The Second Chance Shoe Shop by Marcie Steele

The Second Chance Shoe Sop by Marcie Steele

Published: 8th March 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages:232

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

All Riley Flynn wants is to meet someone who makes her happy. But attracting the right kind of man is not easy, and with her heart still hurting from her last break-up, Riley believes she’ll never find love again.

A year ago, Sadie Stewart’s whole world was shattered when her husband, Ross, died. She has struggled to keep herself together for the sake of their young daughter, but with the anniversary of his death approaching, Sadie finds herself overwhelmed by grief.

Sadie and Riley work at Chandlers shoe shop, in the charming town of Hedworth. But when Chandlers is threatened with closure, the friends are confronted with the loss of not only their jobs, but also their support network - the glue that holds them together when they are close to breaking.

As they put together a plan to save their beloved shop, Sadie realises that she might just be learning to live again. Could it be that new beginnings are just round the corner? The campaign also finds Riley unexpectedly crossing paths with charming photographer, Ethan. Maybe her second chance at love is right under her feet …

Review

The Second Chance Shoe Sop is the third book by Mel Sherratt writing as Marcie Steele and I think it’s her best yet. She’s developed a lovely writing style which is easy to immerse yourself in with characters which you genuinely begin to care about.

Riley has been the manager of Chandler’s shoe shop for the past eight years and she loves her job.  She loves working with friends Sadie and Dan and loves finding exactly the right shoe for people, more recently she has been longing to bring the shop more up to date and stock more fashionable and affordable shoes instead of the expensive sensible shoes Chandler’s is known for. Despite giving owner Suzanne many news ideas for stock and marketing Riley is unable to convince her boss to change and sales remain stagnant.

When Suzanne pits Riley against her two work colleagues in a competition to drum up sales Riley knows it’s time to take things into her own hands before the shop is gone forever.  So Riley sets out to use her social media knowledge to drum up some slightly unconventional publicity for the shop, but will it be enough to save Chandlers?

Riley is a character who I instantly adored. She’s so loyal to the shop and to her friends that she will do anything to help them, even if this sometimes lands her in trouble. She’s wary of starting a new relationship after she had her heartbroken by horrible Nigel, but can’t seem to resist the charms of news photographer Ethan. Is he the one to mend Riley’s broken heart?

Sadie and Dan were also great characters, each dealing with their own heartbreak. Together with Riley they make an excellent team and this stands out throughout the book as they are tested by Suzanne. The other characters Ash, Cooper and Ester all add to this group of friends and provide comfort and support for each other throughout the book.

I loved that Marcie has once again based her novel in the fictional town of Hedwoth where her previous novel That’s What Friends Are For was set, this time focusing on the high street rather than the indoor market.  A couple of characters from that book pop up here and it was good to check back in with them. I’m hoping we may see Hedworth again in another novel…please.

Despite this being a novel about shoes don’t fear you will love it, I’m a girl who lives in either slippers or wellies and this book has made me want to go out and buy a new pair of shoes, so read it and bring on the shoe love!

This is a novel about friendship, love, loss and loyalty, about knowing who to trust, and knowing that when things are bad they will always work out in the end. I really enjoyed The Second Chance Shoe Shop and am hoping Marcie writes another one soon as she’s becoming one of my favourite writers.

Thank you so much to Bookouture and Netgalley for the review copy, I’d like to rate The second Chance Shoe Shop five out of five, I loved It!

Thats What Friends Are For by Marcie Steele

That's What Friends Are For by Marcie Steele

Published: 11th December 2015

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 342

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Best friends tell each other everything… right?
Sam and Louise have been best friends since they hung their coats side by side on the first day of primary school. Now in their thirties, they’re just as close, but life is a little bit more complicated…

On the outside, thirty-something Sam seems to have it all; the gorgeous husband, the beautiful home and the flourishing business. But things are not quite as rosy as they seem. So when handsome stranger, Dan, walks into her life, Sam finds his attentions hard to resist.

Louise might seem like life and soul of the party, but her outgoing exterior hides her sadness about the heartbreak in her past. She just wants someone to love – but all Louise gets left with is a quick fumble with an ex at the end of the night.

When a glamorous face from the past returns to shake things up, things get even more complicated for Sam and Louise. And just when they need each other the most, they’ve reason to wonder whether they ever really knew each other at all.

An emotional and uplifting tale of love, secrets and the importance of having a best friend.

