☀️Summer Reads ~ A Proposal in Provence by Alison Roberts

It’s that time of year again when I choose books which would make the perfect holiday reading. The stories which are easy enough to pick up and put down and which lend themselves, both by plot and characters, to lazy afternoons in the sunshine.

I’ll be sharing a few of the books which I think are perfect escapism summer reading. 

Look for #SummerReads

Boldwood
26 July 2026

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

In Provence’s golden heat, even guarded hearts surrender.

Tilly is an expert in love—just not her own. As the owner of A Promise in Provence, she creates exquisite marriage proposals for clients chasing happily-ever-afters in sun-drenched Provence. And along the way allows herself one dangerous indulgence: imagining what it might feel like to be loved that way herself.

But when Tilly arrives to meet her latest client, intensely private businessman Angus, it’s already a disaster. Angus is alone. There is no fiancée and no longer a proposal to plan. Instead of wasting the trip, Angus asks Tilly to show him the sights. With one strict condition: no mention of romance.

But Provence has other plans. Between vineyard lunches, sunlit chaos, and Tilly’s relentless optimism clashing with Angus’s careful restraint, attraction becomes impossible to ignore. As the lines between client and companion blur, they begin to wonder if love is easiest to find in the last place either of them expected.

☀️ My Review..

Tilly’s fledging business, A Promise in Provence, aims to deliver the perfect backdrop for a romantic marriage proposal and when she is contacted by Scottish businessman Angus McCleod she is determined to make sure everything goes exactly as arranged. However, when Angus arrives at the airport without his fiancée, Tilly is met with a man who has no romance in his soul, and is completely taken by surprise when Angus asks that the planned trip should still go ahead with Tilly as his guide but with absolutely no mention of romance.

What then follows is a wonderful trip around the beautiful region of Provence, which reads like a beautifully put together travelogue, complete with lavender fields and the most glorious descriptions of cosy French villages with beautiful scenery and stunning history. However, this is not just a love story to Provence, it’s also unashamedly romantic, with a story which melted my heart, whether it was sipping wine with Tilly and Angus in secluded vineyards, or floating through the sky in a hot air balloon, the story oozes romance in bucketfuls. 

A Proposal in Provence is a beautifully described and wonderfully written love story about taking a chance on love when the right person comes along. It’s the perfect read for a lovely summer’s day.

About the Author

Alison Roberts is the author of over one hundred romance novels, joining Boldwood to write ‘wish you were here’ fiction set in the South of France.

📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ The Man Who Didn't Burn by Ian Moore

 

Duckworth
12 October 2023

Juge Lomard Mystery #1

My thanks to the publisher and Laura Sherlock PR for my copy of this book

A KILLER. A SAINT. A TOWN FULL OF WHISPERS

When an English expat is brutally murdered, his charred corpse left on a Loire Valley hillside, the police turn to juge d’instruction Matthieu Lombard to find the perpetrator.

Instead, Lombard discovers a wealth of secrets, grudges and feuds in the idyllic town of Saint-Genèse-sur-Loire. He begins to suspect that the remaining members of the Comité des Fêtes know more about the death than they are letting on.

But rather than towards an arrest, each clue he uncovers seems to point in one, unexpected Joan of Arc. Is the answer to the murder hiding in the barroom gossip of the Lion d’Or? Or in another century altogether?

The thrilling new crime series from The Times -bestselling author of Death and Croissants.

📖 My Review..

Having a crime story set abroad has been interesting as the criminal investigation system is quite different to the UK so although it took me a little while to understand the investigative hierarchy it did give me the opportunity to witness how things are done in France. The story starts with a distressing opening first chapter which sets the scene for an investigation which is about to test those involved to their absolute limits.

Juge Matthieu Lombard is on compassionate leave when he is asked to return to work in order to take the lead in a perplexing murder investigation which sees him back working with Commissaire Guy Aubrey who, as head of the Brigade Anti-Criminalité (BAC), is the first officer at the scene of this brutal murder. That these two men have a shared, and rather complicated, history is obvious which adds an extra layer to the story dynamic. Lombard is an interesting protagonist, definitely a flawed character, with secrets and shadows in his past, he is looked upon with some suspicion by his superiors and known as someone who does things his own way. However, Lombard, with his French/English nationality, is the best choice to investigate why an English ex-pat has been so brutally murdered in the sleepy French town of Saint-Genèse-sur-Loire.

I have enjoyed the slower pace of this investigation and the way the author brings everything to life in a detailed way without ever over-complicating the police procedural parts of the story. The sleepy quiet of the little French town, and the way everyone seems to know each other’s business, is done really well and there’s a distinct French feel to the story, which I enjoyed observing. The intricacies of the investigation seem to be centred around the Joan of Arc legend and this brings an interesting twist to what is, after all, a complex murder mystery.

The Man Who Didn’t Burn is the first in a proposed new crime series and this first book certainly sets the standard high and gets the series off to a good start. I look forward to meeting with Juge Matthieu Lombard again soon.

About the Author

Ian Moore is a leading stand-up comedian and writer, He lives in rural France and commutes back tot he UK every week. In his spare time he makes mean chutneys and jams. He is the author of the best selling Follet Valley series of mysteries,  as well as two memoirs on life in France contrasting with life on the road in the UK, À la Mod:My so called Tranquil Family Life in Rural France and C'est Modifique: Adventures of an English Grump in Rural France.

