New Release Book Review: Second Chance Lane by Nicola Marsh

A story of mistakes, secrets and second chances in a small town.

When is it right to make a life-changing decision for another person? This is the situation that Tash finds herself in when she discovers herself pregnant by her up-and-coming successful musician boyfriend Kody. It is a decision that has consequences years down the track not only for herself but her daughter Isla and her ex Kody when their lives are thrown back together 13 years later.

Secrets and lies, once unearthed can cause a myriad of pain and problems. I felt that Isla handled the whole finding out who her dad was remarkably well, I certainly don’t think many 13 year-olds would take it in their stride as she did. Kody on the other hand, whilst thrilled at finding out he has a daughter is furious at not knowing and missing out on 13 years of his daughter’s life but also wracked with guilt about the fact he may well never have had his career if he had known.

Kody has come to town to hide and is dealing with his own trauma before this secret is thrown on him. This was a story of healing, of coming to terms with unexpected situations and of forgiveness, for self and for others.

I thought this was an enjoyable rural romance and I loved the characters in this novel, I must go back and read book one Long Way Home so as I can read Ruby and Connor’s story. The supporting cast were really great friends to Tash and she was lucky to have had their support for the past 13 years.

It is not only Tash, Kody and Isla’s story though, it is also Jane’s story and hers is a sadder story. One of the popular girls in high school, she made a name for herself as selfish and nasty in many people’s eyes, she has a truly horrible mother, who even after finding out why she was as she was, didn’t make me like her anymore. Jane is realising that the life she has led since high school is not one conducive to happiness and she decides it’s time to make some changes. At the same time, she bumps into a guy she was at odds with back in high school and they now need to work together and navigate a potential attraction. I grew to like Jane more as the story progressed as she tried to make up for the things she had done in the past.

I liked both of the story arcs in this novel they are tackle everyday issues and realities that many face and I enjoyed seeing them all grow and change and learn from past mistakes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for a digital copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

New Release Book Review: Paw Prints of Love: An Anthology

I’m not a big reader of anthologies, but I’d been hearing about Paw Prints of Love wen it was still accepting contributions so I was excited to be able to get an early copy, I’m also a big dog lover and all of these stories revolve around dogs and the dog beauty parlour The Funny Bone in one way or another and are set in the south coast of Western Australia in the town of Stonecrest Bay.

The first story was All the Good Stuff by Lisa Knight and was a perfect introduction to the town of Stonecrest Bay. I thoroughly enjoyed this short story, from the opening lines where Emma is letting loose a flour bomb, I just knew I was going to love the humour Lisa Knight has imbued into this story. I’m already in love with the small town of Stonecrest Bay. This was a really fun, feelgood romance, and in such a short story, (30 minutes reading time), so much happened. I loved Chipper the dog who pulled it all together. I’ll be looking out for more writing by Lisa Knight.

Rescued Hearts by Fiona Greene I really enjoyed this one, this was definitely one of those ‘meant to be’ encounters between two lost souls.

A Barking Chaperone by Helen Walton A was short and sweet, love at first sight all down to a beagle determined to find trouble at every turn.

A Toast to Paddy by Teena Raffa An unlikely romance between two older people, I didn’t like either of the characters to start with, but as they warmed towards each other, and to Paddy, they warmed for me too.

Homecoming by Leah Kinninmont A friends to lovers story about two long time friends who finally get their acts together and see what is in front of them. I really enjoyed this one, especially seeing Harley, an employee at The Funny Bone, get the love he is looking for.

Jakes Dilemma by Susan Dunn This was another enjoyable story. I wasn’t sure where this one was going or how it was going to end up, but I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome and could easily see another story to follow on from this one.

Catching Curls by Jenny Lynch This is Abbey’s story, she works at The Funny Bone and volunteers for the weekend at a CanTeen surfing camp for teens. She meets pro surfer Travis Scott who is volunteering his time in between competitions. It’s love or lust at first sight for these two in this short and sweet romance.

For the Love of Dogs by Lisa Wolstenholme don’t judge a dog by its behaviour, at least when it’s a puppy or is a newcomer to the home. Sarah broke up her relationship months before because her boyfriend, Rick chose his dog Tobey over her, or so it seemed, now she hates dogs, but after being put in charge of her mum’s dog Daisy for a couple of weeks and running into Rick and Tobey, things are about to change.

Puddles Valentine by Carolyn Wren super short, but super sweet.

Chasing Love by P.L Harris The last story in the anthology and where the owner of The Funny Bone, Dee Chambers gets her chance at finding love. When Travis’s cousin Luke comes to town to catch up with his cousin, the last thing he expects is to meet Dee who immediately catches his interest and him hers. He’s supposed to be passing through, but maybe he should think about staying around. This was a great story to end our visit to Stonecrest Bay with, a story full of a potential future of true love.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable anthology that allowed me to dip in and out of Stonecrest Bay at leisure, I only wish I could move there myself and find my true love.

Thanks to Gumnut Press for a digital copy of this anthology in return for an honest review.

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#AWW2020 29/50

New Release Book Review: Midwife in the Jungle by Fiona McArthur

Happy release day to Fiona McArthur. I really enjoyed this romance novella, at just under 200 pages, it was the perfect escapist read I needed with all the things that are going on at the moment. For a shortish read, Fiona McArthur has managed to fit a lot into her newest story.

