BOOK REVIEW: The Garden of Lost and Found by Harriet Evans

Nightingale House, 1919. Liddy Horner discovers her husband, the world-famous artist Sir Edward Horner, burning his best-known painting The Garden of Lost and Found days before his sudden death.
Nightingale House was the Horner family's beloved home- a gem of design created to inspire happiness- and it was here Ned painted The Garden of Lost and Found, capturing his children on a perfect day, playing in the rambling Eden he and Liddy made for them.
One magical moment before it all came tumbling down...
When Ned and Liddy's great-granddaughter Juliet is sent the key to Nightingale House, she opens the door onto a forgotten world. The house holds its mysteries close but she is in search of answers. For who would choose to destroy what they love most?
Whether Ned's masterpiece or, in Juliet's case, her own childhood happiness?
Something shattered this corner of paradise.
But what?

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 496

The Garden of Lost and Found by Harriet Evans is a beautifully written book. I read it on holiday and was so sad to reach the end.
The whole book centres round Nightingale House and the Horner family. In 1919 Liddy finds her husband, the world-famous painter Ned Horner burning his work, including his masterpiece The Garden of Lost and Found which depicted both his wife and their two children Eliza and John. The Horners have endured much success but also great tragedy and the burning of the painting is spoken about all over the world.
Many years later, Ned and Liddy's great-granddaughter, Juliet, comes to live in Nightingale House, the house she vividly remembers from her childhood when visiting her grandmother Stella. Juliet is going through a messy divorce and the house is a new start for her and her three children, Bea, Isla and Sandy. Juliet is a well-known art-historian and she still cannot believe that her great-grandfather would have burnt his painting as she knows what it meant to him. But if he didn't burn it then what became of it?
I could not find fault with this book, the story and characters were wonderful, the setting of Nightingale House was beautifully vivid and I loved all of the rich details that Harriet Evans wove into the story.
The Horner family are fascinating and I loved learning the stories and secrets of all the different members. Evans ties the different strands together so well and I enjoyed all aspects of the story. My favourite part of the book was the actual house. Evans' descriptions are wonderful and it didn't take long for me to be able to clearly picture it in my mind as though I could walk from room to room.
I urge you to read The Garden of Lost and Found by Harriet Evans and I cannot wait to read it again in the future.

BOOK REVIEW: The Wildflowers by Harriet Evans

Tiny and Althea Wilde. Glamorous, argumentative... adulterous to the core.
They were my parents, actors known by everyone. They gave our lives love and colour in a house by the sea- the house that sheltered my orphaned father when he was a boy.
But the summer Mads arrived changed everything. She too had been abandoned and my father understood why. We Wildflowers took her in.
My father was my hero, he gave us a golden childhood, but the past was always going to catch up with him... it comes for us all sooner or later.
This is my story. I am Cordelia Wilde. A singer without a voice. A daughter without a father. Let me take you inside.

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 512

I am so glad that I took this book on holiday as it is wonderful. At 512 pages, it is a book that you can completely immerse yourself in. The story of the Wildes is compelling, gripping and perfectly executed by Harriet Evans.
The book has a feel of a saga, it covers Tony Wilde's childhood, his children, Cordelia and Ben's childhood and continues right up to the present where Ben's twin daughters are growing up. Tony and Althea Wilde are both beautiful and intriguing characters, imagine the glamour of the older generation of actors (Maggie Smith, Laurence Olivier etc). They both have so much to give yet they are both quite selfish as they focus on their careers and the adoration they crave.
Cordelia and Ben in many ways have had an idyllic childhood, they have spent their summers at ;the Bosky', the beachfront home their father inherited from his great aunt, Dinah. Their father's adulterous ways have a devastating effect on both of them, his choices effectively tear the family apart. Cordelia and Ben keep secrets from each other in an effort to protect one another but the consequences for both are awful. Add to this mix, Mads, a young girl who also spends her summers at the Bosky. She is drawn to this enigmatic family, wanting more than anything to be part of it but she has no idea just how complicated and dangerous that will be.
Tony Wilde is an enigma to many, one of the finest actors of his generation, he has everything, the career, the beautiful wife, the doting children- yet he risks it all by sleeping around. Only Althea truly understands him; she knows what he experienced as a child of the war and why he behaves as he does. She just had no idea the effect this would have on her own children and now she only has limited time left to put things right.
I really did love this book, Harriet Evans effortlessly moves from one time period to another. I was so impressed by how she presented the devastating effects of the war.
The Widlflowers is beautifully written, I can highly recommend this and all of Harriet Evans' previous books.

BOOK REVIEW: You and Me Always by Jill Mansell

On the morning of Lily's twenty-fifth birthday, it's time to open the very last letter written to her by her beloved mother, who died when she was eight.
Learning more about the first and only real love of her mum's life is a revelation. On the same day, Lily also meets Eddie Tessler, a man fleeing fame who might just have the ability to change her world in unimaginable ways. But her childhood friend Dan has his own reasons for not wanting Lily to get too carried away by Eddie's attentions.
Before long, secrets begin to emerge and Lily's friends and family become involved. In the beautiful Cotswold village of Stanton Langley, nothing will ever be the same again. 