Twitter @IanMooreAuthor

@DuckBooks

@LauraSherlock21

📖 Book Review ~ The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria Mas (Translated by Frank Wynne)

 

Doubleday 
17 June 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

A literary historical novel detailing the horrors faced by institutionalized women in 19th century Paris—soon to be a major film with Amazon Studios.

The Salpetriere Asylum: Paris, 1885. Dr. Charcot holds all of Paris in thrall with his displays of hypnotism on women who have been deemed mad and cast out from society. But the truth is much more complicated—these women are often simply inconvenient, unwanted wives, those who have lost something precious, wayward daughters, or girls born from adulterous relationships. For Parisian society, the highlight of the year is the Lenten ball—the Madwomen’s Ball—when the great and good come to gawk at the patients of the Salpetriere dressed up in their finery for one night only. For the women themselves, it is a rare moment of hope.

Genevieve is a senior nurse. After the childhood death of her sister Blandine, she shunned religion and placed her faith in both the celebrated psychiatrist Dr. Charcot and science. But everything begins to change when she meets Eugenie—the 19-year-old daughter of a bourgeois family that has locked her away in the asylum. Because Eugenie has a secret: she sees spirits. Inspired by the scandalous, banned work that all of Paris is talking about, The Book of Spirits, Eugenie is determined to escape from the asylum—and the bonds of her gender—and seek out those who will believe in her. And for that she will need Genevieve's help.

📖 My thoughts...

I love the kaleidoscope cover of this book and what strikes me about The Mad Woman's Ball, is that it's a true mix of thoughts and emotions all swirling together in an atmospheric French historical drama.

Setting The Mad Woman's Ball during the latter part of the eighteenth century and, particularly at the Salpêtrière Asylum in Paris introduces us to a different way of life and for those who both live, and work, at the lunatic asylum there are compelling stories to be heard.

When Geneviève, the senior nurse at the Salpêtrière, meets nineteen year old hospital inmate Eugénie Cléry their paths cross in ways they could never have imagined and it is this association together with the connection with the celebrated psychiatrist and neurologist, Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot which forms the focus of the novel.

Stories of women who were incarcerated in asylums during the fin de siecle highlights the dangerous way that women were all to often moved out of society, especially if their, sometimes, scandalous or unusual behaviour gave cause for concern in a world where to conform and be respectable was the only thing required of them. The latter part of the eighteenth century with its moral and ethical restrictions is vividly described, I enjoyed the gothic feel of the novel and the supernatural elements add an extra frisson of excitement.

I see that it is to be made into a film by Amazon Studios and I think that the cinematic elements of the story will translate really well to the screen. It will be interesting to see how it works out for this talented debut author.

About the Author

A French native, Victoria Mas was raised in the south of France. After studying in California, she got her Master's degree in Literature from the Paris Sorbonne University. The Madwoman's Ball is her debut novel ( Published in France as Le Bal des folles)

Twitter @DoubledayUk  #TheMadWomensBall

Blog Tour ~ The Secret of the Château by Kathleen McGurl

🌠🌠Thrilled to be part of this blog tour on its Publication Day🌠🌠

HQ Digital
15 May

My thanks to the author and Rachel's random Resources for my ecopy of the book
 and the invitation to the blog tour

Everything is about to change

1789.

Pierre and Catherine Aubert, the Comte and Comtesse de Verais, have fled the palace of Versailles for their château, deep in the French Alps. But as revolution spreads through the country,even hidden away the Auberts will not be safe forever. Soon they must make a terrible decision inorder to protect themselves, and their children, from harm.

Present day

When Lu’s mother dies leaving her heartbroken, the chance to move to a château in the south of France with her husband and best friends seems an opportunity for a new beginning. But Lu can’t resist digging into their new home’s history, and when she stumbles across the unexplained disappearance of Catherine Aubert, the château begins to reveal its secrets and a mystery unsolved for centuries is uncovered...

What did I think about it..

When five friends, all in their fifties, decide to pool their collective resources and relocate, from England, to a shared property in rural France, they discover the beautiful Château d'Aubert in the tiny town of Saint-Michel-sur-Verais in the Alpes-Maritime region. The château is very picturesque, but with some areas that need renovating, the five set about transforming the château into a stunning home. However, as with all old buildings there is much to discover and the air of mystery, and occasional ghostly feelings which surrounds the château, draws them ever deeper into its history.

Told in alternate chapters we get the modern day story of the château as seen through the experiences of Lu, once a history teacher, who is fascinated by the history of the château which stretches back to the tumultuous days of the French Revolution. Throughout the story we get to learn more about complicated lives of Pierre and Catherine Aubert, Comte and Comtesse de Verais, who fled Versailles when the troubles escalated into danger and despair. However, they soon discover that escaping to the Château d'Aubert is not without its problems.

I was equally at home in the modern day château as I was heading back in time to the days of the terror and the collapse of the ancien regime. The author describes everything so beautifully that time and place come alive and as one chapter ended I found that I was looking forward to either returning to the present with Lu, and the gang, or of heading back to the past to see how Pierre and Catherine were faring.

