Book-Mad-Mum

The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary My rating: 4 of 5 stars When Tiffy Moore’s boyfriend Justin leaves her for another woman, she starts flat-hunting. Determined to stand on her own too feet she starts searching for flats to rend when she comes across a listing for a double bedroom flat in Stockwell which is available immediately. The only hitch is that you have to share the flat with a twenty-seven-year-old palliative care nurse Leon who works nights and is away weekends. Tiffy agrees to the terms and conditions and becomes Leon’s flatmate. They never see each other and communicate via post-it notes and over time, they become friends chatting and offering words of wisdom to each other. This was a lovely, happy novel which was ideal to read on Spring evenings. The characters are truly believable and engaging, and I really loved Tiffy and wish she could teach me to crochet (I’ve always wanted to learn!!) An enchanting love story that is well worth read...

A Vintage Summer by Cathy Bramley My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is the second Cathy Bramley book I have now read, and I have loved them both, but out of the two of them, this is now my firm favourite. At the start of the story we meet Lottie, a gardener in a Crematorium, who has moved to London to live with her boyfriend Harvey who works as a personal trainer. When the relationship turns sour, and things don’t work out between the two of them, Lottie decides to return home. With no job or prospects her sister finds Lottie a job working as a manager of a local English Vineyard for six months. I don’t want to give away any more of the story, as I want you to enjoy it for yourself. This was the perfect book for the sunny Easter weekend, and I felt a strange serendipity when I finished reading it on Easter Saturday – a date which is mentioned in the book! This really is a must read summer novel – it will make you feel good about life, and if you’re like m...

One Last Wish: A heartbreaking novel about love and loss by Ella Harper My rating: 4 of 5 stars Rose and Nate fell in love, and appeared to have the perfect marriage, until their young daughter Emmie is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, and the stresses of a terminally ill child take their toll. Emmie an astute eleven year old sees the anguish that her illness causes to her parents and when the cracks start to appear in their marriage, she, along with her counsellor Dr Tom, set about rekindling their love with a series of treasure hunts based around previous dates. This books handles a very emotive subject, no one really wants to address the topic of a child with cancer, however it was dealt with in such a sensitive and caring way that you wanted to turn every page, but not out of morbid curiosity but to see how the beautifully written characters developed. Have a box of tissues to hand! View all my reviews

The Newcomer by Fern Britton My rating: 5 of 5 stars Welcome to the idyllic Cornish village of Pendruggan where at the start of the story we wave farewell to parish vicar Simon who is off to Brazil with wife Penny, and we say hello to new vicar Angela, her husband Robert, daughter Faith and Aunt Marnie. Immersing herself in the community, Angela is shocked when she receives a poison pen letter, but as more letters arrive, she starts to look differently at her friends and neighbours. Who could be doing such a hurtful thing? Although I liked all the characters in this book, Marnie completely and utterly stole my heart, she was larger than life, and had some wonderful tales to tell. It was also lovely to revisit some familiar faces from Fern’s previous book The Postcard. This was a gorgeous story which contained lots of laughs, and a moment which made me choke back tears. Fern Britton is a beautiful storyteller weaving gold out of the words she spins on...

If Only I Could Tell You by Hannah Beckerman My rating: 4 of 5 stars What happened on that morning in 1988 when ten year old Jess caught her 15 year old sister Lilly coming out of the spare bedroom? It was enough to fuel a rift between the two sisters which went on for decades. When their mother Audrey becomes desperately ill, she moves in Jess and her grand daughter Mia due and vows to reunite the two sisters and their own daughter, Phoebe and Mia who have only met a handful of times. I had read about a twist in the middle of the book, so was prepared for it, and I was completely convinced that I’d guessed what it was, but how wrong was I, and when I read it, I was floored by it! The book tells you the family’s back story and then slowly, the truth is out there – for the last few pages I had tears rolling down my cheeks so have tissues at the ready for a beautifully told story. I received an Advance copy of this book from Net Galley in return for a ...

Too Close by Natalie Daniels My rating: 4 of 5 stars Connie is in a Psychiatric hospital and she has no idea why, she has committed a terrible crime which has earnt her the nickname Yummy Monster. At the beginning of the book, we learn about Connie's new friendship with Ness. The two women met at a park where their children were playing and realising that they were also neighbours, their friendship grew with their families more or less merging and they became inseparable. But when Ness’s marriage ends in a bitter divorce, she is suddenly at Connie’s house all the time. It’s all too much, and Connie snaps. Forensic Psychiatrist Emma Robinson is challenged with deciding whether or not Connie is sane enough to stand trial but she sees the softer, vulnerable side to the monster. I loved this book - I really wanted to hate Connie but as her story unfolded I was drawn in and soon I felt sorry for this woman who was pushed to the edge. A wonderful debut...

Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak My rating: 4 of 5 stars It’s Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof, but for a very specific reason. Elder daughter Olivia, a doctor has been treating victims of an epidemic in Liberia and upon returning home for the festive period, the entire family must now spend a week in quarantine. The decision is made to leave their London pad and spend the festive season in their run-down country pile, Weyfield Hall in Norfolk. Cut off from civilisation and forced to spend time with each other, they soon discover their differences. Younger sibling Phoebe is obsessed with her recent engagement to George and life for her becomes mood boards and seating plans. The two sisters seem miles apart in personalities and interests. Dad Andrew is a restaurant critic who longs for his former career as a war correspondent, but he is harbouring a dark secret that he hopes to keep from the...