Never Do Harm by Mirren Jones

Two doctors, two friends, one is a very successful hospital consultant, the other is a hard-working and overworked GP, who at anytime is about to reach a boiling point and be pushed right over the edge.

Both took the Hippocratic Oath as all doctors must, but when their friendship is tested to the max and secrets and lies become undone in their private lives will oaths and promises still be pledged?

This book is very cleverly written not only for its extremely entertaining plot, but because it gives you a unique insight about the NHS and the struggle that face doctors in trying to carry out their day to day duties. For me, from a patient's point of view, this book educated me on why we do not always get the service we expect from the NHS. The storyline really highlights and raises issues that are preventing this in a fair and honest way.

The Girl who Talks to Ghosts by J.H Moncrieff

Kate has a gift. She can connect and communicate with the dead. She uses her gift to help people. Kate is on a case to save a kidnapped soul, by a deranged and deadly doctor. She must travel to a remote Italian island to help bring back a young girl's soul intact, to save her life, while risking her own life to do so. Such is the risk of her mission she asks her friend Jackson, who doesn't know quite what he is letting himself in for and the adventure that awaits them ahead.

I do not usually read horror or dark fiction, but seeing as it is about to be Halloween I thought I would leave my comfort zone of love and romance, and have a look to see what the other side has to offer. I found the narration to be very lively and interesting. I did find some of the scenes a little gory at times, but that was to be expected reading this genre, right? However I would say this book is more like a thriller than a horror. I am glad I tried something different. I can see the book's appeal and if you are a fan of this genre then I recommend this book to you.

Snowflake Over Holly Cove by Lucy Coleman

When life-style writer Tia is sent out of London on an assignment by her usually stone-cold boss, to a remote and small seaside town in South Wales. Tia finds herself in the beautiful beach haven of Holly Cove cottage. The perfect place for some quiet reflection and to come to terms with her loss.

However soon the locals make her feel so welcome she begins to feel at home. When she meets Nic they get off to an ice cold start and things are frosty between them. Will things begin to thaw out before Christmas, or will it take a little help from the spirit of Christmas for a little romance?

Cosy up for Christmas as the long nights draw in with a beautiful heart-warming and romantic storyline about overcoming loss and learning to live life and love again.

Wonderful Words and Quotes by Nikki Bywater

You would be surprised just how much truth can go into fiction.

I have no idea where the ideas come from.  If something moves me... It motivates me to write.

I am a scribbler of ideas.

I like working with a group of writers. I love to storyboard ideas and watch them bounce around from writer to writer.

I like the wit in words.

When you write...
When you write that one perfect line.
That one line that connects and completes the words perfectly in sync. Just that.

To create a character. To live and breathe a whole new person. To put the words into that characters mouth. You decide what is their fate. Just to be creative and escape into the depts of your imagination. To be allowed to do just that. Scriptwriting can take you anywhere and everywhere and back again...

I like breaking the rules.

I like to push the limits of my imagination.


I like to see a manuscript come to life.  To take its first steps and to see how it will develop. How can we make it work?

I like to make dreams come true.

You take one idea... You run with it... You run and run... At times you want to run away from it... But always you find yourself at the finish and THE END.

Whisky Tango Foxtrot - The Further Adventures of Mavis Upton by Gina Kirkham

Following on from the wonderful and witty, Handcuffs, Truncheon and a Polyester Thong, once again we join police officer Mavis Upton and her lively life policing. Mavis is trying very hard to solve the mystery of a dodgy 'doughnutter' and I tell you this, I will never look at a doughnut the same way again! Filled with fun and great comical timing this book was a joy to read.

Having really enjoyed and been thoroughly entertained by the first book in this series by author Gina Kirkham, I was really looking forward to the second book, and I was not disappointed. Gina tells a good tale with such hilarious humour that I had to pause between pages, to have some reading recovering time. I was splitting my sides with laughter. Such is the character and situation comedy in this book. Do we have a good police comedy on TV right now? I certainly nominate and put forward Gina and her stories. I would love to see Mavis Upton and her comedy calamities brought to life on the screen.

As much as I smiled and laughed my way through the book at times I found some scenes touching and moving and this is done so well in the writing. Never a dull moment and I cannot wait for book three.

