The Same Ledge by Daniel James

This was a hard book to read, I think due to the fact that it is so close to reality and it’s so easy to slip from the paths we are on and find yourself on a downward spiral.  

Cameron and Micheal were childhood friends.  Cameron’s homelife was not a happy one.  His step-father liked to lash out a lot and his mother was not strong enough to stop the beatings that were handed out to both her and her children.  Cameron not one to take it lying down one day retaliated but his life still continued to spiral out of control.

Moving in with his girlfriend and having a new baby he finally managed to get himself a job and was looking forward to providing for his new family but his past was to catch up with him again and a prison sentence was his ultimate downfall.

Micheal came from a decent family but he wanted to spread his wings and move away from this home.  He was soon heading to University and starting his new life.  Cameron was distraught when Micheal left he felt that he was being left behind.  Cameron idolised Micheal but their friendship was never the same.

Micheal worked his way up through the world of business which provided him with an expensive lifestyle.  But, he was unhappy and soon Micheal was spiraling out of control.

Both Micheal and Cameron found themselves in a spiral of drink, drugs and depression.  Two different lifestyles.  Two different outlooks but one slippery slope.

Cameron found himself homeless and slipped further and further into despair.  No one to care and nowhere to live.  The only escape was the cheap liquor he poured into his body.  Micheal had a beautiful home, a wife and a new born son but the pressure of recreational drugs had started to take over his life and in the end he felt there was only one way to make things all better.

I really identified with these characters and although the book was emotionally difficult to read at times I thought this was a brilliant story and I look forward to reading more of this author’s work.

Many thanks to Emma Welton for my copy of this wonderful book.

Synopsis

Behind the postcard imagery of London, the darkest parts of the city house some of the saddest stories. When Michael met Cameron, they were two boys who shared a bond and a ledge, an escape from their turbulent and violent home lives. But when Michael leaves, their lives drift apart into dramatically different directions until the events of the past bring them back together. They are no longer boys, but the ledge remains. Can they save themselves? Can they save one another? This raw debut from Daniel James is a literary fiction that delves into fragile friendships, social inequality and mental health.

About the Author

Daniel James is a London born writer residing in Toronto at the release of his debut novel. Daniel draws upon his own life experiences as a Londoner to create a descriptive account of life in the city, exploring issues of inequality and the pressures on the human spirit blended naturally into one story.

Daniel uses modern day themes and explores complex issues that revolve around mental health, relationships and societal class, issues that have impacted his life in one way or another. The need to captivate and highlight these themes are the inspiration behind his writing. He hopes you connect and enjoy the story in your own way.

Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanJamesWriting Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Daniel-James-Writing-112573600438719 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniel_james_writing/

Purchase Links: Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2S2RaDd Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2EDDknx

Publishing Information:

Published in digital and paperback formats by Lulu.com on 29th May 2020

Gilding The Lily by Justine John

This was a dark and sinister story which kept me intrigued from start to finish.

We start the story at a funeral.  It’s unclear as to who’s but there is a mourner who is clearly not sorry for the death.

From there we get to know Amelia, she’s married to Jack and whilst they both live and own businesses in the UK her father has started a new life in the USA.  He has had numerous women in his life, the love of his life being Helen who tragically died and his current is Evelyn.

Evelyn’s a great character,  She is elegant, wealthy, manipulative and down right evil.  Now she has a claws into Roger she stops at nothing to drive a wedge between him and Amelia.  When Roger falls ill she makes life as difficult for Amelia as possible and makes up stories and situations to glare the bad light directly away from herself and onto the innocent party.

Jack has his suspicions as to Evelyn and his ex-police officer role allows him to start investigating and dig into her previous husbands and their untimely deaths.  Is it possible that Evelyn has a hand in Rogers failing health.

I loved the way that the author portrayed all the characters as we get to know just enough details about their previous backgrounds without detracting from the main story line. As a reader I found that I was kept guessing all the way through as to who was in the right and who was in the wrong. Was Evelyn a bad person or was it in fact Amelia who although she initially seemed nice enough had her reasons for turning against Evelyn? 