The Secret of the Château is a beautifully written dual time narrative which takes you back to a dark period in French history and a time when to be a privileged aristocrat was fraught with danger. It was interesting to watch just how the historical strands of the story played out whilst at the same time allowing the modern day protagonists to bring the history of the château back to life again.

History, mystery and a hint of ghostly activity make The Secret of the Château a perfect 'Lock down' sort of read 😊

About the Author

Kathleen McGurl lives in Bournemouth with her husband. She has two sons who have both now left home. She always wanted to write, and for many years was waiting until she had the time. Eventually she came to the bitter realisation that no one would pay her for a year off work to write a book, so she sat down a nd started to write one anyway. Since then she has published several novels with HQ and self published another. She has also sold dozens of short stories to women's magazines,and written three How To books for writers. After a long career in the IT industry she became a full time writer in 2019. When she's not writing, she's often out running, slowly.

Website

Facebook

Twitter @KathMcGurl

Amazon UK

Book Review ~ The Marseille Millionaire by Kaya Quinsey Holt

Coco Rose Books
January 2020

My thanks to the author for my ecopy of this book

While selling a million-dollar home in Marseille, will Elise Laird cash in at her chance at love?

From Ashfield, USA, to Marseille in the South of France – this is a romance not to be forgotten! The first in a new series following ambitious Elise Laird in her struggle to achieve more than she ever imagined for herself… all in the heart of the South of France!

Elise Laird has just sold the most expensive home in the history of Ashfield, USA, at $4.2 million dollars. The French multimillionaire whose home she sold is thrilled – so much so that he recommends her to a fellow French friend. And when Luc Dubonier steps off of his private jet with the intention of investing in some of Ashfield’s best properties, Elise is shocked to find that the successful tycoon is single.

At least, until she gets to know him. In a series of blunders, Elise learns that Luc may be tough in business, but couldn’t imagine anyone’s personal life being more of a mess. After she impresses him with her sales pitches, Luc asks her to do one more sale for him – his $88 million home in Marseille, France. 

When Elise arrives in France, she learns that there is more to the house, and Luc, than meets the eye. If she sells the house, the commission check will be more than her lifetime salaries combined. But after learning why he is selling it, Elise finds herself conflicted, wanting to convince Luc to keep it. 

Will Elise choose between her bank account or her heart? And while selling million-dollar homes, will Elise cash in her chance at love?

What did I think about it..

What a lovely time I have had escaping into the sunshine of this story which moves effortlessly from its lovely beginning in the USA, to the beautiful French resort of Marseille.

Elise Laird is in real estate and enjoys selling high end properties to the rich, so when she is recommended by a wealthy French client to help out with a property search for a friend of his, Elise is only too pleased to try and help out and is especially intrigued when she learns that her handsome new client, Luc Dubonier, is deliciously single. Elise is intrigued when Luc asks her not only to find him an exclusive property in the US, but also to sell a fabulous property, which is worth millions of dollars. The only complication is that Luc's property is situated in far away, Marseilles, France.

What then follows is a delightful story which is both sweetly romantic and unashamedly feel good and the author does a great job of keeping the story alive with some great characterisation along with a story which brings the delightful allure of Marseilles into the narrative. The author writes well and keeps the momentum of the story intriguing so that I enjoyed spending time with both Elise and Luc as they discover more about themselves, life and ultimately, love.

I found the The Marseille Millionaire to be the perfect antidote for the troubled times which we are currently experiencing.

About the Author

Kaya Quinsey Holt writes romantic comedies. She holds her undergraduate and masters degree in psychology. Her first novel, Paris Mends Broken Hearts, was released in April 2018. Since then, her books have sold in seven countries. They have been translated into multiple languages and been formatted into audiobooks. Kaya's passion for culture, travel, and psychology intertwine for books that are romantic and full of surprises.

Website

Twitter @kayaquinseyholt

Amazon.com

Hist Fic Saturday ~ The Bastille Spy by C S Quinn

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to Paris, 1789 ....on the eve of Revolution

Corvus
1 August 2019

Revolution Spy #1

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of the book

England's best spy. France's deadliest prison.

Paris, 1789. English spy Attica Morgan's success freeing kidnapped Britons has earned her acclaim with an underground network. But it has also led to attention of dangerously powerful men. So when she's given a new assignment in Paris, a city with revolution in the air, her instinct is to run.

Because in Paris, nothing is what it seems. Skirmishes in the city are rife and English visitors are viewed with suspicion. Attica is charged with investigating the murder of a rebel in the morgue of the Bastille, that notorious prison of no return. A murder her backers are convinced is part of a much more treacherous plot.

With France is on the cusp of a bloody revolution, Attica soon realizes her mission is a great deal deadlier than she bargained for. A mythic treasure has vanished, a strange man named Robespierre wants her dead, and on the city streets, all hell is about to break loose...

What did I think about it..

In this well written and exciting historical novel, we go back in time to eighteenth century Paris when the city was on the cusp of revolution. Emotions run high and anyone with any connection to the aristocracy is viewed with a growing sense of outrage and suspicion.

