#Review By Lou of Same Time Next Week By Milly Johnson @millyjohnson @BookMinxSJV #TeamBATC #RespectRomFic #sametimenextweek

Same Time Next Week
By Milly Johnson

Milly Johnson has now written her next heart-warming, feel-good book that is easy to be drawn into the lives of the people who inhabit it and meet up once a week over something warming, even through the complexities of life.
Same Time Next Week and The Mother Of All Christmases just might be my favourite books by Milly Johnson so far.
Thanks to Books and the City/Simon & Schuster, I am on the blog tour for Same Time Next Week with a review, that follows the cover pic and blurb…
a bit late due to an on-going cat health thing going on that I’m dealing with…
Same Time Next Week publishes on 27th Feb 2025. Take a look below to find out more…

Blurb

Welcome to Spring Hill, home to a square of independent shops and cafes, a thriving local community and nearby the newest venture, Ray’s Diner. Here a group of women meet once a week over a cup of something warming.

Amanda is primary carer to her elderly mother and one of the only women in a male-dominated company. Used to being second-best all her life, is this her time to finally break ranks and shine?

Sky works at the repair shop, patching up old teddy bears, and their owners’ hearts. But her heart beats for the one man who is strictly off-limits.

Mel has been a loyal and loving wife to Steve for thirty years. Then when he goes to his old school reunion, life as she knows it will never be the same again.

Erin is trying to get over a traumatic loss where her guilt weighs more than her grief. Can she find the first step to healing lies in sharing an hour with strangers once a week?

Astrid is feeling in need of a change and a challenge. But when a fantastic opportunity presents itself, who is around to convince her she is worthy enough to take the risk?

Can these women find the answers to their worries, acceptance, courage, support here? Join them at the same time next week to find out…

Review

Milly Johnson’s five characters, Amanda, Sky, Mel, Erin and Astrid are a wonderfully interesting bunch to get wrapped up into their lives.
Ray’s American style Diner becomes a meet up place for women to have a chat.

Amanda really captured my attention, even when I saw her segment in the blurb because I am also a carer to my mum and have been for over 20 years and counting… She’s on HRT (I’m no where near that age, but its good to read about what seems like the eventual inevitable). You’ll need to read the book to see if its working out for her as she deals with her lot in life.

It’s really fun reading about reunions, such as posh Joss who drives a Porsche and Mel when they rock up at a garden centre…

Chloe Clitheroe is something else and things are about to get messy! It may have readers seeing her name through dagger shot eyes…

You’ll find out about an all ages welcome Friendship Club too, which sounds a delightfully interesting concept.

When it comes to Erin, you can really root for her and feel for her and hope that life turns a corner and things pick up for her.

Sky makes you think of the clever people at The Repair Shop. It’s rather sweet that she uses her skills for mending teddy bears and warms the heart. You can really feel the bittersweetness of her story.

There are twists and turns as you read along, just as life doesn’t go in a straight line. Milly Johnson has the art of writing about heart-warming scenarios and ideas, pricking them with a whole spectrum of emotions. She writes about people who are relatable and makes it all feel as though it could all be tangibly real.

#Review By Lou of The Mongoose and the Cobra by David Jarvis @David_Jarvis_ @HobeckBooks #BlogTour #CrimeFiction #MikeKingdomSeries #BookRecommendations

The Mongoose and the Cobra
By David Jarvis

The Mongoose and the Cobra is the latest exciting instalment of the Mike Kingdom series. Today I am on the blog tour with a review, which you can read after the blurb.

Blurb

The cost of wealth and power
Valentina Ortiz, the largest political donor in the USA, has made many enemies. That’s made her overprotective of her two sons: her youngest, Chuck, is working under a false name as an analyst for the CIA in London, and the eldest, Diego, never leaves her side as she directs her global business empire.

A mother’s worst nightmare
When Chuck fails to turn up for work in London, the alarm is raised. But when Diego is kidnapped in Switzerland, Valentina faces a mother’s worst nightmare. Desperate about the fate of her sons, she’ll stop at nothing to save them. The US President’s chief of staff is soon pressuring Leonard de Vries, the CIA director in London: “Find Chuck and get him somewhere safe – real safe.”

