I am lucky enough to get invited to the HQ Digital Showcase. The last one I went to had the amazing Louise Candlish talking about her new book. Louise is incredibly talented and there was such a buzz in the air when she was talking. A true superstar author with a fantastic career. We hung on her every word. There wasn’t much information about the book but it was about holiday homes and the housing crisis. I knew immediately that I wanted to read it. I couldn’t wait. Luckily, time goes fast and the book was in my hands soon enough and, damn, what a corker. My invitation to Pine Ridge did not disappoint. Charlotte and Perry have owned their clifftop holiday home for years and now their city friends, Amy and Linus, have bought a home nearby. The two couples and their families look forward to a fun summer socialising and sipping rosè. Problem is, the locals are sick of being priced out of their home and now they’re protesting, headed up by the charismatic Robbie. What follows is an intriguing novel that entertains with every single page. I read Our Holiday months ago and it has stayed with me. From the well-rounded characters you can’t help but feel you really know, to the clever plot that weaves every trail together beautifully. Our Holiday is one of the books of the year. Written by a writer at the top of her game. This is the perfect summer thriller. Grab a copy now. You won’t regret it.
Fight Heart Disease Like Cancer by Michael McConnell is a must read for everyone. It is a fantastic book that lays down the facts of heart disease and then tells you how to avoid it. This book is a gift to humanity. I know that may seem like overkill, but if everyone read it, and impacted the changes, then it would save millions of lives.
Micheal McConnell, a cardiologist and clinical professor of medicine at Stanford University School, is clearly a man with a passion. People do not take heart diseases seriously enough and there are many myths about bit. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women. It also presents differently in women and women are more likely to die from it. He has even given all author royalties from sales of this book to the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. An impressive man indeed.
Unbeknown to many, the main cause of heart disease—the world’s number one killer of women and men—is a cancer-like “tumour” inside the coronary arteries that keep our hearts beating. Although this similarity to cancer is well-established in medical journals, most people (and their health care providers) don’t approach heart disease as seriously as cancer, even though it’s just as deadly. In Fight Heart Disease Like Cancer, cardiologist Michael McConnell shares the stories of his family, patients, and research to lay out a modern and effective approach to preventing, screening for, and treating heart disease like cancer to avoid its dire consequences.
Highlighting the latest research on the substantial overlap between heart disease and cancer—from shared risk factors to screening for early detection to new and powerful therapies—Dr. McConnell also highlights the many ways our society can reduce heart disease for all. Fight Heart Disease Like Cancer will guide you step-by-step on how to prevent, screen for, and treat heart disease to live a healthier and longer life.
Out now | Hardback 232 pages | ISBN 9781421448466 |
The shock of it almost being 2025 is softened by the fact you will all get to read Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley soon. It’s an incredibly thriller that grabs you by the throat. I love a legal thriller and Bad Blood is an outstanding one. A perfectly paced and twisty story that captures small towns perfectly after Justine Stone returns after her ex-boyfriend is accused of murder.
I never saw the ending coming and the story is complex and gripping, with brilliant characterisation. An addictive thriller which will leave you thinking about it long after you have finished reading. A triumph.
What would you do if your childhood sweetheart was accused of murder?
Justine Stone left her hometown in Essex eighteen years ago, and she hasn’t looked back since. Married to Noah, with a beautiful house and a high-flying career as a barrister, she rarely thinks about her ex-boyfriend, Jake.
Until she’s given her first murder case, and sees his face staring up at her, charged with a horrific double murder.
The Jake that Justine loved would never have hurt anyone. But as evidence begins to come to light, Justine has to face up to the fact that perhaps she never really knew Jake at all. And as the past begins to merge with the present, Justine’s life that she’s worked so hard to create begins to fall apart.
You can run from your secrets. But they’ll always catch up with you.
The Final Party by A. A. Chaudhuri was one of my books of the year when it was released last year. Fantastic writing and a brilliant plot made her one of my new favourite writers. When Under Her Roof dropped through my letterbox I was excited. Taking a very real issue (housing) and making a twisty stalker thriller that grips from the first page. It’s perfect for fans of dark thrillers. If you liked You you will love this. I didn’t see the ending happening. The novel is gripping and dark. Under Her Roof is a fantastic thriller that is tense and keeps you guessing all of the way to the end. I was fully immersed from the first page and the book has stayed with me. A. A. Chaudhuri has made her name as one of the best thriller writers today. Brilliant.
