#Review of The Yacht by Kayte Nunn #KayteNunn @RandomTTours #BlogTour #Thriller #HolidayRead #TheYacht #SummerRead

The Yacht
By Kayte Nunn

Summer is here, even if the weather doesn’t always show that it is. Sun, sea and holidays are all over The Yacht, but with something more sinister. Luxury doesn’t always bring something good as this thriller suggests…
Kayte Nunn is a best-selling author known for The Botanist’s Daughter, winnter of the 2020 Winston Graham Historical Fiction Prize and was selected as the National English Honour Society Common Reader for 2023/4. , The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant, The Silk House, The Last Reunion and many other books.
I am on the Random T. Tours with the cover, blurb and review. Hop aboard a luxury yacht and join the immersive, bumpy ride…

Blurb

A man on the edge.

A woman hell-bent on revenge.

A cheating husband.

A desperate wife.

A property empire on the brink of collapse.

A family at loggerheads.

A predator hiding in plain sight.

Who will sink and who will swim?

Three generations of a billionaire family are taking their new superyacht on its maiden voyage. But when the yacht sinks, each of them has a different part to play, in this addictive, twist-filled thriller.

Review

Luxury yachts heading to sea carries aspirations for those on the harbour side and a showy lifestyle for those on-board. Sailing around the Med sounds idyllic, a piece of pure escapism from the rest of the world and away from all your troubles. Or so you would think!

Told in multiple perspectives by those on-board you discover its inhabitants, especially the wealthy Thyssen family who own the super yacht. What happens inside isn’t all plain-sailing as a disaster happens with this colossal vessel. That’s the moment where everything truly changes and the full extent of people’s dysfunctions emerge. All the secrets and desires for revenge that people have been harboring secrets and strong desires for revenge come to the surface. The super-rich lives aren’t all they seem when you dig deep into them. They are far from the perfect surface look they project into the world. It’s quite the lens into the world that they make people want, but, really the people’s lives on the yacht are falling apart in many directions. There is also a lot of danger ahead.

The Yacht is more twisty and has more turbulence than your average cruise. It’s a rocky ride that is gripping from the first page with a fast-pace, also driven by the short chapters that make you want to read more than you perhaps planned in a night.

For a summer read, The Yacht is gripping and compelling for the beach, on your cruise as you sip your cooling holiday drinks.

You can check out more here:

Author Website | Insta | Facebook | Amazon UK

#Review of Octagon by C.J. Merritt – A Gripping Espionage Thriller Published Today! #Octagon #ChrisMerritt @MichaelJBooks #Thriller #SpyThriller #politicalthriller #crimethriller

Octagon
By C.J. Merritt

review written by Louise Cannon

Octagon is rather different for C.J. Merritt in that it isn’t psychological, it’s a fast-paced politcal/espionage thriller that’s also very much worth picking up and reading. The quality of writing and story-telling is just as high as any other book he has written previously. Today, I have a review and blurb on publication day for Octagon, thanks to Michael J. Books.

There are secrets, confessions and murders galore. A Russian Scientist, practically on his deathbed has a deep, dark confession to make. There is also a murdered spy, a ritual killing and a former MI6 Agent Runner and former SAS Operator to get to know. There are a mix of backdrops of calm, including English countryside and Swedish forest to be lured into, but hang on tight, there is a lot of action in this tightly written plot. Readers are taken on a big high octane, big stakes journey as Octagon, the name of a plot against the West, which if pulled off in its entirety, will have devastating consequences.

Stella McCrae left MI6 on not exactly the best of terms and set up an investigation company, which unfortunately struggles. Fortunately she finds herself deep in a rather dark mystery to solve and that’s where Tommy Kane, internally, a complex man, comes in with just the expertise and experience she needs to really get going on the case. There is also Hoss who Stella set up the company with. Each of them have differing, but complimentary skill sets. It’s interesting to watch how they relate to each other within their professional capacity and work.
They are up against time to stop plot Octagon from becoming a horrific reality and someone instrumental to it is already on a key train.

Octagon is so fast-paced with unexpected twists and turns and depth that it’s easy to find yourself racing along to discover where it takes you next and which direction it ends in.

For a thriller that takes you on an unexpected journey of high danger, intriguing characters and a compelling plot, I highly recommend Octagon.

Blurb

A DYING RUSSIAN SCIENTIST
confesses to his children what he did as a young man.

A MURDERED SPY
shares vital intelligence before he’s ruthlessly assassinated in the English countryside.

A RITUAL KILLING
hidden in a forest clearing in Sweden hints at something much worse.

FORMER MI6 AGENT RUNNER
Stella McRae is the only person who can be trusted to investigate now her former employer has been compromised.

EX-SAS OPERATOR
Tommy Kane has always had Stella’s back, but as the threats against them escalate, will his formidable skills be enough this time?

