Book Review: A Mother’s War by Helen Parusel
I am so pleased to be welcoming Helen Parusel to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, A Mother’s War.
A forbidden romance in occupied Norway…
Narvik, 1940. After Laila awakens to the sight of warships in the fjord, it isn’t long before she turns resistor to the brutal Nazi regime. She is horrified when local girls begin affairs with enemy soldiers, yet against her own principles, she finds herself falling in love with German soldier, Josef.
Josef is not like the others. He becomes involved in helping her and the locals with resistance activities, risking his life on more than one occasion.
But then Laila finds out she is pregnant. With Josef sent to the Russian front, and Laila cast out by her family, she turns to a home for women which promises to care for her and her unborn child. But instead, she finds herself caught in a system of evil far beyond what she thought possible…
*****
Laila has watched her hometown of Narvik in Norway fall under German occupation. As the locals adjust to the new rules, Laila meets Josef, a German solider. He seems different to the others, but she’s determined not to get close to him. Instead, she wants to do what she can for the resistance.
However, she is pulled to Josef and soon they are in love but with what consequences?
This novel. Wow.
by 
Book Review: The Body at Carnival Bridge by Michelle Salter
I am pleased to be welcoming Michelle Salter to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Body at Carnival Bridge – book three in the Iris Woodmore Mysteries series.
How deadly is the fight for equality?
It’s 1922, and after spending a year travelling through Europe, Iris Woodmore returns home to find a changed Walden. Wealthy businesswoman Constance Timpson has introduced equal pay in her factories and allows women to retain their jobs after they marry.
But these radical new working practices have made her deadly enemies.
A mysterious sniper fires a single shot at Constance – is it a warning, or did they shoot to kill? When one of her female employees is murdered, it’s clear the threat is all too real – and it’s not just Constance in danger.
As amateur sleuth Iris investigates, she realises the sniper isn’t the only hidden enemy preying on women.
*****
Iris has just returned from Europe and in 1920’s Britain, she knows her trip will have raised some eyebrows. She is soon kept busy when someone attempts to shoot local business owner, Constance Timpson.
When one of Constance’s employees is found murdered, Iris finds herself unravelling another mystery. Can she find the answers before someone else gets hurt?
This was the first book I have read in the Iris Woodmore Mysteries series. I could keep up with what was going on but reading the first two books would enrich the knowledge around these very established characters if you wanted to read those prior to reading The Body at Carnival Bridge.
by Book Extract: The Mystery of the Homeless Man by Gina Cheyne
Please join me in welcoming Gina Cheyne to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Mystery of the Homeless Man, book three in the SeeMS Detective Agency series.
Why would an airline pilot exchange a world of comfort for life on the streets?
In 2006, Miranda meets an itinerant in the wood, she takes him home. He refuses to stay, desperate to return to the streets. Miranda gives him some money and forgets the incident.
Fifteen years later, the SeeMs Detective Agency is investigating an abandoned house and discovers a homeless man was found there: murdered.
No one knows who the dead man is or how he died, and, with one hundred and fifty unidentified street deaths per year, no one has time to find out.
But, the SeeMs Detectives have both time and a client.
Their investigation takes them into a surprising world of aviation, night-clubs and the homeless.
What they discover threatens one of their team. Can they save their colleague before the homeless man’s killer strikes again?
*****
Gina has shared an extract from The Mystery of the Homeless Man with us today. Enjoy!
*****beginning of extract*****
Stevie is interviewing Amy as a possible suspect for the Neil (homeless man) ’s death. This extract is Amy, who is an airline pilot, describing her engagement to Neil and why she broke it off.
‘Poor Neil.’ Amy blew out heavily. ‘OK. He had a lot of charm,’ she added, almost as though she was talking to herself. ‘He did have something, but, you know, once a drunk always a drunk. He was dangerous. He would drive drunk. I’d never do that.’
Her hand automatically moved to the little scar on her hairline. Stevie wondered if she got that from Neil, but Amy was still talking.
by Book Review: Love in the Wings by Ellie White
I am pleased to be welcoming Ellie White to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, Love in the Wings.
Harriet Adams was a West End rising star until a lapse in judgement cost her: her dream job, her boyfriend and so-called friends.
She packs up her life and moves back to Sunderland where she gets a rare second chance at a career she thrives in. As she’s about open a shiny new musical in front of a home audience, she vows that this time, nothing is going to get in her way. With everything riding on this, she’ll play it safe, work hard and most importantly, stay away from theatre guys.
Cue Liam Wright, Assistant Stage Manager.
Liam is everything Harriet didn’t know she needed in her life, but he also has a secret. One that could advance his own career if he cashes it in. The only catch? It will ruin any chance of happiness with Harriet if she finds out.
Harriet and Liam share a love like no other, but will that be enough to save their budding relationship when the time comes?
*****
Harriet has returned to her home town of Sunderland, after leaving her job in the West End. She now has a chance to return to the stage at a theatre she has loved since she was a child. All she wants to do is work hard and do the best she can as she tries to put her past mistakes behind her.
Enter from the wings – Assistant Stage Manager, Liam. Sparks immediately fly. Can they find their way to the happy ending or will forces conspire against them?
I love stories like these – ones that just pull you in from the beginning and just give you happy vibes as you hope the main characters get their happily ever after. I wanted that a lot for Harriet and Liam.
Harriet has a lot on her shoulders and I wanted to give her a big hug. I wanted things to work out for her.
by Book Review: The Ex Wife by Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby
It is my pleasure to welcome Sally Rigby and Amanda Ashby to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for their novel, The Ex Wife.
My life was perfect until she came along. Norah.
Younger, prettier and about to marry my own ex-husband, they are a walking cliché.
I hate her. I hate them both.
She’s taken everything from me – my husband, my life, my home – but I refuse to allow her to take Cassie, my beautiful daughter. That’s a step too far.
Now I’ve discovered that Norah plans to have a baby of her own and that causes me no end of problems. She could destroy everything and reveal my deepest, darkest secrets.
That can never be allowed to happen.
No matter what it costs…
*****
Norah is about to marry Alice’s ex husband, Mark. Now Norah is dead. Did Alice kill her?
It’s going to be so hard to talk about this book without giving things away but I am going to give it a go.
I love stories like these – the kind that draw you in from page one and keep you hooked right up until the last.
These are all believable characters. All have secrets and flaws and at one point, I suspected everyone! The discord is threaded through this story so well and the tension and suspense builds nicely.
by Book Club