Review

That’s What Friends Are For is the second novel for Mel Sherratt writing as Marcie Steele. While I found her first novel good I really enjoyed this one. The story is focused on the relationship between best friends Sam and Louise but I enjoyed the addition of all the other characters which added more depth to the story and for me made it more realistic.

Sam and Louise have been best friends since their childhood. Working together on Sam’s market stall their lives might not have turned out exactly as they planned but they seem happy and share everything, well almost everything. Louise has a fifteen year old daughter Charley and has never told anyone who her father is, something which bugs Sam. Sam appears to be happy in her marriage to Reece but while he works away Sam begins to question how happy she really is and the appearance of handsome stranger Dan leads her to wonder exactly what her future holds.

The characters for me are what makes this novel so enjoyable, there’s such a mix but somehow they all fit together with their connections to the market. The community spirit among them is lovely, especially when they come together to give someone a special surprise.

My favourite had to Charley. I just loved her sassy attitude towards Louise as she tries to get her mother to notice her more. She comes across as such a sensible teenager despite having very little guidance from Louise and struggling at school because of Louise’s behaviour. I found Louise one of the characters I didn’t get on with at first, she comes across as very selfish and acts very childish going out and getting drunk every weekend instead of caring properly for Charley. I wished she’d take a proper look at lovely Matt who was always there for her and Charley and for some strange reason was clearly besotted with her. The other characters of Nicci, Jay and Jess all add extra drama to the story, some of which is comical and some of which is a little heart-breaking.

That’s What Friends Are For is packed full of drama and secrets and I loved it. It’s about family, friendships and trying to find your own happy ending.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for sending me a copy to review, I’d like to give That’s What Friends Are For five stars as I found myself immersed in life at the market. I’m looking forward to Marcie’s next novel The Second Chance Shoe Shop which is out later this week.

Monthly Wrap-up March 2016

Hope you all had a lovely Easter and are enjoying the holidays if you have children, I know we are enjoying being out in the garden much more. Sadly its back to being cold and wet again today, never seems to stay nice does it!

I didn't think I'd read many books in March but surprisingly I've read nine and they've all been really great, so here's what I managed to finish reading this month:



       



Again I have been sent some lovely books by publishers, so thank you all very much:

        

 

Regular readers of my blog might be wondering why I've been sent a copy of A Year of Marvellous Ways again as I already have reviewed a hardback copy. Well they have used part of my review as a quote inside the cover of the paperback version which was released at the end of last year and have very kindly sent me a copy, Which I am extremely grateful as its lovely to see your name in print only if it is one line and it makes this book even more special to me. So thank you very much Amy at Tinder Press.

On to Netgalley, I think I'm a lost cause where this is concerned. Being Auto-approved by two of my favourite publishers also doesn't help as I want to read everything they publish. So here's what has made it onto my Kindle this month:

              

Here's what I'm currently reading:

   

AS you can see I still haven't finished Song of the Sea Maid,  to be honest I'm not sure I will now as I don't seem to want to pick it back up, I'll give it till them end of the month and then see how I feel. I'd nearly finished both My Kind of Wonderful and The Summer I met You when my kindle battery died and I can't find my charger, so annoying. One in a Million Boy I have just started but I love its quirkiness.

So finally to my March book of the month. This was so hard to pick that I've finally decided to pick two books:
 

I must have been on a psychological thriller kick this month as I just loved both of these, if you haven't read them yet then go and check them out.

So that's March in books, quite a busy month. I probably won't be reading as much in April as I'm working on my vegetable garden. I've also signed up to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator so hoping to spend some time creating. If you'd like some crafty inspiration then come at check out my other blog at www.stampinwithjo.blogspot.com

Between You and Me by Lisa Hall

Between You and Me by Lisa Hall

Published: 17th March 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

They say every marriage has its secrets.
But no one sees what happens behind closed doors.
And sometimes those doors should never be opened …

Sal and Charlie are married. They love each other. But they aren’t happy. Sal cannot leave, no matter what Charlie does – no matter how much it hurts.

Review

Wow, what a read! Between You and Me by Lisa Hall is an absolutely brilliant read and even more shocking is it’s her debut novel.

This is an incredibly hard review to write without giving away all the genius of this book.  Sal and Charlie are married. Sal stays home and looks after their young daughter Maggie while Charlie goes out to work as a corporate lawyer. On the outside they have the perfect marriage, on the inside not so much as Charlie has a need to control everything which is just downright scary. Eventually somethings got to give…

This book is hugely compelling, so much so I read it within a couple of hours in one sitting. The bullying portrayed is harsh, violent and soul-destroying and is described with such intensity it’s hard to believe this is just a story.

