The Gift by Louise Jensen @Fab_fiction

About The Gift

The perfect daughter. The perfect girlfriend. The perfect murder?

Jenna is given another shot at life when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. Eternally grateful to Callie and her family, Jenna gets closer to them, but she soon discovers that Callie’s perfect family is hiding some very dark secrets …

Callie’s parents are grieving, yet Jenna knows they’re only telling her half the story. Where is Callie’s sister Sophie? She’s been ‘abroad’ since her sister’s death but something about her absence doesn’t add up. And when Jenna meets Callie’s boyfriend Nathan, she makes a shocking discovery.

Jenna knows that Callie didn’t die in an accident. But how did she die? Jenna is determined to discover the truth but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life.

A compelling, gripping psychological thriller with a killer twist from the author of the Number One bestseller The Sister.

'Hells Bells! The Gift by Louise Jensen is an absolute cracker of a read it's tense, gripping and thrilling. I literally devoured this book in one sitting, I love it when you read a book and the opening chapter grabs you by the throat ...Louise Jensen has written a belter of a book that will keep even the most hardened psychological thriller lover glued to their kindle/book' The Book Review Café

My review of The Gift

I'll start off by saying that I loved this book. Very often when I hear the phrase, psychological thriller, the book very rarely lives up to this name, but The Gift most certainly does. I'll admit that I was hooked from the opining page.

The premise to this story is that Jenna and her boyfriend, Sam, become very ill with the flu, but for Jenna, the infection penetrates her myocardium and as a direct result she suffers viral myocarditis, a life threatening condition. Her only hope is to have a heart transplant. She is incredibly fortunate and receives a transplant, just when her parents, and Sam, think that time has run out. You would think that this would be the end of the story, but for Jenna, it is just the beginning. The book hinges on the issue of cellular memory (CM), a relatively controversial and new field of research, that believes the heart can hold memories and feelings. Therefore, when the heart is transplanted, those memories and emotions, are evoked in the transplant recipient. This is what happens to Jenna, as she begins to feel memories that are not her own, but are those of Callie, her donor. I found this concept extremely fascinating, and a thoroughly new and original idea on which to hinge a psychological thriller.

I read this book quickly, as I needed to find out what would happen to Jenna. I also needed to find out what had happened to Callie, the young woman who had died, and the secrets that she had buried. The plot is an intricate one, weaving details from the past, into the present day, and it is as we read that we slowly learn the events that led up to Callie's death. To say that the ending was unexpected, would be a huge understatement. I really was surprised and was frantically reading on the edge of my seat at breakneck speed.

This book also has so many wonderful characters. Jenna, of course. is hugely interesting, but more importantly is likeable. I wanted to know why she was suffering in the way that she did. I wanted her to be at peace with herself, as this is what she deserves. For me though, my favourite character by far was that of Sam, Jenna's ex boyfriend, and best friend. The archetypal boy next door. I completely emphasised with him, and felt very sorry for him. It is obvious that he loves Jenna, and that he loves her unconditionally, but she cannot bring herself to be with him, as she feels that she is a burden and will not make him happy, due to her restricted life expectancy. Her new heart, the gift, is therefore of a mixed blessing.

The Gift is a clever novel, that focuses upon the themes of love, memory, and the importance of family ties and responsibility.  Overall for me, the novel was very much about unconditional love and that we need to live for every minute.

The Gift is published by Bookouture on December 16th. With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advanced Reader Copy

About the author

Louise Jensen is a USA Today Bestselling Author, and lives in Northamptonshire with her husband, children, madcap spaniel and a rather naughty cat.

The Sister is Louise's debut novel and it reached No.1 on the Amazon Kindle chart in both the UK and Canada and No.1 on iBooks. Louise's second book, The Gift, will be published on 16th December 2016.

Louise loves to hear from readers and writers and can be found at www.louisejensen.co.ukwww.louisejensen.co.uk, where she regularly blogs flash fiction.

Single by Christmas by Rosa Temple

You’ve heard the saying, ‘opposites attract’ haven’t you? Well meet 27 year old Alex Marshall, a party girl with a penchant for free flowing Prosecco, and her devilishly handsome scientist boyfriend, Charlie, who loves jazz and dinner for two.

Alex and Charlie are together for 11 blissful months until Alex goes out of town and does something she will later regret. Was she drunk? You bet. Does she want Charlie to know? Well what do you think?

