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The Merge by Grace Walker

 

The Merge by Grace Walker.

Published 6th November 2025 by Magpie.

From the cover of the book:

Once the process begins, there can be no going back, we will always be together…

Laurie is sixty-five and living with Alzheimer’s. Her daughter Amelia can’t bear to see her mother’s mind fade. Faced with the reality of losing her forever, Amelia signs them up to take part in the world’s first experimental merging process for Alzheimer’s patients, in which Laurie’s ailing mind will be transferred into Amelia’s healthy body and their consciousness will be blended as one.

Soon Amelia and Laurie join a group of other merge participants: teenage Lucas, who plans to merge with his terminally ill brother Noah; Ben, who will merge with his pregnant fiancée Annie; and Jay, whose merging partner is his unwilling addict daughter Lara.

As they prepare to move to The Village, a luxurious rehabilitation centre for those who have merged, they quickly begin to question whether everything is really as it seems.

**********

Sixty-five year old Laurie is learning to live with Alzheimer's, but her daughter, Amelia, is finding it impossible to face the thought of losing her mother to the disease. For Amelia there is only one answer: signing up to an experimental procedure called the Merge, where their consciousnesses will be combined inside one living body - even though this has yet to be tried on anyone suffering from Alzheimer's.

In order to undergo the procedure, Amelia and Laurie must enter into a period of adjustment alongside other potential Combines to ensure they are compatible for merging. Soon, they are learning to accept exactly what this ground-breaking method will mean for them both, and their fellow candidates - teenager Lucas, who hopes to save his terminally ill brother, Noah: Ben, who plans to merge with his pregnant fiancée Annie: and Jay, who is desperate to help his daughter, Lara, conquer her addiction.

But as the group prepare to head for The Village, where the recently merged recover, they begin to question if this is really the solution they are looking for...

I am always searching for a speculative novel that hits the perfect unsettling 'Ira Levin' spot, and I am delighted to tell you that Grace Walker's chilling debut, The Merge, definitely makes the cut! 

Against a deliciously Dystopian, near future settling, where humankind is reaping the toll of its consumerist folly, Walker spins a tale with a highly original premise, where the answer lies in halving the burden upon the world by combining the minds of two people in one body. Sold on the notion of sacrifice for the greater good (and the privileges that come with life as a Combine), the process of merging is taking off - although there are many who are fundamentally, and loudly, opposed to the idea, including those close to Amelia and Laurie.

However, with Laurie's Alzheimer's taking hold, and the promise that merging can also cure what ails you by blending you with another's healthy body, Amelia is convinced this is the only way to save her nearest and dearest from fading away. And she is not the only one. However, the induction process throws up a lot of unnerving questions for the candidates, which Walker uses beautifully to gradually settling an icy chill in the pit of your stomach about what they are getting themselves in to.

The first part of the story flips back and forth between Laurie and Amelia, before heading to disturbing scenes at The Village, and Walker pulls you gently into the subversive layers of her plot through oodles of lovely emotional content, rich in insightful explorations of dementia, memory, and loss. You find yourself revelling in a story full of themes about complex dynamics around parent-child, sibling, and romantic relationships that the sudden shift towards full-on speculative drama almost takes you by (very pleasant) surprise. The twists are fabulous, with absolutely first-class writing from Walker in every respect!

The pace is very much sophisticated slow-burn for most of the novel, rather than relentless thrills, but the accomplished build-up is so worth it when the pay-off arrives. This is easily one of my books for 2025, and I am salivating at the prospect of the sequel which I am certain is on the horizon.

The Merge is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Magpie for sending me a copy of this book in return 

A Christmas Gift by Sue Moorcroft

 

A Christmas Gift by Sue Moorcroft.

Published 6th November 2025 by Avon.

From the cover of the book:

Can the happiest time of year heal the most broken of hearts?

Georgine loves Christmas. The festive season always brings the little village of Middledip to life. But since her ex-boyfriend walked out, leaving her with crippling debts, Georgine’s struggled to make ends meet.