Throughout this book the thing that sticks out the most to me is how Sal and Charlie justify their behaviour towards each other to themselves, trying to shift the blame of events from one to the other. As the novel reaches its climax we are hit with the most spectacular twist that will leave you thinking did I just read that right! It was utterly brilliant and so completely unexpected I just loved it!

I can’t recommend this book enough, please go and read it, you will not regret it. I’m so impressed with Lisa’s writing and am so looking forward to seeing what she writes next. I’m rating this book 5 out of 5.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Carina UK for the review copy of Between You and Me.

Blog Tour Review - The Song Collector by Natasha Solomons

The Song Collector by Natasha Solomons

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Sceptre

Pages: 400

Available in Hardback, Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

After his beloved wife's death, the composer Harry Fox-Talbot is unable to write a single note, until the day he discovers his troublesome young grandson is a piano prodigy.

As the music returns, Fox is compelled to re-engage with life - and, ultimately, to confront an old and bitter rift. One with its roots in 1946, when he gave up his dreams of a musical career to help save the family home from ruin; and when he fell for his brother's girlfriend, the celebrated wartime singer, Edie Rose.

This is the entrancing tale of a man whose passion for music, an elusive women and the English landscapes of his youth are inextricably intertwined. A man who finds joy in the wake of grief, and learns its never too late to seek forgiveness.

Review

The Song Collector is the first novel I have read by Natasha Solomons but I’m sure it won’t be my last, her writing is of that style that just makes you want to keep reading and become totally lost in the story.

The story focuses on Harry Fox-Talbot, the youngest of three Fox-Talbot brothers and affectionately known as “Fox” among family and friends. They story spans two time periods 1946 – 1959 and 2001 – 2007. In the earlier set chapters we meet Fox in his twenties returning home to his beloved Hartgrove Hall after the war. Left in a dire state by the war officials the Fox-Talbot brothers agree to bring Hartgrove back to its former glory and Fox has to give up his beloved music career. All goes well until the eve of 1947 when brother Jack brings home Edie Rose, a wartime singer. Fox falls instantly in love with her. He spends the next few years being tormented by his two great loves music and Edie.

Fast-forward almost fifty years and composer Fox is grieving for his beloved Edie and is unable to play a single note. That is until he spends some time with grandson Robin who slowly brings the music back into the rooms of Hartgrove and finally help him to ease the guilt he’s felt for so long.

I’m a huge fan of novels with a dual time-spans, done well they can make the best kind of story and Natasha Solomons has managed to do this beautifully. I felt each section of the story flowed seamlessly into the next, despite the time difference making this a beautiful novel to read. It’s one of those books that you start off reading and soon find you’re totally engrossed and when it ends your sad because you’re not quite ready to let it go. This is exactly how this book made me feel, especially the last couple of chapters which really tugged at my heart.

Throughout the novel Fox comes across as a much tormented soul. He has three great loves in his life Edie, the English countryside of his home and his music, without all of them he never seems fully complete. After Edie is gone he seems lost as she was the only one that really understood his love of music and his need to collect the old folk songs of the countryside. When he sees Robin shares his love of music he slowly begins to find joy in his life once more.

This is a lovely enchanting novel about all aspects of love, about dealing with loss and betrayal and above all learning to embrace the music which is all around us. It’s a beautiful novel which was a joy to read, so thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy to review. I give The Song Collector a rating of 4 out 5.

Since writing The Song Collector Natasha Solomons has begun her own song collecting project to map as many songs of Britain as she can. To find out more about this inspiring project visit www.songmap.co.uk

Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks

Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Red Door Publishing

Pages: 333

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

I don't know where you are...

I don't know what I've done...

Teenager Abigail Ryder is devastated when she gets home from school to find her family gone. Nothing makes sense. Things are missing from the house and her stepsisters' room is completely empty. But the police think she's trouble, and when grandmother Eleanor tells her to forget them all and move on, there's no choice other than face the future - alone.

Fourteen years on, Abi and Adam are a happy couple on the verge of parenthood. But when the past comes back to haunt Abi, the only way forward is to go back and uncover the truth - and reveal the dreadful secrets a mother has been hiding all these years.

Review

Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks has one of those blurbs that just make you need to read the book because you just have to know what happened, it poses so many questions that need answers. What kind of mother leaves a child behind? How did this affect Abi? Did it affect the twins growing up? What kind of grandmother tells you to forget your own family? My head was spinning with questions and the more I read of this book the more complex and utterly brilliant it becomes as the answers begin to be revealed the more I just had to keep reading.