With the couple about to spend their first Christmas together will Charlie be the forgiving kind or will Alex be Single by Christmas?

This is a feel good, Christmas novel with very few mince pies, not much snow and absolutely no mistletoe – just a couple of best friends, a sociopathic nemesis and a lot of drinking.

My review of Single by Christmas

Single by Christmas begins on Christmas Eve, with Alex Marshall sitting outside a church waiting for her boyfriend Charlie. I loved the opening of this book. It made me winder why she was sitting alone and what would happen next. The real story begins on the first day of December, a month before, with us following Alex through all of December until we come full circle to where she is sat on the bench outside the church.

I really enjoyed this book, although Alex frustrated me, and at times annoyed me. She was not an easy character to like, but it was through her faults that I began to understand her, and ultimately begin to like her.

The story goes that Alex has been dating her scientist boyfriend, Charlie (who I fell in love with instantly) for eleven months. They met and started dating on New Year's Eve. This in itself is the perfect romantic perquisite to any romantic story. However, it is after she makes a trip to Scotland, that is shrouded in secrecy, that her life begins to unravel around her and begins to lose the love of her life. Did I feel sorry for her at this point in the book? Sadly not. I firmly believed that she had brought on all of her troubles by herself, most of which were fueled in a drunken haze. But as the story progressed, my understanding for her behaviour grew and, I began to emphasise with her and then simply wanted her to be happy.

What makes this book so funny though is the number of misunderstanding that take place. In fact the entire book is built upon miscommunication and misunderstandings, as is so much of life. Nobody's life is perfect or runs smoothly, and we are reminded of this while reading Alex's exploits. I think that is why I liked this book so much. It is not your typical warm and fuzzy Christmas read, as it tells a much deeper and raw kind of story - but one that will make you laugh and feel good about life.

Rosa Temple has a very distinctive writing style that is fresh, fest paced and witty. If you want to read a Christmas romantic comedy that is a little bit different - then this is the one for you. You won't be disappointed.


Single by Christmas is available to buy from  Amazon here 

About Rosa Temple

Rosa Temple began writing romantic comedy and chick lit novellas, short stories and books because of her passion for what she calls the 'early chick lit films', like: Sabrina, Barefoot In the Park and Breakfast at Tiffany's. She honed her skills as a ghostwriter, gaining experience writing romance novellas and book series, with sweet themes as well as steamy novels for adult readers.

She now specialises in contemporary romance but prefers to write chick-lit and romantic comedies.
So far, Rosa has published romantic comedy novella, Sleeping With Your Best Friend and the full length novel, Natalie's Getting Married, is published on 14th March 2016.

Rosa Temple is a Londoner and is married with two sons. She reads a wide range of Women’s Fiction and all its sub genres. She is a reluctant keep fit fanatic and doer of housework and insists that writing keeps her away from such strenuous tasks. She spends her days creating characters and storylines while drinking herbal tea and eating chocolate biscuits.

Join Rosa on her
Blog: http://rosatemplewrites.blogspot.co.uk/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/RosaTempleWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RosaT_Author

The Handsworth Times by Sharon Duggal

 

 

About - The Handsworth Times

 



 

Mukesh Agarwal sits alone in the Black Eagle pub, unaware that a riot is brewing or that Billy, his youngest son, is still out on his bike ...A mile away in the family home in Church Street, Anila, one of the three Agarwal girls, is reading Smash Hits and listening to Radio One as she sprawls across the bottom bunk, oblivious to the monumental tragedy that is about to hit her family ...It is 1981 and Handsworth is teetering on the brink of collapse. Factories are closing, unemployment is high, the National Front are marching and the neglected inner cities are ablaze as riots breakout across Thatcher's fractured Britain. The Agarwals are facing their own nightmares but family, pop music, protest, unexpected friendships and a community that refuses to disappear all contribute to easing their personal pain and that of Handsworth itself.THE HANDSWORTH TIMES is a story of loss and transition, and pulling together because ultimately, there is such a thing as society.

 

My Review of The Handsworth Times

 

The Handsworth Times is a raw and emotional read that draws you in from the very first page. Set in the early 80's, we are taken back in time to when there where no smartphones, internet and when people relied upon their local community and newspapers to find out the local gossip and news stories of the day. I loved this book for its nostalgia, lyrical storytelling but ultimately because at its heart was the story of a family learning to live with loss and prejudice.