Not everything is tied up in the story and I did find there were a few loose strands that I am still trying to unravel in my mind but to me that is the perfect way to end a story. I can now make up my own as to what actually happened.

I would like to say a massive thank you to Kelly at Love Book Tours for providing a copy of this wonderful book to read and review.

Synopsis

A gripping mystery of jealousy, murder and lies.

An invitation to her estranged, wealthy father’s surprise 75th birthday party in New York sees Amelia and her husband, Jack, set off across the pond to meet a whole new world of family politics.

Amelia, now a successful businesswoman, feels guilty about never liking her father’s women, so does her upmost to give his new socialite partner, Evelyn, the benefit of the doubt. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could just all get along? But there’s something very dark, determined and dangerous about her…

When Amelia’s father, Roger, becomes ill, Jack grows suspicious that there is more to it. Amelia understands why, but no one else will believe them. They travel back to America to piece together the puzzle, but when Roger goes missing, the couple are driven to their wits’ end. It takes a DEA officer and a secret assassin to bring them answers, but the ruthless truth is something no one expected…

About the Author

After thirty years in corporate life in London, half of which was running a successful events company, I decided to take a chance to write the novel that was ‘in me’ since I was a child. Gilding the Lily is the result of this and is a domestic noir story which I hope will keep you on the edge of your chair/sofa/bed/train/plane-seat….

http://www.justinejohn.co.uk/

Purchase Links

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Echo Hall by Viginia Moffatt

I have a big weak spot for a really good family sagas and this was one of the best that I have read in a long time.  I curled up outside in the sunshine, hid from the view of my kids and devoured this book in two sittings.

The setting of Echo Hall is glorious and this old historical building is everything I hoped it would be and more.  Phoebe is paying a visit to the now tourist attraction and as she gazes around the roped off rooms she shivers and is glad that despite being born in this house she did not have to grow up in the sad old building that has housed nothing but pain and heartbreak.

The story then takes us back through the years.  We learn how her parents met, how they ended up moving to live in the house, despite her mother Ruth’s unease.  Ruth was grieving for her mother when she met Adam and a holiday romance ensued but Adam moved away and when Ruth found herself pregancy she was lost but out of the blue Adam returned to her life and they packed up and moved in with his Grandfather, the formidable Jack Flint and his housekeeper Mrs Davies. Did Adam really have an ulterior motive for marrying Ruth and bringing her to this imposing house?

Ruth struggled to accept the new way of life and the ghostly visions she encountered left her unsettled.  A room in the house was locked up and out of bounds but Ruth needed to uncover the truth.  Finding a way to get access she is intrigued with the treasures that she finds but Adam and Jack both find out about her sneaking around and they are non too happy.

However, the birth of Phoebe brings a softness to Jack and it’s not long before the history and the secrets of the family are unpicked.  The Flint family has a bleak past with secrets, lies, loss and grief at the very heart but  aside from all this is a very heartwarming tale and maybe now the ghosts of the past can be left to rest.

I loved the way this author travelled through the ages and we met the characters going back as far as World I.  Each of the era’s was written pretty much standalone but it all tied up nicely at the end.  The setting was fabulous and the author’s use of letters within the text really helped me to know the characters inside out and my heart was broken in places and joyous in others.  This book had it all. 

Many thanks for Emma Welton at damppebbles blog tours and the author for allowing me a copy of this amazing book.

Synopsis

Set against the backdrop of three wars – the 1991 Gulf War, World War 2 and World War 1 – the novel follows the fortunes of three women who become involved with the Flint family, the owners of Echo Hall.

Phoebe Flint visits Echo Hall in 2014, where she follows in her mother’s footsteps to uncover the stories of a house ‘full of unhappy women, and bitter, angry men’.

Ruth Flint arrives at Echo Hall in 1990 – newlywed, pregnant, and uncertain of her relationship with her husband, Adam. Ghostly encounters, a locked door, and a set of photographs pique her curiosity. But Adam and his grandfather refuse to let her investigate. And her marriage is further strained, when Adam, a reservist, is called up to fight in the Gulf War.

