#Review by Lou of A Secret Escape by Sarah Morgan Happy Publication Day @sarahmorganwrites @HQstories #summerread #Summer

A Secret Escape
By Sarah Morgan

review written by Louise Cannon

Summery with friendships and thought-provoking aspects with warm escapism is within the newest book by Sarah Morgan. Many people have at least one friend from childhood, but you just never know what’s around the corner… Check out more in the blurb and my review below, thanks to HQ.

Blurb

A lifelong friendship

Childhood friends Milly and Nicole had always been more like sisters so Milly never understood why Nicole dropped out of contact all those months ago. Milly buried that hurt and moved on with her life.

A call for help

Now, suddenly, Nicole is begging for Milly’s help. She needs somewhere private to hide, and the only safe place she can think of is Milly’s holiday home business in the Lake District. Milly knows she should tell Nicole no, but she can’t ignore the desperation in her old friend’s voice so, despite her misgivings, she agrees to let Nicole stay.

A summer to reconnect

Over a summer of tentative conversations, the two women begin to reconnect, and there’s a potential new romance for Milly too. But then the biggest bombshell of all lands and their delicate friendship is put to the test once more …

Can the friends come together in this time of need, or will this summer break their bond forever?

Review

Friendships, however long you’ve known someone can have a certain amount of fragility and this is explored beautifully in this book. There’s a fascinating note from the author at the before the story really begins. It not only sets the scene, it’s poignant and truly thought-provoking in aspects that aren’t often explored in such a way this book does.

Milly and Nicole were friends since childhood and then suddenly this was dismantled quite disarmingly by Nicole.
Milly’s life sounds quite tough at times with other emotional stresses on-top of this, that makes her a bit self-reflective. She also became a mother, with a business to run in the Lakes.
Nicole’s life moved in a very different direction to follow her desires to act.

You get to learn more about what the friendship was like, what it became as you read further along. You can tangibly feel the hurt that is later caused and the desperation of need of help when their lives connect again. Some relationships with the sub-characters of multi-generations can be intense and others are heart-warming and well-meaning.

Friendships really come under the microscope and with well-written characters and plotting, A Secret Escape truly is an intently fascinating book to read.

There are twists and turns as reconnections are made, but you don’t always quite know what direction lives will go in the end. Secrets are revealed and truths come to the surface as the past and present is confronted, all in a lovely setting.

Can new beginnings happen in a positive way? What will become of the tentative re-budding of a friendship?

A Secret Escape truly is a hbeart-warming summer read you can escape into the lives of others as the sun beats down and whisks away the cares of the day.

At the back of the book is a small bit of Sarah Morgan’s next book, All Together for Christmas. We meet Becky at an airport that sounds like it’s in the sort of chaos we see in the news, or have experienced with delays, cancellations, noise. Just where will she end up? Newcastle, Edinburgh or somewhere else? There is also an all important family announcement to be made… It sounds a good read with the complexities of travelling at Christmas and relationships. It publishes October 2025.

#Review by Lou of Best Summer Ever by Heidi Swain @Heidi_Swain @BookMinxSJV @TeamBATC #TeamBATC @simonschusterUK #Summer #SummerRead #BestSummerEver

Best Summer Ever
By Heidi Swain

Review written by Louise Cannon

Heidi Swain is celebrating 10 years being a published author, please join me in congratulating her in what is no mean feat. She’s published stand-alone books and 2 series over the years. She writes books that are primarily published for the summer and Christmas, each are feel-good, uplifting and pure escapism, whilst also tackling the challenges of individuals and society of the day.

Her latest is Best Summer Ever. I am incredibly surprised and proud that I have been quoted. Today, I am also very pleased to be returning to the community of Wynmouth on the blog tour.
Find out more in the blurb and my review below…

Blurb

Summer is in full swing when Daisy drives back into Wynmouth in her almost-clapped-out car, having left both her most recent job and the man her parents thought she was going to marry. Coming home could be just what she needs to move her life on.

At Wynbrook Manor, things are in disarray. Owner Algy isn’t getting any younger, and Daisy’s mum Janet, housekeeper at the manor, spends her days running around after him, while Daisy’s dad Robin, the gardener, has been let down by the person he had lined up to take care of the new cut-flower garden.

As Daisy tries to find her place at Wynbrook and in the village, she’s drawn to summer visitor Josh. But when he turns out to be not the person he appears to be, will the spark between them fizzle out? And with it, the chances of this turning into the best summer ever?

Review

Wynmouth is a community of people who I like very much to return to time and time again. There are always new people and new things to discover about it.

The opening lines instantly make you think of warm, summery days. Heidi Swain has a knack of placing you right there at the scene and making you feel everything. Whether you’ve had a great week or a week you’re pleased to see the end of, this book helps to ease the mind and take you to the warm, balmy carefree days of summer.

