Book Review: My Chance to Fly By Samantha Tonge
I’m very excited to be welcoming Samantha Tonge to Novel Kicks as we celebreate the publication of her latest book, My Chance to Fly.
A BRAND NEW sparkling, uplifting story about love, friendship and learning to spread your wings from Samantha Tonge✨🦋 Perfect for fans of Shari Low, Faith Hogan and Evie Woods!
Una Lowe lives a perfectly edited life in London. Other than her best friend, she’s careful about who she lets in. Emotional complications are just that – complicated. That is, until she rescues a rare white swallow… who might have just flown in to change her life.
Because, when her beloved swallow fails to return from migration one year, Una’s world crumbles. But a viral social media campaign brings a miraculous response from a man in Bavaria named Konrad, who claims the bird has also visited him. Which leads him to invite Una to his picturesque village for the chance to see their shared feathered friend together.
Stepping out of her comfort zone, Una flies to Germany. Amidst snow-dusted streets, local festivals, and Konrad’s undeniable charm, Una’s protective walls begin to fall down.
But when the complication she’s avoided her whole life comes for her, she’s forced to confront her deepest fears. As autumn turns to winter, and inspired by the tiny, brave bird that brought them together, Una must decide if she is finally ready to risk her heart.
Is the only way to know if you can fly to face a possibility of falling…?
*****
Una is the type of person that likes everything orderly. Her joy in life is a barn swallow named Blue. When Blue doesn’t return by the beginning of the autumn, Una begins to worry. Then help comes from the most unlikely of places.
I have to say, I am a bit of a fan of Samantha Tonge’s novels and couldn’t wait to get going on her latest book, My Chance to Fly.
Can I just give some love to this cover. It’s beautiful.
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Book Review: The One Where They Fall in Love By Cristina Wolf
Cristina Wolf  and her blog tour have joined us today as I review her latest book, The One Where They Fall in Love.
You never know when love may come knocking…
Hopeless romantic and romance editor Elle Thompson lives for happy endings—but real-life love? Not so much. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t thrilled when her best friend gets engaged. Really. Not jealous at all.
Meanwhile, Oliver Cole likes things a certain way. Schedules and routines and order. So when his move back to New York is disrupted with the unwelcome addition of Thor—the dog his sister adopted for him—he’s less than enthused. Even less enthused than Oliver? His neighbour, Elle.
When Elle can’t bear to hear Thor howling all night, the two agree to strike a deal: she’ll dog-sit while he’s on shift.
But what starts as a reluctant arrangement soon turns into late-night chats, sizzling chemistry, and two lonely hearts daring to let each other in.
*****
As a book editor, Elle Thompson is a deliverer of happy endings. She adores the romance genre she works in. She just wished her own life reflected the happiness of the characters she helps bring to life. Oliver Cole is not sure what to make of his new neighbour. He’s got a lot going on in his life and has no mental bandwidth to deal with it. Then he meets Elle.
The One Where They Fall in Love was my introduction to Cristina Wolf. It was the premise and genre that got me excited to be part of the blog tour for this novel. I couldn’t wait to get started. This type of book is the reason I love running Novel Kicks. It allows me to discover new authors like this one.
by Book Extract: The Knife Maker of Venice By David Gilman
I’m excited to be inviting David Gilman to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, The Knife Maker of Venice.
A young Englishman captured by slavers must survive the snakepit that is seventeenth-century Venice.
1604. As pirates seeking slaves to sell in the markets of North Africa terrorise the coasts of Europe, headstrong Richard Sheriff and his sister Elizabeth are torn from their Devonshire home and thrust into a waking nightmare.
Richard’s skills as a blacksmith see him fetch a high price, but the pirate captain has other plans for Elizabeth and once they are separated, Richard has no idea of his sister’s fate. They must both learn to survive on a deadly voyage into the unknown.
Sold into servitude in Venice: glittering, vicious city of secrets, he is apprenticed to a knife maker. Richard’s talents soon win him renown… but haunted by his sister’s absence, he vows never to stop looking for her, knowing she would do the same for him.