In 1942, Elsie Flint is already living at Echo Hall with her children, the guest of her unsympathetic in-laws, whilst her husband Jack is away with the RAF. Her only friend is Jack’s cousin Daniel, but Daniel is hiding secrets, which when revealed could destroy their friendship for good.

Rachel and Leah Walters meet Jacob Flint at a dinner party in 1911. Whilst Leah is drawn to Jacob, Rachel rejects him leading to conflict with her sister that will reverberate through the generations.

As Ruth discovers the secrets of Echo Hall, she is able to finally bring peace to the Flint family, and in doing so, discover what she really needs and wants.

Echo Hall is a novel about the past, but it is very much a novel of the now. Does history always have to repeat itself, or can we find another way?

About the Author

Virginia Moffatt was born in London, one of eight children, several of whom are writers. ‘The Wave’ is her second novel. Her previous publications are ‘Echo Hall’ (Unbound) and ‘Rapture and what comes after’ (Flash fiction collection published by Gumbo Press). She also writes non fiction. Virginia is married to Chris Cole, Director of Drone Wars UK. They have two daughters at University and a son still living with them in Oxford.

Media Links

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aroomofmyown1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginiamoffattauthor/

Website: https://virginiamoffattwriter.wordpress.com/

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3ggdZxJ

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/39IOFOn

Blackwells: https://bit.ly/3ffdouO

Waterstones: https://bit.ly/3gfNjgw

Hive.co.uk: https://bit.ly/3fiaV2C

Publishing Information:

Published in paperback, audio and digital formats by Unbound on 28^th November 2017

The Child Who Never Was by Jane Renshaw

This was a dark and gripping read from start to finish.  The two complex characters of Sarah and Evie kept us guessing to the very end as to the parentage of James, or should that be Oliver.

Sarah and Evie, were identical in looks however personality wise they were worlds apart but all the way through we were kept guessing as to who was in the right and who was in the wrong.  Evie was strong, outgoing, friendly yet manipulative and sneaky.  Controlling Sarah who by contrast was weak, a recluse, a diagnosed agoraphobic and had previously spent time in a mental unit for her issues.  But Sarah has something that Evie wanted a child…

Sarah wakes to find her son missing and making a desperate venture into the world she searches that stormy night for him to no avail.  Oliver, her Oliver is missing but no one believes her.  Even doctors state that she has never been pregnant and therefore there is no such child known as Oliver  Sarah is soon restrained and locked back away sectioned under the mental health act.  When Evie visits with her son James, Sarah knows that this is Oliver but proving this is no easy path. 

Sarah, lost and confused, is determined to find out the truth about her son and once she’s released back into the world she is determined to set the record straight and prove once and for all that James is in fact Oliver, her rightful son.

The author was very clever with the portrayal of these characters and we went from seeing the best to the worst in each of them. It really touched me emotionally at the mother’s grief  being torn from her son but yet as the ending is revealed it all becomes very clear who is in the right. Slipping back into their childhoods and re-visiting memeories from the past.  It kept me guessing right until the closing chapters as to who was the biggest villain.  And more importantly who was the mother to the little boy.

This was a wonderful read that I devoured in one weekend.  I would like to thank Emman welton of damppebbles blog tours and Inkunator books for allowing me to read and provide my unbiased review.

Synopsis

Her child has been taken. But no-one believes her.

Sarah’s beautiful baby son Oliver has gone missing. And she will do anything – anything – to get him back.

But there’s a problem. Everyone around Sarah, even her beloved identical twin, Evie, tells her she never had a son, that he’s a figment of her imagination, that she’s not well, she needs help.

And on one level, they’re right, Sarah does need support. She has suffered massive trauma in the past and now she’s severely agoraphobic, very rarely leaves the house, avoids all contact with people.

But fragile though she is, Sarah knows deep in her heart that Oliver is real, that the love she feels for him is true.