To keep her mind off her worries, she throws herself into organising the Christmas show at the local school. And when handsome Joe Blackthorn becomes her assistant, Georgine’s grateful for the help. But there’s something about Joe she can’t quite put her finger on. Could there be more to him than meets the eye?

Georgine’s past is going to catch up with her in ways she never expected. But can the help of friends old and new make this a Christmas to remember after all?

***********

Georgine France normally loves the run up to Christmas, but this year is doing its best to dim her sparkle. Her ex-boyfriend has left her burdened with debts (and debt collectors knocking on her door), her father is recovering from a stroke, and her younger sister has moved in. It's a lot to cope with. Her solace is the sheer joy she gets from her job as Events Director at Acting Instrumental, a performing arts college, and she has plenty to distract her organising this year's Christmas production.

When a new staff member, Joe Blackthorn, joins the college staff, he is allocated to Georgine as her assistant. She can certainly use the help, but there is something weird about his arrival, and she cannot fathom why he feels so familiar...

The book unfurls from the perspectives of Georgine and Joe. Moorcroft does a lovely job weaving together past and present to reveal how, and why, Georgine feels a connection with Joe, while delving into their current trials and tribulations. Charcteristically, Moorcroft loads their story with heavy themes (this time around poverty, financial troubles, and the legacy of dysfunctional childhoods), but these dovetail into more lighthearted elements, and all the threads tie up in an uplifting ending.

Much of the story revolves around music, and the performing arts, and if you are a fan of college-set tales you will find lots to please you. I very much enjoyed the variety of characters - and they way they all pulled together.

Definitely not an overtly Christmassy story, but it has bags of warmth with festive undertones. And the ending hits the 'ahh' spot nicely!

A Christmas Gift is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Avon for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Award-winning author Sue Moorcroft writes contemporary women’s fiction with occasionally unexpected themes.

The daughter of two soldiers, Sue was born in Germany and went on to spend much of her childhood in Malta and Cyprus. She likes reading, Zumba, FitStep, yoga, and watching Formula 1.

Blackwater (The Jonny Murphy Files Book Three) by Sarah Sultoon

 

Blackwater (The Jonny Murphy Files Book Three) by Sarah Sultoon.

Published 4th December 2025 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

London, Christmas 1999. The world is on edge. With the new millennium just days away, fears of the Millennium Bug are spiralling – warnings of computer failures, market crashes, even global catastrophe. But fifty miles east, on the frozen Blackwater Island, a different kind of mystery unfolds. A child's body is discovered on the bracken, untouched by footprints, with no sign of how he died. And no one has come forward to claim him.

At the International Tribune, reporter Jonny Murphy senses something is off. Police are appealing for relatives, not suspects. An anonymous call led officers to the scene, but no one knows who made it. While the world fixates on a digital apocalypse, Jonny sees the real disaster unfolding closer to home. With just twenty-hour hours before the century turns, he heads to Blackwater – driven by curiosity, desperation, and the sting of rejection from his colleague Paloma.

But Blackwater has secrets buried deep in the frozen ground. More victims – some dead, others still paying for past sins. And when Paloma catches up to him, they stumble onto something far bigger than either of them imagined. Something that could change everything. The millennium is coming. The clock is ticking. Can Jonny stop it? Should he?

And what if Y2K wasn't a hoax, but a warning...?

***********

London, December 1999. Journalist Jonny Murphy is now a full-time member of staff at the International Tribune, working alongside Paloma, the photographer who helped him break the story about the resurgence of the death flights in Argentina.

Jonny is frustrated with stories centred on escalating fears about the Millennium Bug. His mood has also been unsettled by failing the course he needed to allow him to take on more exciting projects at the paper (something he felt unnecessary given his experience in the field), and his uncertainty about Paloma's feelings towards him.

When the body of a child is found on Blackwater Island, Essex, with no indication of how it got there, Jonny's boss gives him a twenty-four-hour-pass away from Millennium Bug coverage to see if he can find out anything about the mystery. While the world is fixated on the upcoming digital apocalypse, Jonny discovers that Blackwater Island is the centre of a dangerous cover up that could see something far worse than computer failure unleashed at the strike of midnight on the eve of the new millennium...