The story begins in 2001 when seventeen year old Abi arrives home one day to find her mother and stepsisters and all their belongings have vanished. Where have they gone and why? Abi is devastated when her grandmother tells her it would be best for her to move on and forget them, but how can you do that? Fourteen years later and Abi needs some answers as the only way forward is to embrace the past and work out the truth.

What I loved most about this book was that we get to hear about events from a number of perspectives as we have narrative from Kathryn, Hannah, Lauren and Abi with snippets from Peter and Eleanor. Abi’s narrative is particularly moving as it’s told through letters to her husband Adam and it’s very emotional and its obvious Abi has not had an easy life, even before her mother’s disappearance. Despite being so many characters and point of view they all fitted together to form a cohesive story with had me gripped until the very end.

Each of the characters had their own personalities to distinguish them, making them feel very real. Some of them I liked, some I didn’t. Eleanor was very controlling and driven, showing no real emotion towards any member of her family and I just didn’t like her. Kathryn I found to be weak and I so wanted her to be strong and make her own decisions. Abi was just longing to belong and find some love from somewhere. The twins Hannah and Lauren couldn’t be more different, Hannah longs to escape the clutches of her family and experience the world away from the bay, whereas Lauren is happy to plod along following the rules and trying to keep the peace between her mother and Lauren.

Beneath the Surface is a novel full of secrets, with more being unravelled in every chapter, it’s full of twists and unexpected surprises which had me completely hooked. I loved everything about this book the complex characters, the secrets, the way everything came together at the end.

I want to thank Heidi and her publishers for sending me a copy to review, I loved this book and think Heidi has done a fantastic job writing her debut novel, I really hope there’s more to come. I’d like to rate Beneath the Surface 5 out of 5, it was just brilliant!

Release Day Round-Up #23

I've been looking forward to today for a long time, firstly because its the start of our Easter holidays so I (fingers crossed) might get a little lie in one morning and secondly its a bumper release day with loads of fabulous new books to go and buy. Here are three of my favourites for this week:

Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Red Door Publishing

Pages: 333

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

I don't know where you are...

I don't know what I've done...

Teenager Abigail Ryder is devastated when she gets home from school to find her family gone. Nothing makes sense. Things are missing from the house and her stepsisters' room is completely empty. But the police think she's trouble, and when grandmother Eleanor tells her to forget them all and move on, there's no choice other than face the future - alone.

Fourteen years on, Abi and Adam are a happy couple on the verge of parenthood. But when the past comes back to haunt Abi, the only way forward is to go back and uncover the truth - and reveal the dreadful secrets a mother has been hiding all these years.

This is an incredible read full of complex characters and many secrets for a full review pop back later today when my review is up.

The Night that Changed Everything by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Corgi

Pages: 416

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rebecca is the only girl she knows who didn't cry at the end of Titanic. Ben is the only man he knows who did. Rebecca’s untidy but Ben doesn’t mind picking up her pieces. Ben is laid back by Rebecca keeps him on his toes. They're a perfect match.

Nothing can come between them. Or so they think.

When a throwaway comment reveals a secret from the past, their love story is rewritten.

Can they recover from the night that changed everything? And how do you forgive when you can’t forget?

I've just started reading this and already I know I'm going to love it, the writing style just flows so easily and Ben and Rebecca are characters that I need to know more about. Come back next week for a review of this book.

Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel by Jane Costello

Published: 24th March 2016

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Pages: 464

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

'LEARN TO SALSA DANCE,' the card in the shop window read. 'Experience the red-hot vibes of Latin America right here in the Lake District. Beginners and singles welcome.'

Lauren Scott lives in 'The most romantic place in Britain', but her love life is about as successful as her mountain climbing skills. The man she's obsessed over for two years has proposed to someone else - and her only solution is to save up for six months to go travelling, so she never has to set eyes on him again.

But when her friends sign her up for a dance class - in the same historic hotel where her beloved dad worked and her most precious childhood memories were formed - Lauren makes a horrifying discovery. It's been sold to a faceless budget chain, which has depressing plans in store. Worse, the entrepreneur behind it all turns out to be among a group of guys her friend Cate roped in to join the very same salsa class they've signed up for....

I'm about a third of the way through this book and loving it, its full of Jane's lovely characters and the romance is just starting to blossom. Hoping to finish this soon so check back next week for a full review.

So that's my top three for this week, there are plenty more which can be found in my releases page above. Check back tomorrow when its my stop on The Song Collector blog tour, another fabulous book being published today.