A mission for Mike
Leonard De Vries turns to the one asset he truly trusts, analyst Michaela ‘Mike’ Kingdom, who was the last person to see Chuck alive when he turned up unannounced at her woodland home in Oxfordshire. Why was he convinced his life was in danger? And what did he mean when he announced he was “going to see the tulips”? The search for an answer to that riddle will propel Mike on a frightening and life-changing journey.

Review

Valentina Ortiz is a very overprotective mother. She also has a lot of money, so much that she donates substantial amounts in the US for political activities. Even the most over-protective parent can’t always protect their offspring from danger.
It becomes another case for Leonard De Vries and Mike Kingdom, whom we also follow their working relationship, trust and friendship develop as well as how they solve cases.

There’s much food for thought when it comes to undersea cables given global issues as illustrated within the plot. In lovely, interesting settings, there’s also lots of geo-political issues that come to the fore. There is also a subplot involving drugs, it remains more in the background for quite a while, but it gets its shocking turn of coming to the fore later on.

It’s another compelling, fast-paced case to solve with strange goings on regarding Chuck and certain unusual things he says at a cabin that could be clues. There are plenty of riddles and dots to join before reaching the last page.

In a tightly written plot with an explosive conclusion, this is one not to miss!

#Review By Lou of The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam By Robert Ferguson #RobertFerguson @leamingtonbooks #TheIntrepidStepsOfJohnRuffam along with info about #SpiritAid #Charity founded by #DavidHayman #Bookish #BooksWorthReading

The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam
By Robert Ferguson

Cover pic showing Scott’s Monument, Edinburgh

Walk up the steps to Sir Water Scott’s Monument and immerse yourself in the intrepid steps of John Ruffam, along the way, discover just how powerful art is. Life an culture and more… are linked together in this novella that packs a punch. It’s great for if you like Life-stories, Edinburgh, Art, Triumph Over Adversity and perfect for Reading Groups.

Find out more below in the blurb and then my full review below. The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam by Robert Ferguson is a book you won’t want to miss nor underestimate in its storytelling nor in just how far-reaching it is.

Before I move on, I’d like to make you aware of something amazing happening.
This book is raising money is supporting Spirit Aid. A charity founded by famous actor David Hayman, currently starring in Death of A Salesman in UK theatres and has been most recently on tv in The Paradise and Taboo. Spirit Aid reaches out to vulnerable children in need across Scotland and abroad to provide vital resources. You can check out more after my review more about the charity. I also have a link for how you can buy The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam by Robert Ferguson.

Blurb

The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam is a deeply introspective novella that follows the extraordinary life of John Ruffam.

From a young age, John’s passion for art and his connection to the past shaped his journey of self-discovery and resistance, growing up in foster homes, enduring physical and mental abuse, and finding solace in his artistic pursuit.

The narrative weaves together historical connections, karmic balancing, and a unique bond with painted figures from the past.

John’s encounters with Edinburgh’s gothic Scott Monument become symbolic of his search for identity and meaning.

When John is injured in a war, losing his legs, his resilience shines through as he learns to walk again with prosthetic limbs. His near-death experience reveals a vision of his loved ones, urging him to take the steps towards his destiny.

The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novella that explores themes of strength, self-discovery, and the power of art.

Review

From the very beginning, The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam is intriguingly thought-provoking and starts to become an immersive read, before becoming increasingly deeply immersive as the story goes on.

It is said there are seven stages in the art process:
Inspiration, establishing, Uncertainty, Gauge, Sophistication, Achievement, Judgement.

These are all cleverly broken down into chapter headings and weave in and out of the story, linking all to the main character, John Ruffam’s life. It’s ingenious how the threads all intermingle and weave together making a fascinating and intriguing plot.

Each chapter begins with an insightful sentence about the process of art, indicating the book is well-researched and a lot of thought put into it to then have it link to the rest of the plot.