 

The story opens with the father and head of the household, Mukesh Agarwal, sitting alone in a pub in the Handsworth area of Birmingham. He appears to be a lonely man, sat alone with just his thoughts and as the story progressed, my sorrow for him grew. It is while he is sat in the Black Eagle pub, that the riot begins and which ultimately leads to a tragedy within the family.

 

Although set in the 80's, this book could very well be set in modern day Britain. The issues that surround migrants, post Brexit and how we are now a nation that both embraces and fights against ethnic diversity, could be transferred so easily into this book. The problems within society have not changed, they have just been given different labels.

 

So the Agarwal family live in the Handsworth area of Birmingham that is home to many different cultures and belief systems, and it is because of the tragedy that the family endures, that these different cultures come together, in a way that would not have been possible before. This is a book about community, about how a community can divide itself because of its different belief systems, race, culture etc., but that at the end of the day, when a tragedy  occurs and that particular community is on the brink of collapse, the only way to fight and to stand up for what you believe in is to stand together.

 

This book is full of wonderfully captured characters. The mother, who keeps the home together is a strong and independent woman who finds her inner strength when those around her lose their focus and love of life. She was by far my favourite character. However, I also thought that all of the children in the book had their own distinct voice and story to tell. Together through all of the various different storylines that run throughout the book, we get a glimpse into a life that was dominated by prejudice, social insecurity and poverty. On paper, you would think that this would mean that the book was somehow despondent and a tale of how life used to be for those who where less well off - living hand to mouth, but this is not the case.

 

Handsworth Times is an uplifting book about the importance of family, friendships and community. Above all else, this book makes you think about what you value most in life - and the answer should always be that of family.

 

The Handsworth Times can be bought from Amazon here

 

About Sharon Duggal

 

Sharon Duggal was born to parents who immigrated from the Punjab, India and she grew up in and around Handsworth, Birmingham. She lived in London for many years and now lives in Brighton & Hove. She is a writer, campaigner, community radio presenter (alongside one of her sons), a daughter, sister, mother and partner, amongst other things. She works in arts and literature development and has an MPhil in Creative Writing from the University of Sussex. The Handsworth Times is her first novel.

 

 

 

I Liked My Life by Abby Fabiaschi - Review

About - I Liked My Life

Maddy was a loving, devoted stay-at-home mother...until she committed suicide, which left her husband Brady and her teenage daughter Eve heartbroken and reeling, wondering how they can possibly continue without her. Maddy, however, isn’t quite done with them. In an attempt to fulfill her family’s needs, Maddy watches and meddles from beyond the grave, determined to find the perfect wife and mother to replace herself and heal her family. That’s when she finds Rory: a free-spirited schoolteacher, who Maddy maneuvers into Eve’s confidences, but who turns out to be harboring a tragedy of her own.

In a story both deeply moving and charming, with the domestic insight of Jodi Picoult, I Liked My Life from debut author Abby Fabiaschi is a mother’s final blessing for a family learning to live again.

My Review of I Liked My Life

 

I have no idea where to start in reviewing this book, other than to say that I completely adored this story. I'll try my very best to describe the essence of this book and what it means to me, without giving the plot away.  So let me start by writing about Maddy, one of the three characters who narrates the story. She is the mother of Eve and wife to Brady, and throughout the novel we learn of why she committed suicide. I found her to be very captivating and very easy to read. She reels you in with her scheming and the need to once again create the perfect family. She wants Brady and Eve to be happy without her, and so therefore she feels that she needs to find the perfect wife and mother replacements. Now, this whole being able to manipulate people from the grave is a very interesting concept and, it could have really been executed badly on the page. It could have been completely over sentimentalised, causing a chasm between the reader and character. But, this is not the case. The author has managed to pull off a believable and likeable mother figure who is not perfect and who simply wants the best for her loved ones who are left behind. She is startlingly real.

 

Then we have Brady, the grieving husband, and once again, the author has got this just right. We feel his anger and betrayal, because of the way in which Maddy died. Reading his words on the page, we come to realise that grieving for his wife is a difficult process for him, due to the way in which she died. He too is almost in limbo and needs to work out how to push forward. Of course he also has his teenage daughter to care for and all of the complexities that come with raising a teenager. The dialogue between them was some of the most real and frank discussions that I have ever read in a novel.

