Novel Kicks

Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Rollercoaster

Published March 13, 2026 | By Laura

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation.

Today’s prompt – Rollercoaster.

Your character is addicted to a themed rollercoaster. Whilst visiting the theme park, they ride it as many times as they can.

However, it’s coming to the end of the evening and closing time is near. They find they are the last and only person to experience the last run of the day.

When they reach their favourite part however, there is a blinding light which forces them to close their eyes for a moment.

When they open them again, they find themselves in the real world on which the ride is based.

Write about what happens next.

Have fun.

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Cover Reveal: The Freshman Parents By Ko Porteous

Published March 12, 2026 | By Laura

I am so excited as we help to reveal the cover for The Freshman Parents, the upcoming novel by Ko Porteous.

They’re off for the time of their lives. But are you?

Book #1 in The Empty Nesters Series.

Single parent Heather isn’t neurotic (honest!) – she’s simply dreading the day her only child leaves for university – so her meticulous checklists grow longer by the hour. When she seeks advice on a parents’ forum, she clashes with Scott, a single dad whose “helpful” statistics and assertions about “helicopter parenting” leave her fuming.

Move-in day delivers the ultimate surprise: their daughters aren’t just roommates – they are self-declared “besties for life”. Suddenly, Heather and Scott are thrown into a begrudging alliance.

As they navigate the new status quo, Heather’s instinct to organise meets Scott’s philosophy of letting go. Their practical text messages about mattress toppers and emergency supplies evolve into conversations about dream jobs and bucket list aspirations. Despite their intentions to avoid relationships at all costs, unpredictable events keep throwing them together, meaning Heather and Scott find it increasingly difficult to ignore each other…

OK, so now we know a bit about the book, it’s time to reveal the cover. Are you ready? Drumroll…3…2…1…

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Words

Published March 11, 2026 | By Laura

Hello and welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

Today is all about favourite and disliked words.

First, make a list of ten words you love.

Then, from your list, pick three. Write a piece that gives your character a feeling of fear, dislike or discontent making sure you include your three favourite words.

Do the same with ten words you dislike. Once you’ve made a list, pick three but this time, write a story that shows happiness, contentment, and excitement.

Have fun.

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Book Extracts: Some Love Lasts & Getting to Yes By Tim Hunniecutt

Published March 9, 2026 | By Laura

I am so pleased to be welcoming Tim Hunniecutt as we shine a light on two of his novels, Some Love Lasts and Getting to Yes.

A rescue in the midst of chaos and a first glance that changes everything anchor Some Love Lasts and Getting to Yes. Through both stories, Tim Hunniecutt explores how youth, courage, and vulnerability intersect in defining moments.

Some Love Lasts –

Fourteen-year-old Madi arrives at her grandparents’ beach condo expecting calm days and quiet evenings. Instead, she becomes drawn to Matthew, the older boy next door whose lifeguard bravery and steady demeanor command attention. When he focuses on her, she experiences a new awareness of herself.

Their connection deepens as summer unfolds, shifting from fascination into a powerful bond. When a hurricane tears through the coastline, Matthew risks everything in a rescue that imprints itself on Madi’s heart. The memory shapes her understanding of love long after the season ends. Years later, their reunion in college raises questions about whether their shared past still holds meaning.

First up, we have an extract from Chapter One of Some Love Lasts.

The First Save

Though it was still early morning, warm humidity saturated the air. Billowing white clouds with dark spots drifted across the sky. The foaming waves gently crashed on the sand. Tiny sandpipers darted in and out. Seagulls squawked while circling.

Her eight-year-old sister edged into the water until it covered her feet. “It’s really warm.”

Madi joined her, and Roe grasped her hand firmly as they ventured farther until it reached their chests. Madi crouched and helped her sister float. “Yeah, it’s so warm, like being in a bathtub.”

She allowed her sister to do what she wanted as they were the only ones on the beach. Grandpa sat on one of the chairs, watching them from the shore. Her sister practiced swimming while Madi held her hat.

Roe tried to ride the waves as they broke, but they barely rippled, and she moved little if at all. She stood upright. “I’m bored.”

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Book Review: Death For Sale By Erik S. Meyers

Published March 9, 2026 | By Laura

It’s holiday time in Berry Springs, where many come together to enjoy good food, drink, and the company of friends.

Unfortunately, death is among the mix as people get mysteriously ill at the town’s Thanksgiving dinner. Deaths follow, and Sally must race to discover the truth before more people die off.

Coupled with worry for her aging parents, she is overwhelmed with the pressure and emotions, but she’ll push through to solve the crimes and restore peace to the town.

*****

Sally Witherspoon is enjoying her life in the Arkansas Ozarks. She’s dedicated to her biker bar and loves being a part of the community in Berry Springs. However, when the Thanksgiving festivities brings unexplained deaths, she is once again plunged into an investigation. Is it just a case of bad food poisoning hitting the older residents of the town or is something more sinister at play.

This was my introduction to Erik S. Meyer’s Sally Witherspoon Mystery series. Death For Sale is book 3 with Death in the Ozarks and Murder on the Mississippi being books 1 and 2 respectively. However, I felt that whilst reading the first two in the series would have enriched my experience with this novel, it didn’t place me at a disadvantage in terms of knowledge. It can stand alone.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: All Good Things Must

Published March 6, 2026 | By Laura

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation.

Today’s prompt – All Good Things Must…

Your character is in their eighties. They are very self-assured, arrogant and they don’t care about anyone but themselves.

They’ve had a very successful career breaking the law.

he story begins in an alley behind a large block of flats/apartments.

The main theme is hatred and during the story, your character finds out some truths.

Have fun.

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NK Chats To… M.D. Dixon

Published March 6, 2026 | By Laura

Hello. Thank you so much for bringing the blog tour for IKONA to Novel Kicks. What’s a detail, theme, or clue in your book that most readers might miss on the first read—but you secretly hope someone notices?

I hope someone notices that whilst the present-day chapters and future chapters are chronologically ordered forward in time, the chapters set in the past (early 20th century Siberia) move backwards in time, so that the earliest chapter timeline-wise for the past chapters reaches a climax at the latest period time-wise for the other chapters. Truthfully, there are many other details that might be missed but which astute readers will catch: recurring motifs, the recursive nature of the story, how Gutov’s chapter 26 is also IKONA’s chapter 26, for example.

When did this story or idea “click” into place for you—was there a single moment you knew you had to write it?

This story first came to me in 2012. I planned the structure and journeys for years before I sat down to write it. I knew from the moment I got the first few pages and the title that it would be my most mature work. It is my fourth novel, but my first published novel. It was a persistent inner voice which never left me no matter how many twists and turns my life took in the interim. I wrote it in 2022.

Which character or real-life person surprised you the most while writing this book, and why?

Finley Minor’s journey evolved in a way I didn’t expect. No spoilers so I will just say that his arc deeply moved me, and I was unprepared for my own emotional reaction.

If your book had a soundtrack, what three songs would be on it and what scenes or moments would they pair with?

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Book Extract: A Dowager is Done In By Helen Golden

Published March 5, 2026 | By Laura

I’m delighted to be welcoming Helen Golden back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book in The Duchess of Stortford series, A Dowager is Done In.

A mysterious summons. A fatal hot chocolate. And a duchess who never expected mourning to be this dreadfully dull.

Hampshire, 1891. Six months into widowhood, Alice, Duchess of Stortford, is restless. Black gowns and seclusion in the country have their limits, so when Clarissa, Dowager Countess of Romley, sends a personal summons asking for her discreet assistance with a troubling matter at Lawrence House, Alice seizes the excuse for a change of scene.

But what begins as a family gathering to welcome home the Dowager’s once-disgraced son ends in shock. Clarissa is discovered dead, her passing swiftly dismissed as a heart attack. Alice knows better. The Dowager had been afraid — and had trusted her to uncover the truth. Someone silenced her, but why? Was it to do with the announcement she made over dinner, or something even more dangerous?

Now everyone in the house is a suspect: the resentful heir, the returning prodigal, the mysterious guest with a too-familiar face. With her sharp-witted maid Maud, steadfast footman George, and her reluctant ally Lord Rushton at her side, Alice must act quickly. If the Dowager was murdered to keep her secrets buried, the killer will not hesitate to strike again.

The Dowager is dead. The clock is ticking. And the duchess is about to discover that country house parties can be murder.

Full of clever twists and a heroine who won’t give up until she finds out the truth, A Dowager is Done-in is the perfect escape for fans of historical mysteries wrapped in wit and warmth.

Helen has shared an extract from A Dowager is Done In with us today so you know what you have to do… grab that coffee, a biscuit, the comfortable chair and enjoy.

*****beginning of extract*****

Manning Hall, November 1891. It’s six-months since Alice, Duchess of Stortford’s husband, Vance, died. She’s learning to manage things at Manning Hall, and she’s even started the school project she discussed with Vance before his death. The only thing is—she’s finding mourning is boring! But when a letter arrives from Clarissa, Dowager Countess of Romley, hinting at a troubling matter at her home in Hampshire, Lawrence House, and asking for Alice’s help, she should just say no shouldn’t she? And, of course, Aunt Cora has a strong view about Alice’s responsibilities…

*****

Fee clapped her hands. “How thrilling! She wants you especially.”

“Highly irregular,” Baxter muttered.

“Well, you cannot possibly go,” Aunt Cora declared, crossing her arms. “You’re only six months into your mourning period. A house party would be entirely inappropriate.”

“It’s hardly a house party, Aunt Cora,” Fee protested. “More of a family gathering. Alice is family through my marriage to Duncan.”

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: What Ifs?

Published March 4, 2026 | By Laura

Hello and welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

Today, it’s going to be free writing but with a prompt to start things off. Those prompts are going to focus on what ifs?

Pick one of the following and write a story based around it. Write for as long as you can.

Your prompts are –

What if Greek Gods walked the earth and they are back?

What if your character’s nee stepparent is really them from the future?

What if your character’s past and present began to merge?

What if your character could suddenly hear everyone’s thoughts?

What if the three bears wouldn’t let Goldilocks leave?

Have fun.

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NK Chats To… C.D Steele

Published March 4, 2026 | By Laura

Thank you so much for joining me today. Can you tell me about your book, Hidden Truth and where we find Joe Wilde when the story begins?

Joe is in his office with potential new client Sylvia Graham, who wants Joe to investigate the disappearance of her daughter Julie. She had vanished six years prior, seemingly without a trace.