Daisy is looking to change her life and has returned to Wynmouth in the hope that this will help her to do so. There’s a realism in the carving out of the character Daisy that is relatable and other readers I am sure will find, either all or elements of relatability too. She’s never quite found her place in life, no matter what she does or how much she tries, whether its in employment or relationships. You get a sense of how challenging for the soul, life can be. Even at home, when she returns to Wynbrook Manor, she doesn’t slip in as she had hoped because there are many stressful factors occurring within her parents lives. It gives a real baseline of how trying to change life circumstances isn’t always as easy as you’d imagine.
Fortunately for Daisy, things do slowly turn around and you see her develop a sense of place and see old friends. It warms the heart as life begins to even out somewhat, until there’s more trouble. She meets Josh and there’s a spark, but there’s so much to find out about him that makes you wonder if things could go any further with this visitor because not all is what it seems, deep under the surface. It makes you wonder how it can be the best summer ever. You’ll need to read the book to find out.
The twists and turns of life appear compellingly well-written and immersive in Best Summer Ever.

Best Summer Ever lightens the heart with the warmth of sun, community and romance.

#Review by Lou of The Last Weekend by Hannah Begbie @hannahbegbie @harperfiction @harpercollinsuk @RandomTTours #Blogtour

The Last Weekend
By Hannah Begbie

Review written by Louise Cannon

It’s the weekend and where better to start it with a brand new book called The Last Weekend. It’s a good one for book clubs or just chilling out with after a busy week.
Today, I am on the final stop on the Random T. Tours blog tour with a review.

Blurb

Four women

Annie has brought her three best friends and their families together for a long weekend away in a gorgeous seaside Airbnb. It should be idyllic – sun, sea, sand, cocktails and laughter.

One shocking secret

But below the surface, none of these friendships are quite what they seem. And Annie has a secret – and an earth-shattering favour to ask of one of her friends.

A life-changing decision

As the idyllic weekend goes sour – arguments, grudges and a boat trip that goes awry – Annie must make her devastating decision – and change everyone’s lives, forever.

Review

Annie really wants the weekend get together to happen, even more than her friends whom she wants to join, but they all unite and go on their adventure to Dorset.

You get a real feel for the characters and their ups and downs, including disappointments career-wise and in ambitions as well as ageing parents. They have each other though and that’s what matters…. perhaps?
Not all goes swimmingly and tensions rise to the surface as this holiday doesn’t go quite as smoothly nor as idyllically as Annie had imagined.

The complexities of the relationships and challenges of being in such close proximity that become increasingly present creates some twists, making it compelling reading. It’s an interesting exploration of friendships and how they relate to each other and are in their personal lives.

Annie’s news really shakes things up and creates a desire to know how it ends and what, if anything is intact.

#Review By Lou of Under A Riviera Moon By Helen McGinn @knackeredmutha @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources #UnderARivieraMoon

Under A Riviera Moon
By Helen McGinn

Review by Louise Cannon (Lou)

Under A Riviera Moon is the second book I have read by Helen McGinn and after sinking rather nicely into the previous one, The Island of Dreams, I was delighted to review another for the blog tour. Under A Riviera Moon is Helen McGinn’s 5th stand-alone book.

Below you’ll find more about the book in the blurb, my review and a bit about the author who also knows her stuff when it comes to wine in the Saturday Kitchen.
What’s more is the book is perfect for fans of Carol Kirkwood, Karen Swan and Erica James.

Blurb

The BRAND NEW read from Saturday Kitchen’s Helen McGinn

When a heartsick Maggie is sent on an errand by her mother to Cannes, she is keen to get it over with as quickly as possible.

She has been tasked with collecting a treasured box of photos from her late grandmother Elizabeth’s best friend, the impossibly glamorous Allegra Morgon who is desperate to tell Maggie all about the year she and Elizabeth spent in Paris. The sixties were in full swing, the air hummed with jazz, artists and students made the streets their own, and the City of Love was weaving its magic. And against this backdrop, two people were beginning a love story that would last a lifetime – but be over too soon.

As Maggie hears more about Allegra’s life, first in Paris, then New York, and finally on the Riviera, she is captivated and inspired. Was life always leading Maggie to this moment, this beautiful place so she could finally learn to stop living in the past? Because if she can, then another love story for the ages might just be within her reach…

Review

Set in the 60’s in Paris makes Under A Riviera Moon interesting and quite different. Helen McGinn paints a picture with words, so you can visualise the places her characters go and hear the jazz music playing. It’s all rather immersive.