OCTAGON
A devastating plot against the West is already in train. Only Stella and Tommy stand in its way. And time is running out…

#Review of One More Day of Us by Shari Low @sharilow @BoldwoodBooks bookreview by Lou

One More Day of Us
By Shari Low

One More Day of Us by Shari Low is heartwarming with characters that are intriguing bringing a different angle to friendship. I have, thanks to Boldwood Books, my review and the blurb below the bright city lights and beautiful sunset cover.

Told in split time frames of 1990 and 2025, One More Day of Us tells a heartwarming, emotional tale of rekindling friendships.

In 1990 Moira Chiles, Carina Lloyd and Lisa Dixon have formed a band and are in a swanky hotel during a hot, humid summer in Hong Kong. Life is pretty good, they are popular and they play to full audiences. Then everything changes when Moira decides it’s time for her to leave the band to do her own thing, which takes her to cruise ships on the the heights of sunshine in the Caribbean to the greyer skies over the Glasgow pub scene.

In 2025, Moira has retired and life’s adventure takes her back to Hong Kong and this is where the emotional and observational writing gets deftly deeper, the point of whether after 30 years friendships can be rekindled or not. As she meets Carina and Lisa, readers learn what happened in those in-between years, meet a new generation and bit by bit what happened back then truly becomes exposed.
The relational dynamics between the then and now time points is interesting to see play out so makes investment in the characters and plot easy.

One More Day of Us is intriguing and emotionally moving. A great read as we enter the summer months.

Blurb

Would you give up your dreams for love? ❤️

1990: In a hot, humid Hong Kong summer, three young singers are loving life, performing to packed crowds every night in a swanky hotel bar. Twenty-three-year-old Scottish songbird, Moira Chiles is living the dream alongside Carina Lloyd and Lisa Dixon. They work hard, play hard, and always stick together… until one day Moira has to make a choice that changes everything.

Fast forward to…

2025: In a wet, chilly, Glasgow summer, Moira has just retired after singing in Glasgow pubs and Caribbean cruise ships for three decades. Now she’s ready for a new adventure – one that takes her to Hong Kong to revisit a world she left behind. Moira hasn’t seen Carina or Lisa for over thirty years, but will an invitation to join her on a holiday of a lifetime rekindle the friendships that changed her life? Or will stepping back in time expose secrets that could break their hearts?

#Review of Walking On Sunshine by Heidi Swain by Lou. Happy Publication Day @Heidi_Swain @simonschusterUK @RandomTTours #BlogTour

Walking On Sunshine
By Heidi Swain

What a pleasure it is to kick off this Random T. Tours blog tour on Publication Day of Walking On Sunshine by popular author Heidi Swain, whose books are such a joy to read with their heart-warming themes and depth of character and scenic settings, encompassing most of the seasons. Yes, it absolutely has me thinking of “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves. The book, much like the song written and sang many years before, are not linked, but they do have one thing in common, they bring in that light atmosphere that only summer air can.
Heidi Swain has now successfully written and had published with Simon & Schuster, many books set in winter, summer and autumn, taking in a couple of different communities with people coming and going as they look for a new life for themselves.
Discover my review and the blurb below, first, check out the summery yellow cover to put you in the mood for the warm season that’s just around the corner.

Review

Meet Tilly, Constance and James in summer in the picturesque village of Willowell, Suffolk. They each have their reasons for being there.

Tilly has the most heart-rendering reason. She has had a tough life and is now marred in tragedy. As the pricks of heat from the sun’s rays come through, she has the task of scattering her dad’s ashes. She goes to Willowell to relax and to give herself time and space to work out what direction she is going to head in for the next chapter of her life. Once there, the place feels like home, a new place for her to reside.
She meets Constance on her travels. She lives in a big Georgian house called Fernside. She’s getting older and has recognised that she cannot maintain Willowell Woods, which she owns, by herself and sees the only solution is to sell them.

People meeting others who didn’t know each other existed and plotting opportunities for a new breath of life is what Heidi Swain does extremely well.
Upon meeting Constance, Tilly creates a plan to buy the woods. She sees this and creating a business as a vibrant solution to what she’s going to do in her life now and to keep the woodland, therefore also helping Constance, who also has a nephew, James who doesn’t want the woods to be sold. All of course isn’t plain-sailing as Tilly has plans for the land and has to find a way of convincing the family that she is the person to save the woods. Can she find a way to cut through the stubborness and a bit of fear of change from the aged Constance? What will happen as a slow-burn relationship begins between her and James? It isn’t without its tensions.

Walking On Sunshine is a sweet and meaningful book full of warmth of character and a bit of intrigue as to what direction their lives will take and the twists and turns that ensue.

As we head into summer, this is a perfect read to start the season off, perhaps with your favourite summery tipple as the sun beats down and the heat builds to a crescendo, much like the plot.

Blurb

A Summer in Suffolk could be just what she needs…

When Tilly heads to the river in Willowell, Suffolk, to scatter her dad’s ashes, she’s in need of some rest and relaxation. Life has been tough lately, and she wants a new start.