What are the challenges of writing a book series? What do you find most enjoyable about it?

I suppose the main challenge of writing a book in a series is being able to come up with an original plot. It needs to be different to the plots in the previous books, but at the same time not so different that it doesn’t feel part of the series.

What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals?

I have no particular writing rituals. I mostly write in the evenings during the autumn and winter months.

If you were putting together a playlist for this novel, which songs would you include?

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Book Review: The Three Witches By Elena Collins

Published March 3, 2026 | By Laura

I’m very excited to be welcoming Elena Collins to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The Three Witches.

Now: When Ruthie gets the part of one of Macbeth’s famous three witches she can’t wait to get started. Inspired by the beauty of the film’s Scottish locations and the camaraderie of the cast and crew, she can leave behind the expectations of her family and her lacklustre love life, at least for now. But as echoes from the past begin whispering in Ruthie’s ear and a restless spirit draws her further into its centuries-old secrets, it soon becomes clear that only she can uncover the truth of a terrible injustice.

1050 Scotland: Isobel and her two sisters have learnt about healing from their loving mother Sidheag, and she in turn has kept them safe. But without the protection of their late father, Sidheag knows that her daughters must find husbands or their futures are at risk.

Isobel believes in love over duty and when she catches sight of King Macbeth’s stepson Lulach she can picture a happiness she had hardly dare imagine. But as heir to a Scottish throne that is drenched in blood, Lulach’s destiny is to be a warrior. When Isobel’s actions leave her and her sisters vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft there may be nothing that can keep the three women safe, not even the great Macbeth himself.

As the calls from the past grow ever louder, Ruthie has no choice. Macbeth’s witches have a story that needs to be told and the truth can no longer stay hidden…

*****

1050. Scotland. Isobel and her two sisters, Merraid and Ysenda are healers and midwives. As each of them grow and find love, the risks for their safety increase.

Present day – Ruthie gets an opportunity to be part of a documentary, playing one of Macbeth’s three witches. She sees the trip to Scotland as a chance to get away from the pressures of her life. However, she begins to see things that can’t possibly be real. Is she losing her mind or is someone trying to reach her?

A story of survival and love is fighting to be told.

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Book Review: Dragon Kin’s Blood By Jo Gatenby

Published March 3, 2026 | By Chris Parish

I’m so pleased to be welcoming Jo Gatenby to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Dragon Kin’s Blood.

Who do you trust when you can’t go home?

After centuries of hiding themselves and their shifting abilities from outsiders, the Dragon Kin decide to send a delegation of “dragon riders” to a nearby Lowlander territory. Eager to see the world, young Lauran quickly volunteers. But not all Lowlanders can be trusted. As the visit comes to an end, Lauran finds herself trapped in her draconic form—and hunted by an evil warlock. Desperate to protect herself and her people, she flees along the Dragon Spine Mountains, away from friends and foes alike.

Meanwhile, the last place Jenny wants to be during her summer break from university is on a family vacation with her mother’s new husband and his young son, Davy. Hoping for some peace and quiet, she explores a nearby cave—only to stumble into a portal to the Kingdom of Galahar, a land of magic and mythological creatures.

As Jenny searches for Davy, who follows her through the portal, and Lauran struggles for freedom, they come together with the help of Nath, an apprentice shaman of the Anishinabe people. Between Jenny’s technology and Nath’s magic, can they help Lauran escape the warlock’s relentless pursuit before he gets his hands on the Dragon Kin’s blood?

*****

I have been a long time fan of fantasy. I have read many books which involve dragons in one guise or another; from rare and mysterious beasts to semi-organic war machines and I can honestly say that this is the first time I have encountered dragons in the way they are portrayed in this book. I won’t give it away, but let’s just say that the classic rider / dragon pairing is brought into question.

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Book Review: Blind Pursuit By Rob Sinclair

Published March 1, 2026 | By Laura

I am absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Rob Sinclair to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his new book, Blind Pursuit.

Callum Murphy thought he was happily married to a corporate consultant…

But when police show up at Callum’s work site, informing him of his wife Lea’s death – his world starts to crumble. And it turns out, her death was just the beginning…

Within a few hours, Callum is told that Lea was, in fact, an MI6 agent who was killed because of intelligence only she had, strangers with guns break into his home and he’s forced to run for his life. Thrust into a terrifying chase across Europe, Callum has to dodge British police and shadowy MI6 operatives who believe he knows more than he’s letting on. All the while trying to piece together the truth about his wife’s final mission.

But the deeper he digs, the more dangerous his situation becomes, forcing him to ask the ultimate question: Who did he marry, and can he trust anything she ever said to him?

*****

Callum loves his wife, Lea. However, when he is told she’s been killed overseas on what he believed to be a business trip, his world starts to unravel quickly. He soon learns that the woman he loved was someone he didn’t really know at all.

I was delighted to be welcomed onto the blog tour for Blind Pursuit, the latest novel by Rob Sinclair. Having not had a chance to read any of his previous books, I didn’t fully know what to expect. All I knew was that the premise sounded very engaging. And boy was it.

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Novel Kicks Book Club: A Song of You and Me By Mike Gayle

Published March 1, 2026 | By Laura

Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Book Club.

Not only am I excited to be saying hello to March, I want to say how happy I am that you’re joining me for another exciting book pick.

This month’s novel is A Song of You and Me by Mike Gayle.

I have been a fan of this author since I was lent a copy of Mr Commitment back in the early 2000’s. I will always be so grateful for the friend who introduced me to this wonderful author. If you’ve never read any of his novels before, you’re in for a real treat or maybe you’re already a fan? Either way, welcome.

So, how does our Book Club work?

Whether you’re going to be reading this book for the first time or have read it before and want to chat about it, anyone can join, at any point in the month. I’ve put a question in the comments to get the discussion rolling.

See you there.

About A Song of You and Me –

Helen and Ben parted as heartbroken 18-year-olds and went their very separate ways.

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Book Review: The End of the Sahara By Saïd Khatibi

Published February 26, 2026 | By Laura

On an early autumn morning in 1988, on the outskirts of an Algerian city on the edge of the desert, a shepherd stumbles upon the lifeless body of Zakia Zaghouani, the stunning nightclub singer at the Sahara Hotel. Suspicion immediately falls on her lover, who is thrown into prison.

The incompetent Inspector Hamid begins an investigation. So does the defense lawyer of the main suspect. Family, friends, and close ones give their testimonies, finding themselves confronted with their past. Secrets, betrayals, grudges, but also dreams and hopes shed light on their connection to the victim.

Each person harbours, for one reason or another, the desire to take revenge on her. So, who really killed Zakia? And what if, behind this woman’s murder, lie secrets so unbearable they could tear an entire community apart?

*****

What starts as a normal morning for an Algerian Shephard ends up being anything but when he finds the body of a young woman. Later identified as Zakia Zaghouani, a singer at the Sahara Hotel, an investigation begins to find her killer.

The premise of this novel was intriguing – a fictional murder mystery set against the real backdrop of the 1988 October Riots in Algeria.

It didn’t take the author long to get me right into the thick of the story. Although it’s main focus is the murder of Zakia, I could feel the rumbles of the riots simmering all the way through the novel. There’s something within the undertones of every description and piece of dialogue. It really did pull me into the situation and gave me a small idea of what it must have been like at that time for the characters in this story.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Titles and Acknowledgements

Published February 25, 2026 | By Laura

Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

Today, it’s all about titles and acknowledgements.

Have you been stuck when it comes to beginning your work? Are you in the middle of writing it and have maybe hit a block? This activity could be a fun thing to do to get out of the writing rut or simply give you five minutes away from your WIP for a break.

First, let’s look at titles –

Set a timer for five minutes (even if you already have a title for your WIP),

Write down as many words or titles you can think of when you think about your WIP.

Once this is done, pick the title you like the most or go with the original title you had if you didn’t find one you preferred.

Now put your mind to the time where you’re at the stage where your book is finished and you’re about to publish. The only thing you have to do is to write your acknowledgments. If you’d like, you could also write some pretend endorsements from other writers.

If you’ve been struggling to write, I hope this exercise makes you feel better about your WIP.

Have fun.

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A Moment With… Colin Garrow

Published February 24, 2026 | By Laura

It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Colin Garrow to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his latest novel, Overkill.

Edinburgh, Christmas Eve, 1936. A gruesome double murder. A white-faced killer. A mysterious stranger…

Still haunted by his recent past, Professor Finlay MacBeth is called in to assist the police following an horrific double murder. Traces of greasepaint and white cotton lead MacBeth and Inspector Callaghan to the Christmas Circus, but while they search for clues, someone else is watching them.

Meanwhile, bent cop Kilmartin still has MacBeth in his sights…

In this thriller series set in Edinburgh, Overkill is book #2 in the Finlay MacBeth series.

To talk to us about creating a series, it’s over to you, Colin.

Creating a new series is a bit of a challenge for any author – not only must you come up with a bunch of brand-new characters, but you also need to know where they live, what work they do and any interesting pasts they’ve had before appearing fully-formed in a new adventure. I’m not a plotter so never have any kind of outline to work from before I start writing. However, I do need to have a clear idea of the main character. With Metropolis, book one in the Finlay MacBeth series, I spent a lot of time working out who MacBeth might be, where he came from, what skills he might have and what (if any) issues might continue to throw up problems for him (such as being continually haunted by a dead man).

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Book Review: The Case of the Christie Curse By Kelly Oliver

Published February 21, 2026 | By Laura

It’s so wonderful to be welcoming Kelly Oliver to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The Case of the Christie Curse.

Mesopotamia, 1930: When Agatha Christie invites fellow members of the Detection Club to witness the famous excavations at the ruins of Ur, Dorothy L. Sayers, her quick-witted assistant Eliza Baker, and Theo Sharp expect ancient wonders – not fresh corpses.

But when an archaeologist is found dead in the sand, whispers of a deadly curse sweep through the camp. Eliza suspects something far more dangerous than superstition. Amid glittering artifacts and fragile alliances, every guest harbors secrets: the Woolleys, whose marriage is shadowed by tragedy; a journalist hungry for scandal; even academic Max Mallowan, whose loyalties are not what they seem.

As theft, forgery, and coded messages surface, the line between archaeology and espionage blurs. And when Eliza and Theo find themselves in danger, they must face not only the truth about the murder – but also the truths they’ve long denied about each other. Can they uncover the killer before the desert claims another victim? Or will this dig unearth secrets too dangerous to survive?