Spanning 3 generations, there is a lot of life about the place as well as love and loss.
In the present day, there is Maggie who has got a lot on her plate. She’s divorced and there are uncertainties surrounding her career. She takes a trip to Scotland and this unexpectedly sends her to France to collect her grandmother’s belongings from Allegra, her grandmother’s friend. This in turn leads to a fascinating look into Allegra’s life and more importantly, Maggie’s grandmother’s whom it would seem she didn’t know much about at all in her younger days.

Under A Riviera Moon is captivating and fascinating reading about what was happening in 60’s France. With rich threads within the plot in an interesting time and setting, Under A Riviera Moon is a great holiday or wet weather read to lose yourself into for some escapism.

About the Author

Helen McGinn is a wine writer & broadcaster, international wine judge and author of the award-winning Knackered Mother’s Wine Guide book and blog. She spent almost a decade sourcing wines around the world as a supermarket buyer and now appears regularly on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen and ITV’s This Morning as their wine expert. She writes about drinks for Waitrose Food Magazine among others and awards include Fortnum & Mason’s Online Drink Writer of the Year.
Her bestselling debut novel This Changes Everything was published in February 2021 and her second fiction book In Just One Day later that same year. This Is Us, her third novel, was released in September 2022 and her fourth, The Island of Dreams, in February 2024. Her latest book, Under A Riviera Moon, is published in April 2025.

#Review by Lou of An Almost A Perfect Summer By Jill Mansell @JillMansell @headlinepg @RandomTTours #AnAlmostPerfectSummer #BookRecommendation

An Almost A Perfect Summer
By Jill Mansell

Jill Mansell’s books create the right atmosphere, warmth and some great humour. Almost A Perfect Summer is her latest stand-alone book. Find out more in the blurb and what I thought about it in my review below:

The heartwarming, brand-new novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Jill Mansell*

Nick is the most intriguing man Nella has met in a while. He’s a 9 in the looks department (no one gets a 10), he makes her laugh, and he keeps her company when she ends up in A&E. But they live hundreds of miles apart.

Then Nella loses her job. There’s a perfect role on offer at a Cotswolds holiday retreat. The catch is that her boss would be Nick. And that makes Nick the one man she can’t risk falling in love with.

While Nella struggles with her feelings, a Hollywood star has found a haven at the retreat. Lizzie’s sworn off people – especially men – until her friendly new neighbours entice her out of her shell. Maybe she needs a flirtation – with gorgeous Nick, perhaps? Not with taciturn local Matthew, though, who definitely isn’t a member of her fan club.

Then an astonishing secret revealed changes everything . . .
The scene is set for a fabulous new novel full of friendship, warmth and romance.

Review

First page read and hooked in! Nella has a rather unfortunate time of things. She is in the Cotswolds and lands herself in hospital, where she meets Nick. Things look up, he’s quite the caring type as he ensures she makes it safely back to Manchester, but she receives the bad news that she’s lost her job. Things then look up when Nick takes real interest and gives her a concierge job within his luxury holiday home complex.
Nella’s life is a bit like the game unfortunately/fortunately playing out in someone’s life and it’s written brilliantly. She’s easy to be captivated by and want something fabulous to happen for her.

Lizzie is another main character in the plot who crosses paths with Nick. She’s sworn off men and is needing somewhere to write a book. She’s an intriguing character.
A few others enter the scene who it’s also fascinating to find out how their lives develop. There’s so much to discover.

An Almost A Perfect Summer is full of friendship, romance and intrigue that captivates until the end.

An Almost A Perfect Summer is beautifully written with each page drawing you in deeper into the zen of reading.

Buy Links:

Waterstones WH Smith

My Top 16 Fiction Books of various genres of 2024 By Lou #BookReviews #ReadingCommunity #BookTwitter #Thrillers #RomanticFiction #LiteraryFiction

First of all, I, Louise Cannon wish you all a good New Year! Thank you so much for reading my blog and sharing my posts onto your social media. It’s much appreciated!

Whittling down lots of books is a challenge, but here are 16 of my best fictional reads of many genres of 2024. Each link will open in a new tab so you can navigate back here as you please with ease. Below this list you will find a link to a previous blog post about my 5 top non-fiction/memoirs to read.

The Teacher By Tim

The Headmaster isn’t liked by many others. When a body is discovered, in comes DS Cross and his team to uncover what becomes a search for motive and there’s plenty of suspicion to get stuck into.
Tim Sullivan mixes mystery and humour very well.
If you liked Ludwig on tv, you’ll enjoy this.
This is part of a series that can be read as a standalone.
2025 will see the next book – The Bookseller.