And that can only mean one thing – someone has been planning this. And now they’ve taken her baby.

The stunning psychological thriller with an ending you won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of K.L Slater, Mark Edwards, Alex Michaelides.

About Jane Renshaw:

As a child, Jane spent a lot of time in elaborate Lego worlds populated by tiny plastic animals and people. Crime levels were high, especially after the Dragon brothers set themselves up as vets and started murdering the animals in their ‘care’. (They got away with it by propping the victims up with Plasticine and pretending they were still alive…)

As an adult, she is still playing in imaginary worlds and putting her characters through hell – but now she can call it ‘writing’ and convince herself that she is doing something sensible. In real life, she has a PhD in genetics and copy-edits scientific and medical journals.

Jane is the author of Watch Over Me. THE CHILD WHO NEVER WAS will be her second novel published with Inkubator Books.

Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaneRenshaw10

Website: https://www.janerenshaw.co.uk/

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3kqo1if

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/33IIk4u

Publishing Information:

Published in digital format by Inkubator Books on 16^th August 2020

The Stray Cats of Homs by Eva Nour

This is one of those books that really gets under your skin.  It certainly put into perspective the challenges that I am personally facing with the lockdown.  So, my situation is currently fairly easy.  Yes, I can’t go out and I can’t see my family but I am at home with my kids.  I am working from home and we have plenty of food.  My two kids and I are battling through, sharing lots of laughs along with a few minor fall outs but I am not overly fearful for my life.  I am healthy and I am safe.  It’s a far cry from the story of Sami.

Whilst this is a partly fictional story it is based on the real life events of Sami as he lived in the midst of the Syrian war and finally made his escape to safety and freedom.

I am pretty ignorant about the in’s and out’s of this war and this book really opened my eyes to the fear that the people were put through.  This book was not just about the bombings and the violence that we see so much of on the media but it was the heartwarming tale of the familiies, how they pulled together and tried to get through as best they could.

The one thing that I take so much for granted is freedom.  The one thing we are all missing in life right now is the freedom to go out when we like and see who we like.  I cannot imagine how it would be to live my life like this forever but for the Syrian people that was their way of life.  Compulsory military service was forced on Sami and as much as he tried to avoid this there was no escape, he was taken against his will and made to be a soldier.  He could only leave when they said he could.

His family had fled to safety when the bombings started but Sami was determined to stay and stand up for his people.  Life was harder than I could imagine.  No homes, No safety, No food.  The threat that at any minute he could be shot dead, lived with him constantly and unfortunately too many of his friends did not make it out alive.

This was a heartbreaking, yet heartwarming story of love, loss and having the strength to carry on.  I would highly recommend this read.  It certainly put my life into perspective.  The hard times I am having are nothing compared to what too many people have suffered and continue to suffer everyday.

Author: Eva Nour

Publisher: Random House Uk

Publication Date: 6th August 2020

synopsis

Sami’s childhood is much like any other – an innocent blend of family and school, of friends and relations and pets (including stray cats and dogs, and the turtle he keeps on the roof).

But growing up in one of the largest cities in Syria, with his country at war with itself, means that nothing is really normal. And Sami’s hopes for a better future are ripped away when he is conscripted into the military and forced to train as a map maker.

Sami may be shielded from the worst horrors of the war, but it will still be impossible to avoid his own nightmare…

Inspired by extraordinary true events, The Stray Cats of Homs is the story of a young man who will do anything to keep the dream of home alive, even in the face of unimaginable devastation. Tender, wild and unbearably raw, it is a novel which will stay with you forever.

Dark Waters by G. R. Halliday

You may have seen my last review where I shouted about how much I loved, From the Shadows (the first book in this series) well, if I loved that book this latest book just totally blew me away.  The author has really grown and developed the characters and this story was amazing.  The best crime thriller I have read in a long while.  I want to make clear that this second book can easily be read as a standalone.

I do have to say that this second book is very graphic and very dark so if you are a little queasy then this may not be for you but I was totally gripped, horrified and scared all the way through just the way I like it.