*****

1930.

The Detection Club are called to assist their most famous member, Agatha Christie, in the deserts of Mesopotamia. The Queen of Crime has a strange feeling. When the team arrive, it isn’t long before superstition turns into murder. Can they figure out what is going on before anyone else gets hurt?

I was extremely excited to be invited onto the blog tour for The Case of the Christie Curse, the latest novel in the Detection Club series. Having devoured the previous novel, The Case of the Body on the Orient Express, I couldn’t wait to get started on book 3 of the series. I do thoroughly recommend this series as a whole, but this can be read as a standalone.

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Monday and February

Published February 20, 2026 | By Laura

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation.

Today’s prompt – Monday and February.

‘All my mornings are Mondays stuck in an endless February.’ – Fortnight – Taylor Swift.

Your character wakes up on a Monday morning in February. It’s the same as every other morning. They follow their usual routine.

This time however, instead of Monday afternoon arriving, the morning repeats. After some denial and panic, they start to analyse their morning and realise that there is something within this time frame that they need to change in order to stop their Monday mornings repeating and for Monday afternoon to arrive.

The only problem is that they don’t know what that is.

Write their story.

Have fun.

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Book Review & Giveaway: Escape To Seahaven Bay By Nicola May

Published February 20, 2026 | By Mick Arnold

We are pleased to be welcoming Nicola May to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Escape To Seahaven Bay.

The heartwarming new novel from the author of the million-copy bestselling Cockleberry Bay series.

Seahaven Bay has always been a place where the sparkling tides bring laughter, love and a lot of fun. But when Rita Jory’s beloved husband Archie dies in a tragic accident, she’s left alone on their failing Cornish farm with nothing but her grieving heart, a mountain of debt and some very badly behaved goats. Faced with selling the home she loves or finding a way to make it pay, Rita has a moment of desperate inspiration. She decides to transform her beloved Seahaven Farm into a place where broken souls can heal by the sea.

With help from her sharp-tongued mother-in-law, loyal best friend, daughter and new friends, the rundown farm soon blossoms into a haven of healing, creativity and community. Rita dares to believe her future might still shimmer with possibility – and even admits her growing attraction to Jago, the gorgeous neighbouring farmer with whom the Jorys had a decades-long feud.

But just as Rita begins to find peace, long-buried secrets about Archie’s past begin to surface, forcing her to question everything she believed about the life they built together.

Rita must discover the truth and decide if she’s ready to open her heart again – to love, to hope, and to the possibility that even after loss, life can still be full of surprises.

A tender, uplifting and hilarious tale of resilience, friendship and finding light in the darkest moments, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Jojo Moyes and Amanda Prowse.

*****

I’m delighted to be a part of the blog tour for Nicola May’s forthcoming book, ‘Escape to Seahaven Bay’.

Now, where to start? Seahaven farm is failing, as Rita finds life hard after the unexpected death of her husband. With her son rarely in contact and her daughter working away from home, Rita is getting to her wits end, with the possibility of losing the farm a real possibility. Through a change of direction for the farm, things begin to change, before a secret long buried makes things even worse.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Scenarios

Published February 18, 2026 | By Laura

Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

Today, it’s about building possible scenarios.

Set the timer for five minutes. In this time, write down as many life changing events that a character could face. A divorce? A bereavement? It could be something like their house is robbed or an illness. Anything and everything you can think of, write it down.

Then, pick someone from the list below –

Jenny (29) – lives in London

Alan (60) – lives in Edinburgh

Michael (18) – lives in Brighton

Leah (50) – lives in Cornwall

Yasmin (46) – lives in Newcastle

Connor (80) – lives in Birmingham

Pick one of your scenarios from your list and write a scene for a story for one of the characters above.

Have fun.

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Book Extract: The Silent Resistance by Anna Normann

Published February 18, 2026 | By Laura

I’m excited to be welcoming Anna Normann to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for The Silent Resistance.

Occupied Norway, 1944. Anni endures the war alone, aiding the resistance while longing for news of her sailor husband. Her daughter, Ingrid, is her joy, and Anni is determined to keep her safe. But when a German official is billeted at their home, danger escalates, and Anni faces an agonising dilemma.

London, 1952. Ingrid has been trying to understand her mother’s mysterious disappearance at the war’s end. Clinging to Anni’s promise that she would always come back for her, Ingrid sets out to discover what happened all those years ago.

Grab that beverage of your choice and find that comfortable chair. Anna Normann has kindly shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.

*****beginning of extract*****

While people didn’t starve in Norway during the war, they went hungry and children were malnourished. No food could be imported, and the approximately 400.000 German soldiers stationed in Norway had first pick.

I grew up listening to stories about the food during the war. The rancid cod liver oil used for cooking, the turnip they fried in the oil, the salty herring. No butter, no sugar, no chocolate. I couldn’t even imagine how horrible that was.

Ingrid looked up from her dolly and teddy, who by now had arrived in China. ‘I’m hungry, mamma.’

‘Me too. I have potatoes and more potatoes. Would you like that?’ Anni said.

‘Can we fry the potatoes, mamma?’ Ingrid loved crispy potatoes, even those fried in cod liver oil.

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Book Review: Healing Hearts at the Forever Cottage by Jill Steeples

Published February 18, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Jill Steeples back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her latest book, Healing Hearts at the Forever Cottage.

The winds of change are sweeping through the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping.

After a tumultuous few months, Tess Alexander is ready to welcome her first guests to The Garden Retreat, a beautiful lodge in the grounds of Hollyhocks Cottage.

With her daughter Hannah home from her travels in Australia and her mother, Marjorie, acting out of character, Tess has to juggle many demands on her attention. Even her flourishing relationship with dashing Rob Templeton is put to the test when he faces an emotional dilemma from his past and Barney, her beloved beagle, has her at her wits end.

Tess can weather most storms with the unbridling support of her close friends Dilly, Gina and Suzy but when a passing remark in the local pub causes her to question one of those friendships, she wonders who can she really trust?

Can Tess overcome the obstacles in her path to find the happy ending she truly deserves?

*****

Tess has begun to really settle into her life post separation from her husband. Her new relationship with Rob is going well, her daughter seems to be getting better after going through an ordeal and her beloved garden annexe is ready for its first guest. Is everything starting to go right or is there more upheaval around the corner?

It’s so marvellous to be back in Lower Leaping and Hollyhocks Cottage. This book is book two of the series. Having read book one, I couldn’t wait to escape into this gentle world that Jill Steeples has created. If this novel will be your introduction to this series, don’t fear. I felt that reading book one enriched book two, but both can stand alone.

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A Moment With… Rachel Debrave

Published February 18, 2026 | By Laura

It’s so wonderful to be welcoming Rachel Debrave to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Too Much to Hope For.

Scarlett Hope has found a surprising rhythm at Haddon House. Just months into life with Laird Edward Cameron-Reid, their chemistry is electric, and the future feels full of promise – but something inside her is stirring. She’s traded city charm for estate calm yet still feels caught between worlds.

Then Harry shows up. A famous music producer – and a blast from Scarlett’s past – he’s in town to film with a renowned band. His arrival is magnetic, disruptive, and the last thing she ever expected. Scarlett loves Edward, but Harry’s presence reawakens the version of herself she thought she’d left behind.

When Edward’s daughter announces she’s pregnant and moves in full-time, the pressure only grows. And when Scarlett meets Sophie, a young woman struggling to make a home for her unborn child, one small act of kindness turns into something far bigger – a project that might just change everything. But as tragedy strikes, Scarlett faces a deeper choice – not between two men, but between who she was and who she’s becoming.

Too Much to Hope For is a high spice, emotionally layered story of love, legacy, and identity – about staying rooted in love while growing into something more. Perfect for readers who loved the emotional fire of A New Hope in the Highlands, the small-town heart of Things We Never Got Over, and the soul-deep reckoning of After I Do.

Without further ado, it’s over to Rachel.

When Chemistry Isn’t Enough – Writing Spice Without Losing The Story.

Readers and writers talk a lot about “spice” at the moment. How much is too much. Whether it’s necessary. Whether it adds anything at all. As both a reader and a writer of romance, I find the conversation fascinating – and occasionally a little heated.

Because for me, the question isn’t really about how explicit something is. It’s about whether it matters.

I love chemistry. There’s nothing quite like that first charged exchange between two characters who just click. The dialogue sharpens. The air shifts. You can feel the pull before either of them admits it.

But chemistry on its own is easy.

What’s harder – and far more interesting – is asking what that chemistry is doing.

There’s a lot of conversation about ‘spice’ versus ‘smut’. I find it fascinating – and sometimes a little puritanical and/or judgemental – on either side of the fence. Some readers want closed-door romance. Others want very explicit, on-the-page intimacy. Neither is wrong, and let’s not yuk someone’s yum (as the cool kids are calling it!). But for me, the real question isn’t how graphic something is – it’s whether it means something.

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NK Chats To: A.M. Shine

Published February 14, 2026 | By Laura

Thank you so much for joining me today and for inviting Novel Kicks onto your blog tour. Grace is steeped in Irish mythology and Gothic horror—what inspired you to blend these elements in this story?

An unhealthy obsession with horror and history is probably to blame for this one. I’ve always enjoyed the notion that the old lore was inspired by very real fears, and that there are horrors still existing in Ireland that we’d be wise not to disturb. For centuries we were an island of storytellers, gift-wrapping these terrifying warnings as tales and rooting them to the land, not merely to spook the children, but to keep them safe.

Growing up in a small village in the west of Ireland, I knew which trees were fairy forts and best avoided. There was even a rock that’d apparently been a witch once upon a time, and on the darkest nights she could be seen travelling as a passenger in the backseat of your car. I believed the stories then, and I still respect them now. Grace was inspired by my love of the gothic and Ireland’s wonderful inheritance of horror, and I’m exceptionally proud to carry on that tradition in the twenty-first century.

The island in Grace is described as “isolated and wilfully forgotten.” How did you go about crafting such a haunting and atmospheric setting? Was it inspired by a real place?