Attica Morgan is a female spy working for the English, and what makes her so unusual is her clandestine involvement in a male dominated secret society known only as the Sealed Knot. Attica's femininity really sets her apart, and yet, her strong and decisive personality, and her ability to get right into the action, makes her more than a match for any man, and takes her into some very dangerous territory. 

From the notorious Bastille, to unwanted meetings with Maximilien Robespierre, there is plenty of intrigue and more than a little danger, as Attica and her associate race against time in order to  keep one step ahead of those who wish them harm. Attica is most certainly a woman to be reckoned with, she wields a knife with alarming accuracy, and her ability to mingle with the great, and the not so great of revolutionary Paris certainly shows her to be a courageous and intrepid heroine. There's also whole cast of supporting characters who add their own lively enthusiasm to what is, after all, a rollicking good historical adventure.

The Bastille Spy gets the series of to a really good start and I look forward to seeing just where the stories take us in the next Revolution Spy historical adventure.

About the Author

C.S. Quinn is a travel and lifestyle journalist for The Times, The Guardian and The Mirror, alongside many magazines. Prior to this, Quinn's background in historic research won prestigious postgraduate funding from the British Art Council. Quinn pooled these resources, combining historical research with first-hand experiences in far-flung places, to create her bestselling The Thief Taker' series.The Bastille Spy is the first in a new series featuring Attica Morgan.

Twitter @CathWritesStuff #TheBastilleSpy

@CorvusBooks

Blog Tour ~ Rocco and the Price of Lies by Adrian Magson

Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting today's stop on the

 Rocco and the Price of Lies Blog Tour with an exclusive interview with the author

Hi, Adrian and welcome back to Jaffareadstoo. Rocco and the Price of Lies is now the seventh book in your crime series set in 1960’s France. When you wrote the first book, Death on the Marais, did you expect to go on to write a long running series?

I certainly wanted to, but I wasn’t certain I could write a sequel until close to the end of the book. The characters seemed to mesh well, which was my green light to continue.

What can you tell us about this latest book that won’t give too much of the plot away?

Rocco is appointed by the Interior Ministry to investigate the suicide of a senior politician. (A blackmail letter indicates that the politician has been helping himself to government funds to buy a work of art). Rocco’s not convinced at first that it’s anything but what it seems. But another suicide and a third, each one with the same incriminating letter about purchased works of art and corruption. Ordered to get the investigation done quickly, Rocco suspects the government wants to cover up bad news. But he’s not one to brush anything under the carpet, and with the help of Detective René Desmoulins, rural policeman Claude Lamotte and, unusually, his usually frosty boss, Commissioner Francois Massin, he sets about narrowing down the source of the letters and the paintings. But in doing so he gets too close to some people who decide to stop the investigation in its tracks.

Inspector Lucas Rocco is the main protagonist of your novels, what can you tell us about him, and have you noticed any changes in his character since the start of the series?

Rocco is single, tall and tends to stand out as he favours smart clothes, a long, dark coat and a calm but firm manner. He’s an honest cop, used to fighting gang crime in Paris, but now posted – against his wishes - to Picardie in rural northern France to help spread investigative resources to the provinces. He doesn’t care for the suits in the Interior Ministry, and has a long-running prickly relationship with his boss, Massin, with whom he has history during France’s Vietnam campaign in the 1950s. But he’s determined to do his duty come what may, in the hopes that he can get posted back to Paris. 

Rocco has mellowed (slightly) since book 1, on his views of rural life, as he finds that crime here is just as dangerous as it is in the city, albeit less obvious. Welcomed to the village of Poissons-les-Marais by his neighbour Mme Denis, and the local rural cop, Lamotte, the villagers have come to mostly trust him after an in-built suspicion of any city cop in their midst. He trusts the people he works with, avoids Massin as much as possible because of their history, which wasn’t good - especially for Massin - and is in no hurry to settle down. But that doesn’t mean he won’t; he just has to find the right person.

The series has, so far, focused on quite a wide variety of crimes, what do you think makes a good fictional villain and detective?

Believability, I think. The cops are not supermen or women, the villains are bad, even dangerous, but have to be interesting in their badness. France is a large country and the resources for tracking criminals’ activities in the 1960s are slow, requiring a methodical approach and lots of patience. And Rocco has both. 

Where do you get your inspiration for the stories, and, as one book ends, do you already have the idea in place for a new story?

The crime has to be believable for the times and place. I try to use a backdrop of France in the 1960s (eg: the echoes of WW2 and France’s Vietnam conflict; the results of the country’s Algerian situation; the many assassination attempts on President de Gaulle; the battle between the police and the criminal gangs from overseas and the growing drugs trade. ‘Price of Lies’ is a slight departure in that art fraud and theft has been going on forever, but it seemed to me to offer Rocco a different - and interesting - kind of investigation to pursue.

I usually have a vague idea for the next book, and there are a couple of small fishes swimming about in the back of my brain at the moment. But if I tell you about them I’ll probably never write another word!

And finally what do you hope readers will take away from your Lucas Rocco crime novels?

First and foremost, entertainment. I want readers to enjoy Rocco and the setting, the other characters, good or bad, the same way I enjoy writing about them. I especially want them to believe in the world of rural France in the 1960s (where I went to school), when there were no mobile phones or computers, and limited forensic facilities. But that doesn’t mean the pace is slow; there’s plenty happening in Rocco’s world. 