Discover the blurb and full review here: The Teacher

An Ideal Husband By Erica James

Louisa’s needing to carve out a new life. An Ideal Husband shows that everything can seem just fine and could well last forever, but sometimes secrets can be concealed very well… There are compelling twists and turns to this refreshing romance that tackles a bit of a disaster in life that isn’t often talked about…

Discover the blurb and my review here: An Ideal Husband

The Wedding of the Year

Expect the unexpected with cracks, bumps and twists in the road. Is it the wedding it’s cracked up to be? The Wedding of the Year becomes quite the page-turner as characters, refreshingly tell of their not so easy-flowing romances.

Discover the blurb and review here: The Wedding of the Year

Beautiful People by Amanda Jennings

Beauty on the outside doesn’t always mean beauty on the inside. Riches don’t always buy the perfect life are perhaps the takeaways from this psychological thriller. Victoria escapes her broken home for university life where she meets people who can open new doors for her. The very people who she thought were “Beautiful People” aren’t all they first seem in this darkly twisted psychological thriller that takes you into moments where you may well be holding your breath…

Discover the blurb and full review here: Beautiful People

Edge of The Land by Malcolm Hollingdrake

Part of the Merseyside crime series, this particular book is darkly compelling, set around the docklands and the famous Liverbird building. It can also be read as a standalone. How did an 8 year old turn to being a petty criminal and later fall foul with a drugs gang? Why are homeless people suddenly being murdered? Detective Inspector April Decent and Detective Sergeant Skeeter Warlock have tricky puzzles to unravel to uncover the serial killer.

Discover the blurb and review here: Edge Of The Land

True Love By Paddy Crewe

Set in the 1980’s Finn and Keely are growing up in the north east of England and life is hard in this gritty book of tragedy, yet also shows edges of romantic, agape, unconditional love. With characters to root for, it’s an immersive read.

Discover the blurb and review here: True Love

The Beaver Theory By Antti Tuomainen

Antti Tuomainen writes Scandi Noir with humour. The last in the trilogy that began with The Rabbit Factor, Henri Koskinen, the quirky mathematician who is the last person you’d think would own the theme park “YouMeFun” notices an unscrupulous rival is at play. Things get rather messier when there’s a death and soon after, the body count increases. The series is one of the most entertaining Scandi Noir I’ve ever seen.

Discover the blurb and review here: The Beaver Theory

Home for Christmas By Heidi Swain

This is the most festive book ever, ever! Heidi Swain takes people back to her community in Wynbridge and she weaved everything that is heartwarming and festive into a book to cosy up with.

Discover the blurb and review here: Home For Christmas

The Night In Question By Susan Fletcher

Florence Butterfield, an octogenarian with a colourful past. She was quite the adventurer and now is an amputee in a care home. The thing is, there’s a lot more sinister things than just care that’s going on…

Discover the blurb and review here: The Night In Question

The Island of Dreams by Helen McGinn
Meet Martha, she’s won a holiday to Paxos and is daunted by going it alone. Along with challenges, she also meets a rather welcoming community. McGinn gives a great sense of place and draws you into everyone’s personalities.

Discover the blurb and my review here: Island of Dreams

One of Us Is Dead By Peter James

One of Us Is Dead is part of the successful Grace series that you may have also seen on TV. This is the latest book. It can be read as standalone too.

A Dopple-ganger, a strange figure at a funeral of someone who’s supposed to be dead, all woven into a gripping case.

Discover the blurb and review here: One of Us Is Dead

The Guests By Nikki Smith

Sink into the luxury of the Maldives, feel the sand and sun on your skin. All isn’t all it seems in one of the resorts where secrets lie and the psyche of human nature truly comes through.

Discover more in the blurb and review here:
The Guests

This Motherless Land by Nikki May

A retelling of Mansfield Park, set between 1986 and 1992, retellings aren’t normally my thing, but this book was one piqued my interest by the author of WAHALA.

Eavesdrop on conversations and have fun with pop culture as well as having a feel of the original book by Jane Austen, it’s cleverly written with humour.
Discover more in the blurb and review here This Motherless Land

Gone To Pieces by Rachel Cosyns

A spider spinning a web like a labyrinth is cleverly how Gone To Pieces begins. It’s thought-provoking as it sets the story up to show human life, the web of connections and home as well as demonstrating the fragility of life.
Follow Rebecca into places people don’t always get to see…
Check out the blurb and review here: Gone To Pieces

Geneva By Richard Armitage

It’s easy to feel trapped and desire a good facility such as the carehome in Geneva.
The emotions and tensions build as does something rather sinister.
I’ve also included a link within the full review to a write-up of a talk Richard Armitage gave in the autumn of 2024.

Discover blurb, review, talk here: Geneva

Her Deadly Friend By Rachel Sargeant

It’s a thought-provoking thriller that makes you wonder how you’d feel if you suspected someone you knew of murder and may also destroy your life!

Discover the blurb and review here: Her Deadly Friend

See here for my top 5 Memoirs/Autobiographies:
Memoirs