I’ve wanted to set a novel on an island for years now, as I can’t imagine a setting more cruel and isolating than a lonely rock out in the ocean. To make it suitably inhospitable, I drew on my own experiences of Ireland’s unique and ofttimes bleak west coast. I also visited the Aran Islands and Inishbofin to get a real feel for the isolation first-hand and to test out the local pubs (for research purposes, of course). There’s a feeling to these communities that I really wanted to infuse into my writing, not only to craft the horror, but to also capture their stark beauty. And Croaghnakeela, where Grace takes place, is actually a real island. Nobody lives on it, thankfully, so I didn’t feel too bad when I invented its own horrible history. But who knows, maybe this novel will inspire a few adventurous horror fans to visit it someday. I’d be happy to tag along with them.

What draws you to horror as a genre, and what do you think makes a truly terrifying story?

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Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Pick Up From The First Line

Published February 13, 2026 | By Laura

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation.

Today’s prompt is – pick up from the first line.

Using the first line below, create a story. The genre, the character and setting is up to you. The only rule is you have to use this first line…

‘Well, this is where I live.’

I am so excited to see what you do with this line. Remember, don’t worry about what you’re writing. The aim of this is to get the words down onto the page and to see where it takes you.

Have fun.

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Book Review: The Resistance Knitting Club By Jenny O’Brien

Published February 13, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcomin Jenny O’Brien to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Resistance Knitting Club.

Inspired by the true story of a woman who used knitting patterns to encode intelligence during World War Two.

Guernsey, 2010. After a stroke, an elderly woman shocks her family by speaking perfect French – a language they never knew she possessed. As her granddaughter unravels seventy years of silence, a hidden wartime story emerges…

Paris, 1941. After her brother is declared missing in action at Dunkirk, eighteen-year-old Lenny Gallienne vanishes into Churchill’s secret army. In a bookshop on Rue de la Pompe, she poses as a simple shop girl while encoding intelligence from Nazi headquarters into knitting patterns. Each sweater smuggled to prisoners contains flight paths. Each scarf holds radio frequencies. Each mistake means execution.

Fellow agent, Harry Dennison is the only person who knows her real name. But when the SS close in, Lenny faces an impossible choice in the Metro tunnels beneath Paris – one that will haunt her family for generations. Because in the resistance, the most dangerous secrets are the ones you keep from those you love most.

*****

It’s 2010. An elderly lady sits in a hospital bed and, out of nowhere, begins to speak French. This is a complete surprise to her family. It’s 1941, Lenny is grieving the loss of someone close to her. She decides to join the war effort by working at the war office. When this takes an unexpected turn, this will change the course of Lenny’s life forever.

I couldn’t be happier to be invited onto the blog tour for The Resistance Knitting Club. When I read the blurb for this book, there was something about this story that drew me to it.

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Book Review & Giveaway: Under a Southern Sky By Clare Flynn

Published February 13, 2026 | By Laura

It’s a joy to be welcoming Clare Flynn to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Under a Southern Sky.

After a German fighter sinks her husband’s ship in the icy Atlantic, grief-stricken Hannah Kidd flees the rubble and ration queues of wartime Liverpool for a new life on the other side of the world. In sun-soaked Sydney, she discovers more than just refuge from nightly bombing raids—she finds unexpected family connections, meaningful work, and the handsome Eddie Greenbank.

As Hannah explores the golden beaches of Sydney’s eastern shores, the misty valleys of the Blue Mountains, and the rolling scenery of the Hunter Valley, she begins to believe that happiness isn’t lost forever. But even in Australia, the war’s long shadow threatens everything she’s begun to rebuild. Hannah must decide: will she let grief define her, or will she fight for the future she never thought she’d have?

A sweeping story of resilience and renewal set against the dramatic backdrop of wartime Australia, Under a Southern Sky explores how far we must sometimes travel—both in miles and in spirit—to find our way home.

*****

Hannah has just moved to Australia at the beginning of World War II. Living in Sydney, she is doing what she can to take her mind off the recent death of her husband. She finds a job and a place to live but there is still something she needs to do – find her long lost Aunt. When she meets Eddie, her life will take a turn she couldn’t have predicted.

I do love myself a great historical novel and Under A Southern Sky was a book I looked forward to starting. This was the first book from Clare Flynn I’ve had the opportunity to read.

I am going to try and review without giving too much away.

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Book Review: The Funeral Crashers By Joanna Nell

Published February 12, 2026 | By Laura

‘There are a lot of lonely people in the world, Martin. Especially when you get to our age. This is the one place you can come where nobody judges. Besides, you don’t need to have known somebody personally to celebrate their life.’

Retired academic Martin Pottinger‘s romantic aspirations for the delectable head of his former university’s archaeology department, Professor Mary Blake, seem about to be realised. If only he could devise a plan to manage the demands of his eccentric elderly mother, Edwina.

Recently bereaved Grace Cavendish spends her days helping out at All Souls Church, making it her mission to drown out the Reverend Rod’s tone-deaf hymn-singing and give each funeral recipient a hearty send-off. Yet the peace she craves remains elusive despite the comforts offered by psychic medium Rhondda and her eight-year-old son, Hudson.

When Martin and Grace meet and bond at an All Souls service, they unwittingly set off a chain of events with far-reaching consequences. They become funeral crashers. But who could have predicted that crashing funerals might have such life-changing and life-affirming outcomes?

*****

Grace has been alone for a long time. She struggles to fill her days. When she meets a young boy named, Hudson, she can see he is someone who needs help.

Martin is getting a little impatient with his mother invading his space. He is distracting himself with a crush he has on colleague, Mary.

When a funeral brings Grace and Martin together, some luck comes their way. As they get to know each other, will their friendship blossom or will they have nothing in common?

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: A Character Q&A

Published February 11, 2026 | By Laura

Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

Today, I thought it might be good to revisit a previous exercise and look at getting to know your character. However, we won’t be talking to your character in their present day, for this, they are 16 years-old.

Get into the head of your character by answering the following questions. Remember, in this scenario, they are sixteen. Think about how differently they would answer compared to how an adult would answer. Maybe you could try answering from the point of view of different genders and see how the answers differ?

What did you want to be when you were five? What do you want to be now?
What scares you?
What is your biggesr secret?
Who is your best friend?
Who has betrayed you?
If you needed to save one thing from your house, what would you save?
What is in your bedside table?
Where would you like to visit and why?
Why did your Dad leave?
Are you happy?

Let me know how you get on in the comments below. How did you find answering the questions? Which one was hardest to answer? Which answer suprised you? Did you learn anything about your character that has now further informed the piece of writing they feature in?

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A Moment With… Lucy Kaufman

Published February 10, 2026 | By Laura

Lucy Kaufman is bringing the blog tour for The Heart-Shaped Box to Novel Kicks today. Welcome.

The page-turning psychological thriller novella about infatuation, revenge and the lengths we will go to for love.

“She pressed her nose gingerly to the glass, peering unblinking through the viscous liquid at her gift.”

Victorian, rural Sussex. When headstrong daughter of a rector, Constance Timothy, receives a flurry of gifts in pretty little boxes from the charming, smouldering student doctor Smith Williams, her whole family anticipates a future betrothal.

Yet beneath the exquisite pastel lids and satin bows lie macabre secrets that entice Constance into a private world of obsession and darkness, where morality becomes blurred, loyalties are tested and unthinkable acts are possible.

One secret will shake the genteel world she knows to the core…

The first book of The Carousel of Curiosities series, this haunting novella is perfect for readers of Sarah Waters, Laura Purcell, and Angela Carter.

To talk about how much she loves Novellas and why you might too, it’s over to you, Lucy.

Like many schoolkids in the UK, the first novella I read was Of Mice and Men. Short enough to read over a term in a classroom and engaging enough a story for even the most book-phobic child to be drawn into its emotional world, it’s obvious why Steinbeck’s 30,000-word masterpiece has become an all-time classic as well as a Literature syllabus perennial.

There are clues in that thin-spined book as to what makes a great novella: one strong storyline pushing forward to an inevitable climax and conclusion, unforgettable characters, vivid description that puts us right there with Lenny and George in Soledad, and an emotional tangle at its heart that has a deep sense of how things should go in an ideal world but – in this book at least – don’t.

I read recently how a novella is akin to other short forms such as flash, the short story and even poetry in that a novella cannot afford to waste a single word. For this reason, they may be short, but they are rich and refined, the good ones often polished to perfection like precious stones until they gleam.

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NK Chats To… Kathleen Jeffrey

Published February 6, 2026 | By Laura

Hi Kathleen. Thank you so much for joining us today and for bringing the blog tour for Katie’s Really Bad Day: A Story About Test Anxiety to Novel Kicks. What’s a detail, theme, or clue in your book that most readers might miss on the first read—but you secretly hope someone notices?

Empathetic, concerned faces of Katie’s teacher, Mom & Dad, and her classmates when Katie is upset. No one is making fun of her.

When did this story or idea “click” into place for you—was there a single moment you knew you had to write it?

During critique group sessions with a long manuscript, I discovered I actually had two books to write. The first became Katie’s Really Bad Day: A Story About Test Anxiety, to identify Katie’s character with school & test anxiety, which is based on my personal story I had to tell for authenticity. The second book will feature Katie once again and will be illustrated sometime this year.

Which character or real-life person surprised you the most while writing this book, and why?

Katie’s sidekick Finn turned out to be quite the entertaining cut up as well a very concerned and empathetic friend.

If your book had a soundtrack, what three songs would be on it and what scenes or moments would they pair with?

“Inside Out” by Michael Giacchino, (From joyful school yard to Katie’s sudden test anxiety.)

“When I Breathe” by Stephanie Leavell (Learning belly breathing with Miss Julie and later with the class.)

“When I’m Nervous” (A song for kids about overcoming anxiety.) Overall story wrap up. Would play at the end of the book.

What’s one belief, question, or emotional truth you hope readers carry with them long after they finish your book?

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: One Sentence In Different Genres

Published February 4, 2026 | By Laura

Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

It’s all about trying different genres today.

We are going to begin with this one sentence –

He/She/They/I walk into a room. Everything stops. Silence falls.

Starting with that one sentence, we are going to write something within four different genres.

Historical Fiction

Crime Fiction

Contemporary Fiction and/or Romance

Horror

We are going to write at least three hundred words in all four of the genres above.

Try not to think about the quality of what you’re writing. Just write and see.

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A Moment With… Elaine Spires

Published February 4, 2026 | By Laura

We are saying hello to Wednesday and welcoming Elaine Spires as she brings the blog tour for her book, A Body in the Banjo to Novel Kicks.