More than anything I don’t want new potential readers to think this is going to be a French lesson (there’s very little French terminology), or a history lesson. This is a series of crime stories set in a part of France where Paris is another country to the locals, and where very little has changed since I was there a long time ago.

The Dome Press
25 April 2019

My thanks to the author and the publishers for my copy of the book
and the invitation to the blog tour

Murder by suicide? Three senior government officials - a judge, politician, and an ex-police chief - are all dead by their own hands. 

Inspector Lucas Rocco finds himself once more working for the Interior Ministry: undertaking an investigation meant to avoid a government scandal and ignoring unpalatable truths. He’s soon convinced that common denominator must be at play… 

Rocco uncovers top-level fraud, theft and deception. Resisting the demands to reach a rapid conclusion, and realising the deceptions go righto the top, soon Rocco finds himself targeted as someone who must be stopped - and by any means possible.

My thoughts..

In Rocco and the Price of Lies we meet up again with Inspector Lucas Rocco in 1960s France, and as this is now the sixth book in the series those who have followed from the beginning will understand just how this clever detective goes about solving the complex crimes which seem to come his way.

This story sees Rocco once again drafted in to help the Interior Ministry in a detailed investigation which delves deeper into the complicated world of fraud, theft and deception. Someone seems to be targeting senior officials who may, or may not, have some deadly secrets to hide. As always, Rocco gets right into the centre of the investigation and I enjoy observing his systematic approach to crime solving which is so cleverly reminiscent of a less technological age when detectives relied more on their instincts and good old fashioned sleuthing. 

There’s a complexity to this story which needs careful reading as there is much to take in but the author has a fine way of drawing in the reader so that even if you haven't read the other books in the series, it is entirely possible to enjoy this one as a standalone. The story is action packed and pacy and has more than enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. There's a real sense of menace especially when Rocco gets drawn into some dangerous situations.

The ending of the book is entirely fitting and I hope that it means we will see more Inspector Rocco adventures in further stories.

About the Author

Hailed by the Daily Mail as “a classic crime star in the making”, Adrian had written 21 crime and spy thriller books based around: Gavin & Palmer (investigative reporter Riley Gavin and ex-military policeman Frank Palmer; Harry Tate, ex-soldier and MI5 officer; Inspector Lucas Rocco; Marc Portman (The Watchman); investigators Ruth Gonzales and Andy Vaslik. Adrian also has hundreds of short stories and articles in national and international magazines to his name, plus a non-fiction work: Write On! - The Writer’s Help Book (Accent Press). Adrian lives in the Forest of Dean and rumours that he is building a nuclear bunker are unfounded. It’s a bird’s table.

Twitter@AdrianMagson1 #RoccoAndThePriceOfLies

@DomePress

Blog Tour and Giveaway ~ Lies Behind the Ruin by Helen Matthews

Delighted to be hosting today's stop on the Lies Behind the Ruin Blog Tour

Hashtag Press
25 April 2019

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book and to Rachel's Random Resources
for my invitation to be part of this tour

Emma Wiltshire has overcome plenty of obstacles in her life. From student bride to single mum of a son, Owen, but she has found happiness with her second husband, Paul and another child, Mollie. Emma's dark days seem far behind her until a fatal accident happens at Paul's work and he is held responsible. 

On holiday in France, Paul's behaviour turns erratic. On impulse, he buys a cheap, dilapidated property and, to Emma's dismay, persuades her they can renovate it into a holiday home. 

Back in England, their problems spiral out of control. Escape to a new life in France seems the only solution but with heart-breaking loss for Emma. As the couple strive to renovate their ruin and open a small business, shadows from the past threaten their happiness and safety. Because, how can you build a new life on toxic foundations?

My thoughts..

Emma Wiltshire and her husband, Paul seem to have a modern marriage, and whilst it's not perfect, generally they seem to be muddling along, both dealing with work and children. When Paul encounters pressures at work, the idea to move to rural France becomes a tantalising option. However, whilst buying a run down French farmhouse, seems to be the answer to their problems, it only serves, in a way, to reveal deep cracks in Emma and Paul's relationship, which threatens to pull them apart. The family's escape to the rural idyll of the French countryside is handled really well and I found that I could easily picture Sainte Violette with its rustic charm which is so reminiscent of the gentle atmosphere of isolated French villages, and with the inhabitant's natural reticence towards strangers.

Lies Behind the Ruin is a really fascinating look at the unpredictability of relationships and of what happens when one partner is keeping devastating secrets from the other. And yet, the story is not just about the relationship between Emma and Paul, there's also some issues around parenting and joint responsibilities, but I think what also worked well was watching just how Emma coped with whatever life threw at her.

The author has a lovely observational style which is both entertaining and easy to read and  yet, the dark mystery at the heart of the novel has an edginess which helps to keep a heightened level of tension throughout the story. I really enjoyed the way the story flipped seamlessly between characters which allowed us an intimate glimpse at what was going on, and as the deadly secrets are gradually revealed, so the toxicity of this marriage starts to be revealed.

Lies Behind the Ruin is a polished and highly commendable novel about the complexities of family life and of what happens when everything starts to disintegrate. This is the first book I have read by this author but, after finishing, Lies Behind the Ruin, I'm keen to read more.