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 368

Publication Date: January 28th

Jill Mansell has now written over twenty best selling books but she just gets better and better. You and Me Always is warm, witty and poignant; I felt like I had always known the characters and I didn't want the story to end.
Lily's Mum died when she was just eight years old but she left behind letters for her daughter to open each birthday. But Lily is turning twenty-five and she knows that this will be the last letter. Her Mum uses it to tell Lily all about her one true love, not Lily's poor excuse for a father but a man that she spent one glorious summer with. On the same day that she reads the letter, she meets Eddie Tessler, a young movie star who is hiding out in Lily's village due to a media scandal. They instantly hit it off and Lily thinks he might just be what he needs. Her childhood friend Dan is not impressed but he has his own reasons to warn Lily off.
This book worked so well, the setting was just lovely and the characters bounced off each other perfectly. I loved the different storylines and the way in which Jill Mansell offered small glimpses into the past.
Eddie and Dan were excellent male leads and I could also see why they both cared deeply for Lily. The romantic element to this book was spot on and the banter between the three main characters was very funny.
You and Me Always is such a good read and I think Jill Mansell fans are going to be very impressed again.

Many thanks to Headline Review for allowing me to review this book via Netgalley. 

Book Review: Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell

Hallie has a secret. She's in love. He's perfect for her in every way, but he's seriously out of bounds. And her friends aren't going to help her because what they do know is that Hallie doesn't have long to live. Time is running out.
Flo has a dilemaa, She really likes Zander. But his scary sister won't be even faintly amused if she thinks Zander and Flo are becoming frriends- let alone anything more.
Tasha has a problem. Her new boyfriend is the adventurous type and she's afraid one of his adventures will go badly wrong.
Three Amazing Things About You begins as Hallie goes on a journey. A donor has been found and she's about to be given new lungs. But whose?

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 382

Publication Date: TODAY! 

Three Amazing Things About You is Jill Mansell's latest fantastic book. I read it in just over a day and it reminded me how much I enjoy this author's writing.
Hallie is the central character, she is only 26 but she has cystic fibrosis so she is very aware that her time is limited. She has very strong feelings for Luke but she can't act upon them as while Luke is a good friend he is also her GP. Hallie keeps her feelings a secret but how will she take it if he meets someone else?
Flo is another lovely character and she becomes more and more important as the book develops. Her attraction to Zander is a shock to her but she completely underestimated his nightmare sister who will do everything she can to wreck their happiness.
Tasha meets Rory in a very entertaining way but she can't believe how quickly she falls in love. He's a complete adrenalin junkie and his friends question whether she is too sedate for him. When their relationship is put under a huge pressure, Tash shows to everyone just how much she loves Rory and will do all she can to be by his side.
These separate characters come in to each other's lives at several points without interacting; they may just be in the same place or mention a shared acquaintance. I think this really helped explore the idea of fate, how much of our destiny do we actually control?
I think that one of the things Jill Mansell does best is the interaction between her characters. Her dialogue is effortless which makes them more believable.
Cystic fibrosis is a big issue to approach and I felt that it was handled really well. I know somebody who has cystic fibrosis and I really did feel that it was clear to see that Jill Mansell had done her research. I was very impressed with how this book will raise awareness about cystic fibrosis and organ donation.
Three Amazing Things About You had me in tears at the end. It is an excellent book and I would highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley for a review copy of this book. 

The Proposal by Tasmina Perry

When Amy Carrell's wealthy boyfriend ends their relationship just before Christmas, she's left to nurse her broken heart alone. With nothing to lose, she replies to an advertisement requesting a companion for a mysterious 'Manhattan adventure.'
Whisked off to New York with eccentric British aristocrat Georgia Hamilton, Amy experiences a glamorous side of the city she's never seen before. Along the way, Georgia initiates her protege in the arts of old-school elegance.
But as Georgia shares her life lessons, Amy discovers a painful secret in her mentor's past.  A secret that shattered her future. A story of love and betrayal that only Amy has the power to put right. 

I absolutely adored this book. It is very different in style to Tasmina's previous books but I thought that it was brilliant. The book revolves around two main characters, Amy Carrell, a New Yorker living in London and famous publisher, Georgia Hamilton. They meet when Amy replies to Georgia's advert for a companion to travel to Manhattan with her over the Christmas period. The two women become friends and Amy begins to wonder why Georgia had to advertise for a friend. She begins asking questions and the story unravels.
Tasmina Perry flits between the present in 2012 and the summertime of 1958 when Georgia was doing 'The Season' as a debutante. A terrible secret from Georgia's past is revealed and Amy becomes determined to get some kind of justice for her new friend.
The story that Tasmina Perry has created is wonderful and I was engrossed straight away. I took to both Amy and Georgia and it was lovely to see their unlikely friendship develop.
The detail in this book is excellent, Amy and Georgia's trip to Manhattan was really vivid and believable and I also loved all of the details and gossip from Georgia's experience of 'The Season'.
This book is a very heart-warming read with a bit of a mysterious edge. I highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 352

Many thanks to Caitlin at Headline Review for sending me a copy of this book, The Proposal is out now.