It’s November 1958 and Dagenham is excitedly awaiting Bonfire Night. Cissie Partridge isn’t too keen on fireworks but she generously donates to the local children doing Penny for the guy. Cissie is content with her lot. She loves her husband Harold.

She shops, she cooks, she reads at every opportunity and she volunteers at the Dockland Settlement. Observant and sharp, she gets on with all her neighbours.

Then, one morning, she finds a body…

To tell us about more about The Body in the Banjo’s main character, Cissie, it’s over to you, Elaine.

Mrs Cissie Partridge

As a writer I have often struggled to classify my novels. Romance? Well… there is romance in them but they certainly don’t fall into the typical enemies-to-lovers or friends-to-lovers formats of most romantic novels. Contemporary Fiction? Some are. Sagas? Sort of. Women’s Fiction? Getting warmer! All of my books feature strong women. But all the years I have been writing there was one genre that I’d always wanted to attempt: cozy mysteries.

When I went to live in Spain as a 19-year-old holiday rep — or courier as we were known in those days — clients would often offer me their paperbacks when they were leaving. I’ve always been a voracious reader and I was extremely grateful for their generosity. Thus I discovered so many authors, Jackie Collins, Harold Robbins, Sidney Sheldon, Mario Puzo, Alistair Maclean to mention just a few. However, there was one author’s name I was always delighted to see on my gifted books: Agatha Christie.

I devoured her books and fell into every trap, followed every red herring as the Queen of Whodunnits totally blindsided me. I never once guessed who the murderer was. I’ve also watched all the TV Miss Marples over the years, my favourite being Geraldine McEwan and I must have seen every episode of David Suchet as Poirot a dozen times. From time to time over the years I would ask myself “Can I write a murder mystery?”

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Book Extract: The Last Adam By Ron Echols

Published February 3, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Ron Echols to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, The Last Adam.

Ron Echols’s The Last Adam tells a story where spiritual warfare unfolds alongside everyday life. What begins quietly soon gathers momentum, as hidden forces start influencing events with lasting consequences.

Mary Levitt’s pregnancy becomes the focal point of violent attacks and unexplained visions, revealing a prophecy feared by forces that have waited centuries to act. Her child represents a threat to an ancient balance.

Joseph Riesman’s involvement in a major development project exposes political manipulation and older powers operating beneath visible authority. What seems modern and rational soon gives way to something far more dangerous.

The sacrifice of the archangel Raphael exposes a war involving angels, fallen angels, and human collaborators working across time. Watched and hunted at every turn, Mary and Joseph confront betrayal and spiritual warfare while fighting to protect a life destined to change the world.

Ron has kindly shared an extract from The Last Adam with us today. We really hope you enjoy it.

*****beginning of extract*****

Prologue

Location: The Lunar Surface, Tranquility Base, southwestern corner of the Sea of Tranquility.

The moon hung motionless, like a dead thing in the void of space. Its pockmarked exterior reflecting the sun’s merciless glare and millennia of asteroids pummeling its surface. In that airless waste where humans had once taken a small step, the lunar dust lay since undisturbed, marked only by boot prints and machinery left behind.

Piercing through the silence of the void, a voice called out.

“Raphael!”

A brilliant white light erupted into existence, hovering above the moon’s surface like a tear in the fabric of space itself. The light intensified until it seemed to bend space around it, taking form. A figure of a man emerged. Behind him, the first suggestion of wings. Translucent, but appearing stronger than steel, they folded against his armor etched with ancient angelic symbols that seemed to move when viewed directly. Dark hair, wild and untamed accentuated his sapphire eyes and caressed his polished, glass-like skin.

The being that called itself Gabriel stood motionless on the lunar surface, its feet leaving no prints in the ancient dust. The face that poets had tried and failed to capture for millennia turned slowly, searching.

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Book Extract: Winter’s Season By R.J. Koreto

Published February 3, 2026 | By Laura

I am so pleased and excited to be welcoming R.J. Koreto to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his novel, Winter’s Season.

Winter’s Season by R.J. Koreto follows a man tasked with enforcing justice before the tools to define it exist. Through Captain Winter’s perspective, the story examines how authority operates when law is informal and accountability is selective.

In a city still shaped by war, Captain Winter serves as Whitehall’s “special emissary,” confronting crimes meant to be handled quietly. When a young woman is murdered, his investigation exposes connections that reach beyond the crime itself, binding privilege and violence together.

Winter’s path is shaped by uneasy reliance on others. A nobleman tied to his past opens doors to influence, while a wise Jewish physician brings careful observation to a world driven by rumor. The case grows more volatile with the return of Barbara Lightwood, a former lover whose intelligence and social access place her near dangerous truths. Her guarded involvement unsettles Winter at a critical moment.

As pressure mounts, Winter is forced to confront not only the crime, but the moral limits of his role in pursuing justice.

R.J. Koreto has kindly shared an extract with us today. We really hope you enjoy it.

*****beginning of extract*****

The captain said goodbye to his colonel and a few other officers, and the butler saw him out. He walked to the nearest stand and engaged a hackney cab to Bow Street Court. A few heads turned as he entered the building, but no one accosted him. A clerk gave him the barest nod but said nothing as he entered a room.

A few minutes later, the captain came out. He was no longer in his regimentals, but in rather shabby outfit, almost rural, with a slouch hat. Down the hall, he entered another room, where a squad of Bow Street Runners awaited—constables, employed by the local court at Bow Street, to keep order and seize felons. Winter suppressed a grimace. They were poorly trained and poorly paid, but it was pretty much all London had for law enforcement. Many still thought the idea of a formal professional constabulary too much government interference—too un-English. So, the Runners would have to do. At least they were willing and obedient.

“We have already gone over where you should be standing,” said the captain. “You know how important it is you aren’t seen.” There was more than instruction in his voice—there was menace.

“Yes, sir,” said the most senior constable present.

“Then take your places. I’ll be along shortly.”

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Novel Kicks Book Club: The Phone Box At The Edge of the World By Laura Imai Messina (Translated By Lucy Rand)

Published February 1, 2026 | By Laura

Hello and welcome back to the Novel Kicks Book Club.

What a joy it is to be saying hello to February. We did it. We got through another January.

For this month’s book club, I have chosen a book that I know is going to wreck me. We all need a good cry every now and then, right? Then a piece of cake to make us feel better?… Right….

We will be reading The Phone Box at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina. Translated by Lucy Rand, this japanese based novel is inspired by true events. You know when you read the blurb for a novel and even that gives you all the feels. This book did that for me. Plus, this cover is so beautiful.

How To Take Part?

Are you new to our book club? Well, anyone and everyone is welcome and at any point in the month. Maybe you’ve read it and want to talk about it? You may be reading along with me? I’ve posted a question in the comments to get discussion going. I look forward to seeing you there.

About The Phone Box at the Edge of the World –

We all have something to tell those we have lost . . .

On a windy hill in Japan, in a garden overlooking the sea stands a disused phone box. For years, people have travelled to visit the phone box, to pick up the receiver and speak into the wind: to pass their messages to loved ones no longer with us.

When Yui loses her mother and daughter in the tsunami, she is plunged into despair and wonders how she will ever carry on. One day she hears of the phone box, and decides to make her own pilgrimage there, to speak once more to the people she loved the most. But when you have lost everything, the right words can be the hardest thing to find . . .

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Book Extract: Under Vixens Mere By Kit Fielding

Published February 1, 2026 | By Laura

I’m so excited to be welcoming Kit Fielding to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, Under Vixens Mere.

If poor Harry Jones hadn’t lowered himself into the water one freezing winter’s night, a long-buried secret would never have come to the surface.

If …

Big Ed and Milly had been able to have children,

Karen hadn’t longed for love and romance,

Lorrie hadn’t finally ditched Petra,

Dinah hadn’t found out the truth about Barry,

Jed hadn’t dealt drugs and got Anna pregnant,

Carl Thomson hadn’t come looking for him,

and Moses hadn’t heard the commotion …

then there would be no story of Vixens Mere to tell.

There’s a chance to win some books below but first, Kit has shared an extract from Under Vixens Mere with us today. Grab that beverage and the blanket. Find that comfortable chair and enjoy.

*****beginning of extract*****

The tenuous trail that brought them to Vixens Mere begins when Big Ed and Milly the Mystic wake up together in his roughly converted Transit van at the Reading Festival in the August of 1978. They’re on a lumpy and rather grubby mattress in the back of the vehicle and it must be about ten o’clock when Big Ed rolls himself over onto his back and encounters the soft prone body of Milly the Mystic. He yawns, looks at her curiously and says, ‘You been here all night?’

She says, ‘I think so.’

Big Ed studies her a bit more. ‘What do they call you then?’

‘Milly.’

She sits up, notices that her breasts are bare, lifts the covers, peeps down further at her naked nether regions. She looks at Ed, a question knitting her brow.

‘Did we …?’ she begins.

‘Must have, I suppose.’ Big Ed looks appreciatively at her breasts. ‘But we could make sure.’

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Book Extract: The Vision Board By Siobhan Murphy

Published January 29, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Siobhan Murphy to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The Vision Board.

Two best friends. Two one-way tickets. And a future that might just surprise them.

Bex and Amy are best friends and total opposites. Bex is cynical, Amy is romantic. Bex is chaotic, Amy is organised. With the prospect of turning 34 just around the corner, neither is where they expected to be at this point in their lives.

Bex is exploring her sexuality and has a string of failed relationships, while Amy is newly single and desperate to fall in love. Armed with a photographic vision board of the future, Bex and Amy put their trust in ‘The Universe’ and fly from London to Bali, then on to Australia in search of adventure, cocktails on the beach and maybe even love.

Almost immediately, Amy finds someone who is the perfect fit for her dream life. While Bex is stuck playing double dates with his best friend, the most pompous man she has ever met, but also one of the hottest. Travelling via white sand beaches, lush rainforests and road trips through idyllic scenery, the images on their vision board begin to transform into reality.

However, people are not always what they seem, and first impressions are not always accurate. Add in a queer, charismatic love interest and a vindictive ex-girlfriend, and the path of true love begins to get a little more complex.

When ‘The Universe’ has its own agenda, is it possible to manifest a happy ever after?

An Enemies to Lovers destination romance with a sprinkling of Pride and Prejudice vibes.

Siobhan has kindly shared an extract with us today. Grab that beverage, find that comfortable chair. We hope you enjoy reading.