The Season of Silver Linings by Christine Nolfi

Family and friendships are at the heart of this novel. The importance of relationships and the impact they can have on lives. Bonded by tragedy, burdened by guilt, secrets kept to protect and save family and friends from deep hurt. A love that blossoms. A love that's lost. We go through a full cycle of emotions from joy to pain and back again. A community of characters all connected over the loss and tragedy of a young girl.

Girl Without A Voice by Chris Bridge

After a traumatic event in her childhood, Leah is so distraught she becomes mute and twenty years after the event, Leah is still suffering from selective mutism and when a stranger is welcomed into the family and misuses and abuses his position, things soon take a dangerous and dramatic turn.

I was intrigued by this story by page one and just could not put this novel down. It is so wonderfully written and I found the storyline to be very suspenseful at times keeping me fully engrossed in the story. 

Books by the Beach by Nikki Bywater

Well, I found an old dusty box of books in my attic a few weeks ago. Books bought and then put away and forgotton about. When you are a reviewer and have an hectic working life you find you have no time to read books of your own choice. So for the past few weeks I have just taken time out to do just that. Yes by now the books are a few years old and I had to blow the dust from the covers, but to just sit back and read and not take notes or write notes on a manuscript was like re-charging my reading batteries. So I decided to give myself a whole month off  from reviewing and just to chill out with a book.

I discoverd new authors and fabulous books. Some I do not even remember how they have ended up in this lost collection. In your forties you end up with a heck of a lot of stuff, so I have decided any of my personal books to pass on to the local charity shop, I mean think of the dust saving!

So what do I look for in my own personal choice of book? I have to say a good cover gets me every time. A catchy title and I like a read less than four hundred pages. Time saving and not too heavy. I love a light read, a little chic-lit, a touch of romance, a historical novel, so I am not too fussy, which comes in useful to be a reviewer.

I do like a happy ending. Characters that you can reach out and emotionally touch you. I have a Kindle, but love the feel of a book.

I think I may open a book shop by the sea.  Serve great coffee and oh yes there will be cake. In the evenings we will go to wine and host great events. All will be welcome and days will be good, nights will be exciting. Oh to live in flip-flops and be surrounded by books.

Books at the Beach. Books by the Beach. Once we have the title then away we go. 

That Summer at The Seahorse Hotel By Adrienne Vaughan

Mia cannot escape the thoughts of her past. Growing up not knowing who her father has left Mia with a lot of unanswered questions, questions her mother, a successful and well-known actress is not prepared to answer. So when Archie a close friend of her mother and also a member of the Hollywood acting elite makes Mia a generous offer and a grand gesture in his will leaving her with something extraordinary, will this lead to Mia finally getting all the answers that are necessary in the search of just who is her father?

Once I get an Adrienne Vaughan book in my hands, I know from page one that the book will take me away to far off places without me leaving my sofa. This is an emotionally charged story with a heart and soul feel from deep within the passion of the pages, add great adventure, secrets, lies and betrayal, that leads you so close into the characters lives you cannot help but become involved and read on for the outcome to a breathtaking and at times suspenseful story.

The French Adventure by Lucy Coleman

Lost in a relationship with something that she feels is missing and not quite right, our leading lady Anna waves an impulsive au revior and escapes to a beautiful little village in France, to find herself by reviewing and rethinking her life and relationship.

A nice easy read that I read in one sitting on a cold snowy day snuggled indoors. I found myself transported to France and utterly lost in Anna's life. I like that there is a sub-plot of a mystery thrown into the storyline that adds a little something extra to the romance of the story.

The Betrayal (The Guernsey Novels #6) – Anne Allen

An interesting story set in both the past and almost present day. Covering the Nazi occupation of Guernsey in World War II and the unresolved issues of a mystery of a stolen Renoir painting. When a suspected suicide occurs in present times connecting both incidents our characters work hard to uncover the truth and the facts of what happened in the past to find closure in the future.

I really enjoyed the storyline of the book and I thought the cross over of going back and forth between past and present throughout the book was very neatly done. The author thoroughly did her research. If you like history, romance, crime and a touch of the paranormal then this is the book for you.