About the Author

Helen Matthews is the author of Lies Behind the Ruin, a contemporary suspense novel set in France, to be published in April 2019 by Hashtag Press. Her debut novel After Leaving the Village, published in 2017, won first prize for the opening pages of a novel at Winchester Writers’ Festival. Born in Cardiff, she read English at the University of Liverpool and holds an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes University. Helen’s short stories and flash fiction have won prizes and been published in Reflex Fiction, Ad Hoc, Artificium, Scribble and Love Sunday. Her freelance journalism has been published in the Guardian and broadcast on BBC radio. She is an ambassador for Unseen, a charity that campaigns to end human trafficking and modern slavery.

Facebook

Twitter @HelenMK7

Amazon UK

✨✨ GIVEAWAY ✨✨ 

Win 2 x Signed copies of Lies Behind The Ruins (Europe Only)

*Terms and Conditions –European entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

🎄Blog Tour ~ Nici's Christmas Tale by Jean Gill

Jaffareadstoo is thrilled to be part of Nici's Christmas Tale Blog Tour

The Thirteenth Sign
November 2018

My thanks to the author and Random Things tours for my copy of this book and the invitation to the blog tour

A stand-alone short story in the multi-award-winning Troubadours Quartet series 1157: Aquitaine. The wolves are coming! At midnight on Christmas Eve, while the blizzard blasts snow through every crack in the castle walls, Nici the Shepherd's Dog stands guard in the sheepfold. Beside him as usual are his pack and the flock they protect but this night is not usual at all. A small boy braves the snowy night, seeking the protection of his great friend while he is banned from his parents' quarters in the castle. Nici recalls other times and other dangers, his trials and failures, the reasons why he ran away with a young girl, now the little boy's mother. He would still give his life in a heartbeat for Lady Estela. And yet, on this snowy night, he cannot help her. So, while he waits and comforts Estela's son, he tells his own puppies the story of a dog's life.

My thoughts about it..

Nici's Christmas Tale takes us back to Aquitaine in 1157 and huddled with his sheep is Nici, a large Pyranean shepherd dog, who guards his flock, and his pack of dogs, from wolves, but on this snowy Christmas Eve, Nici has someone else to watch over, as whilst his patron, Lady Estela is otherwise occupied, her son seeks warmth and comfort. This is a lovely gentle story which looks at the world through Nici's eyes, and as he recounts the stories of his eventful life to his offspring, so he protects Lady Estela's son from harm. 

Beautifully reminiscent of the age old tradition of gathering on cold night to tell stories, time and place sit comfortably within the time frame. There's a real sense of history and I found that I could well imagine the cold and dark and the pleasure of being held together in a safe place. Filled with adventure, danger, love and friendship, Nici's life, which hasn't always been easy, is explored in fine detail.

Whilst this is book five of the Troubadour Quartet series of books by this author, it is perfectly possible to read as a standalone and coming in at just under 60 pages, it's a lovely story to read on a wintry afternoon over a cup of hot chocolate.

About the Author

Jean Gill is a Welsh writer and photographer living in the south of France with two scruffy dogs, a beehive named 'Endeavour', a Nikon D750 and a man. For many years, she taught English and was the first woman to be a secondary headteacher in Wales. She is mother or stepmother to five children so life was hectic. Publications are varied, including prize-winning poetry and novels, military history, translated books on dog training, and a cookery book on goat cheese. With Scottish parents, an English birthplace and French residence, she can usually support the winning team on most sporting occasions. Sign up to Jean special readers' group at http://www.jeangill.com/ for exclusive news, offers and a free book.

Twitter @writerjeangill #NicisChristmasTale #Troubadors

#RandomThingsTours

Amazon UK

His Fic Saturday ~ By Sword and Storm by Margaret Skea

On Hist Fic Saturday

Lets' go back to ...France, 1598

Corazon
11 July 2018

My thanks to the author and the publisher for my e-copy of this book

When the first book in the Munro Scottish saga was published in 2012, I became fascinated with the story of the violent feuding between two prominent sixteenth century Scottish families and since then I have followed this saga with great interest. With each continuation it’s been interesting to see the progression of the characters and to observe just how far the story has come since its inception. The connection between all the characters has been built with such intricate precision and a unique eye for historical accuracy that real historical figures blend seamlessly alongside fictional characters each of them adding their own distinct personality to the overall effect of the story.

This third book of the saga, By Sword and Storm, is aptly titled as not only are there disagreements aplenty, but there is also action across the sea as the Munro family are living in Paris where, in the aftermath of French religious wars, Adam Munro is now a colonel in the Scots Gardes serving King Henri IV. When Adam saves the life of the King, the Munros find that, once again, their fortunes are set to change when they become involved in the intricacy of life at the French court. The description of the splendour of the royal court is wonderfully described, and I enjoyed seeing just how the Munro family would adjust to this very different way of life. As you would expect in this Scottish saga, Scotland is not forgotten, and the Cunninghames and the Montgomeries, so vital to the story, continue to feud and fight. As always, this is so accurately researched that it adds such a distinct sense of history bringing sixteenth century Scottish politics and plotting alive in a very readable way.