(Warning: Mild Language.)

*****beginning of extract*****

This section is the opening to the book. I hadn’t planned to write a romantic comedy but was woken up at 3 am with the character of Bex in my head, telling me about a bingo game. I had no choice but to drag myself out of bed, head to the sofa with a blanket, a cuppa and my laptop and find out exactly what she was banging on about. That is how ‘The Vision Board’ began.

*****

Amy and I are playing ‘Airport Bingo’, and we’ve just ticked ourselves off the list. ‘Get in.’ I shout, striking a flamboyant line through the words, loud, irritating girls who are already drunk, even though it’s first thing in the morning.

The bingo game is a ‘keep Amy calm’ tactic (along with the alcohol I insisted on buying at 6 am). Only one bar was open in the Departures area at that time of the morning. Dark, generic, and utterly soulless, the staff radiated either boredom or abject misery. Anything approaching even basic customer service had left the building. A pungent-smelling lad in a stained apron took our order begrudgingly. One glance at him made me doubt the high star rating on the bar’s hygiene certificate, so I went for liquid refreshments only. Amy was too nervous to eat, and I’d learned from bitter experience that long-haul flights and questionable food standards are a risky combination. The waiter dumped the G&Ts and the bottle of Prosecco unceremoniously on the table, then returned to his position behind the bar. Elbow propped on the counter, face slumped on his hand, his expression that of a semi-comatose hospital patient.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: From Three Different Ways

Published January 28, 2026 | By Laura

Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

Today’s exercise is about looking at the same event in three different ways.

First, pick one of the following scenarios –

You’re at a magic convention and you bump into the one person who has made your life a misery.
You go speed dating but it’s all your previous partners.
You wake up and all of the colour has disappeared from the world. You go on a quest to find out why.
Your life is being narrated by a mysterious voice.

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NK Chats To… Caroline James

Published January 24, 2026 | By Laura

Hi Caroline. Thank you so much for inviting Novel Kicks onto your blog tour!

Thank you so much for inviting me to join you and your wonderful followers on your lovely blog. I do hope that you all enjoy my new novel, The Arctic Cruise.

Can you tell us about The Arctic Cruise and what inspired it?

I’ve always dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights, so when the chance arose to take a winter cruise to Norway, it felt like the perfect opportunity—and irresistible research for a new story. The fjords were breathtaking, with snow-capped mountains rising above icy waters, and the atmosphere was completely magical. As we sailed beyond the Arctic Circle, the idea for The Arctic Cruise began to take shape: a story about two people drawn together aboard the ship, while the lives of other passengers subtly and unexpectedly intertwine with theirs, shaping a journey none of them will ever forget.

What were the best and most challenging parts of writing this novel?

The most rewarding part was exploring the emotional connection between Henry and Joy as their chemistry grew and obstacles intensified. Portraying those vulnerable moments—where attraction, doubt, and hope collide—was satisfying. The biggest challenge was ensuring those emotions resonate with readers and keep them invested in the characters and story, which demands honesty and careful crafting.

What’s your typical writing day like? Do you have any writing rituals?

I start each day with coffee, then answer correspondence and check social media before working on my novel. My target is 2,000 words a day; reaching that gives me a strong sense of accomplishment.

How do you approach the planning, writing, and editing processes?

I tackle planning, writing, and editing with discipline. I honour my publishing deadlines and treat writing as both a profession and a passion by refining my work to its best and marketing it effectively.

What comes first for you, plot or characters?

Plot comes first. I visualise and research the setting, then add characters to fit the story.

What kind of scene do you find the hardest to write?

Emotional scenes at a character’s most vulnerable moments are the hardest, requiring complete honesty and authenticity on the page. Achieving this is a challenge I strive to meet every time.

What are you currently working on?

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Book Review & Giveaway: The Croatian Island Library By Eva Glyn

Published January 21, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Eva Glyn to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, The Croatian Island Library.

Where books are borrowed, and friendships are forged…

When her beloved grandfather dies, Ana Meštrović buys a catamaran in his memory, which she names Dida Krila – Grandad’s Wings.

For the summer months, it will be transformed into a travelling library, delivering books to children living across the Croatian islands.

Joined by crew members Natali, a young mechanic afraid of her own shadow, and Lloyd, an older widower who needs a fresh start, the newly-formed trio all have their own reasons for needing the floating library to be a success.

Embarking on an adventure that will change them for good, they each discover that a new chapter is only a boat ride away…

*****

Ana is a woman who is living with guilt when it comes to family expectations. Lloyd is trying to run from grief after the loss of his wife. Natali is a young woman who is fearful of many things and hides from the world.

These three different people are due to come together for one summer. Can they help each other find what they’re missing, are looking for and have lost? Can the power of books bring them together?

I am pleased to be welcoming Eva Glyn back to Novel Kicks. Despite featuring this author previously, The Croatian Island Library is the first of her books I’ve read.

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Novel Kicks Writing Room: Journal Entries

Published January 21, 2026 | By Laura

Hello and welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

Today, I thought it would be fun to write a journal entry from the point of view of your main character from your work in progress.

What I thought would be interesting, is if we write three journal entries in total.

The first entry would be based toward the beginning of your story.

The second entry would be based in the middle of your story.

And, you’ve guessed it, the third entry would be from the end of your story.

With each one, focus on what is happening within that story section. Have your character ask themselves questions like –

What is currently going on?

How am I feeling now?

What is my reaction to what is going on?

How have I changed from the first/last entry?

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Book Extract: Assassins By Mike Bond

Published January 21, 2026 | By Laura

I’m excited to be welcoming Mike Bond to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, Assassins.

Night drops, covert deals, and consequences that stretch across decades form the backbone of Assassins by Mike Bond. The novel opens the door to a world where intelligence missions rarely end when the operation does, and where personal history becomes inseparable from global conflict.

Jack is a CIA operative sent into the shadows of America’s longest and most complicated conflicts. His work begins with covert missions supporting resistance fighters and expands into intelligence operations shaped by terrorism, retaliation, and shifting political priorities. Along the way, personal bonds formed under humanitarian cover refuse to stay separate from his professional life.

As alliances shift and former partners reemerge as future threats, Jack is repeatedly drawn back into conflicts he helped set in motion. Militants he once trained resurface years later, and decisions made in secrecy return with devastating consequences. Spanning more than three decades, Assassins follows a man caught inside the machinery of covert war, where victory is never clean and the past never truly stays buried.

Mike has kindly shared an extract from Assassins with us today. We hope you enjoy it.

*****beginning of extract*****

An Evening in Paris

November 2015

IT WAS WARM for mid-November. They sat on the terrace of a little restaurant. Anyplace in France, she said, how wonderful the food, the delicious wine, the gentle harmony of others there for love, food, friendship, ideas, freedom, the joys of life.

They had been through the wars together, fallen in love amid the hail of bullets and thud of explosions in cities drenched with blood. Knowing, as the cliché put it, any moment could be their last.

It gave an intensity to love, that this person dearer to you than life itself could be extinguished at any instant. Someone you cherished so completely, composed of neurons, cells, muscles, bone, tissue and memories, could be blown apart, riddled with bullets, any second.

“I love you so much,” she said. “But I think I love you even more in Paris.”

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Book Extract & Giveaway: The Colletta Cassettes By Bruno Noble

Published January 21, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Bruno Noble to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, The Colletta Cassettes.

Liguria, Italy. Summer 1978.

The Kentish family are on holiday in idyllic medieval village of Colletta. Sixteen-year-old Sebastian is smitten with Rosetta, the hotel cleaner and waitress, much to his snobbish mother’s dismay, while his younger brother and their fellow hotel guests are obsessed by the World Cup, hosted by the murderous military junta in Argentina.

The boys’ father, Peter Kentish, has very different motivations for the trip. An investigative journalist, he spends much of his time interviewing a mysterious American, a disillusioned ex-CIA agent.

As Kentish uncovers the shocking extent of Operation Gladio, he delves into some of Italy’s darkest secrets. Darker still is the involvement of the USA. Those complicit will do anything to ensure that the truth is buried. For good.

There’s a chance to win a stack of 5 Inkspot books below but first, Bruno has shared an extract from The Colletta Cassettes. We hope you enjoy.

*****beginning of extract*****

Sebastian, aged 16, is on holiday in Liguria, Italy with his parents and his brother in 1978. He is intensely attracted by Rosetta, who works at the hotel as a waitress and chambermaid, much to his mother’s disapproval.

*****

Sebastian heard the door open and there stood Rosetta, with a broom and her mop and her basket again. Against the light, she resembled an Amazon, clutching spears and a shield.

‘Hello,’ he said, resisting the impulse to stand, recalling his mother’s instruction that one stands for a lady but not for a servant.

‘I’ve come to clean,’ she said.

She wore cut-off denim shorts and a blue and white striped man’s shirt rolled up at the arms and tied around her waist.

‘You’re holding it upside down,’ said Rosetta, indicating his book with a nod.

Furiously embarrassed, Sebastian turned the book the other way only to find that he’d been holding it the right way up to begin with.

‘Very funny,’ he said righting the book immediately, now just furious.

Rosetta laughed. ‘So,’ she said and ran her tongue across her top lip, ‘your mother is an artist, your father is a writer and you’re a reader.’

‘What do you know about my father?’ asked Sebastian with interest.

Rosetta shrugged. ‘I saw him yesterday. Everyone is by the pool and he’s there with his typewriter. And you’re here with your book.’

That had been said rather contemptuously, Sebastian felt. ‘And what do you do? When you’re not – working?’ He’d intended to say ‘cleaning’ but he’d been afraid he’d sound like his mother.

She shrugged again.

‘Don’t you have any hobbies?’

‘I fight.’ That was said nonchalantly.

‘You fight?’ Sebastian couldn’t keep the note of astonishment from his voice.

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NK Chats To… Thomas Roehlk

Published January 20, 2026 | By Laura

Hello Thomas. Thank you so much for joining me today. What sets your book, Fire Feud, apart from others in your genre?

I consider my genre as thriller, with the sub-genre of legal thriller. I have much respect for women in the corporate law world, and I believe my work shines a light on this type of character in the crowded world of thrillers.

What’s your favorite compliment you’ve received as a writer?

My favorite was from a review I received on my first book, Red Deuce. It was “Red Deuce shows the author’s behind-the-scenes understanding of how corporations work, making it seem all too credible. The plot keeps you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you’ve figured it all out, he throws another curveball that leaves you eagerly flipping pages to uncover the truth.”

