Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street by Craig Revel Horwood Blog Tour

 Now I'll start this blog tour post with a bit of honesty, I'm not always a fan of books written by celebrities (I know I shouldn't judge). However, when I was given the chance to be a part of the tour for the paperback release of Craig Revel Horwood's debut novel, after reading the blurb I felt compelled to read it.

Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street is described as ‘Heartwarming, funny and FAB-U-LOUS!’ and after reading it myself, I whole heartedly agree.

Set against the colourful boho backdrop of London’s Camden in the 1990s, Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street, tells the story of an unlikely family of friends who each rent a room in a ramshackle six-bedroom, four-storey townhouse. Like any family, the residents of Diamond Street sometimes fight and often act up but when the chips are down, they’re there for each other in an instant – usually brandishing a cheap bottle of booze, and the offer of an impromptu kitchen disco.

Presided over by the wise-cracking but warm-hearted patriarch of the family, Danny Hall, a professional dancer turned choreographer, the novel follows a year in the life of the inhabitants of Diamond Street, rough diamonds one and all, as they try to achieve their dreams – with unexpected, heart-warming and sometimes hilarious results.

This novel is a pure joy to read.

Waiting for the Miracle by Anna McPartlin Blog Tour

 Anna McPartlin (the best-selling author of The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes) is back with her latest novel, Waiting for the Miracle.

Having not read any of the author's previous books I felt like I was going in with no expectations, just the blurb to draw me in.

I was intrigued as to which direction the story might head in and what I got was something heartwarming but heartbreaking at the same time. 

This powerfully emotional read.

2010

Caroline has hit rock bottom. After years of trying, it's clear she can't have children, and the pain has driven her and her husband apart. She isn't pregnant, her husband is gone and her beloved dog is dead.

The other women at her infertility support group have their own problems, too. Natalie's girlfriend is much less excited about having children than her. Janet's husband might be having an affair. And then there's Ronnie, intriguing, mysterious Ronnie, who won't tell anyone her story.

1976

Catherine is sixteen and pregnant. Her boyfriend wants nothing to do with her, and her parents are ashamed. When she's sent away to a convent for pregnant girls, she is desperate not to be separated from her child. But she knows she might risk losing the baby forever. 

Told through two timelines, we follow Catherine during the 70s as she fights the child that she loves and adores, Daisy.

Mirrorland by by Carole Johnstone Blog Tour

 Books can take us to strange and glorious worlds.

They allow us to escape reality and jump into places unknown.

Sometimes these stories are so realistic that they become terrifying, whilst others blur the lines of real versus imaginary, making us question what truly exists.

The latter is exactly what Carole Johnstone's novel Mirrorland has to offer and before I even begin my review for this stop on the blog tour, let me tell you this, this is a whirlwind of a tale that you will become lost in for quite some time!

Cat lives in Los Angeles, far away from 36 Westeryk Road, the imposing gothic house in Edinburgh where she and her estranged twin sister, El, grew up. As girls, they invented Mirrorland, a dark, imaginary place under the pantry stairs full of pirates, witches, and clowns. These days Cat rarely thinks about their childhood home, or the fact that El now lives there with her husband Ross.

But when El mysteriously disappears after going out on her sailboat, Cat is forced to return to 36 Westeryk Road, which has scarcely changed in twenty years. The grand old house is still full of shadowy corners, and at every turn Cat finds herself stumbling on long-held secrets and terrifying ghosts from the past. Because someone—El?—has left Cat clues in almost every room: a treasure hunt that leads right back to Mirrorland, where she knows the truth lies crouched and waiting...

Happy Ever After: Financial Freedom isn't a Fairytale by The Seven Dollar Millionaire Blog Tour

 I've always been quite level headed when it comes to money. I'm sensible, I try to budget and I do things like meal planning however I never seem to have anything spare left in the bank at the end of each month to try and save anything meaningful for the future.

And I'll be honest, I do worry about money (or lack there of it) I mean I have four daughters and I want to be able to contribute to their futures ie. university, weddings, houses etc. but with the cost of living rising it feels as though I won't be able to give them as much security as I'd like.

As if by fate, I was offered the chance to be a part of the blog tour for The Seven Dollar Millionaire's personal finance book, Happy Ever After: Financial Freedom isn't a Fairytale. 

Did you know you can become a millionaire by saving just $7 a day and investing for 7% returns? Probably not, because financial literacy is a subject that's overlooked by the vast majority of schools and universities, despite its importance to every single person on the planet.

Written initially for a teenage daughter and then turned into a course to train migrant workers, Happy Ever After: Financial Freedom Isn't a Fairy Tale focuses on the fundamentals of understanding money, saving and investing, showing how the magic of compound investing can transform tiny initial amounts into genuine wealth. Finally, it shows readers how to achieve the Freedom Formula of 25x your annual spending - that can set you free.