Book Review: The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison

Todd and Jodie have been together for more than twenty years. They are both aware their world is in  crisis, though neither is willing to admit it.
Todd is living a dual existence, while Jodie is living in denial. But she also likes to settle scores. When it becomes clear their affluent Chicago lifestyle could disintegrate at any moment, Jodie knows everything is at stake. It's only now she will discover how much she's truly capable of...

The Silent Wife is being talked about a lot and after reading it, I can see why.
The beginning feels a little slow but once I had got into the book I could see how clever the beginning was. A.S.A. Harrison paints Todd and Jodie's domestic life in great detail. As we learn of Todd's infidelity you can understand why he has strayed yet also why he doesn't want to lose everything he already has.
Jodie is a fascinating character, she is very cold and calculated and although we learn a lot about her, I can't say that I grew to like her in any way. We learn of Jodie's past through the transcriptions of her therapy sessions. I don't this necessarily explains Jodie's behaviour though. I was left wondering if Jodie really was in control of her actions.
I loved the atmosphere that A.S.A Harrison creates in the book. There is an impending sense that something awful is going to happen, I couldn't stop reading as I needed to know how events would unfold.
The Silent Wife swaps between the perspectives of Jodie and Todd. Todd's narration felt a little more helpless though. His behaviour is inexcusable but as a reader I saw him as being quite vulnerable. He is going about his daily life with no idea as to what Jodie is thinking and working herself up to; you almost want to warn him to watch his back.
The Silent Wife is such an interesting read, I felt that it really explored the nature of relationships; the roles we fulfil and what we are capable of when hurt by those we love. I think that A.S.A Harrison has written a strong, psychological thriller. It's a great legacy but also a great shame that this will be her only book.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

Pages: 384

Publisher: Headline

Many thanks to the lovely Ben at Headline Review for sending me a copy of this book, The Silent Wife is out now.

GIVEAWAY WINNER!!!

The winner of my giveaway of The Silent Wife is:

Sonya Kemp

Congratulations! Can you please email me with your address so that I can pass it on to the lovely Ben at Headline Review.

Book Review: The Memory of Lost Senses by Judith Kinghorn

When a mysterious countess arrives late in life to live in a large, deserted house on the edge of a sleepy Hampshire village, the local tongues start wagging. No one is more intrigued than Cecily Chadwick, idling away the long, hot summer of 1911 with nothing much to do. Cecily is fascinated by the exotic elderly lady, and as she gets to know her, is riveted by her tales of expatriate life on the continent.
But the countess is troubled: by her memories, her name, and by anonymous threats to reveal a ruinous secret... it is, she has decided, up to her close friend, a successful novelist who has come to stay for the summer, to put the record straight.
For aspiring writer Cecily, the novelist's presence only adds to the intrigue and pull of the house. But it is the countess's grandson, Jack, his unanswered questions about his grandmother's past and his desire to know the truth, that draw Cecily further into the tangled web of the countess's life, and the place known as Temple Hill. 

The Last Summer was one of the best books that I read last year so I had very high hopes for The Memory of Lost Senses. Judith Kinghorn has delivered another intricate tale with believable characters and secrets all the way.
It took me a little longer to get into The Memory of Lost Senses but once I had a good idea of the characters and their pasts, I was hooked.
Cora is the mysterious countess who has returned to England to watch over her grandson Jack who is about to start university. She is an extremely private woman and we are left wondering why she has returned, why she's stayed away for so long, why so many husbands and where was her childhood spent?
These questions and many others are answered as we flit between the past and the present. Sylvia is Cora's novelist friend who is there to supposedly write Cora's memoirs. Yet how can she when Cora is keeping secrets and Sylvia has her own memories of the past which differ to that of her friend. Cecily lives in the village and is intrigued by Cora and in love with her grandson. Can Cecily finally uncover the truth or will Cora's memories always remain private?
Judith Kinghorn closely looks at love in this book; love in a relationship, love between friends, what we do to protect those we love but also the ways in which we choose to hurt them.
I felt that Cora and Sylvia were quite tragic figures; Sylvia has been living vicariously through Cora and so has not actually created her own life and Cora has spent so much time keeping secrets that she hasn't had time to enjoy what really matters.
The Memory of Lost Senses will appeal to fans of historical fictio
n; the story is extremely absorbing and will keep you guessing all the way.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4.75/5

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 400

Many thanks to Headline for sending me a copy of the book to review, it is out now! 

Giveaway: The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison

There is  a lot of hype at the moment about The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison:

A chilling psychological thriller portraying the disintegration of a relationship down to the deadliest point when murdering your husband suddenly makes perfect sense.
Todd Gilbert and Jodie Brett are in a bad place in their relationship. They've been together for twenty-eight years, and with no children to worry about there has been little to disrupt their affluent Chicago lifestyle. But there has also been little to hold it together, and beneath the surface lie ever-widening cracks. HE is a committed cheater. SHE lives and breathes denial. HE exists in dual worlds. SHE likes to settle scores. HE decides to play for keeps. SHE has nothing left to lose. When it becomes clear that their precarious world could disintegrate at any moment, Jodie knows she stands to lose everything. It's only now she will discover just how much she's truly capable of...

The very lovely and generous Ben at Headline Review has kindly offered one copy of The Silent Wife to be given away on Dot Scribbles. Simply leave a comment and I shall pick a winner at random, this giveaway is only open to UK residents and you have until midnight on Thursday 20th June to enter!