DI Monica Kennedy is back on the case.  She’s taken a break after her last case but when she gets the call that she is needed she is straight onto it.  Paired up with Crawford, who we met in book one and assisted by Fisher with a new recruit Khan they are soon up against it.

The Sinclairs run a successful business so when Sebastian Sinclair goes missing but there is no big media circus this leaves Monica a little perplexed and rings alarm bells.  It’s not long before his mutilated body is found followed shortly after by another missing person, Gall. Both men had appeared to have drowned but the damage to the bodies and their missing limbs are unexplainable.

Annabelle Whittaker loved to drive.  Going on a road trip from London to the Scottish Highlands is a big adventure but racing along a private road she has to swerve fast and as her car smashes into a tree she’s knocked out.  She is rescued and brought inside to recover but little does she know that she is living the nightmare of her life.  Annabelles biggest mistake is that no one actually knows that she has gone away.  No one is missing her and therefore no one is looking for her.  The killer leaves her with her mobile phone but that just adds to her misery as there is no phone signal in her prison.

Annabelle is a great character and I really found myself rooting for her.  She tried all available tactics to escape.  Even when the odds were stacked against her and she knew exactly what the killer is capable of she never fails to give up.

It’s a race against time for the detectives to hunt down the killer and more importantly to locate Annabelle before getting to the root of the evil.  

I loved the fact that in this second book we got to know a lot more about the victims.  The first book covered a lot more of the detectives’ side of the story but with this one whilst we get to know a lot more about DI Monica we also spend a lot of time in the Scottish Highlands entombed in tunnels under the mountains and importantly we get to see things from the criminal perspective.

I could go on and on and on about this wonderful book all night.  It’s a big 5 stars from me and I hope there is another in the series very soon. 

Publication Date 16th July 2020

Author G R Halliday

Publisher – Random House / Harvil Secker.

Synopsis

THREE MISTAKES. TWO MURDERS. ONE MORE VICTIM TO GO . . .

Annabelle has come to the Scottish Highlands to escape. But as she speeds along a deserted mountain road, she is suddenly forced to swerve. The next thing she remembers is waking up in a dark, damp room. A voice from the corner of the room says ‘The Doctor will be here soon’.

Scott is camping alone in the Scottish woodlands when he hears a scream. He starts to run in fear of his life. Scott is never seen again.

Meanwhile DI Monica Kennedy has been called to her first Serious Crimes case in six months – a dismembered body has been discovered, abandoned in a dam. Days later, when another victim surfaces, Monica knows she is on the hunt for a ruthless killer.

But as she begins to close in on the murderer, her own dark past isn’t far behind …

From The Shadows by G R Halliday

This was a fabulous read and I felt very lucky that as I finished this I knew I had this fabulous author’s new release to dive straight into. Review to follow on Deep Waters shortly but first let me tell you all about From The Shadows.

This had everything I love in a crime story and more.  There were plenty of tense, gripping moments where I was literally holding my breath plus I felt I really got to know the characters inside and out.

DI Monica Kennedy has a tough ride.  She’s a single mother and that’s a full time job in itself so striving to be a top detective takes its toll.  She has no choice but to leave her Lucy with her mother, giving up the cinema trips and fun times to crack the latest case. There is a heavy burden of guilt that she has to carry around. I really enjoyed the fact that Monica had this side to her.  All too often the detectives we read about in storys are a bit flat and don’t have the family element embroiled in the story.

Monica is clearly passionate about her job and despite orders from her superiors regarding the evidence path she chooses to follow her instincts.  Of course, this does not go down well and she finds herself replaced but Monica is like a dog with a bone and refuses to be stopped from getting to the truth

Micheal was a great character.  A social worker who did everything for his clients and he was determined to get to the truth of what was happening to the poor teenage boys that were being enticed and murdered. He lives alone with his cat Colonel Mustard and he is soon on Monica’s suspect list but he manages to convince her of his innonocence and the pair team up to folow the clues.

