#Review By Lou of Break Point by Yarah St. John #YahrahStJohn #AfterglowBooks #MillsAndBoon #BreakPoint #Tennis #Sport #RomanticFiction #Book

Break Point
By Yahrah St. John

Break Point is a tennis, second chance romance that’s entertaining. Perhaps, thinking about it, playing tennis against an ex would up the anti and determination to beat them. Check out the blurb and my review below.

Blurb

Falling in love cost Teagan her heart and a pro tennis career. But when her rival returns, they’ve got one last chance for a rematch…if they can keep the game on the court!
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Playing against your ex takes a lot of balls!

Teagan Williams knows how to take a loss – especially a big one. After the spectacular collapse of her tennis career and her romantic relationship, she put down her racket, picked herself up and started her life over. But now, Teagan’s considering competing in her country club’s tournament. What’s the worst that could happen?

Dominic Fletcher gave up everything for tennis, and now he’s a star. So why isn’t he content? It’s not until he attends a charity tennis tournament that he understands why. His ex.

Teagan and Dominic are taking their differences out on the court – and off. Because despite their past, their chemistry sparks hotter than ever. But getting a chance to even the score is one thing. Playing to win is an entirely different game…

Review

Break Point is a fun book to read and it would take guts to play against your ex and there are certainly differences to settle and sparks that fly on and off the court.

Teagan is a strong, independent woman in how she started over in life and carried on after romance had failed. When she meets her ex, Dominic Fletcher life gets a bit more competitive and interesting for the reader to observe.

Both of their lives are interesting to follow, although didn’t always grab me in its entirety as it washes over, but little sticks, however, what was fascinating was the fact it was a tennis story and I’ve not seen many of those around in the fictional genre (could just be me though). So for something different, this could be a nice read. It is a nice story to settle down to after a busy day.

#Review By Lou of While We’re Young By K.L. Walther @kl_walther #UltimateBlogTour @The_WriteReads #YA #Romance #Romcom #BlogTour

While We’re Young
By K.L. Walther

While We’re Young is a road trip for young adults. What will they get up to on their journey? Will the friendship still be intact at the end and what about the messy romance? This is a book to dive into for pure escapism.
This is a new contemporary romance from the NYT bestselling author of Tik-Tok sensation, The Summer of Broken Rules, K.L. Walther.

Check out the blurb below and my full review, which I bring to you as part of The Write Reads blog tour.

Blurb

Grace, Isa, and Everett used to be an inseparable trio before their love lives became a tangled mess. For starters, Grace is secretly in love with Everett, who used to go out with Isa before breaking her heart in the infamous Freshman Year Fracture. And, oh yeah, no one knows that Isa has been hanging out with James, Grace’s brother—and if Grace finds out, it could ruin their friendship.

With graduation fast approaching, Grace decides an unsanctioned senior skip day in Philadelphia might be just what they need to fix things. All she has to do is convince Isa to help her kidnap Everett and outmaneuver James, who’s certain his sister is up to something.

In an epic day that includes racing up the famous Rocky steps, taste-testing Philly’s finest cheesesteaks, and even crashing a wedding, their secrets are bound to collide. But can their hearts withstand the wreckage?

Four friends. One day off. A whole heap of trouble – this is the perfect love story for readers to escape with this summer and ticks all the boxes for fans of Carley Fortune, Lynn Painter and Emily Henry.

Review

Escapism is just a turn of the page away… It’s light-hearted with friendships, romance and absolute mischief and trouble. With secret love and emotions kept hidden and friendships that become entangled amongst this, it does somewhat pose the questions, how it could end and how messy are things going to get on this adventure?

The pace is quite good and nothing seems over-explained to ruin this, but the setting is nicely written to absorb you into it. There’s some humour and fun throughout the book with the many antics that go on between the friends. With each step into different plans comes just more hi-jinks. It makes a good young adult book that brings laughs with enough to also pull you into wondering what can possibly happen next.
There are also dreams and aspirations with certain lifestyles to explore as well as this next stage in life that the friends try to navigate.