Whilst By Sword and Storm comes to a natural conclusion, there is always a possibility that the story could be revisited at a later time and it would be no less fascinating for taking a break. It’s worth mentioning that even though each story can be read as a standalone, the saga is best read from the beginning to appreciate just how the story and the characters progress through time.

There is no doubt that the author has brought this period to life in her own distinct style, ensuring that the world of sixteenth century politics with all its passionate complexities once again takes flight in the imagination.

About the Author

Margaret Skea grew up in Ulster at the height of the 'Troubles', but now lives with her husband in the Scottish Borders.

Awarded the Beryl Bainbridge Award for Best First Time Author 2014 and Historical Fiction Winner in the Harper Collins / Alan Titchmarsh People's Novelist Competition for her debut novel Turn of the Tide, the sequel A House Divided was longlisted for the Historical Novel Society New Novel Award 2016. The third book in the series, By Sword and Storm, was published in July 2018. 

Katharina: Deliverance is the first of two novels based on the life of Katharina von Bora, the escaped nun who married Martin Luther. She is passionate about well-researched, authentic historical fiction and providing a 'you are there' experience for the reader.

An Hawthornden Fellow and award winning short story writer - recent wins include, Neil Gunn, Chrysalis Prize, and Winchester Short Story Prize. Placings and listings include Rubery Short Story, Historical Novel Society Short Story, Mslexia, Fish - Short Story and One Page Prize and the Matthew Pritchard Award. She has been published in a range of magazines and anthologies in Britain and the USA.

 Website

Facebook

 Twitter @margaretskea1

Amazon

Review ~ False Rumours by Danae Penn

Nichol Press
2017
A Belina Lansac Murder Mystery #1
My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

There's something endlessly fascinating about the disappearance of the two young Plantagenet princes in the tower and there continues to be much speculation surrounding this mystery. The question of just who was responsible has been the subject of rumour, gossip and innuendo for the last 500 years.

False Rumours gives us a refreshingly different look at the mystery and offers a credible explanation for the disappearance of the two young boys. 

In the summer of 1483, twenty-two year old Belina Lansac is living in the small French town of Condom, selling medallions and statues in the Cathedral shop to the pilgrims who stop there en route to the shrine of St. James the Apostle at Santiago de Compostela. When Belina’s detective husband is called away on a secret mission, Belina gets involved in a mystery surrounding the death of an unusual pilgrim. Using considerable skill as an investigator, Belina tries to piece together the clues, all of which seems further complicated by the arrival of Phillipe Barvaux, an ambitious and unscrupulous lawyer, who has his own furtive reasons for being in Condom. 

Belina is a feisty and determined heroine, filled with a great sense of purpose, and as she gets pulled further and further into the mystery surrounding the death of the pilgrim, so a story starts to emerge which will have far reaching repercussions. The complexity of the investigation is a real challenge for Belina, however, she is more than a match for those unscrupulous individuals who try to thwart her at every opportunity and as she starts to uncover the many layers of the case, so the medieval world of Condom starts to come alive. Every part of story feels wonderfully authentic, from the pilgrims who arrive footsore and weary, to the townsfolk who go about their lives in the shadow of the great Cathedral. 

The author writes with skilful observation, bringing all the vibrant atmosphere of the medieval world to glorious life, whilst at the same time keeping the complexities of the mystery right at the heart of the story. I have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Belina Lansac in the lovely old town of Condom and hope to meet up with her again soon in further murder mystery investigations.

More about the Author and Belina Lansac can be found by clicking here 

Amazon UK

Hist Fic Saturday...The Betrayal by Kate Furnivall

On Hist Fic Saturday

Let's go back to....Paris, 1938

Simon and Schuster UK
November 2018

My thanks to the publicists edpr for my copy of this book

The story starts in Paris in 1930, when a devastating family tragedy occurs when twins, Florence and Romaine Duchamps are teenagers, only for the story to then flip forwards to 1938 when the twins are living very different lives. Socialite, Florence is married to a powerful business man and she has a five year old child, whilst Romaine is a female aviatrix who regularly risks her safety to take to the air in her flimsy, Gypsy Moth, aeroplane. That, Romaine is risking much more than her safety in the skies becomes apparent in her interaction with those who are fearful of the shadowy threat posed by Hitler in the dangerous months before the outbreak of WW2.

The story is compelling, from its decidedly dark beginning, through to the description of life in Paris for both Florence and Romaine. The sisters may be bonded by their birth but they are separated by their lifestyles and the secrets they keep from each other. The action is exciting, particularly Romaine's story as she gets drawn further and further into a dark underworld and yet, Florence's life is equally compelling, as she mingles with the social elite of pre-war, Paris.

The Betrayal is a truly compelling read, not just for the description of the relationship between the sisters, but also for the accuracy of the historical background which explains the build up to the outbreak of war, and of the steady increase in restlessness and apprehension which pervaded all levels of society. The author writes well and certainly brings time and place alive with an authenticity I found fascinating. The action is fast and furious and doesn't shy away from revealing danger and violence and of the consequences of actions which have devastating repercussions for both Florence and Romaine.

This is well written historical fiction which has an absorbing edginess which lasts throughout the whole of the story, from its startling beginning, through to its timely and dramatic conclusion.