It starts with a young woman’s waters breaking at the National Art Gallery in Edinburgh and becomes emotional from there, with certain events happening.
The author shows something good can happen from something sad. The Scott Monument becomes quite the focus for John Ruffam, so much so that he goes to Princes Street Gardens and draws it and his work gets noticed at the age of 10 years old. Just when all is having a warm feeling of positivity, tragedy strikes again, creating an immense twist, this time to John Ruffam not long after he’s joined the army in his teenage years. What happens to him next is life changing. This period is written with respect, sensitivity and skill. It gives the reader increasing hope for his life through immense struggle and small wins and a whole lot of determination to keep living, keep going and do life to reach your goals.
The end of the book is equally thought-provoking and heartfelt, showing just how influential and inspirational art is. Whether its Rembrandt, like in the story who you admire or someone else, there’s no getting away from the power of it.

The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam mixes what’s real and what’s fictional into a compelling story that may well stay with you.

Buy Link and About the Author Link

You can get your copy of The Intrepid Steps of John Ruffam here: Amazon
You can find out more about the author here: Alloa Advertiser Interview

More About The Charity – Spirit Aid

You can find out more about Spirit Aid, headed up by David Hayman in the link below. He runs operations in Scotland (it’s heart), Palestine, Afghanistan and Malawi. The charity works to make a difference to those people’s lives affected by poverty, neglect, abuse, lack of opportunity, humanitarian crisis, war by clicking into the official website: Spirit Aid
Feel free to donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/SpiritAidLimited

#Review of Judas Horse By Lynda La Plante @LaPlanteLynda @ZaffreBooks #DCJackWarr #CrimeFiction #CompulsiveReaders #BlogTour

Judas Horse
By Lynda La Plante

Judas Horse is book 2 of the gripping DC Jack Warr series. Discover what the Judas Horse means and what it entails.
This is also my second review of the blogathon, set up by Compulsive Readers blog tours and Lynda La Plante.
Find out more in the blurb and my opinions in my review and how you can read this too, below.

SOME KILLERS CAN’T BE TAMED . . .

‘Do you know what a Judas Horse is? When the wild mustangs are running free, you corral one and train it. When he’s ready, you release him and he’ll bring his team back into the corral – like Judas betraying them…’

Violent burglars have been terrorising residents across the English countryside. But when a mutilated body is discovered in a Cotswolds house, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary group of opportunist thieves.

As Detective Jack Warr investigates, he discovers locals with dark secrets, unearths hidden crimes – and hits countless dead ends. With few leads and the violent attacks escalating, he will have to act as audaciously as the criminals if he hopes to stop them.

When Warr meets Charlotte Miles, a terrified woman with links to the group, he must use her to lure the unsuspecting killers into one last job, and into his trap. But with the law already stretched to breaking point, any failure will be on Warr’s head – and any more blood spilled, on his hands…

Review

Judas Horse is as dark as betrayal is and it’s terrifying a community.
Jack Warr is grappling parenthood, family life in general and being in a new place where, in a way he’s still getting into the swing of things as it were. He relishes a new case that crops up. Burglaries aren’t all they seem in wealthy estates. Violence is soon afoot and there’s more to it all than meets the eye, which sends readers into twists and turns that are complex and compelling.

Judas Horse in some ways is a bit of a slow burn, but it does bring out the Cotswolds setting rather beautifully and gives a huge sense of place in the beautiful descriptive writing. It sets off the darkness of criminal activity nicely, that then takes prominence.

Jack Warr is an intriguing character who isn’t afraid to go a bit off piste and not work fully as a team, which makes him intriguing because you don’t quite always know what direction he’s going to take to try to solve the case.

#Review By Lou of Buried – Book 1 of the Jack Warr Series By Lynda La Plante @LaPlanteLynda @ZaffreBooks #DCJackWarr #CrimeFiction #CompulsiveReaders #BlogTour

Buried
By Lynda La Plante

I am pleased to be back on the blog tour for books by Lynda La Plante, previously I was reading and reviewing all of the Tennison series. This time I’ve been reading and reviewing the Detective Constable Jack Warr series.
I will be reviewing 4 books and then the hotly anticipated 5th when it’s made available.