While We’re Young is enough to capture readers to take them to another place for a little while. It’s a book that’s relaxing to ease the cares of the day away into one nice read.

#Review by Lou of Mousey Mornings by Fiona Lowry @FionaLowry9 #PictureBook #KidsBook #MouseyMornings

Mousey Mornings
By Fiona Lowry

Review written by Louise (Lou) Bookmarks and Stages

Mousey Mornings is a cute, cosy picture book with lots of pictures, a story without too much cheese and can also be used for useful discussions.

Blurb

Discover the cozy, hidden world beneath the stairs with Melvin and Zara.

Melvin is a brilliant little chef who loves to whip up delicious treats for his best friend, Zara. But when Melvin’s whiskers droop from exhaustion, Zara realizes it’s time to step up and lend a paw.

Through teamwork, kindness, and a sprinkle of determination, the two friends embark on a heartwarming journey to rediscover what makes their friendship so special.

Perfect for young readers, Mousey Mornings is a delightful tale about the importance of helping one another, sharing responsibilities, and the magic of lasting friendship.

Join Melvin and Zara as they learn that the best recipes aren’t just for food—they’re for friendship, too!

Review

There’s a whole mousey world to have fun exploring. Young readers join Melvin and Zara in this cosy story about friendship and teamwork.

It’s a book that can be related to human households. Melvin is exhausted after always doing nice things like creating treats for his friend Zara, who doesn’t really do a lot back. She then realises just how tired he’s becoming after working hard and decides it’s time for her to give him a hand (paw) out. The friends then realise how valuable their friendship is and even more so when they work as part of a team.

Mousey Mornings is nicely illustrated and is great for reading alone or aloud. It’s a lovely bedtime story.
It’s also great for opening up discussions as part of a family or in an educational setting.

Review By Lou of Pure Evil By Lynda La Plante @LaPlanteLynda @BonnierBooks #JackWarrSeries #CrimeFiction #PureEvil #CompulsiveReaders #BlogTour

Pure Evil
By Lynda La Plante

Review by Louise (Lou) Bookmarks and Stages

Vanished is book 4 in what has been an incredibly good series so far. Jack Warr is definitely different from your usual detective in the way he conducts and goes about solving murders. It’s a rather juicy, compelling series that truly is worth following. It doesn’t stop at book 4. There is a 5th book on its way soon.
Find out more in the blurb and my review below…

Blurb

AN UNTHINKABLE CRIME.
A DETECTIVE UNDER SUSPICION.
A KILLER RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES.

It was supposed to be a simple case: a young man arrested for armed assault.

But it was just the beginning.

As Rodney Middleton awaits trial, Detective Jack Warr is warned by his mentor DCI Ridley that they have only scratched the surface of the man’s crimes.

Then DCI Ridley is suddenly removed from his post. No one is to contact him – and no one will say why.

As Warr digs into Middleton’s past, Ridley calls pleading for help, now accused of a murder he insists he didn’t commit.

To catch a monster and exonerate his friend, Warr must weed out the lies. But what awaits Warr if he uncovers the truth?

Review

Lynda La Plante knows how to intrigue readers by not just the twists, but by posing questions in readers minds. When DCI Ridley is mysteriously removed from his post, of course you want to know why and what happened.
As Jack Warr does some digging around, you want to know what will be uncovered as questions of what the truth could be enters the mind.
This is masterful and accomplished writing!

There’s lots to uncover when it comes to Rodney Middleton that makes for deep, dark, intriguing reading.

The more you delve into this book, the more complex, what seems simple, becomes darker and what transpires from that is an unputdownable read.

