99

ABOUT THE BOOK

The brand new festive Railway Girls novel set in Manchester during WWII. Perfect for fans of Nancy Revell, Daisy Styles and Margaret Dickinson.___________________

Manchester, 1941
Christmas is the season for family and friends, and this year the railway girls will need each other more than ever.
Cordelia appears to have the perfect life. When her daughter Emily arrives home unexpectedly, she can’t wait to introduce her to her friends. But when things don’t go to plan, Cordelia must decide where her loyalty lies.
Things aren’t going too smoothly for Alison either. Her beloved boyfriend has yet to propose, but there’s a charity fundraiser dance and she’s dressed up specially. Surely, tonight must be the night.
Colette’s friends are envious of her devoted husband; he meets her after every shift on the railway, and accompanies her around town. But Colette has a secret, one that will change her life—if only she knew who to confide in.

With the festive season fast approaching, the railway girls are hoping for some Christmas magic…

PUBLISHED BY CORNERSTONE

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon

MY REVIEW

This was another emotional installment in this wonderful Railway Girls series, and it just transports you back in time and puts you right amongst an amazing group of women who are breaking free from the traditional role that they’ve played for so long, and doing their bit for their country during a very turbulent time in our history. And in their roles on the railways, they discover in themselves a different side to them and it’s wonderful to watch them flourish with their new responsibilities and the confidence it gives them all – all while dealing with their own personal issues and the prejudices of some of those around them.

There’s a number of stories in this part of the series – Cordelia, on the outside, looks like she has the perfect life, and her young daughter has also returned home wanting a role in working so that throws up new challenges for the family. Alison has the perfect boyfriend and she’s eagerly awaiting his proposal, planning her new life with him and wondering what the future has in store for them. And Collette is the envy of her friends, with an attentive husband, but she has a secret that she’s scared to share with anyone. Behind closed doors things can be very different!

And it’s the friendships between the women that stand out one more – they become more than just work colleagues, and they pick up on changes in each others behaviour, forever watching out for one another.

I love the way that there’s always a great cast of characters – different age groups facing different issues, but all against the backdrop of never knowing what the war will bring to them next alongside the attitudes of others who still don’t see the role of women as more than just homemakers.

It’s a book that made me cheer and cry – you’re really put through the full range of emotions! The characters are so relatable and easy to identify with. They are all going through such a changing time in history and it’s wonderful to see them evolving while dealing with ‘life’! The author has a great way of telling their stories and it’s always a delight to be in the company of these women as they watch their roles in the world change. Another wonderful read!

★★★★★

My thanks to the author for the advanced reader copy in return for a fair and honest review.

#GuestPost A CORNISH CHRISTMAS AT PEAR TREE FARM by ANGELA BRITNELL #PublicationDay @ChocLituk @AngelaBritnell

Time to hand over the blog again today! And it’s more festive cheer to share with you courtesy of Angela Britnell who is celebrating publication day today of A CORNISH CHRISTMAS AT PEAR TREE FARM!!   Go grab your copy NOW!!!
Over to you Angela….

🎄🎄🎄

Release Day: A Cornish Christmas at Pear Tree Farm by Angela Britnell

I can’t believe it will be Christmas in just a few weeks because it doesn’t seem long since I was here to celebrate the release of my summer book! I’m very happy to be back again to celebrate publication day for the sequel, A Cornish Christmas at Pear Tree Farm!

The new book centres around Ashley and Crispin who meet very briefly in A Cornish Summer at Pear Tree Farm and felt an instant sense of connection, but the timing was wrong for them to explore where that might lead. It seemed cruel not to give them a second chance and so this sequel came to life. When we first meet them again they’re both in a better place emotionally but of course that doesn’t mean things will be smooth sailing for me because quite honestly where would be the fun in that! Most romance readers expect a happy ending and so it’s the journey the couple take together that is crucial to either capturing or losing their interest.

Here’s a brief excerpt with a window into Ashley’s thoughts when she and Crispin come together again in this new book.

Ashley had only met him for a few minutes over a year ago at Ward and Nessa’s engagement party. That was when he’d made the decision to turn himself in, and she recalled feeling a fleeting sense of kinship because she’d been experiencing her own rough time. His rugged good looks had stirred something in her then and were having the same effect now.

Meeting Ashley again rattles Crispin too and we feel his reaction when his old friend Polly is talking about the American woman.

‘She’s a real go-getter. Pear Day was her idea too.’ Polly’s smile broadened. ‘But don’t hate her for that.’

Crispin had the sinking feeling he wouldn’t be capable of hating Ashley for anything. It’d been a long time since he’d allowed himself to be interested in any woman but something about her wouldn’t leave him alone.

So the scene is set and even if you know it isn’t so much ‘will they’ or ‘won’t they’ I hope you’ll come along with them as they search for their own Christmas miracle.