First he must survive that city of ghosts. Will the siblings live to see each other again, or will they join the myriads lost to Venice, where life is cheap, profit is all, and escape nigh-on impossible?
A powerful historical adventure perfect for fans of Kate Mosse, Ken Follett and Robert Harris.
David has kindly shared an extract with us today. Enjoy.Â
*****beginning of extract*****
by Book Extract: Deadly Odds 9.0 By Allen Wyler
I am very excited to be welcoming Allen Wyler to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, Deadly Odds 9.0.
Not every threat begins with violence. Sometimes it starts with quiet observation, careful planning, and the knowledge that someone has been studying every move. Deadly Odds 9.0 by Allen Wyler follows a cyber-detective whose greatest challenge may be protecting the people he never wanted caught in the middle.
Arnold Gold has learned to trust his instincts, and they warn him that something is wrong before any evidence appears. As he spends time with Kara Winston, a trusted ally who has become far more than a professional colleague, a dangerous adversary begins putting a calculated plan into motion. Rashidi watches, waits, and searches for the vulnerabilities that will cause the greatest damage, transforming Arnold’s loved ones into potential targets.
The danger escalates when Arnold discovers someone has attempted to kill his dog, Chance, confirming that the threat has become deeply personal. At the same time, growing conflict within Gold, Patel, and Associates weakens the support system Arnold has relied upon. With the help of SAM, his advanced artificial intelligence network, Arnold faces an increasingly complex battle against cyber threats, hidden enemies, and a relentless opponent determined to stay one step ahead.
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Allen has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy it.Â
(Warning: mild language.)Â
*****beginning of extract*****
CHAPTER 1—Seattle
Prickly spider tarsi skittered up Arnold Gold’s spine, causing his shoulders to scrunch together as the hair on the back of his neck became erect. Stopping in mid-sentence, he glanced over his left shoulder—as if he intuitively knew that was the only possible reason for such a strong sensation—but he only saw other diners and the familiar maître’d. Suddenly his eyes locked onto a darker skinned male hurrying toward the front door, the image triggering a sense of foreboding familiarity.
I know him.
Arnold stared at the space the man vacated as the visceral sense of danger subsided. Why did the fleeting image vise-grip his attention with a déjà vu familiarity and instinctive animal fear?
Did he know that person?
by Book Review: The Scandalous Lady Mina By Lara Temple
I am very excited to be welcoming Lara Temple to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Scandalous Lady Mina.
A Victorian enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity romance
Lady Wilhelmina, once the darling of the ton, fled England in shame after jilting her fiancé. Following a decade in disgrace, Mina’s returning to Society’s ballrooms on a luxury steamship…and encounters her ex-fiancé’s distractingly handsome cousin, Max Cavendish—her once friend, now enemy!
Max’s guard is up, yet being in close quarters with Mina sparks a wave of dangerous attraction that makes him want to discover the truth behind the scandal. Wealthy engineer Max is used to being in command of his world and his emotions, but his complicated feelings for Mina are making him feel decidedly out of control…
*****
It is 1880. Mina is on her way back to London aboard the SS Aquitania. Having escaped scandal ten years before, the last thing she wanted to do was to see Max Cavendish again. Can they make it back to London in relative harmony, or will old emotions come to the surface?
I was delighted to be invited onto the blog tour for The Scandalous Lady Mina by Lara Temple. This book was my introduction to this author, but it’s not going to be the last book I read from her.
I’m not going to lie. I loved this book from beginning to end.  It was entertaining, and isn’t that one of the best things you can get from reading a novel? There was a deliciousness to it. There were moments where I smiled, cheered, swore at some of the characters out loud and couldn’t wait to find out what happened whilst, at the same time, not wanting it to end. The plot is fun, flirty and full of little twists and turns. It was easy to fall into. I am hoping it’s not the last we see of these characters.
by Book Club