#Review By Lou of Emily Was SO Embarrassed. Tales From The Craft Box by Michelle Olson #ChildrensBook #kidsbooks #readingforpleasure #EmotionsForKids #Parents #Caregivers #Family

Emily Was SO Embarrassed
Tales From the Craft Box
By Michelle Olson

Delve into the craft box and discover the buttons who come out to play and who have very human emotions and fun doing what children do. Can they overcome an obstacle?
Thanks to Michelle Olson, I have the blurb and I’ve written a review, which you can see below.

Blurb

Emily has a big secret… and she’s tied in knots about it!

Emily LOVES dancing with her ribbon-it’s her favorite thing in the whole world! But there’s one problem: she’s SO worried about messing up that she’s never danced in front of anyone. Not even her best friend, Becky.

So when Becky asks her to perform in the annual talent show, Emily panics. Will she let her nerves get the best of her? Or will Emily find the courage to twirl, leap, and sparkle her way into the spotlight to help her friend?

With plenty of laughs and lots of heart, Emily Was SO Embarrassed is a joyful story about bravery, determination, and discovering that even the biggest stage fright can’t outshine the power of true friendship.

Review

Let’s start with that cover. It is absolutely eye-catching and almost tangibly 3D. It reminds me of a children’s tv programme, I can’t remember which one, but it has a similar quality in that it looks less cartoon-like and more 3D like in a way. The rest of the book follows this same formula in eye-catching story-telling through pictures. There is text too, just a little on each page.

Emily likes to dance and it’s fun how this button from the craft box has fun twirling and zig-zagging her ribbon all around. There are other buttons she is friendly with who encourage her to dance in a talent contest.
The book realistically deals with the feelings that some children have when they are good enough to perform, but feel all anxious about things going wrong and feel embarrassed when all isn’t quite perfect.

Emily was SO Embarrassed has warmth, energy and fun throughout a nice, short story written with great pacing as it moves from scene to scene. It’s written in a positive, fun way that has a short burst of trepidation, real emotions, friendship and how with a bit of determination and encouragement, you can pick yourself up and keep going with whatever you’re doing.

#Review By Lou of Vanished By Lynda La Plante @LaPlanteLynda @BonnierBooks_UK #DCJackWarr #CrimeFiction #Vanished #CompulsiveReaders #BlogTour

Vanished
By Lynda La Plante

Review by Louise Cannon – (Lou) – Bookmarks and Stages

Vanished is the 3rd book in the Jack Warr series. I am pleased to be on the blogathon/blog tour for this entire series. Even more excitedly, there is a brand new 5th book in this excellent series, coming soon. Today I have a review on Vanished below.

Blurb

When an eccentric elderly widow claims she is being stalked, Detective Jack Warr is the only person willing to dig into the truth behind her wild claims.

Jack soon finds himself embroiled in an international drugs operation, art theft – and a murder investigation. On the back foot throughout, he is forced to play second fiddle to the Drug Squad, confront an old adversary, and even fight off accusations of assault.

But Jack believes that every aspect of this multi-faceted case is simply a distraction from the one person who lies at the heart of it all – the widow’s elusive stalker. Find him, and the truth will come out…

Review

The quality of the writing is excellent. As soon as you open the first page, you start to get to know who Avril is. She’s an intriguing person with more than just being eccentric going on, but it has meant that people haven’t always believed her claims at what’s going on, until Detective Jack Warr’s involvement…
It’s entertaining and interesting reading about Avril. There’s quite a feistiness about her and evolving and developing eccentricities, which draws you in and she grows on Jack.

The book gets off to a fast-paced start with trepidation and high-stake danger, instantly hooking you in.

Things get rather nasty and Jack Warr becomes determined to solve, what becomes a rather more complex case than you’d initially think, with the murder, a drugs operation and an art theft. Amongst it all, personal life also goes on, which creates such a rounded view of everyone, there’s even a wedding…

There’s much to read about in this thriller. It’s all written succinctly, making each part easy to follow and be gripped by.

Detective Jack Warr is one to follow. His story is a gripping one and the cases he gets involved in are thrillers that are very compelling to read.