Jonny Murphy is back in his third gripping adventure, this time on home-grown turf in the wilds of Essex. Fed up with his lot at the paper, where a constant round of coverage about the Millennium Bug is sending him crazy, Jonny is excited to be offered the chance to see what he can find out about the death of a small child that no one else seems to be concerned about, despite the unusual circumstances that surround the event.

With just twenty-four hours before he must be back in London to cover the Millennium Eve celebrations, Jonny has a hunch that there is a much bigger story here than meets the eye, and he is right. With Paloma on side, and the help of disaffected DI Gillian Peters, who has single-handedly been losing the battle against crime in her marshy neck of the woods for years, the threads of the story take a sinister turn. Otherworldly tales of ghostly apparitions protecting Blackwater Island abound, stemming from Viking folklore, and the locals give out a Reform Party by way of The Wicker Man vibe, which all adds to the eerie atmosphere. 

A slow-burn mystery develops into fast-paced action tale, in Sultoon's characteristic style, with lashings of 'bait-and-switch' twists, hinging on sins of the past and a conspiracy of silence that draws on some very uncomfortable history about horribly real cloak-and-dagger government operations. I loved how Sultoon makes this fit so well with the story elements around the paranoia that gripped the world around the impact of the Millennium Bug - which I remember well. It was wonderful to see Jonny and Paloma working together once again too.

This was fantastic read, that kept me firmly on the edge of my seat. The plot is devilishly clever, with just the right amount of mystery, action, and emotion - and it is packed with the kind of thought-provoking themes I have come to expect from an author of Sultoon's calibre. 

Blackwater is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by choosing to buy direct from Orenda Books HERE.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Sarah Sultoon is a journalist and writer, whose work as an international news executive at CNN has taken her all over the world, from the seats of power in both Westminster and Washington to the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan. She has extensive experience in conflict zones, winning three Peabody awards for her work on the war in Syria, an Emmy for her contribution to the coverage of Europe's migrant crisis in 2015, and a number of Royal Television Society gongs.

As passionate about fiction as nonfiction, she recently completed a Masters of Studies in Creative Writing at the University of Cambridge, adding to an undergraduate language degree in French and Spanish, and Masters of Philosophy in History, Film and Television.

When not reading or writing she can usually be found somewhere outside, either running, swimming or throwing a ball for her three children and dog while she imagines what might happen if...

The Cat Share by Angela Jariwala

 

The Cat Share by Angela Jariwala.

Published 4th December 2025 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

Sometimes it’s as simple as meeting the boy next door.

Jenni lives alone with her cat Oscar – yes, she’s single but, after breaking up with her boyfriend, she’s more than content to be living alone. Sometimes she worries she might be playing things too safe, but she’s had enough of taking risks.

Ben is a firefighter and, if he’s honest, he’s finding life hard. The arrival of a small tabby cat, who Ben decides to call Fred, helps him feel less isolated. But then, one day, Ben decides to take a chance. Wanting to reassure Fred’s owner he’s not stealing their cat, he attaches a note to the cat’s collar.

As the two neighbours start corresponding via the cat, their notes to each other reveal the truths they are hiding from even their closest friends, and themselves.

***********

After breaking up with her boyfriend, Jenni has settled into a routine living the solo life. It just seems easier to avoid the risks that might come with a new relationship, and she is perfectly content with just her cat, Oscar, for company... most of the time. Ben is a firefighter, with a job that requires bravery, but on the inside he is struggling... until a small tabby cat, he calls 'Fred', decides to make friends with him. Suddenly Ben does not feel so alone. 

Ben is sure a cat of 'Fred's' calibre must have an owner in the neighbourhood, so he decides to attach a note to his collar to reassure them he has no intention of stealing him. Jenni finds the note on Oscar's collar (surprise, surprise) when he returns home to her. Soon the two strangers are sending notes to each other via cat-mail - notes which will change their lives for the better.