Perfect for anyone who hopes to make their future financially brighter than their present, or help their own children avoid mistakes they made, Happy Ever After has a playful tone, featuring a spoiled princess and talking frog, hand-illustrated to help explain some of the trickier ideas that can help change your life.

The Family Tree by Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry Blog Tour

I love a good who dunnit?

The guessing, the back and forth of just who could be the guilty party.

So when I was give the chance to read The Family Tree by Steph Mullin and Nicole Mabry, I knew I'd be kept speculating and I couldn't wait to start predicting where this story might lead me...

The DNA results are back. And there’s a serial killer in her family tree…

Liz Catalano is shocked when an ancestry kit reveals she’s adopted. But she could never have imagined connecting with her unknown family would plunge her into an FBI investigation of a notorious serial killer…

The Tri-State Killer has been abducting pairs of women for forty years, leaving no clues behind – only bodies.

Can Liz figure out who the killer in her new family is? And can she save his newest victims before it’s too late?

Reading Round Up 2021#24

 Hands up, who's still been enjoying some lovely weather?

I was still out in my garden reading at 8pm last night, perfect light and temperature, it was blissful!

My reading pace on the other hand, not so good (well by my own standards anyway) but her are a couple of quick reviews for you ...

One Ordinary Day at a Time by Sarah J. Harris Blog Tour

 Something that always works well in books, girl meets boy, they fall in love, drama happens but in the end they belong together. What we don't necessarily see a lot of in novels is girl meets boy and they fall into a beautiful friendship.

But that's exactly what we get in Sarah J. Harris's latest novel One Ordinary Day at a Time and I for one found it an utter delight to read.

And with that said, welcome to my spot on the blog tour.

TWO PEOPLE

 Simon Sparks is the man you know from behind the counter at the local Prince Burger (‘hold the gherkin!’), fry shovelling, shelf stacking, hiding away from the world. And Jodie Brook is the single mum you see crossing the street with her son Zak – always chasing a dream she can’t reach.

 ONE LIFE

 What if life could be so much more? When Simon and Jodie’s worlds collide, it upends everything they know. But in chaos comes opportunity. And for every person who’s ever doubted them, they find someone who’ll finally believe…

 ONE ORDINARY DAY AT A TIME

Reading Round Up 2021 #23

 That's it, half term is over.

Who else enjoyed a bit of glorious sunshine?

I'll admit, I didn't do as much reading as I had planned to do, the sun made me rather relaxed and sleepy during the day (and hot and bothered at night).

I did however make a good dent in my Netgalley list, which of course means I want to request more books now.

But on to what I did read ...

The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter Blog Tour

 I just love a book with a good twist.

You know those OMG moments that leave you with your mouth wide open.

That's exactly what I got with the utterly gripping novel The Serial Killer's Wife from author Alice Hunter. 

This is a woman who has drawn from her time working in a men's prison to write a story that comes across as entirely plausible, the realism of it making it entirely more thrilling.

Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood – they have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, the perfect family.

When the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics. Tom should be back from work by now – what if he’s crashed his car? She fears the worst.

But the worst is beyond imagining.

As the interrogation begins, Beth will find herself questioning everything she believed about her husband.

Talk Bookish To Me by Kate Bromley Blog Tour

 Those who know me in real life will by now realise that my all time favourite genre of book is a romance. I just love a novel that can make me feel all warm and fuzzy, leave me smiling and satisfied. You just can't beat that heartwarming feeling, the perfect escape from reality.

Talk Bookish To Me, the debut novel from Kate Bromley, is a story that deserves an abundance of praise for the positive vibes that it induces as you read it.

Kara Sullivan’s life is full of love—albeit fictional. As a bestselling romance novelist and influential bookstagrammer, she’s fine with getting her happily-ever-after fix between the covers of a book.

But right now? Not only is Kara’s best friend getting married next week—which means big wedding stress—but the deadline for her next novel is looming, and she hasn’t written a single word. The last thing she needs is for her infuriating first love, Ryan Thompson, to suddenly appear in the wedding party. But Ryan’s unexpected arrival sparks a creative awakening in Kara that inspires the steamy historical romance she desperately needs to deliver.

With her wedding duties intensifying, her deadline getting closer by the second and her bills not paying themselves, Kara knows there’s only one way for her to finish her book and to give her characters the ever-after they deserve. But can she embrace the unlikely, ruggedly handsome muse—who pushes every one of her buttons—to save the wedding, her career and, just maybe, write her own happy ending?

This is a fun and dare I say sexy romcom.

A real enemies to lovers trope which I challenge you not to laugh your way through when you read it.