Our leading man is a sexy young doctor, Jonah, who works in Papua New Guinea for Missions Pacific, not an easy job or a very safe one. He’s lost family to this dangerous place but feels he is needed there, it has also made him decide never to love someone because it is no place for a family.

Our leading lady, Jacinta, is an overachieving doctor as Director of Emergency in a busy hospital in Sydney who has no time for anything other than work and volunteering at a teenage refuge.

When Jonah is brought into Jacinta’s emergency ward with malaria, sparks fly between the two of them, they alternate between annoyance and sexual chemistry and neither one is too impressed. There’s something about Jonah and his job that calls to Jacinta and she decides to follow this unexpected man and the call for adventure and heads to PNG to volunteer.

Both of these characters have troubled pasts, and they play a big part in who they are and the decisions they make. There is plenty of action, danger, intrigue, romance and chemistry that keeps this story moving along at a fast pace. I’m not sure that the jungles of PNG would be the kind of place I would choose to go, but with the differences they can make to these people’s lives I can certainly see what would lead these characters there.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

#AWW2020 22/50

Book Review: Call Me Lucy by Rania Battany

I really loved this novel, an Enemies to Lovers romance set around a cast of characters who are part of a linked series Stolen Hearts, with the next book Choosing Lillian coming out early March.

This novel, as the title suggests is about Lucy who has been in an accident and suffered some traumatic brain injury and has no idea who she is or where she comes from, but the saddest part is that no one has come forward to say she is theirs.

Lucy is lucky in one respect, she is assigned Lillian as her social worker and Lillian is completely about protecting Lucy after she herself has suffered a loss that we slowly uncover details about. Lillian sets Lucy up at her flat where her brother Billy is living and Billy is given the job as unwilling ‘babysitter’.

This was a really moving story, Lucy’s struggle to remember her identity, while at the same time being terrified of learning who she really is, was one that pulled at my heartstrings many times throughout the novel. The fact no one has come forward for her makes her feel that she must have no worth to anyone. Billy’s behaviour towards her when she first comes to stay reiterates this feeling of having no self-worth.

I actually really liked Billy despite his behaviour to begin with, you could see he was struggling with his own demons and that deep down he cared a lot. He especially cared about his sister Lillian and I really enjoyed the dynamics of their relationship.

Lucy meets a very unlikeable character in Tyler when she is revisiting the scene of her accident. From the get-go, I knew there was something off about Tyler and as the story progresses I could see why I disliked him. Tyler is all about emotional and psychological abuse. He plays Lucy from the start and whenever these two characters met, I got a horrible sense of foreboding. Rania Battany has done a great job of portraying both the mindset of the abuser and the effects this can have on the person being abused.

Lillian is working with a police officer Blake, the chemistry between these two is palpable and there is hope something might be stirring ready for the next book in the series.

There are a few other characters we meet who will be part of the series, Lillian and Billy’s mum Helen who comes across as a loving mother, loud and sure that food is the answer to any problem, characteristics that are often part of a Lebanese family. We also meet Gabby, their cousin who also is loud, outgoing and thinks food, especially pastries can cure anything. And we briefly catch up with Leila and Jacob who have their own novella Letters to Leila, which is set slightly before Call Me Lucy. I didn’t like Leila in the novella and her brief catch up in this novel didn’t change my mind about her, though I am glad Leila and Jacob are still together.

I really enjoyed Lucy and Billy’s growing friendship and relationship. I loved the way they both took tiny steps towards trusting each other, sometimes leading to more steps backward, but ultimately leading towards something real and strong that is worth pursuing. Billy really was just what Lucy needed in order to heal from her past and from her accident. Lucy is a tough person, at the same time as being completely vulnerable and I really loved her character.

This was a great read full of emotions and the mystery of finding out who Lucy really was.

Thank you to the author for a copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

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#AWW2020 12/50

Book Review: Bound by Truth by Suzanne Cass

I have read end enjoyed books by Suzanne Cass in the past, so when I was given the opportunity to read her new novel, I jumped at the chance. What an enjoyable read this was, full of tension, romance, suspense, danger, likable and unlikable characters. It is the first in a new series called Island Bound and I am looking forward to future books.

I really liked the two main characters in this novel Sierra and Reed who are both living on the Island for different reasons, but both for a chance to get away from the things life has thrown at them.

The setting of Kangaroo Island is very interesting to me, this is the third book I’ve read set on this island this year, I’m thinking I’ll have to go and visit one day soon.

Sierra has had heartbreak and tragedy in her life and has been living on Kangaroo Island for quite a few years, she is a bit of a loner and because of past losses, is loathe to let anyone get close to her. She also has a stalker who has targeted her due to an article she wrote about abducted children and the polices seemed incompetence. Now there is a child missing on the peaceful island, and she’s been looking at further abduction cases in South Australia, could they all be related or is that too much of a coincidence.

Reed is the new police officer in town and when he meets Sierra there is a connection there that Sierra tries to deny, but Reid is nothing if not persistent. There is also a deeper connection that will cause heartache and danger, I’m not sure how I would have dealt with finding out what these two find out, possibly much the same way as Sierra does.

The search for the missing child is all hands on deck and more than one terrible secret will be uncovered during the search.

This novel had me reading past my bedtime (I feel lucky that I’ve had so many great books like this this year).

Thanks to Suzanne Cass for a copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

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