It seems too good to be true…
When struggling writer Sebastian finds a room to let in a palatial Hampstead residence he cannot believe his luck. The rent is ridiculously cheap and he immediately feels a connection with his beautiful widowed landlady, Adriana.
It is.
Things take a dark turn when he finds out what happened to the last lodger. Could this be why the house is a fortress of security, and why Adriana seems so fragile? Adriana doesn’t want to talk about the death and sadness that seem to follow her wherever she goes and Sebastian has secrets of his own.
Now someone is watching their every move and there is nowhere to hide.
This house of light becomes a dark nightmare as the threat ramps up – what does the watcher want? And how far will they go to get it?
A gripping, twisty thriller perfect for fans of B.A. Paris, Shari Lapena and Lucy Foley. If you were hooked by Netflix series You or The Watcher then you will love this. Out June 13th.
When Estella’s Revenge arrived at Frost HQ I made an audible gasp. The gorgeous cover, the fact it’s a retelling of Great Expectations, Miss Havisham’s daughter is the main character…, I mean, come on. what is there not to love? Was I let down? Not even a little. The writing is exceptional and the story is dark and delicious.
It is obvious that a huge amount of research went into this novel, but also a very deep love for Great Expectations and the characters. The love and knowledge is obvious in every single page. This book is original, gothic and completely unforgettable. It belongs on the shelf next to Great Expectations itself. When reading the novel it feels like not much has changed for women, yet there is hope in this novel. Of women saving themselves and enduring. Of survival. A must-read.
I love Helga Jensen’s books. They are the perfect mixture of exotic destinations and romance. Her character’s are always unique and different. My Heart is in Venice is set in Wales and Venice. It’s lovely to see a book set in Wales.
The characters are also older which is refreshing. Helga has a way of writing highly original and fun characters. I loved Libby and was rooting for her. If you want a great midlife second chance romance novel then this is it.
I highly recommend this entertaining and enchanting novel. It has wonderful, unique destination in Wales and Venice, along with wonderful characters and a great plot. I loved this escapist novel. Grab a copy now.
Venice was where it all began… Libby and Will spent a glorious honeymoon in this magical city. They didn’t have much money, but they had a whole lot of love and a bright future ahead of them. And Venice was where it all went wrong… Two kids and twenty-five years later, they are struggling with money problems but somehow Will manages to fulfil his promise to Libby to take her back to Venice for their anniversary. This time, they are doing it in style and a masked ball awaits. But among the beautiful buildings and romantic canals, Libby learns that her husband has a secret that breaks her heart. The trust is broken and the marriage is over. But there are decades of love and two grown sons between them. Can they ever find their way back to each other or have they missed their chance forever?
The Christmas Love Letters by Sue Moorcroft, reviewed by Morton S Gray
Classic Sue Moorcroft.
I enjoyed being back in Nelson’s Bar, Norfolk reading about Ruthie, Maddy and Raff. A Christmas novel with twists and turns in the present and the revelation of secrets from the past too as Ruthie shares her treasured love letters.
A romance between Maddy and Raff seems inevitable, as they help Ruthie heal wounds from her past, until Maddy receives a message about her own mystery and the world changes.
Sue Moorcroft has a skill of carrying you along with a story and leaving you wanting for more.
A story to tug at your heart strings.
The Recipe for Hope by Fiona Valpy, reviewed by Jane Cable
I fancied a Christmas story, and for me this one was close to perfect. For a start it’s a novella, just a touch in under two hundred pages, and for a relatively simple festive romance it doesn’t need to be any more. And the cast of characters is small, and yet still a community is created for Evie to fall into when she escapes to France to avoid Christmas.
What really made this book stand out for me was the way I almost instantly slipped inside Evie’s heart and mind, and cared about her. I finished the book hours ago, and still she’s with me. On top of that, the customs and settings of rural south west France are described so beautifully, and with love. As is the food. The icing on the cake was a proper, real world, grown up ending. Five stars from me any day of the week.