 

Eve is the daughter left behind, and she too learns how to grieve in her very own way. As well as having to deal with the loss of her mother, she has all of the normal teenage angst and troubles to deal with which make her life far from perfect. I really liked Eve and found her to be a young woman who simply wanted her mother back, to tell her that she was sorry for taking her for granted - my heart ached at her yearning for her mother and the fact that she would never have the chance to tell her how much she loved her.

 

I feel that the book's blurb does not do this book justice. This is a book about  family learning to live again, but it is so much more. It is a ghost story in a sense, that talks of all consuming love. But it is also a book that discusses the complexities of father and daughter relationships. That is what I truly feel is at the heart of this book, the daughter/father bond. It is a book about new beginnings - but also, it is a book about learning to heal from the past.

 

I Liked My Life is published by St. Martin's Press on 31st January 2017

Christmas Under a Starlit Sky (A Town Called Christmas Book 2) by Holly Martin

Christmas Under a Starlit Sky 

Step inside a beautiful winter wonderland where love, laughter and cosy nights by the fire will make this Christmas one to remember.

 

Neve Whitaker loves managing the Stardust Lake hotel. She gets to work alongside her wonderful family and she’s spending Christmas on the most enchanting, snow-covered island in Scotland. So why is her heart so heavy this festive season?

 

It might have something to do with the gorgeous actor Oakley Rey, the man she finished with before he left for California and the man she loves more than anything. With Oakley’s career in Hollywood soaring, Neve is convinced she’d only hold him back. She had to end it with him – at least that’s what she keeps telling herself.

 

But now she has a secret she’s struggling to keep, and when Oakley arrives on Juniper Island determined to win her back, Neve is thrown off balance. Will Neve’s fear of having her heart broken again push Oakley away for good, or is it time for her to take a leap of faith?

 

Get swept away by this deliciously sweet and heartwarming tale, and spend an unforgettable Christmas on Juniper Island.                        

 

 

My review of Christmas Under a Starlit Sky

 

Oh where do I start with this book, other than to say that I loved it? It is such a cosy, warm and fluffy read that makes you feel all gooey inside and that anything in life is possible. This really is the perfect feel good book. There is nothing about this book that I didn't like.

Firstly we have Neve and Oakley. In the previous book Neve left Oakley as she believed that their two lives were not compatible, mainly due to the fact that he was a rising Hollywood star. However, at the beginning of this book, Oakley returns and he wants Neve back. Now Oakley is a handsome and dashing character who you just can't help but love. I  really enjoyed reading about this couple and how they fizzled off each other. Throughout the book it was plainly obvious to everyone that they were meant for each other, but would fate allow this because of a secret that Neve was keeping from him? That was the real question.

 

For me, the real surprise in the book and whom I loved the most, were the supporting characters of Dan and Ivy, and for me they stole the show. They too have their own secrets to keep.  Dan who has been brought in to help Neve manage the Stardust Lake hotel (I just love the name) over the Christmas break is simply adorable and from the very first moment that I met him, I couldn't help but love him. Ivy, who is a painter and who runs a local shop, meets Dan quite by surprise one day and their quite unexpectedly their journey begins. Now the chemistry between these two characters and how they interacted with each other was lovely to see unfurled on the page.

This book features many colourful and memorable characters whom you meet along the way. They all help to create a sense of community in the small snow covered island. That is what I truly loved about this book, that everyone looked out for each other and cared for each other. This type of close knit community is so very hard to find in the real world.
 

So, yes, I adored this story. Grab a crocheted blanket and a mug of hot chocolate when you curl up with this book. It is the perfect romantic Christmas read.
 

Christmas Under a Starlit Sky is published October 19th by Bookouture and can be bought via Amazon here

 

About Holly Martin

 

Holly lives in sunny Devon in a little white cottage by the sea. She studied media at university which led to a very glitzy career as a hotel receptionist followed by a even more glamorous two years working in a bank. The moment that one of her colleagues received the much coveted carriage clock for fifteen years’ service was the moment when she knew she had to escape. She quit her job and returned to university to train to be a teacher. Three years later, she emerged wide eyed and terrified that she now had responsibility for the development of thirty young minds. She taught for four years and then escaped the classroom to teach history workshops, dressing up as a Viking one day and an Egyptian High Priestess the next. But the long journeys around the UK and many hours sat on the M25 gave her a lot of time to plan out her stories and she now writes full time, doing what she loves.