Good luck!

Book Review: Follow Me Down by Tanya Byrne

First love. Last lie.
When Adamma Okomma has to leave her glossy high school in New York for a dusty English boarding school, she thinks it's the end of the world- or the end of her social life at least.
Then she meets the wicked-witted Scarlett Chiltern, who shows her all of Crofton College's darkest corners, and Adamma realises that there's much more to her new school than tartan skirts and hockey sticks.
She and Scarlett become inseparable, but when they fall for the same guy, the battle lines are fairly drawn.
Adamma gets the guy but loses her best friend. Then, when Scarlett runs away, Adamma finds herself caught up in something far more sinister than a messy love triangle. Adamma always knew that Scarlett had her secrets, but some secrets are too big to keep and this one will change all of their lives forever. 

I was blown away by Tanya Byrne's debut novel, Heart Shaped Bruise so I had mixed emotions when this one arrived. On the one hand I was extremely excited as I know what this author is capable of and on the other hand I was a little nervous in case it didn't live up to my expectations. But it turns out that I was more than right to be excited, Follow Me Down is brilliant and I enjoyed it just as much as Heart Shaped Bruise.
Adamma Okomma is the central character; the daughter of a Nigerian diplomat, she leaves her private high school in New York to begin at Crofton College, an English boarding school in the middle of nowhere. Initially Adamma thinks she is going to be bored senseless but then she meets Scarlett Chiltern who introduces her to Crofton's secrets; the parties, the secret ways out and the boys. It all goes wrong when Scarlett and Adamma fall for the same guy; is Adamma really prepared to lose her best friend for a guy that Scarlett has a huge hold over? Scarlett then goes missing, something she has done many times before. Whilst other people around her aren't concerned, Adamma sets out to find her best friend, she knows something is wrong. They may not be best friends anymore ut Adamma is one of only two people who truly understand Scarlett Chiltern.
The book is completely narrated by Adamma but flits between events before and after Scarlett's disappearance and the aftermath. This is such a clever narrative device; you are just beginning to discover something in one time frame when it jumps to a different one. It keeps you turning the pages as you are desperate to find out what happens.
I loved the contrast between Adamma and Scarlett; they are both from this exclusive and elite world yet they are entirely different. Scarlett in some ways is a bad influence but she also helps Adamma to grow. She can be very cruel to Adamma at times but I just thinks this serves to make Adamma stronger; she is far more mature and confident by the end of the book compared to when we first meet her.
Throughout Follow Me Down we are continually guessing as to what happened to Scarlett and the identity of the guy that both girls fall for. Both of these points are only revealed at the very end and I found myself thinking back through the book looking for the clues that had been so cleverly hidden. It is definitely a book that would deserve a second read as I am certain that you would discover even more when re-reading.
Tanya Byrne is such a good YA author, she is not afraid to tackle serious issues. I soFollow Me Down. 
metimes find with YA that an author will simply tackle an issue but not supply much of a plot. However, Tanya Byrne delivers both; her writing has real substance and I think her fans will be delighted with

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Pages: 368

Publisher: Headline

Many thanks to the lovely Sam from Headline for sending me a review copy, Follow Me Down is out now!

Guest Book Review: Perfect Strangers by Tasmina Perry

I am very excited to present our first guest book review today from the very lovely Rachel! Rachel was planning to take this book on holiday with her but actually finished it before the packing so that's a good sign, here's what she thought:

Breathlessly exciting, gloriously glamorous, Perfect Strangers is Sunday Times bestseller Tasmina Perry's most thrilling novel to date. Just an innocent invitation... When Sophie Ellis is asked to house-sit at a luxurious Knightsbridge townhouse, it appears to be the offer of a lifetime. Drawn into the glittering circle of the home's owner, she meets wealthy American businessman Nick Cooper and is swept up into a thrilling and passionate affair. But when Nick is found dead in his hotel suite, Sophie is suddenly the prime suspect for his murder, and soon realises Nick was not the man he seemed. Racing to find the truth and clear her name, Sophie must elude not only the authorities but also a group of dangerous players who believe Sophie has something that they want. And who won't stop until she's caught... Escape with Tasmina Perry from London to New York to the exotic Cote D'Azur, and into a world where a simple case of mistaken identity unravels a web of lies and international conspiracy.

This was the first book I have read by Tasmina Perry and as soon as I finished the book I was on her website looking to see what I could read next. I'm excited to say that I have found a new author to devour. I'm off on holiday tomorrow and originally the book was meant to be for my travels. However it arrived, I couldn't resist a peak and now I have a finished book and no packing completed! To say I could not put it down would be an understatement.

The main character Sophie is portrayed as a typical Chelsea girl at the beginning of the book, bought up with lots of money and opportunity which equals the perfect life, or so she thought. As the story begins Sophie's life has changed dramatically from what she has always known. At her lowest she is given a lifeline but one that later transpires to have definitely put her in the wrong place at the wrong time. They are plenty of twists and turns and I'm pleased to say that I was near the end of the book and I was still unsure where it was going to go. Each character is so brilliantly described that you can really picture them clearly, the writer goes into sufficient enough detail with even the smaller characters that she keeps you guessing if they are involved or not. A fast paced book, but not fast enough that you get lost especially with references to foreign places and people. I have found in previous books that having a lot of traveling and new destinations can sometimes confuse and alienate the reader. In this writers case in all of the destinations visited I really felt that I could picture the scene.
The book has the perhaps not so original girl turning into a woman storyline, but what Tasmina has managed to do so well is incorporate it into a fast paced, meaty, fun read. I thoroughly recommend this book and can't wait to read more. 