This story was twisty and I was kept guessing all the way through as to the true identity of the mad man.  There were hints and inckilngs that  members of the police force were not all they seemed.  Monica certainly has her work cut out to get to the truth.

I would highly recommend this book but I have to go now as I have to make a start on the new book Dark waters.  I’m sure it won’t take me long to fly through it and I hope it is as gripping as this book.

Publication Date: 19th April 2019

Author: G R Halliday

Publisher: Random House Uk, Harvil Secker 

Synopsis 

Seven days. Four deaths. One chance to catch a killer.

Sixteen-year-old Robert arrives home late. Without a word to his dad, he goes up to his bedroom. Robert is never seen alive again.

A body is soon found on the coast of the Scottish Highlands. Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy stands by the victim in this starkly beautiful and remote landscape. Instinct tells her the case won’t begin and end with this one death.

Meanwhile, Inverness-based social worker Michael Bach is worried about one of his clients whose last correspondence was a single ambiguous text message; Nichol Morgan has been missing for seven days.

As Monica is faced with catching a murderer who has been meticulously watching and waiting, Michael keeps searching for Nichol, desperate to find him before the killer claims another victim.

Belladonna by Anbara Salam

This is very different to my usual read and I was really looking forward to reading this but it felt like there was something missing.  

The author did a great job of placing the characters in Italy and I almost felt I was there tasting and savouring the sounds and tastes.  The convent was beautifully described and I imagined myself walking down the corridors with the characters and entering the old and historic chapel. 

Reading the synopsis of this book I assumed that I would love Bridget and hate Isabella however I found that I actually warmed to neither of the character’s.  The characters were very complex and multi-layered and I found myself both liking them sometimes but then they would flip and behave in an unexpected way and I would instantly dislike them again.

Isabella. Was very much a controlling character.  She needed to be in charge and she needed people to love her.  If someone behaved in a way that she didn’t like, or if she found herself not at the very centre of the situation she would easily manipulate the other characters to suit her very needs.  

Bridget on the other hand was the shrinking Violet. Her family had their own demons and secrets that she tried not to be revealed.  She adored Isabella and went out of her way to ensure that they were seen as best friends. Isabella knew that and played this to her advantage as and when it suited.  

This book is very well written and flowed easily enough but for me there was not a strong enough storyline to keep me engaged.  Having said that I have seen a huge amount of reviews from people loving this book so I think it is a case of this book doesn’t just gel with my tastes.

I would like to thank Jane Gentle at Penguin Random House for my ARC.

Publication Date: 16th July 2020

Publisher: Fig Tree

Author: Anbara Salem

How To Disappear by Gillian Mcallister

Wow, just wow.  I actually finished this book a couple of days ago and that ending has just totally knocked me off my feet.  I am not going to say anything at all about it but wow.

I love Gillian’s books and was thrilled to be accepted to read an ARC.  It was everything I hoped for and more.  It kept me up well past my bedtime which is not ideal when I have to be up at 6am for an early work start but hey who cares? At least I can sit and work in my PJ’s at the minute with the book close to hand so I can sneak in an extra chapter of two.

This book tells the story of the harsh realities of life under a witness protection programme.  When Zara, Lauren’s daughter and Adrian’s stepdaugter,  witnesses the murder of a local homeless man little did the family know that the trial was only the beginning of their troubles.  Zara, in her teenage naivete, twisted the truth in the hope that a bigger sentence would be imposed however this backfires and it’s not long before her life is on the line.

With no options left the family are placed under witness protection and swiftly moved to an unknown location.  Adrian has the biggest decision to make of his life.  To flee with his wife, Lauren and step daughter Zara or stay to be with his own teenage daughter, Poppy. 

It’s not long before Adrian finds himself ensconced in the vigilante group searching for his step daughter but can he pull it off and blow them off the scent or is he inadvertently leading them straight to them.

This a thought provoking, emotional, dark and twisty read that kept me on the edge of the seat all the way through.