Holly has been writing for 7 years. She was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance. Her short story won the Sunlounger competition and was published in the Sunlounger anthology. She won the Carina Valentine’s competition at the Festival of Romance 2013 with her novel The Guestbook. She was shortlisted for Best Romantic Read, Best eBook and Innovation in Romantic Fiction at the Festival of Romance 2014.

Follow her on Twitter @hollymartin00

 

                   

Peppermint Park by Stephanie Harte

I had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie Harte over on Book Connectors and offered to review her book in exchange for an honest review. 

Peppermint Park

 

Book Description (taken from Amazon)

"The tree-lined street in the affluent suburb of Chigwell, Essex was made up of extravagant mansions. Peppermint Park looked picture perfect on the outside, but behind closed doors, it was a different story. It concealed a life of torment, where family secrets were hidden from public view. In the swinging sixties, Violet boards a plane bound for San Francisco with her boyfriend Bradley, to start a new life at Happy Acres, a hippie commune. Once they stepped inside the boundaries, they entered a different realm, one without clocks and calendars. Where naked yoga sessions and howling at the moon were compulsory activities, and people experimented with marijuana, magic mushrooms and moonshine as a daily pastime. Violet and Bradley were having the most amazing time of their lives. They were living the dream. But was their amphetamine-fueled existence about to come crashing down around them? Surely you can never have too much of a good thing, can you? Join Violet and Bradley on their journey as they take a leap of faith into unknown territory in search of a new beginning, set against the stunning backdrop of Northern California." 

My Review of Peppermint Park 

Firstly I have to say that I enjoyed this book, although it was very different to how I had anticipated it to be from looking at the cover (which I think is lovely). From the very first page I was drawn to Violet, and was so happy when she finally escaped from her abusive home in Essex to start a new life and adventure with her boyfriend in California. 

We are very quickly thrown into the hippie commune that is to become their home and I loved this aspect of the book. Learning to live off the land and eating a vegetarian diet with hilarious consequences. This early part of the book quickly introduced us to the simple way of life for its inhabitants and is described beautifully, as are the many colourful characters that we meet along the way. 

It is over the course of the book that this idyllic lifestyle that they are living is soon threatened, and we begin to see the cracks slowly appearing around them. Relationships are explored with the emphasis very much upon loyalty, responsibility and faithfulness. 

What makes this book so very special is that these very issues, plus some very taboo subjects, are dealt with in what I thought was an incredibly sensitive manner. This is by far no mean feat. The text was also not overly dramatic, but very simply told with the facts laid out before us, allowing us, the reader, to draw our own conclusions. Although I did find myself shouting at Violet for some of the decisions that she made, I respected them.

One aspect I did struggle with was the dialogue between characters, as it did appear a little unnatural at times. However, Peppermint Park is very much a plot driven narrative, it is fast paced and you find yourself being swept along for the ride, so this did not take away too much from the enjoyment of the book. I just wanted to keep on reading, as I needed to know what would happen to all of the characters. Most importantly I found myself rooting for Violet and wishing her that happy ending.

This is the first novel I have read by Stephanie Harte and I look forward to reading more of her books. If you want to read something that is a little bit different from the norm, and wish to escape back to the hazy days of the late 60s and early 70s, then this is the book for you. I really enjoyed it. 

About Stephanie Harte

 

Stephanie Harte was born and raised in North West London where she still lives with her husband Barry, daughter Sarah, son James and Cairn terrier Ruby.

She was educated at St Michael’s Catholic Grammar school in Finchley. After leaving school, she trained in Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy at London College of Fashion.

She worked for many years as a Pharmaceutical Buyer for the NHS, based at Barnet General Hospital purchasing medicines and related supplies for North London hospitals including, Edgware General, Finchley Memorial, Napsbury & peripheral sites. Her career path led her to work for an international export company whose markets included The Cayman Islands and Bermuda.

Since 2007 Stephanie has been teaching regular beauty therapy workshops at a London based specialist residential clinic that treats children with severe eating disorders.

She is the author of Kitty Murphy's Ticket to Paradise, Wight Christmas and Peppermint Park.

You can buy Peppermint Park from Amazon here