Rachel's Rating: 5/5

Pages: 417

Publisher: Headline Review

Many thanks to Headline for providing a copy of this book to review, Perfect Strangers is out now. 

Book Review: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?
It's June- seventeen-year-old Ellie O'Neill's least favourite time of the year. Her tiny hometown is invaded by tourists, and this year there's the added inconvenience of a film crew. Even the arrival of Hollywood heart-throb Graham Larkin can't lift her mood.
But there is something making Ellie very happy. Ever since an email was accidentally sent to her a few months ago, she's been corresponding with a mysterious stranger, the two of them sharing their hopes and fears. Their developing relationship is not without its secrets though- there's the truth about Ellie's past...and her pen pal's real identity. When they finally meet in person, things are destines to get much more complicated. Can two people, worlds apart but brought together by chance, make it against all odds?

I absolutely adored Jennifer E. Smith's last book The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight so I have really looked forward to reading her latest book This Is What Happy Looks Like. I have to say that Jennifer E. Smith's books have the best titles and I loved the yellow cover for this one.
I can't really review this book without including spoilers but I think it is pretty obvious from the synopsis as to what will happen.
Ellie O'Neill receives an email from GDL824@yahoo.com, whoever sent it got the address wrong as it was meant for a different recipient. However they are soon emailing back and forth and this is what we have at the beginning of the book. This was one of my favourite parts, it's so easy to be honest and open when talking to a stranger, especially via email, there's no pressure or preconceptions.
Ellie begins to look forward to these emails every day, she can't believe how close she feels to someone she has never met. This all changes when Ellie realises that the stranger she has been emailing is actually the movie star Graham Larkin. He is no longer a pen-pal but a real life person in her small town where he is filming his latest movie. After the initial shock Ellie wants to get to know Graham but she has secrets in her past and being photographed with Graham could ruin everything. Is Ellie going to give up a chance of happiness in order to keep her past hidden?
Jennifer E. Smith has written another great book. I love the dialogue she creates between the characters, Ellie and Graham's relationship is very realistic and their interactions show their deep affection for each other.
This Is What Happy Looks Like is such a good idea, it's a classic love story with a twist. What would you do if you fell in love with a huge celebrity? Would you be happy to become part of their public and exposed life? I really enjoyed Graham's perspective in the book,
especially regarding his relationship with his parents. Outwardly, Graham looks as though he has it all but he begins to questions the sacrifices he has made for his career.
This Is What Happy Looks Like is a great read, I think it will appeal to a Young Adult audience and also cross over to older readers. I think Jennifer E. Smith offers something new to this genre, it will be very exciting to see what she does next.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 4/5

Publisher: Headline Review

Number of pages: 416

Many thanks to Sam at Headline for sending me a copy, it is available now!

Book Review: Husband, Missing by Polly Williams

When you know, you know.
This is what Gina told friends when she married Rex six months after meeting him. Passionately in love, Gina feels like the luckiest woman on the planet.
Until Rex vanishes without a trace on holiday abroad. Her dream new marriage slipping into a nightmare, Gina never wavers in her belief that he's alive. That she'll find him. When her frantic search unearths troubling secrets from Rex's past, Gina begins to questions how well she really knows her beloved husband. But sometimes when all seems lost, unexpected, wonderful things are found...

I have read and very much enjoyed Polly Williams' last two books, It Happened One Summer and The Angel at No. 33 but I think that this is her best yet. I read Husband, Missing in just over a day, I was completely addicted to the story and characters.
Gina married Rex just six months after meeting him, believing herself and having to convince others that he was definitely the one. She is passionately in love with her new husband and so is completely devastated when she hears that he has disappeared whilst on a lad's holiday. All Gina knows is that Rex decided to go windsurfing in the early hours of the morning and didn't return. Whilst there is no body, Gina refuses to believe that her husband is dead ev
en though she is fully aware that her friends and family have already begun mourning.
Gina considers herself to be Rex's soul mate but as she begins looking in to their affairs and asking questions, she begins to wonder who exactly she was married to. More and more people come forward with a very different description of Rex's character than the one she knows, she still wants his back but wonders if she had the real Rex in her life?
Through all of this turmoil, Gina relies heavily on Rex's younger brother, Jake. Rex had always kept him at arms length but he does nothing but care for Gina, She knows he believes that Rex is alive too and is one of the few who will still help her look for him. Gina is confused by her relationship with Jake too, is it right to feel so close to Rex's brother and why did Rex keep such a distance from him?
As I said, I have really enjoyed Polly Williams last two books but Husband, Missing felt slightly different; perhaps slightly darker and a little more grown up. The author makes you feel like you are there in the situation with the characters which is no easy feat. I was completely gripped by Gina's situation from the start but as she discovered more and more about Rex, I just couldn't put the book down, I had to know what would happen next.
Husband, Missing is a fantastic read, the story has terrific pace and you will now be able to stop turning the pages, I highly recommend it.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Many thanks to the lovely Caitlin at Headline Review for sending me a copy of the book to review, it is out now.