🎄🎄🎄

About the book:

Pairing up at Pear Tree Farm in time for Christmas …

Pear Tree Farm in Cornwall, owned by the kind-hearted Nessa Vivian, is known for taking in lost souls, and ex-soldier Crispin Davies is certainly one of those. But the once sleepy caravan park is now a thriving business, and far from the peace and quiet Crispin was craving, he soon finds himself roped into helping out with a short-notice Christmas festival, organised by Nessa’s force-of-nature sister, Lowena.

But despite Crispin’s initial reluctance, his involvement in the festival serves to throw him together with Ashley Spencer, an American woman and fellow lost soul, who works at the nearby Tregereth House. Could Lowena’s ambitious scheme result in a more hopeful Christmas and New Year for them both – with a few surprises along the way?

Sequel to A Cornish Summer at Pear Tree Farm

🎄🎄🎄

Buying links: 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/3B2ItN9 

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3pxroqN 

Apple Books: https://apple.co/31zUKfS 

Nook: https://bit.ly/3DugtmW

 About the Author: 

Angela was born in St. Stephen, Cornwall, England. After completing her A-Levels she worked as a Naval Secretary. She met her husband, a US Naval Flight Officer while being based at a small NATO Headquarters on the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark. They lived together in Denmark, Sicily, California, southern Maryland and London before settling in Franklin, Tennessee.

Angela took a creative writing course in 2000 and loved it so much that she has barely put her pen down since. She has had short stories and novels published in the US. Her novel Sugar & Spice, won Choc Lit’s Search for an American Star competition and was her UK debut. 

Follow Angela on Twitter @AngelaBritnell Like Angela on Facebook: Angela Britnell

                                                                                  🎄🎄🎄

My Bookish Weekly Wrap Up – 4th December 2021

Hello all and Happy December!  How the heck are we here already??!!! I’ve lost all track of time and it juts feels like only yesterday that I was back making new year resolutions – of which I think I stuck to zero!!
Not been a good week for me health wise, but book wise it’s been ok!  Another 4 books finished and I stayed away from Netgalley!  Go me!!  And 1 lovely book in the post for review!
Here’s my look back!

BOOKS FINISHED

THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by AMOR TOWLES – 5 STARS

YOU LET ME IN by CAMILLA BRUCE – 4 STARS

THE SPIRIT ENGINEER by C.J.WEST – 4 STARS

THE PAPER PALACE by MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER (audiobook) – 2 STARS

BOOKHAUL

Just one lovely addition to my bookshelves this week courtesy of the fabulous Gallic Press for review.

B: A Year in Plagues and Pencils by Edward Carey

‘I blame the pencil. I hadn’t meant to do it. I wasn’t thinking. It just happened that way.’

In March 2020, as lockdowns were imposed around the world, author and illustrator Edward Carey published a sketch on social media with a plan to keep posting a drawing a day from his family home in Austin, Texas, until life returned to normal. One hundred and fifty pencil stubs later, he was still drawing.

Carey’s hand moved with world events, chronicling pandemic and politics. It reached into the past, taking inspiration from history, and escaped grim reality through flights of vivid imagination and studies of the natural world. The drawings became a way of charting time, of moving forward, and maintaining connection at a time of isolation.

This remarkable collection of words and drawings from the acclaimed author of Little and The Swallowed Man charts a tumultuous year in pencil, finding beauty amid the horror of extraordinary times.

CURRENTLY READING

THE LOST PROMISE OF IRELAND by SUSANNE O’LEARY

A completely gorgeous story about lost loves and small-town secrets that will sweep you away to the Irish coast.Maggie remembers her summers in the village of Sandy Cove in Ireland like they were yesterday. She and her family would swim in the crystal-clear waters, collect beautiful seashells and relax on the sand. So when she sees that her family’s old coastguard cottage is available, she wonders if renting it for the summer will finally help her move on from the man who just broke her heart.As soon as Maggie arrives she is delighted to find her childhood best-friend Sorcha and Sorcha’s cousin Brian still living in town. They enjoy cosy nights in the local harbour pub, with its stunning views across the ocean, as if no time has passed. And when Brian reveals he had a fierce teenage crush on Maggie, she can’t help but notice just how handsome he has become.But then Maggie finds a worn metal box hidden in the attic of the house, full of love letters she exchanged with a sweet American boy she met one summer. During their last night together, star-gazing on the beach, they promised to find each other again. Soon it becomes clear that Maggie is not the only one returning to Sandy Cove.Torn between her growing feelings for Brian and the romance she’s held in her heart for many years, Maggie realises that her summer may be more complicated than she’d expected. Will Maggie finally find a true love who can sweep her off her feet or will this holiday in Sandy Cove be her last?

HAPPY READING!