About the Author

Website

Twitter @KateFurnivall

#TheBetrayal

@simonschusterUK

Review ~ The Dragonfly by Kate Dunn

Aurora Metro Publishers
2017

What's it all about..

When Colin discovers his son is on a murder charge in France, he trails his small boat, The Dragonfly, across the channel to help him. There he meets his granddaughter - the irrepressible -Delphine for the first time. They embark on an exciting boat journey journey through the picturesque French canals, heading south through Burgundy 'until the butter melts'.

Along the way, they catch up with Tyler, a spirited American  and through various mishaps and misunderstandings, they land big fish, and cultivate new loves and uncover a burning secret.,

But can Colin finally get his son of the hook?

What did I think about it...

Having reacted to the news that his son, Michael, who is living in France, has been imprisoned for an alleged murder, Colin Aylesford takes his boat, The Dragonfly and heads off to the canal waterways of France in the hope of getting to know more about why his son has committed this serious crime. Desperate to know why Michael appears to have acted so completely out of character, Colin embarks on a journey of discovery, not just to find out more about his son, Michael, but also to start a relationship with his nine year old grandaughter, Delphine, who Colin has never met, before now. Grandfather and granddaughter have a mixed reaction to each other which was fascinating to observe, partly endearing, partly reactionary, each must learn to like the other. I think that in allowing this relationship to develop slowly, the author has captured the fractured family dynamic really well.

I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded and  particularly enjoyed travelling along in The Dragonfly alongside, Colin and Delphine. There's something wonderfully escapist about meandering along the canals of France in a boat, so beautifully named, as The Dragonfly, except for Colin and Delphine, this journey is not necessarily idyllic, fraught as it is, with problems.  I don't want to give anything of the story away as it would be do a complete disservice to the author, but what I will say, is that this story of a family tragedy, and of the bonds that tie us together, is done with a fine eye for detail, and a real gift for storytelling. The writing flows well, and the other characters who flit into and out of the story add their own special qualities.

I particularly enjoyed watching the gentle unfolding of the relationship between grandfather and granddaughter, which I thought was especially well done. The Dragonfly is a heartwarming story, with a strong emotional core, which gives perceptive insight into a desperately sad family situation, which all too quickly threatened to spiral out of control.

Best Read with..A one-pot vegetable risotto and glasses of ice cold, Coca Cola...

You can find out more about the author on her website by clicking here 

Follow her on Twitter@katedunnauthor

The Dragonfly was short listed for the Virginia Prize which is awarded to encourage fresh women’s voices in fiction.

My thanks to the author for sharing The Dragonfly with me

~***~

Review ~ The Little Breton Bistro by Nina George

Abacus
Little, Brown Book Group
2017

Translated by Simon Pare

What's it all about..

Marianne is stuck in a loveless, unhappy marriage. After forty-one years, she has reached her limit, and one evening in Paris she decides to take action. Following a dramatic moment on the banks of the Seine, Marianne leaves her life behind and sets out for the coast of Brittany, also known as the end of the world.

Here she meets a cast of colorful and unforgettable locals who surprise her with their warm welcome, and the natural ease they all seem to have, taking pleasure in life s small moments. And, as the parts of herself she had long forgotten return to her in this new world, Marianne learns it s never too late to begin the search for what life should have been all along. 

With all the buoyant charm that made The Little Paris Bookshop a beloved bestseller, The Little French Bistro is a tale of second chances and a delightful embrace of the joys of life in France.

What did I think about it...

At the start of the book we meet Marianne Messmann , a rather sad and lonely figure who feels that, aged sixty, her life is over. On a trip to Paris with her boorish husband, Lothar, Marianne makes the momentous decision to jump from the Pont de Neuf Bridge into the river Seine below. However, for Marianne, the fickle finger of fate has a funny way of intervening and rather than this being the end of her life, by a strange quirk of fortune, she is rescued by a stranger.  This unexpected opportunity starts a journey of self-discovery, which will take Marianne away from ill-mannered Lothar and a glorious escape to the beautiful Breton coastline, and into situations she never would have believed possible.

The story is beautifully written and sensitively translated so that nothing is lost in switching from its original German. There is an almost old world charm to the narrative which looks at life in all its many guises and which introduces us to heart-warming characters that make you smile and laugh out loud. The author has a distinctive style of writing which is both charming and thoughtful. She delights in looking at the minutiae of people's lives and she gently unravels the complexities of relationships with such empathy and warmth that it is difficult not to be captivated by the story as it gently unfolds.

I have spent holidays in this quiet part of Northern France and the author captures to perfection both its beauty and charisma. Brittany and the area, around Corncarneau, so thoughtfully described in the story, really comes alive. I could easily re-imagine the sun drenched streets and the hustle and bustle of its quaint harbours and colourful markets.

The Little Breton Bistro is a delight to read from start to finish.

Best Read With...Buckwheat pancakes and a cup of apple cider, gently sweet from the Breton sunshine..

About the Author

Born in 1973, Nina George is a journalist and an author of numerous best selling novels which have been translated into several languages. The Little Paris Bookshop was a phenomenal hit around the world. The author lives in Hamburg.

Find out more on the author's website by clicking here 

Follow on Twitter @nina_george

My thanks to Hayley at Little Brown.co.uk for my review copy of this book

~***~