Book review: The Lies You Told Me by Jessica Ruston

When Klara was a child, her mother vanished from her life. All she has left is a handful of stories, passed down from the father who raised her. Klara believes she has long ago come to terms with her mother's disappearance, but then she receives a note and key from someone who calls themselves 'N.R'. These lead her to a storeroom, full of the remnants of her mother's past, and to the diary she kept all those years ago. Within its pages, Klara discovers a woman who doesn't quite match the portrait her father has painstakingly painted for her, and a story that leads her to question everything- and everyone- she thought she knew...

I thought that Jessica Ruston's  last book The Darker Side of Love was fantastic so I was very excited to receive her latest one. The Lies You Told Me is also fantastic, Jessica Ruston is a superb story-teller, she draws you in straight away and you are completely absorbed by the end of the first chapter.
Klara's mother disappeared when she was a child and her father told her she had died abroad. However, Klara receives a letter and a key; the key is for a storeroom which contains some of her mother's belongings, most importantly, her diary. Klara begins to discover the many secrets her mother kept which leads her to realise the many secrets her father has had to keep over the years too. She has been told so many lies; Klara begins to question her whole life, why the need for the lies and elaborate stories, what is she being protected from?
The Lies You Told Me flits between the present day which we see through Klara's eyes and then London in the 70's which is presented in Klara's mother's diary entries. Klara has to fit everything together in order to reach the truth.. Who was her mother and what is her father hiding? Klara doesn't just learn new things about her family members but about herself, the way in which she reacts to this new information affects her current relationship, she questions the way in which she behaves, is she like the mother she didn't know?
Jessica Ruston has written such an interesting book. I loved how everything came together at the very end but there were still some surprises. The whole book is about lies, the good ones and the bad ones plus the ones we don't even realise we are telling.
I highly recommend this book, The Lies You Told Me is a gripping read that I really struggled to put down.

Dot Scribbles Rating:  5/5

Many thanks to the lovely people at Headline Review for sending me a copy of the book, it is available now!

Book Review: The Last Summer by Judith Kinghorn

A PERFECT LIFE
Clarissa is almost seventeen when the spell of her childhood is broken. It is 1914, the beginning of a blissful golden summer- and the end of an era.
A CHANGING WORLD
Deyning Park is in it's heyday, the gardens filled with the scents of roses and lavender, the colours of the earth rich and vibrant, the large country house filled with the laughter and excitement of privileged youth preparing for a weekend party. When Clarissa meets Tom Cuthbert, home from university and staying with his mother, the housekeeper, she is dazzled. Tom is handsome and enigmatic; he is also an outsider. Ambitious, clever, his sights set on a career in law, Tom is an acute observer, and a man who knows what he wants. For now, that is Clarissa.
AN UNDENIABLE LOVE
As Tom and Clarissa's friendship deepens, the wider landscape of political life around them is changing and another story unfolds: they are not the only people in love. Soon the world- and all that they know- is rocked irrevocably by a war that changes their lives forever.

I know that I am extremely late to the party for this book but I completely fell in love with it. Clarissa and Tom's story will stay with me forever.
I don't want to ruin the plot for anyone else so I shall be careful what I say but I really want to emphasise just how wonderful the story is that Judith Kinghorn has written.
Clarissa and Tom's story begins in the summer of 1914. They come from very different worlds; Clarissa has grown up at Deyning Park surrounded by wealth and luxury whereas Tom is the son of the housekeeper. Although their lives are very different, their connection is instant, a connections they will never lose.
Judith Kinghorn brilliantly captures the change taking place at the time. The world is at war, men are fighting alongside each other; it doesn't matter where you came from, just which side you're on. Clarissa and Tom are caught up in these changes. Clarissa's mother forbids her relationship with Tom; however much she can see a future, Clarissa will not disobey her mother and this leads to devastating consequences. Clarissa is very young and this leads her to make so many mistakes. She comes from a world where you behave in a certain way and you marry certain people. There were so many times when I could see her going down the wrong path out of her sense of duty and I just wanted to drag her back!
The Last Summer explores the aftermath of war, the way it changed society, the way men were damaged both physically and mentally. Women gained a lot of independence during the war, many worked for the first time and this caused problems during peace time.
I did fall in love with Tom Cuthbert. He is besotted with Clarissa and is determined to make something of himself. However, whatever he does always comes back to Clarissa, it's all for her, whether she is his or not.
Judith Kinghorn has an excellent writing style. I really liked the way she used concise sentences and repetition to get her point across. The dialogue between Clarissa and Tom was particularly realistic, it often felt like you were eaves dropping on a personal conversation.
I know many of you have already read this beautiful book  but for those who haven't then please, please do. The Last Summer is a superbly written, poignant read, I simply loved it.

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Many thanks to Headline for sending me a copy to review.