This warm-hearted twist on The Go Between (with a sprinkling of The Flatshare) has two strangers opening up their hearts to each other through the intervention of a very special postie - the delightful cat, Oscar (or Fred, depending on who he is spending time with).

It is easy to fall for this novel from the very first chapter, especially if you are lucky enough to have a cat friend in your life. Jariwala clearly knows a thing or two about being chosen by a feline friend, and she writes Oscar as just the right side of wayward - with characteristics that all cat owners will be more than familiar with. This introduces a lot of humour to the story, and I found myself frequently laughing out loud when it comes to his kitty antics.

As the story weaves back and forth between Jenni and Ben, via Oscar, the way they begin to open up to each other on paper is wonderfully touching, and they share the truths that they have kept secret from the world, and even themselves. Emotions flow, and a romance that neither of them knew they were looking for (even if crafty Oscar did) sparks into life. Ahh.

This is a gentle tale that manages to work its way right into you heart. I became deeply invested in the fate of Jenni and Ben, wanting everything good for them, all the way to the golden ending. Absolutely perfect comfort reading! 

The Cat Share is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this Books and the City blog tour.

About the author:

Angela Jariwala was born in West London to parents from Surat, India. She was a published author of two young adult novels, both published by Mantra Lingua Ltd, an award-winning publisher of multi-cultural and multi-lingual books for children and young people. Angela sadly passed away in December 2021.

 November 2025 Reading Round-Up

Twelve gems on the reading/listening pile in November!

You can find your way to my thoughts by clicking on the pics below...

Vengeful Women by Melanie Blake

The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen

White Raven by Maggie Ritchie

The Beauty of Living Twice by Sharon Stone

The Happy Hoofer by Celia Imrie

Escape to the Northern Lights by Carrie Walker

Scars of Silence by Johana Gustawsson

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage by Kim Nash

The Samurai Detectives by Shotaro Ikenami

The Nancys by R.W.R. McDonald

Chef's Kiss at the Chalet by Sookie Snow

The end of 2025 is nearly upon us, but I am hoping to squeeze in a few more books yet...

Stay tuned to see how I get on!

Chef's Kiss At The Chalet by Sookie Snow

 

Chef's Kiss At The Chalet by Sookie Snow.

Published 6th November 2025 by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

Torn between two worlds, can their love survive the season?

When Eleanor Evans lands a spot at London’s most prestigious culinary school, her dreams finally feel within reach. Desperate to scrape together the cash for her tuition, she accepts a last-minute agency position as a chalet girl, which whisks her away to Maplewood Creek, a quaint, snow-kissed town nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Hired by the affluent Hawthorne family, Elle finds herself in a world of wealth, luxury and big egos, far removed from her humdrum everyday life. As she navigates the challenges of her new job, mastering gourmet dishes and catering to the whims of her discerning employers, she realizes there’s something she hadn't accounted for: Charles Hawthorne, the family’s charming and undeniably sexy eldest son.

Charles soon becomes an unexpected distraction for Elle – she can't deny the sizzling chemistry between them. But, with Elle’s career aspirations hanging in the balance and Charles's carefree lifestyle and family expectations putting a strain on their blossoming relationship, can this unlikely duo survive the season?

***********

Elle Evans gets a chance to follow her culinary ambitions when she is offered a place at a prestigious cookery school in London. Needing to get the funds to allow her to accept, she leaves her job at a Denver coffee shop to take a last minute opening as a chalet girl for the season in Maple Creek, a small town in the Rockies.

She knows the affluent Hawthorne family have a reputation for being difficult, but the hefty salary means she is willing to put up with a lot to make her dreams come true. What she does not anticipate is that she will find herself hot and bothered by Charles Hawthorne, the charming and sexy son of her employers, just when she really does not need the distraction...

With cosy, small-town loveliness, Snow spins a festive tale which is decidedly steamy in all the right places! Elle and Charles are attracted to each other from the off, but she is wary of blurring the line between work and pleasure, especially given how much she needs to keep her job. 