New Beginnings at Christmas Tree Cottage by Georgia Hill, reviewed by Morton S Gray
A great read that will have you thinking about Christmas and maybe buying Baileys!
I loved reading this book, which was a complete tonic in a stressful time for me. I always say that a book that can produce an emotional reaction is a good book and this one produced not one, not two, but three heart affecting scenes that had me thinking and reaching for the tissues. A cosy read, but with serious underlying themes of starting again after loss.
The characters are likeable and relatable, particularly Jago, trying to be the responsible son and brother, whilst nursing his own demons and heartaches, Honor, the primary school teacher with a big venerable heart and the amazing vicar, Verity, who is mad on ABBA. Merryn is a very wise little girl beyond her years. Georgia Hill weaves her story around community of Lullbury Bay, with each person living there having a distinct role and backstory. It sounds like somewhere I would enjoy living. I’d even take part in the yarn bombing brigade!
Highly recommended to get you in the mood for Christmas.
Secrets of the Shell Sisters by Adrienne Vaughan, reviewed by Jessie Cahalin
Magical tale of secrets, second chances and sisterhood
Set on Ireland’s ancient east coast, the Morgan sisters are in crisis. Cassandra runs the family hotel and it’s struggling, as secrets from her past threaten to resurface making things worse. Greer is fleeing a failed relationship with a powerful man, but if she returns will she stay? And then there’s Orla – fey, funny and mysterious – insisting messages from the shells must heeded or what will become of them all?
Returning to Rosshaven was a delight, especially as this story, while fresh and original, is cleverly intertwined with characters from the first book, Summer of Secrets.
A beautifully written tale of relationships, lost love and second chances, laced through with a touch of Irish magic – so deftly delivered it feels as natural as the sea itself.
A rich reweaving of Circe’s story with threads from a number of other Greek legends pulled expertly together into a spell-binding book. How very appropriate for a witch.
It did take me a while to get into the story, but when I looked back at the end, not an incident – even from her childhood – was wasted. Everything was poured into making Circe the woman she became; everything fitted, nothing jarred. An absolute masterclass in building a character.
And indeed, in building worlds. Worlds of faraway and long ago, inhabited by gods and mortals, and creatures somewhere between the two. Once I was past the initial chapters I became totally immersed in the story, even when it was so brutal I did not want to be. Story-telling at its best.
The Socialite Spy by Sarah Sigal
The sense of place and time in this book was wonderful and I was transported back to the highest echelons of society in 1930s London, which was at times far darker than I might have imagined.
Fashion journalist and socialite Lady Pamela More finds herself drawn into the world of espionage as she is asked to report back on Wallis Simpson and her circle, in particular any fascist sympathies she might have. The historical characters including Simpson, the King and the obnoxious Moseley are blended seamlessly with fictional ones, and as Lady Pamela becomes more immersed in their world the plot stretches and thickens and, in the best tradition of Le Carre et al, it becomes hard to know who to trust.
My only issue with this book is that the personal story of Lady P’s childlessness seemed superfluous to the main plot, and sat rather strangely alongside it. The spy story was quite enthralling enough on its own.
No 23 Burlington Square by Jenni Keer
Such a great premise for a book; a sliding doors-type story based on which prospective tenant sentimental yet wise Agnes Humphries will choose. Perhaps in will be her troublesome niece, Clara. Or the very respectable Mr Thomson, or even shy Mercy Mayweather who lost her husband in the war.
Set in 1927, the book is structured to take each scenario in turn, and for me Clara’s story took a tad too long to reach her turning point. Once it did I was certainly more invested in the characters’ individual tales and the way they twist together with the existing residents of 23 Burlington Square – and eventually with each other.
The Perfect Golden Circle by Benjamin Myers
A beautifully crafted work of literature that pulled me in, night by night, and circle by circle. Many small stories of the lives of cornfields after dark, drawn together by a single summer in the lives of Calvert and Redbone, unlikely friends and co-conspirators with a single purpose.
This is a literary novel; don’t expect a fast paced plot or a satisfying ending. It’s one to savour during the journey. The descriptions that take you into the countryside at night; the interactions of the characters, the designs they create and the reasons for it. Four stars not five because of the retrospective preachiness as the book nears its end.
