BOOK REVIEW: Stranger Child by Rachel Abbott

One dark secret. One act of revenge.
When Emma Joseph met her husband David, he was a man shattered by grief. His first wife had been killed outright when her car veered off the road. Just as tragically, their six year old daughter mysteriously vanished from the scene of the accident.
Now, six years later, Emma believes the painful years are behind them. She and David have built a new life together and have a beautiful baby son, Ollie,
Then a stranger walks into their lives and their world tilts on its axis.
Emma's life no longer feels secure. Does she really know what happened all those years ago? Any why does she feel so frightened for herself and her baby?
When a desperate Emma reaches out to her old friend DCI Tom Douglas for help, she puts all of their lives in jeopardy. Before long, a web of deceit is revealed that shocks both Emma and Tom to the core.
They say you should never trust a stranger, maybe they're right. 

Publisher: Black Dot Publishing

Pages: 356 pages

This is the first book I have read by Rachel Abbott but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Emma is happily married to David and they have a baby son Ollie. David tragically lost his first wife in a car accident; the same accident that saw his daughter go missing, more than 6 years ago. Until now, when Natasha reappears in their kitchen with no explanation of where she's been or why she's back. Emma has so many conflicting emotions; she is overjoyed to see David reunited with his daughter but on the other hand she doesn't trust this girl who seems so full of anger and who realistically is a complete stranger. When Natasha's reappearance threatens the life of Ollie, Emma feels she has nowhere to turn; she feels her only option is to call DCI Tom Douglas, he's an old friend but she feels sure that he will know what to do. She has no idea of the danger she is about to place him in,
Rachel Abbott sets a relentless pace from the very first page. I was initially worried that it would nose-dive at some point but she sustained the tension and I really struggled to put this book down.
The author plays on every parent's fear of their child being threatened or taken from them. There were times when I found this book quite uncomfortable to read as thinking of the same thing happening to my own daughter made it all very realistic.
All of the characters in this book are battling with their emotions and this made it all the more interesting. All involved have something to gain and something to lose and you do wonder who is going to come out the worst off.
DCI Tom Douglas is a good, solid character and I liked the way his story was woven into the case. It is clear that the case is personal for him but you just know that he is one of the good guys who always goes above and beyond.
Stranger Child is a gritty, fast-paced read which I would highly recommend. I am definitely going to read more from this author in the future,

Many thanks to Alexandra for providing me with a review copy of this book. 

BOOK TOUR: The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

Two couples. Two love stories.
One epic tale.
Ninety-one-year-old Ira Levinson is in trouble. Struggling to stay conscious after a car crash, an image of his adored- and long-dead- wife Ruth appears. Urging him to hang on, she lovingly recounts the joys and sorrows of their life together: how they met, the dark days of WWII and its unrelenting effect on their families.
A few miles away, college student Sophia Danko's life is about to change when she meets the young, rugged Luke and is thrown into a world far removed from her privileged school life. Sophia sees a tantalising future for herself, but Luke is keeping a secret that could destroy it all. 

Publisher: Sphere

Pages: 465

I was very excited to be asked to take part in this blog tour. The Notebook is one of my favourite films but I have to hold my hands up and admit that I have not read any of the author's books. I don't think I'm alone as one of the rea
sons behind this blog tour was to get people to read the book before the film comes out.
The story flits between Ira and Sophia and Luke. Ira has just been in a car accident, he is seriously hurting and waiting to be found. His wife Ruth, who died several years ago, appears to him and we gradually learn about their relationship and the love they shared. Sophia is mending a broken heart when she meets Luke, he is not her usual type but the attraction between them is instant . Love does not run smoothly for either couple but it is interesting to see how they overcome obstacles and also how their two separate stories come together.
Ira was my favourite character and I did enjoy his parts of the book the most. I felt that his love for Ruth was so genuine, I found his story really interesting and very believable too.
I particularly liked the warmth with which Nicholas Sparks writes. I felt that he really gets to the heart of the characters and shows them at their most vulnerable.
The Longest Ride is about love and also the way it doesn't run smoothly. The plot grabbed my attention and held it throughout; it is a book I would highly recommend.

Many thanks to Victoria at Sphere for asking me to take part in this blog tour, the book is out now! 

Book Review: Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

Even the darkest secrets can't stay buried forever. Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult-sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken  but the pact had been made.  Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood... Years later a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shook the Black Country. But when human remains are discovered at a former children's home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed. D.I. Kim Stone fast realises she's on the hunt for a twisted individual whose killing spree spans decades. As the body count rises, Kim needs to stop the murderer before they can strike again. But to catch the killer, can Kim confront the demons of her own past before it's too late?

Publisher: Bookouture

This book was a fantastic read and a complete breath of fresh air. I may be biased as I am a very proud Brummie but it was so refreshing to read a crime book that wasn't set in London or Manchester!
Angela Marsons doesn't hold back, she takes you straight into the thick of it, five people standing round a shallow grave. These pe
ople thought that their secrets were buried but a spate of murders linking staff at a children's care home mean that people are going to start asking questions.
D.I. Kim Stone is called to the first murder which leads her to the care home connection and the remains of a child buried in the grounds. I really liked this character, I felt that she was very believable and even though she had a very hard shell, she does care deeply about her job and getting justice for those who can't get it for themselves.
This case particularly resonates with Kim as she is a product of the care system. Throughout the book we learn more about her past and her story is heartbreaking.
Silent Scream hits the ground running and has a relentless pace. There are more murders and more secrets revealed. Then ending completely threw me and I loved that it was so unexpected.
Anglea Marsons is writing more D.I. Kim Stone books which I am chuffed about as she is an excellent creation. This book has been sitting at the top of the Amazon chart for a while and it is clear to see why,

Many thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to review this book via netgalley.

BOOK REVIEW: The Two Of Us by Andy Jones

This is not a love story.
It is a story about falling in love...
and what happens next...
Fisher and Ivy have been an item for a whole nineteen days. And they just know they are meant to be together. The fact that they know little else about each other is a minor detail. Over the course of twelve months, in which their lives will change forever, Fisher and Ivy discover that falling in love is one thing but staying there is an entirely different story. 

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Pages: 451

I do not read a lot of books by male authors so I wasn't sure what to expect from The Two of Us by Andy Jones but I really did think it was good.
The whole book is told from Fisher's perspective and I liked him straight away. His heart is in the right place and he just wants to do the best for those he loves. What's not to like?
I liked Ivy in the main but even by the end of the
book I didn't necessarily feel as though I knew her that well. There were a few points where she seemed quite selfish but this could just be because we don't get her side of the story. The two of them together though are brilliant and extremely realistic. Their relationship, for one reason or another becomes very serious very quickly and I liked how Andy Jones demonstrated that by showing them go through a very intense set of emotions and feelings.
There were some chapters of the book that I found a little slow but the ending more than made up for these. The last few chapters of this book were like a master class in how it should be done. There were so many ups and downs packed in and so much emotion. I felt that Andy Jones dealt with it all beautifully.
I used to read a lot more by male authors (Tony Parsons and Mike Gayle in particular) but then I found it really hard to find a male author who I could still identify with. I think I may have found him again in Andy Jones, I hope this author goes on to write more books as he clearly has more to offer.

Many thanks to Clare at Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of the book to review, it is out now!