Constance has lived in Fernside forever. She owns the beautiful Willowell Woods – but she can’t manage them alone, and they’re now up for sale.

Her nephew, James, has always loved Willowell Woods – and he doesn’t want anyone taking them over. So when Tilly asks to buy them, with an exciting idea for the land, sparks begin to fly… the problem is, they’re already falling in love.

Can Tilly and James find a way to turn sparks into fireworks? And will Constance finally realise that letting in the new doesn’t have to mean getting rid of the old…?

Spend Summer with Heidi Swain in her most glorious book yet – perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan.

#Review by Lou of The Serial Killer’s Party by Amy Cunningham @Sarah_Goodwin_Author @PenguinUKBooks @RandomTTours #SerialKillersParty #Thriller #Summer #Holiday #Party

The Serial Killer’s Party
By Amy Cunningham

Review written by Louise Cannon

Picture a hot summer’s day. An invitation to a luxury event. The contrast of the Norwegian Fjords with the deep forest. The cool blue of the water. The splatter of red blood…
Check out the blurb and review below… if I survive the invitation to the party of the year…

Blurb

Welcome to the party of the year.
You’ve been invited to an exclusive, luxury event in Norway, hosted by a billionaire. Your moment has finally arrived. But you’re not going for the canapes and champagne. You’re going for revenge.

Where anything is possible.
You’ve spent months preparing for this moment. Because you know that beneath the host’s polished public persona, he’s a vicious killer who has murdered several innocent people, including your sister.

Even murder…
Then a guest dies in mysterious circumstances, and you begin to wonder… is this a trap? Why does it feel like you’re being watched? And will you ever escape?

*** Everyone is talking about The Serial Killer’s Party! ***

Review

Revenge is the order of the day. The host of the luxurious party of the year isn’t all as you would think. What unfolds is summer vibes that turns into mystery and revenge. It has you on-edge a bit with the characterisations of the rich and the bordering on how far someone is prepared to go to get what they want. This adds a compelling nature and bite to the otherwise, cosy summer feel to the book.
Amelia’s story is an interesting one and you can feel her emotions, which leads to understanding her within the immersive, beautiful environment readers find her in.

There is some pockets of suspense with a mysterious disappearance, which adds some intrigue for a while. It isn’t a constant suspense, but I didn’t feel it needed to be, particularly.

I found the book improved and became more compelling and intriguing the further it went on.

It’s a good, well-written book that sits well on a beach or lounging in the garden during the summer holiday period. It’s an invitation you would like to say yes to and be immersed into a darker world in a holiday destination thriller book.

I would read another book by this author.

#Review by Lou of The School Gates by A.A. Chaudhuri @aachaudhuri @hera_books #PsychologicalThriller #LBTCrewbie #BlogTour #Summer #School

The School Gates
By A.A. Chaudhuri

The school gates hold more than a physical entity. If only they could talk. They’d know many secrets, not to mention the parent politics and dynamics. No wonder there is a psychological thriller about this space that is so much more than just a drop-off/pick up point and an entry/exit point to the school grounds…
Find out more in the blurb and review below as today is my turn on the Love Books Tours blog tour.

Blurb

First comes gossip … then comes revenge

When single mum Lola Martinez’s son, Luca, starts school, she feels that she’ll never fit in with the yummy mummies in the playground. Confident, married to wealthy men, with ample free time, they are everything she isn’t.

However, Lola is invited into the inner circle, surrounded by seemingly friendly people, even if Lola’s silence about her child’s father puzzles them. Despite herself, Lola quickly becomes involved in playground politics, making as many enemies as friends.

But then Lola is brutally murdered, her death rocking the close-knit community. As the police investigate the case, they discover that Lola was hiding many secrets – as are the mums in her new social circle. But who had the most reason to kill her? And who else might unwittingly hold the answers to what happened that night?

An addictive psychological thriller with an end twist that will make you gasp, for fans of Lisa Jewell, T.M. Logan and Frieda McFadden. If you loved Big Little Lies, you’ll adore this.

Review

Do you fit in at the school gates? Will you dare, even after reading this book, to enter the school gate politics? You may not stay alive. Lola didn’t as her death shows just how things can get so out of hand that murder happens.
It’s a good topic to choose to write about and to turn it so vicious that murder actually occurs. It’s quite a page-turner, but underneath that aspect lies a more darker, deeper issue. How people are in cliques, inner circles at these gates and if you’re not part of it, you may be seen as an outsider and treated as such. Although the murder is extreme, there are clearly rooted aspects surrounding that in certain characters that I am sure some parents will recognise, either in others or even themselves.

Tensions rise and secrets are revealed across The School Gates and they’re rather juicy and twisty to read. Chaudhuri certainly knows how to play into the psyche of that of what is a normal everyday task such as taking your kid to school and making it so intriguing and twisty that you want to listen more to the gossip and spy on what people are doing.

This is a sharply observed summer read for the end of the school term.