Why did you choose this setting/topic?

Choosing Chicago as a setting provides an amazing city with amazing history, and therefore amazing opportunities to build stories. My protagonist is a study in contrasts. She finds herself unable to poke the beast until it reveals its web of intrigue and illegality, and the story of intermingled crime and espionage allows the protagonist to push herself into solving the mystery.

Which author(s) most inspired you?

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Cover Reveal: The Heart-Shaped Box By Lucy Kaufman

Published January 20, 2026 | By Laura

I am so excited to be revealing the cover for The Heart-Shaped Box, the upcoming novel by Lucy Kaufman.

The page-turning psychological thriller novella about infatuation, revenge and the lengths we will go to for love.

“She pressed her nose gingerly to the glass, peering unblinking through the viscous liquid at her gift.”

One secret will shake the genteel world she knows to the core…

The first book of The Carousel of Curiosities series, this haunting novella is perfect for readers of Sarah Waters, Laura Purcell, and Angela Carter.

OK, now we know a bit about the story, it’s time to reveal the cover. Are you ready? Drumroll…3…2…1…

Continue reading →

Book Review: The Locked Room By Holly Hepburn

Published January 19, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Holly Hepburn to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her lateset book, The Locked Room.

Join Harriet White in 1930’s London for another glorious Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, for fans of Nita Prose and Janice Hallett.

After a very close call on the Norfolk Fens, Harriet White is about ready to hang up her deerstalker and settle back into her normal life, working in a bank on Baker Street. Until she discovers a letter in The Times newspaper challenging Sherlock Holmes to prove his status as the world’s greatest detective, by solving an impossible mystery. The letter, signed Professor James Moriarty, advises Holmes that the crime will be committed within the following seven days. There will be no further clues – Holmes himself must deduce which crime is the correct one to investigate.

Dismissing the letter as a prank, Harry goes about her business until news breaks of the theft of valuable jewel collection from a safe in an apparently locked room in a Mayfair townhouse.

Intrigued in spite of her misgivings, Harry dons a disguise and investigates. But as she begins to unpick the puzzle, a body is found. And now, a stranger, and far more deadly mystery begins to unfold around her…

*****

Harry White takes her job as Secretary to Sherlock Holmes seriously. However, when a seemingly real challenge set by Holmes’ nemesis, Moriarty is laid down, it’s not long before Harry is pulled into a potentially dangerous game.

Having read the premise for this book, I jumped at the chance to be part of the blog tour. I couldn’t wait to get started.

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Book Review: Celebrations at the Beach Hotel By Francesca Capaldi

Published January 18, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Francesca Capaldi back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, Celebrations at the Beach Hotel.

Sisters Alice and Annie have always been close but will a man come between them?

Annie and Alice love their life working at the Beach Hotel together and each is thrilled to have finally found a sweetheart. Yet the path of true love never did run smooth, and they soon find themselves facing conflict and strife. Could love come between them and the bond they share?

Meanwhile, as men start to come home from the war, the women have to work out how to keep their jobs, although they are delighted to be back with their beaus. Soon, wedding bells ring out in Littlehampton.

Will everything be made right in time for Christmas?

*****

It’s a pleasure to be taking part in the blog tour for the latest novel in Francesca Capaldi’s Beach Hotel series.

Even though we’ve featured this series before, it’s my first review. I am not sure how that’s happened. This is book six in the series. Although I felt that reading previous novels would enrich my experience of this book, I didn’t feel that I had missed any important information so it can be read as a standalone.

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Book Extract: The Viking She Shouldn’t Crave By Sarah Rodi

Published January 17, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Sarah Rodi to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Viking She Shouldn’t Crave.

A spicy, forbidden love Viking romance

Their forbidden tryst…

Is treason!

Helena’s spent her life preparing to be the Byzantine Prince’s bride. But when his cruel disinterest turns her position perilous, she finds salvation in fierce warrior Viggo. As the Prince’s personal guard, he knows her betrothed like no other. Could Viggo help her win his affections?

Only, Helena swiftly discovers the man she craves is not her husband-to-be…but thrillingly rugged Viggo! To act on their desires would be committing treason. Getting caught could be fatal. And yet, resisting their illicit connection feels like a fate worse than death…

Sarah has kindly shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.

*****beginning of extract*****

The Viking She Shouldn’t Crave is set in 10^th century Constantinople, where skilled Viking warriors fought for emperors in return for great riches, and the royal princes picked their wives at bride shows.

The story begins when the bishop’s daughter, Helena, is chosen at the bride show. Prince Marianos must marry to sire an heir, and Helena must wed to save her family from financial ruin, but during their first moments alone, the prince’s charming façade drops, and Helena’s ideas of a romantic union are shattered.

She is surprised when his Varangian commander, Viggo, is kind to her, despite his belief that she is marrying the prince for wealth and status.

In this scene, Helena has snuck out of the palace and gone to Viggo’s home to ask for his help to win over the prince’s affections. But she soon discovers it is not the prince’s heart, but that of his right-hand man she cares about, but any attraction between them is forbidden, and Viggo must resist temptation – he needs the wedding to take place to receive his coin and help his pregnant sister…

*****

‘I wanted to talk to you about the Prince,’ she said, wringing her hands. ‘You’ve seen what it’s like. He has chosen to distance himself from me and there’s just days to go until the wedding.’ She paced away, towards a large ornate mirror. She was distracted by her reflection. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes bright and her hair had come loose from her braids after wearing that helmet, tendrils framing her face. ‘Zoe has told me I need to rectify the situation, yet Marianos won’t let me near him to see or speak to him.’

‘I’m sure he will come round,’ he said. But then he frowned. ‘Unless… Are you saying you want to break off the engagement?’

Continue reading →

Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: No Music Allowed

Published January 16, 2026 | By Laura

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation.

Today’s prompt: No Music Allowed.

Your character, a musician, has woken up from another night where they’ve indulged in something they shouldn’t have. As they try to piece together what happened, they become aware that they can’t hear music.

What happens? Why has this happened?

Have fun!

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Book Extract: A Brotherly Devotion By Jill Bray

Published January 13, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Jill Bray to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, A Brotherly Devotion.

YORK 1224: On a hot July night, Brother Clement is savagely murdered when returning from administering to Lady Maud de Mowbray.

Simon de Hale, Sheriff of Yorkshire, is in his office when Abbot Robert visits to inform him of the murder, and request that he take responsibility for investigating the killing.

Simon is unsure whether the murder is a crime against the Abbey, or if it is a more personal matter against the monk.

Commencing their investigation, Simon and his deputy, Adam, ride out to see Lady Maud de Mowbray at Overton – the last person to see Brother Clement alive. When they encounter her son, Roger de Mowbray, they both take an instant dislike to him.

Lady Mowbray reveals to Simon that she intends to leave her money to the Abbey, and Simon can see this being a motive for the monk’s murder, if her son was aware of this.

The investigation gathers pace and a murder weapon is found.

A banquet is held at the castle to honour the Royal Justice – during which, one of the guests is exposed as the murderer and apprehended. But that will not be the end of the story for Simon and his family.

Jill has shared an extract from A Brotherly Devotion with us today. We hope you enjoy it.

*****beginning of extract*****

This extract is taken from Chapter 5 when Alexander visits Simon to ask for Katherine’s hand in marriage, only to be told that Simon has already promised her to Lord Fitzwarren and has received the King’s approval for the match.

*****

“Alexander, it is good to finally meet you. My daughter Katherine has told me about you.”

Alexander looked up expectantly and a little surprised. “So, you know why I am here then?”

Simon nodded. “Katherine spoke with me last evening.” He was about to continue when Alexander interrupted.

“So, you will know that I love her very much.” He began eagerly, his blue eyes sparkling and clearly nervous. “I have spoken with my own father, and he is agreeable to the marriage. I can assure you that I will take care of her and provide for her. After we are married, we will live with my family to start with, but in time I am hoping to renovate one of the properties on my father’s estate.”

Simon admired Alexanders’ enthusiasm, but he held up his hand to stop him from continuing. He had to put an end to this now, before it went too far. The last thing he wanted was to lead Alexander into thinking there was any chance of him marrying Katherine.

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Book Extract & Giveaway: Poole of Light By RJ Verity

Published January 11, 2026 | By Laura

I’m delighted to be welcoming RJ Verity to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, Poole of Light, book one in The Poole Legacy.

A coal-mining town. A flicker of light. A boy who dreams of more.

Spennymoor, 1913. When ten-year-old Jem Poole sees a moving picture for the first time, it ignites a spark. Raised in a northern coal-mining town marked by grief and hardship, he begins to dream of more than soot and survival. He dreams of light.

Through war, reinvention, and the golden age of British cinema, Jem rises to national success, building a legacy of silver screens and stories that define a generation. But when a figure from his past reappears, long-buried memories resurface, and he must confront the truth of the life he has built – and the memories that never let go.

Set against the backdrop of twentieth-century Britain, Poole of Light is a richly layered historical debut about ambition, identity, and the stories that shape us.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

Character-driven historical fiction with emotional depth
Coming-of-age novels set in 20th-century England
Themes of legacy, reinvention, and quiet redemption
Authors like Jo Baker, Kristin Hannah, Amor Towles and Anthony Doerr

We have a chance for you to win a limited edition copy of Poole of Light but first, RJ Verity has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy.

*****beginning of extract*****

INTRO

In this scene, Jem sets out with a simple, determined goal: to earn enough money to buy a ticket to see a moving picture. What he encounters instead is a painful lesson in class and belonging. Moving from shop to shop, Jem discovers that opportunity is not equally available to everyone, and the invisible boundaries of his town begin to reveal themselves. Yet even in the face of rejection, his resilience drives him forward – until he reaches the final shop on the street, where a very different kind of conversation unfolds. This moment marks the beginning of his fight for a future beyond the limits others place on him.

*****

Jem starts his quest at the far end of Whitworth Terrace. He is standing in front of a grand, two-storey building boasting full length glass displays on the ground floor, and tall arched windows above. Coats of arms and flags punctuate the front pillars in alternate fashion. The main entrance is a double brass swing-door, framed with shiny dark wood, above it the words Spennymoor Co-operative Society in gold lettering. He’s never been inside before, but Daisy says it’s as posh as St Paul’s Church. Trust her to know.