The emotions that Lauren and Zara displayed as they had to leave everything they know behind is heartbreaking.  To be in that situation where you have no one to turn to and don’t know who you can trust is deeply unsettling.  

This is a book that will stay with me for a very long time and I am giving it a big fat 5 stars.  It was amazing.  Many thanks to Jen Breslin at Micheal Joseph for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Author: Gillian Mcallister

Publisher: Micheal Joseph

Publication Date: 9th July 2020

Synopsis

What do you do when you can’t run, and you can’t hide?

Lauren’s daughter Zara witnessed a terrible crime. But speaking up comes with a price, and when Zara’s identity is revealed online, it puts a target on her back.

The only choice is to disappear.

To keep Zara safe Lauren will give up everything and everyone she loves, even her husband.

There will be no goodbyes. Their pasts will be rewritten. New names, new home, new lives.

The rules are strict for a reason. They are being hunted. One mistake – a text, an Instagram like – could bring their old lives crashing into the new.

They can never assume someone isn’t watching, waiting.

As Lauren will learn, disappearing is easy. Staying hidden is harder…

Old & Ugly by C L Moir

First I have to gush about how lovely looking and feeling this book actually is. The cloth binding makes the book feel really old and just that little bit special.  It fits perfectly in your hands as you flip through the pages,  This book is certainly not ugly looking.

I flew through the pages as I settled in the garden with my gin in the sunshine. I am fairly sure my neighbours thought I was a little on the crazy side as I chuckled away to myself.  There is certainly a whole raft of laugh out loud moments to enjoy.

Everybody that reads this book will fall in love with the character of Ange.  She’s a one time beauty queen but over the years her weight has rocketed as well as the wrinkles but deep inside she is ever the Diva.  She is glorious and the author painted her so well, that I can still picture her now in my mind.  The rolls of fat pouring over her delicate little shoes. 

Ange, very reluctantly is forced to join in with a reunion.  The group of friends have not seen  each other in 40 years and the years have been kind to no-one but they find themselves slipping back into the old camaraderie, especially after the gin is flowing rather too freely.

The relationship between Ange and Elizabeth is brilliant.  The friends say it like it is, no holding back.  Each offends each other at a ridiculous pace and takes the punches on the chin. Despite the unkind words it’s clear that this is a friendship that will always stand the test of time.

Ange is aghast at seeing Spencer again.  He married her friend Elizabeth but there is a dark past between the two and it’s not long before Ange is plotting is murder.

Although this book is very light hearted and comical there is a slightly darker element,  It’s quite clear that Ange is depressed.  Her numerous husbands and lovers have dragged her down over the years, before discarding her, claiming that they could no longer deal with her increasing demands.  Deep inside all Ange wants is to be loved.

I really hope that the author is able to deliver more from these characters as I would love to find out what escapades the get up to next.

This is a wonderful book and I would like to thank Behind the Hat Press for my copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review. 

 Author: C L Moir

Publisher: Behind the Hat Press

Publication Date: 15th June 2020

Synopsis

In 1973, teenagers Ange and Elizabeth are persuaded to enter the Miss Sladport-on-Sea Beauty Pageant by local entrepreneur, Spencer. When Ange is crowned the most beautiful woman in Sladport, Spencer promises her a life of fame and fortune – which he delivers. Within months, Ange is crowned The Most Beautiful Woman in the World.

Forty years later, Ange is unexpectedly invited to a reunion of old friends: Elizabeth – now married to Spencer – and the three school friends who stormed the pageant, throwing flour bombs and insults in protest at its objectification of women.

Ange has been invited to a reunion…

Old and Ugly is the story of that reunion – and the story of Ange’s life.  Hilarious and laughable, conceited and fearful, feisty and (some might say) a fool for the admiratio of men.  Ange must finally confront the truth about her fantastical life of glamour and good fortune to be freed from it’s secrets – and freed from the man who made her, then broke her.

Irreverent and moving, disturbing and joyful, you’ve probably never read anything quite like it…

Purchase Link

https://www.behindthehatpress.com/product-page