traceyroberts's reviews
636 reviews

Five Days is the latest book by Zoe Folbigg.  I discovered this author last year when I read A Fairytale of New York, which I loved.  So I was eager to get my hands on this one.  My thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an early review copy. 

Jesse and Minnie meet when they are both dealing with bruised hearts.  Following advice from Minnie's therapist they agree to go on 5 platonic play dates.  No romantic ties, no swapping numbers and no googling each other.

I thought this plot was really intriguing and I do enjoy a meet-cute storyline.  I loved the characters, they were both very likeable and so easy to relate to.  I loved the way their backstories were slowly dripped into the narrative to create more depth and empathy. 

This book is a wonderful romance read for the summer and perfect for fans of the friends to lovers trope. 

I adored Nikki Mary's debut novel, Wahala a couple of years ago, so I was thrilled to be invited to read her new book, This Motherless Land.  Thank you Random House UK for the ARC. 

Funke has a happy life in Nigeria with her parents and younger brother.  But when tradegy strikes she is sent to England to live with her mother's family.

Although this book deals with some difficult themes, the author dealt with them well and I found it a pleasure to read.  I loved the descriptions of life in Nigeria, which was vibrant and full of energy.  It was interesting seeing the UK through the eyes of young Funke.  In contrast to Nigeria the UK appeared dull and grey. 

I really enjoyed how the relationship evolved between cousins, Liv and Funke.  They developed a beautiful friendship that transcends cultural differences and family troubles.  This is a captivating but emotional story that pulled on my heart strings throughout.  

Three years ago a wild and raucous hen weekend ends in tragedy when bride to be Aoife is killed.  Dani is still unable to recollect the events leading up to her best friends death.  So three years on she gathers the hens to stay in the secluded villa again, seeking closure and hoping for her memories to return. 

The Villa by Jess Ryder is a pacey thriller that makes the perfect summer read. I loved the sunny Spanish setting which contrasted perfectly with the chilly and foreboding atmosphere inside the villa.  

The story is told from the POV of the four hens, with past and present timelines.   I loved the characters, they are flawed and mostly unlikeable but that made for a compelling read, full of lies, jealousy and betrayal.  There were some interesting twists and the ending was certainly unexpected. 

Thank you to Random House UK and Cornerstone for providing me with a digital copy to read and review

Are You My Halley Hart is a delightfully cute romcom by Claire McCauley. 

Henry and Halley cross paths several times during Halley's visit to Oxford.  However they don't have time to share more than a fleeting kiss before Halley disappears in a taxi.  Henry can't stop thinking about her but only has her name and the pair of sunglasses she left behind.  So what can Henry do? Well contact every Halley Hart in the world until he finds his Halley of course. 

This is definitely a slow burn romance but it was great fun to read.  Henry and Halley are so cute as a couple and I loved the side characters, especially Halley's mum.   The use of texts and emails to tell the story was fantastic and brought wit and banter to the story. 

Thank you to the author for providing me with a digital ARC to read to and review 

The Lost Lover is book 3 of the Wild Isle Series by Karen Swan.  It is set on the remote island of St Kilda around 1930.  The series follows the stories of the inhabitants before and after their evacuation from the island. The Last Summer was Effie's POV, in The Stolen Hours we heard Mhairi's story and in this third installment the island's beauty, Flora gets her say. 

I loved being back on the wild and rugged island of St Kilda.  This novel covers the same time frame as the previous two novels.  However despite the overlap, the events are seen from a completely new perspective so didn't feel repetitive in any way. In fact, new secrets were revealed and it helped remind me of parts of the story I had forgotten. 

Karen Swan is a master at evoking sense of place and it's obvious that an immense amount of research has been put in to create this fabulously detailed historical novel.  Swan also has a talent for creating engaging characters that leap off the page.  I particularly enjoyed Flora's character development throughout this novel. 