The glass door is heavy and he gives it a hard push. Inside, a whiff of sweet citrus fills the brightly lit hall. Smartly dressed shop assistants stand behind neatly arranged counters and – as it’s still early and with only a few customers present – all attention turns to him. He looks down at his scuffed boots and Archie’s jacket and trousers that are two sizes too big. It would be easier to turn and leave, but his desire to get a job and buy a ticket to see a moving picture is greater. He pats down his hair, holds his shoulders back and walks forward, facing straight ahead, glancing nervously from one assistant to the next. He spots a kind-looking middle-aged lady, smiling as she folds squares of fabric, and approaches her.

‘Hello, Ma’am.’

She glances up, her eyebrows rising as quickly as her smile vanishes.

‘I’m …’ He clears his throat. ‘I’d like a job, Ma’am.’

Continue reading →

Book Review: Tomorrow Starts Today by Jessica Redland

Published January 10, 2026 | By Laura

I’m so excited to be welcoming Jessica Redland back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest book, Tomorrow Starts Today.

It’s never too late to find yourself… 💫

When she unexpectedly loses her husband, Yvonne Kellerman’s world turns quiet and grey. Five years on, her days are filled with the gentle chatter of her loyal parrot, Trevor, and the comfort of her crafting table—but she can’t shake the feeling that life is slipping her by and Yvonne feels lost and lonelier than ever.

When she joins the local crafting club at Willowdale Village Hall, Yvonne expects nothing more than a few afternoons of sewing. Instead, amongst the other local crafters, she discovers friendship, laughter and a renewed appreciation for her gorgeous Lake District home. It’s a reminder that she isn’t alone and, with each new stitch, her confidence returns, and so does her belief that it’s never too late for fresh starts and new beginnings.

When a familiar face from her past reappears, Yvonne finds herself standing at a crossroads: will she protect her heart, or embrace the chance to love—and truly live—again?

*****

It’s been five years since Yvonne lost her husband, Cliff. Since then, she’s been going through the motions with only her patchwork quilting and her Parrot for company. When she spots a Cake & Crafts club advertised in the local newsletter, she takes a chance and decides to go. WIll this one decision change Yvonne’s life or will she lose her nerve?

I have made no secret of the fact that I love Jessica Redland’s novels and was not disappointed with her latest release, Tomorrow Starts Today.

My first impression of Yvonne is that she needs a big hug. Despite it being being five years since she lost her husband, she is still greiving and this subject is approached with care and the author shows that the process isn’t linear.

Continue reading →

Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: Pick & Mix

Published January 9, 2026 | By Laura

It’s Friday which means it’s time to start writing some fiction.

Fiction Friday is our weekly writing flash fiction prompt.

The aim is to write for a minimum of five minutes and then keep going for as long as you can.

Don’t edit, just write. Once you’re done, you’re welcome to share in the comments but there’s no obligation.

Today’s prompt – Pick & Mix.

Pick one from each list –

Place –

Night bus terminal

Basement car park

Hotel Lobby during a blackout.

Continue reading →

Book Spotlight: Take a Look at Me Now by Robert Crane

Published January 9, 2026 | By Laura

It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Robert Crane to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book as we shine a light on Take a Look at Me Now.

In Take a Look at Me Now, Robert Crane presents a story rooted in everyday moments during a difficult period. The novel captures what it feels like when normal patterns begin to shift.

When Carrie Welter experiences a mental breakdown, her son Bubby’s life becomes unmoored. At fifteen, he finds himself navigating a world stripped of certainty, while his mother retreats into her own struggle.

Bubby’s attempts to assert control lead to poor decisions and unintended consequences—embarrassment, strained relationships, and growing anger. Without a stable foundation, he begins questioning not just his present, but the gaps in his past.

His search for the father he never knew becomes a way to confront long-held questions about identity and belonging. Take a Look at Me Now captures the emotional weight of stagnation and the quiet tension of a family suspended between what was and what might be.

His latest novel, Take a Look at Me Now is available to buy on Amazon UK, Amazon US and Waterstones.

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Book Extract: The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting by Naomi Kuttner

Published January 8, 2026 | By Laura

Please join me in welcoming Naomi Kuttner to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting.

Assassin. Gardener. Reluctant cat adoptee.

All Dante wants is to be left alone in the small New Zealand town no one’s heard of. No drama. No bodies. No questions. But then, of course, the orchid convention comes to town, and Dante is knee deep in suspects, intrigue, and red herrings.

On top of all this, Dante must navigate a mysterious woman from his past, cat issues, and the terrifying prospect of a first date. And he has to do it while fighting his instinct to solve problems the old-fashioned way: permanently.

The ‘Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting’ is a cosy paranormal mystery with found family, ghosts, a grumpy assassin and a sunshine gardener.

Come for the murder, stay for the cat, the gardens, and the New Zealand country charm.

Naomi has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy it.

*****beginning of extract*****

In which Dante grapples with moral ambiguity.

Dante drew the blinds, checked the room for any details that might identify his location, and sat at his desk in his front parlour. It was time for a weekly Thursday meeting he’d attended without fail for the last six months.

Under the desk, his fingers wrapped around the handle of his Glock 17. He let out a slow breath, chasing the inner calm his therapist had said this would bring. His fingers tightened around the stippled grip of the gun, the polymer plastic cool against his palm.

The cat butted its head against his calf, and Dante’s pulse slowed. His focus drew inwards to a single point as his shoulders relaxed. It was time.

Dante keyed the connection, and the screen of his computer flared to life. Looking back at him were four faces: John, Aubrey, Jasmine, and Frankie. Four retired assassins, four members of Assassins Anonymous, four killers doing their level best to keep their days homicide free.

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Novel Kicks Book Club: The God Of The Woods by Liz Moore

Published January 7, 2026 | By Laura

Hello to 2026. Howdy to January.

Why is it that all the other months have up to 31 days but January feels like it drags on for a decade?

I’m hoping that you’re as excited as I am about January’s book pick and that it will help you get through this loooooonnnnng month.

The book we’re reading this month is The God of The Woods by Liz Moore.

I first came across a snippet of this book from the Taylor Swift documentary, The End of an Era on Disney+. Even though I only heard a few lines, it had me hooked.

So, how does our book club work?

If you’re new to our book club, welcome. Anyone can join and it can be at any point in the month. Maybe you’ve already read it and want to talk about it or you’ll be reading along with me?

I’ve posted a question below to start the discussion.

I am looking forward to seeing you there.

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NK Chats To… Elliott Ajai-Ajagbe Daley

Published December 22, 2025 | By Laura

Hi Elliott, thank you so much for joining me today as we shine a light on your book, Winter Solstice: Precipice of a Dream. Can you tell us a bit about your journey as a young Black author. How did writing begin for you?

When I was little, I really struggled to read. I remember proudly spelling “is”, “I-Z” in class — and everyone laughing at me. In that moment I promised myself I’d crack the literacy code and write a book of my own some day. Soon after, I was put in a reading recovery programme, and thanks to them, I quickly caught up. From there, I became obsessed with reading — I couldn’t stop and teachers had to keep taking me to the library to get more books.

Who inspired that love of reading?

My mum. She was an actress, clown, and children’s entertainer — she filled our home with stories and imagination. She used to play these videos with a catchy tune that went, “YOU CAN READ!” to encourage me. After I finally learned, I fell completely in love with books. She also got me and my brother into circus skills training — I even dreamt of joining the circus at one point!

What inspired Winter Solstice: Precipice of a Dream?

It started with my childhood belief in Santa. We didn’t have much money growing up, and I remember one year, when we were living at a shelter, Santa came to visit. When I saw he was Black, I said to him the same thing society had said me to me my whole life: “Santa isn’t black”.

Then I pulled off his beard to prove it — turns out it was my mum’s godfather just trying to bring the kids some Christmas joy. That moment really made me question what Christmas meant to me. All the media told me Santa couldn’t be black, but the only real Santa is the one that shows up and mine was a loving member of my black family. Did anything else matter?

As I got older, I started to see Christmas as both magical and difficult — a time of love for some, and pressure for others. One Christmas, an image popped into my head and to me it perfectly sums up what Christmas has become: a corporate Santa with a cigar in a gothic sleigh. He had armoured reindeer and elves pointing guns at the humans who were on their knees in the snow, holding up piles of cash, as every time you see Santa, it’s time to pay. He is the ultimate symbol of capitalism. That image blossomed into a world and that world inspired this story..

That’s a bold take on Christmas! How do you see your story reflecting today’s world?

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Book Extract: My Greek Island Christmas by Effrosyni Moschoudi

Published December 21, 2025 | By Laura

It’s an absolute pleasure to be welcoming Effrosyni Moschoudi back to Novel Kicks as we shine a light on her latest book, My Greek Island Christmas.

Two die-hard cynics when it comes to love meet on a small family farm on the alluring Greek island of Santorini, and the magic of Christmas goes to work.

Cathy Roussos, a Greek-American single mom, swore off love many years ago after a painful breakup. Her nine-year-old son, the energetic but rather shy Leo, is everything she lives for. When she takes a temp job as a housekeeper for the Christmas season at a small family farm on the island of Santorini, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with the standoffish son of the owner.

Alex Rallis, a veterinarian living in Athens, is a sworn bachelor. As Christmas draws near, he is offered an ideal job abroad. Before taking it, he has to sell the family farm in Santorini and find a new place for his elderly father. The last place Alex wants to be at Christmas is the farm that holds painful memories, but he can’t avoid it. His father will only agree to sell the farm and move out if Alex spends one last Christmas with him there. It seems the old man has a ploy in mind, and a string of adorable locals have their parts to play, too. Next thing you know, Christmas cheer is shared all around, old sad tales are retold in different ways, and romantic love swirls through the air deliciously, like the aromatic steam of hot chocolate.

Can these two wounded souls find happiness together? They say Christmas holds its own magic, and Santorini can be just as enchanting. Even in the midst of winter, its allure remains—enough to give anyone a chance to heal and open up their heart.

Effrosyni has kindly shared an extract from My Greek Island Christmas with us today. We hope you enjoy.

*****beginning of extract*****

The roosters had done the trick at ten minutes past six, according to Cathy’s watch. It was impossible to get back to sleep once she was awake, even after burying her head under the pillow to shield her ears from the high-pitched noises.

Plus, with Leo giggling every time a new animal sound echoed in the distance, she felt now more awake than she’d ever expected to be at this early hour.

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