Book Review: A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell

It's been a while, but Lara Carson's back in Bath and lives are set to change as a result. Because Lara left her family and boyfriend Flynn eighteen years ago without a word to anyone. Why has no one heard from her since? Her childhood best friend Evie is thrilled Lara's back and able to share her happiness. Evie's about to walk down the aisle with her dream man, Joel, or so she thinks... Then there's Flynn Erksine, even more attractive now and stunned to see Lara again. The spark between them is as strong as ever, but how's Flynn going to react when he discovers the secret she's been keeping from him? Oh yes, there's a lot of catching up to be done...

Jill Mansell's last book To the Moon and Back was simply lovely and A Walk in the Park is another excellent read.
The book is set in Bath which I really enjoyed as it is one of my favourite places to visit. Lara has returned after eighteen years. When she left she didn't say goodbye, instead she just disappeared, leaving everyone wondering what had happened to her.
One of the people who missed her the most was best friend Evie. They have a lot of catching up to do and Lara has arrived at the perfect time. Evie has just jilted her fiance at the altar and is single and homeless so Lara and her spare room are extremely welcome.
The other person who has wondered about Lara all these years is the gorgeous Flynn Erksine. They were together at school and then Lara vanished. He's incredibly happy to see her but will that change when he discovers that Lara has returned with some baggage that may belong to him.
A Walk in the Park is a brilliant story, the characters of Lara and Evie are particularly likable and believable. I think that Jill Mansell writes great chick-lit with a realistic edge, her characters struggle with decisions and don't always get the cliched happy ending. but I think this is what makes Jill Mansell's books so good. It only took me a few days to read A Walk in the Park, I always think Jill's books are like sitting down with a good friend for a gossip. I would recommend any books by this author and I am already eagerly anticipating her next one!

Dot Scribbles Rating: 5/5

Many thanks to Headline for sending me a copy of this book to review, A Walk in the Park is out now.

Book Review: The Darker Side of Love by Jessica Ruston

Lies: we all tell them. To protect those we love, to disguise failure, to hide disappointment. To mask betrayal or deceit. But what happens when they start to catch up with us? When our lives begin to be shaped by the lies of others?
The late 'noughties'. A global recession looms. A group of old friends, all leading outwardly successful, interesting lives. All in apparently loving, secure relationships. Yet all, in some way, lying to those closest to them, concealing secret worries, jealousies or desires. This group of friends is about to discover that the truth won't stay buried forever.
Welcome to the darker side of love.

I very much enjoyed Jessica Ruston's book To Touch the Stars but I must admit that I enjoyed The Darker Side of Love even more and was sad to get the the last page.
There are four main female characters. Izzy who is married to James, they have two beautiful children but she is in definite need of something more. Stella and Johnny have a baby together but Johnny's band is about to hit the big time and his life-style is leading Stella to self-destruct. Caroline is newly married to Bart and should be enjoying the honeymoon period but things aren't always as perfect as they appear. Harriet is the final character, she has been with Will for what seems like forever but she still doesn't have a ring on her finger; maybe it's time to issue him with an ultimatum.
They are four very different women and it was really interesting to see how they slotted together. I think that I identified the most with Izzy but I was as equally interested in all of the others. As the title suggests, Jessica Ruston is exploring the darker side of love. This book is beautifully dark, full of lies, betrayal, sex and jealousy but I also felt that it was brilliantly honest. It didn't paint pretty pictures but stripped these women's relationships back and showed how they really are rather than how they look from the outside.
I really struggled to put this book down and it is one of the best that I have read so far in 2012. I think this is the most powerful of Jessica Ruston's books so far and I highly recommend it.

Dot Scribbles Rating 5/5

Many thanks to Headline Review for sending me a copy of the book to review, The Darker Side of Love is out now.

Book Review: It Happened One Summer by Polly Williams

After years of romantic drought, Nell is enjoying a thrilling fling with a sexy new man and loving London life, somehow managing to juggle single motherhood with a busy career. Plus, in the city it's easy to avoid her sister who is about to marry Nell's ex. (Yes, messy). Then she gets the news. Please could she return to Tredower, the crumbling old family home in Cornwall for the summer? Disaster. Tredower has no Wi-Fi, harbours her big dysfunctional family, and far worse, memories of her passionate love affairs with the man who is about to become her brother-in-law. The past is another county. Can she go there?

Another woman is making her way west too, carrying an explosive secret. Love will be lost, and found, lives changed for ever...

Nell is struggling to juggle a high pressured career as a journalist with life as a single mum whilst also dipping a toe in the dating pool. When her  brother Ethan asks her to relocate to Cornwall over the Summer to look after their mother, Nell can't think of anything worse. However, after a while and a few problems at work, Nell decides that a summer in Cornwall might just be what she and four year old Cass need.
Nell's family life has been a little stressful over the years; she is not particularly close to her mother and barely speaks to her sister Heather after she ran off with her boyfriend Jeremy who is now Heather's fiance.
After agreeing to care for her mother, Nell is looking forward to a Summer in Cornwall and spending some quality time with her own daughter. But Nell's mother has other plans, she feels that she is near the end and wants the children to decide what happens to Tredower, the family home. So the rest of the family, including Jeremy arrive and Nell does not quite get the relaxing environment that she was hoping for.
It Happened One Summer also has a mystery element to it in the form of April James and her daughter Beth, they are down in Cornwall for the summer and seem to have a particular interest in Tredower and the family living there.
It took me a little while to get into this book but once the action had moved to Cornwall, I found myself really enjoying it. Polly Williams explores just how much family relationships can be tested and I found this to be very interesting and realistic. I liked Nell's character and I eventually came to like her mother Valerie, even though I could completely see how annoying she was.
The Cornish setting is just lovely and I loved reading about Tredower, the crumbling family home holding many secrets and desires.
It Happened One Summer is an absorbing read and I did like Polly Williams writing style, I would very much recommend it.