This is definitely a book I would recommend to readers of Historical Fiction, who love a little romance and mystery too.   It could work as a stand-alone novel but i feel it's better to read the first two books in the series beforehand.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for inviting  me to read this book and for providing me with a digital ARC. 

I was invited to read and review the debut novel "Things Don't Break On Their Own" by Sarah Easter Collins.  Thank you Penguin Random House UK for the ARC

This is a story of how a family is fractured by the disappearance of thirteen year old, Laika. The book opens at a dinner party with friends and family around the table.  The conversation becomes fraught when the discussion turns to the fallibility of childhood memories. Then one guest makes a surprising revelation that forces Willa to rethink everything about her missing sister. 

This is a slow burn story but definitely a page turner.  It's cleverly plotted and told over multiple timelines and POVs.  The characters are complex and very well drawn.  When the reveals came they were unexpected and I certainly didn't see them coming.   Overall I found this to be an original and compelling read. 

I was looking forward to reading "All the Colours of the Dark" by Chris Whitaker, as judging by the reviews this was going to be an epic read. Unfortunately, I think I must have read a different book to other readers as it just didn't work for me.  

I believe the main problem lies in the writing style, it's verbose. The descriptions are lovely and sometimes beautiful but, for me they overtook the story and prevented me from sinking into it.

This book is a long one with 600 pages and pacing issues. Don't get me wrong I love a slow burn but this was painfully slow in the middle and if I'm honest, a chore to get through.  

The chapters are short, and being a long book there are 261 of them.  I usually like short chapters as they make the pace feel faster, but it just added to the confusion, with changing POVs each chapter and time jumps. 

I did enjoy the beginning of the book and it did all come together at the end.  However if I'd have known it was more literary drama rather than being listed as mystery/thriller I wouldn't have picked it to read.

Thank you Orion Publishing for providing me with an ARC to read and review 

When I read the synopsis of The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd I just knew I had to read it as it sounded so intriguing.  Thank you to Pan Macmillan for granting my request for an ARC. 

This is an ambitious story that spans a century of mysterious deaths, Egyptian artifacts and many skeletons in dusty old closets.  Could a missing painting hold the key to it all?

The plot is rich and complex, told over three distinct timelines with multiple POVs and locations.  Each location is vivid and atmospheric from arty Paris during 1938,   academic Cambridge in 1991 to present day Dubai with all its wealth and glamour.   Although the story switches between timelines the execution is seamless and the unfolding mysteries kept me on the edge of my seat. 

This book combined all my favourite genres in a unique and exciting way.  The pacing is perfect and the conclusion satisfying.  I would highly recommend this book and if you have it on your TBR bump it up to the top

I loved Cesca Major's previous book, "Maybe, Next Time" so I was thrilled to be offered an ARC of her new book "If I Were You"  Thank you to Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review.

The body swap premise of the book is exciting, who wouldn't love to know what their partner is thinking and feeling?  Unfortunately it didn't quite work for me and I found it difficult, at times, to follow who was who and that distracted me from the story. 

What did stand out for me was Amy's realisation that she was viewing her own body in a less negative way, when she was seeing it from Flynn's perspective.  I do love a body positive message. 

Overall an enjoyable, lighthearted read 

The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood is a terrific romcom with an interesting and unique plot. 

Delphie dies suddenly and alone after choking on a microwave burger.  She ends up in a place called Evermoor (think "The Good Place" but with washing machines) Whilst in this weird and heavenly waiting room she meets her soul mate, Jonah.  But here's the kicker, Jonah is not meant to be in Evermoor and is quickly returned to the land of the living. Delphie is offered a deal where she can return to her previous life, but she must find and kiss her mystery man to gain a second chance at life. So, armed only with his first name and that he lives somewhere in London Delphie has 10 days to complete her mission.  The clock is ticking. 

This book has everything you want from a romcom.  There are quirky characters, hilarious escapades and swoon worthy romance.  But most of all I enjoyed Delphie's journey and growth as a character.  She brought the most tender and heartwarming moments to the story that made me cry happy tears.   This book is just begging to be made into a film.