SOME THINGS SHOULD REMAIN BURIED . . .

DC Jack Warr and his girlfriend Maggie have just moved to London to start a new life together. Though charming, Jack can’t seem to find his place in the world – until he’s drawn into an investigation that turns his life upside down.

In the aftermath of a fire at an isolated cottage, a badly charred body is discovered, along with the burnt remains of millions of stolen, untraceable bank notes.

Jack’s search leads him deep into a murky criminal underworld – a world he finds himself surprisingly good at navigating. But as the line of the law becomes blurred, how far will Jack go to find the answers – and what will it cost him?

In BURIED, it’s time to meet DC Jack Warr as he digs up the deadly secrets of the past . . .

Review

Buried is a great beginning to a series. You start to really get to know Jack Warr in a way that makes you want to know him more. He has a girlfriend, Maggie, whom he truly loves and they’re trying to find how they fit into their ‘new life’ in London. This makes them interesting characters. There’s already a profession in place and it isn’t about losing a love first, which all makes great stories, but this adds a different slant to creating a new life and feeling lost. I liked this and it felt authentic.

Buried is a clever, fully loaded title. There’s the concept of something being buried and to be uncovered in the investigation, such as a body from the cottage fire and the money from a cold case involving a train robbery, but also in DC Jack Warr’s personal life where he starts to uncover his own past as he delves into trying to uncover who his biological father is.

There’s lots to hook you into the characters with the complex personal life as well as the, sometimes, perhaps unorthodox methods of working within the case in DC Warr’s professional life. There’s quite a bit of depth for readers to explore and be gripped by.

It’s a brilliant beginning of a series that I can’t wait to continue…

You can have the pleasure of discovering this series too:

Buy Links:

https://lyndalaplante.com/books/buried/

Bookshop.org

#Review by Lou of The Whitlock Close Weddings By Karen Hollis @KarenLNHollis #TheWhitlockCloseWeddings #RomanticFiction #Neighbours #ContemporaryFiction #BookSeries

The Whitlock Close Weddings
By Karen Hollis

It’s time to get all nostalgic for the year, 1982 and meet the neighbours in Whitlock Close. Feel their pain, feel the love and re-live the times of music and more… and join a wedding.
The Whitlock Close Weddings is book 2 in the series, but reads well as a stand-alone too.
Today is my stop on the blog tour and below I have the blurb and written my review.

It’s 1982 and the residents of Whitlock Close have an exciting few months ahead of them. The Lincolnshire village is looking forward to two weddings!
Former school teacher Sarah Willington is set to marry Mark Thomas, guitarist of the successful boy band The Unflappables, and no expense is being spared.
The second wedding will be a quieter one, but who exactly is Norman marrying – Nora or Mabel?
Twelve-year-old Louise has to decide about her gymnastics career, following a shocking development with her friend Jayne’s health. Plus what on earth is going on with her boyfriend Toby?
Meanwhile, there are people moving in and moving out, cats going missing and a big Christmas trip away to the new Silver Sands Holiday Camp.
It’s going to be another eventful few months for the residents of the eight semi-detached houses in Whitlock Close.

Review

You really feel like you’re discovering the neighbours as you’re introduced to them as though you’ve just moved in yourself and someone is giving all the gen on the neighbourhood. It creates a nice, cosy feel, even though some have had hardships, whereas some have made a go at things and others are settling in.

I really enjoyed discovering everyone’s life and how they fit into Whitlock Close, it’s such a realistic community feel and you can visualise it all, without it being overly descriptive. I especially enjoyed following Louise’s life from her being 12 and turning 13 and her family, friends, her love for a boy and her gymnastics.

The nostalgia is fun with the music and films, especially Boy George and Gregory’s Girl that have in some ways stood the test of time and still talked about and played/shown today, which is great, so whether you were around for them the first time around or later, you may well have heard of some of the pop cultural points mentioned and if you haven’t, it’s a fun time to start an acquaintance with this very ‘happening’ year/decade.

There is a real mix of happiness, sadness, challenging times and pop culture that creates a great story that creates the neighbourhood, Whitlock Close and an entertaining, compelling story to read.