Many thanks to the lovely people at Headline for sending me a copy of the book to review, it is out now!

Book Review: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

When historian Diana Bishop opens a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the Bodleian Library  it's an unwelcome intrusion of magic into her carefully ordinary life. A witch of impeccable lineage, Diana has exposed herself to a world she has kept at bay for years. Sensing the significance of Diana's discovery, witches, vampires and daemons gather in Oxford, among them vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. Diana is inexplicably drawn to Matthew and in an shadowy world of half-truths and old enmities, ties herself to him without fully understanding the ancient line they are crossing...

A Discovery of Witches is published by Headline this month. This book has received a lot of hype and was the 2009 Frankfurt Book Fair's hottest title and Headline had to fight off 5 other interested publishers. In my humble opinion, the hype is truly deserved; this book is going to appeal to many different readers and would make a fantastic film. 
The book has a great opening:

The leather-bound volume was nothing remarkable. To an ordinary historian, it would have looked no different from hundreds of other manuscripts in Oxford's Bodleian Libray, ancient and worn. But I knew there was something odd about it from the moment I collected it. 

After reading these opening lines I was completely hooked and Deborah Harkness held my attention for all 592 pages. 
Diana is a very interesting character; she is descended from two lines of New England witches. Her lineage within the witching world is almost royal yet Diana is doing everything she can to live a life free of magic. She is a respected historian and alchemist at Oxford University and it is during her studies that she calls up Ashmole 782 from the special collections. As a witch, she immediately senses that this ancient alchemical manuscript is bound in magic; she wants nothing more to do with it and sends it back to the depths of the Bodleian. However, the damage has already been done and many creatures descend on Oxford in search of Diana and her power to gain this ancient text.

In A Discovery of Witches there are humans but then there are also demons, witches and vampires living side by side in the world. Matthew Clairmont is one of these vampires, he comes to Oxford in search of Diana however he is keen to protect her rather than prey upon her. 
The relationship between Diana and Matthew is central to the book. I loved this part of the story, considering Matthew is a vampire, he is a very believable and highly desirable character. Their relationship develops throughout the book and it is very interesting as Diana has to come to terms with who she is and the power she possesses before she can completely allow him in.
Diana and Matthew's relationship angers the other creatures and they find themselves in immense danger. Matthew has to do everything he can to protect Diana and their relationship. The story becomes one of desperation and survival as their family and friends are enlisted to help protect them.
Deborah Harkness has written a thrilling book, I was so sad to get to the last page as I just wanted there to be more and more. A Discovery of Witches encompasses historical fiction, romance, mythology, fantasy and suspense. I urge you all to read this fantastic tale. 


Many thanks to Headline for sending me a coy of this book to review. 

Book Review: To Touch the Stars by Jessica Ruston and COMPETITION!!!!

Renowned for style, glamour and sophistication, Cavalley's creates the most luxurious millinery in the world. For fashionistas and film stars, a hat designed by Violet Cavalley is the ultimate indulgence.
Talented and beautiful, Violet Cavalley has poured her heart and soul into building her multi-million pound business, and raising her three children. It seems that everything she touches turns to gold.
But Violet is not the woman she appears to be. And her adored children conceal secrets of their own. Behind the Cavalley family's gilded facade lies a streak of darkness. Darkness that  now threatens to destroy them all.

I hope that you enjoyed the exclusive extract from the book yesterday. To Touch the Stars is going to be difficult to review as it is jam-packed with secrets. I loved it, there were so many twists and turns provided by the author that I was totally gripped from beginning to end.
It's kind of a modern saga, Violet Cavalley is the matriarch of her family and also a leading figure in the fashion industry. She has a large family and it appears that just as they have secrets from her, she too has secrets from them. Violet is also convinced of the Cavalley Curse which she believes hangs over her family and it is something she believes to be entirely her fault.
To Touch the Stars is a very entertaining read, it is very much a rags to riches story with many dramatic events along the way. I loved the descriptions of the fashion world and how the Cavalley Empire was built, these little details made the story even more believable.
Jessica Ruston has written a very dramatic story and then set it in incredibly glamorous and high-powered surroundings. When you strip all of the glitz away you realise that the Cavalleys are simply a family, but a family with one or two more skeletons in the cupboard than normal. This book keeps up a brilliant pace throughout so be warned that it is extremely difficult to put down.


To Touch the Stars by Jessica Ruston is published today and to celebrate, the lovely people at Headline Review are giving away five signed copies of the book plus one lucky winner will also get a bottle of champagne to enjoy while they are reading! To enter you simply have to answer the question below:

What was the title of Jessica Ruston's first novel?

Please email your answers directly to rosie.gailer@headline.co.uk or you can tweet your answer to @publicitybooks Any answers left in the comment section below this post are not valid, but do please leave me a comment with any thoughts on the book. Good luck!