Gorgeous romantic suspense builds between the couple while Elle makes friends amongst the enchanting Maple Creek community, and cooks up a storm to keep Charles' demanding, privacy-obsessed mother happy. Of course, there are snowy bumps a-plenty on the road to happiness, but everything works out perfectly in the end - via an epic gingerbread cook-off, and an enlightening blizzard!

I loved all the small-town Hallmark vibes, the characters, the family drama, the generous portion of tasty dishes, and the spark between down to earth Elle and the more jaded Charles who wants more than his life as heir to the Hawthorne fortune. Swoonworthy stuff!

Perfect seasonal reading! 

Chef's Kiss at the Chalet is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you for Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Sookie Snow writes small-town, seasonal romance. A lover of all things cosy, sweet and spiced, she is at her happiest curled up by the fire with a hot chocolate and a swoon-worthy romance – HEA guaranteed.

The Nancys And The case Of The Missing Necklace by R.W.R. McDonald

 

The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace by R.W.R. McDonald.

Published 20th November 2025 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Meet the Nancys…

Tippy Chan is eleven years old, and she lives in a small town in a very quiet part of New Zealand – the town her Uncle Pike escaped as a teenager, the moment he got a chance. Now Pike is back with his new boyfriend Devon to look after Tippy while her mum is on a Christmas cruise.

Tippy can’t get enough of her uncle's old Nancy Drew books. She wants to be Nancy and is desperate to solve a real mystery. So, when her teacher's body is found beside Riverstone's only traffic light, it looks like Tippy's moment has arrived. She and her minders form The Nancys, a secret detective club.

But what starts as a bonding and sightseeing adventure quickly morphs into something far more dangerous. A wrongful arrest, a close call with the murderer, and an intervention from Tippy's mum all conspire against The Nancys. But regardless of their own safety, and despite the constant distraction of questionable fashion choices in the town that style forgot, The Nancys know only they can stop the killer from striking again. Whatever the cost…

***********

Eleven year old Tippy Chan lives in a small town in rural New Zealand, where nothing much happens - unless you count the recent death of her father. When her mum wins a Christmas cruise, Tippy's Uncle Pike steps in to look after her while his sister is away, bringing his flamboyant boyfriend, Devon, along to see the home town he escaped from as a teenager.

Pike and Devon are unconventional childminders, to say the least, even if their hearts are in the right place. When Tippy's teacher is found murdered, Pike and Tippy decide to emulate their literary heroine, Nancy Drew, to see if they can crack the case. Devon comes too, of course, and the sleuthing trio dub themselves The Nancys. But what begins as a bit of a lark, soon becomes a dangerous game...

In a hilarious twist on the Nancy Drew mysteries, this small town detective tale unfurls through eleven-year-old Tippy's narrative. McDonald does a fantastic job making her voice authentic for an innocent young girl trying to make sense of the world around her, while dealing with the grief she feels over the death of her father. The chaotic arrival of Pike and Devon, with their decidedly un-politically correct banter, sparks mayhem, and their outrageous shenanigans lead Tippy into perilous places. But fortunately, Tippy is not your average pre-teen - she has the sound advice of Nancy Drew to guide her! 

This is a highly entertaining crime novel, packed to the gills with mystery, clever twists, and more suspects that you can poke a bedazzling, Devon-styled stick at. Amidst all the whip-smart lines, fast-paced tension, and gritty situations, there is plenty to pluck the heartstrings too, as themes of family, friendship, and dealing with loss are handled beautifully. Have the tissues handy, because the tender moments will have you sobbing into your Tim Tams. I suspect you will need them to wipe away tears of mirth too, as the laughs come thick and fast.

It is easy to see why this book was the winner of the Ngaio Marsh Best First Novel, because it positively effervesces with nostalgia, style, wit, ridiculous characters, slapstick comedy, and a cracking good plot. Do not make the mistake of thinking this book is for a young audience though, even though it is a love letter to the Nancy Drew mysteries - the language used is definitely for adult eyes only!

This was such fun. I cannot wait for more adventures from The Nancys.

The Nancys and the Case of the Missing Necklace is available to buy now in paperback and ebook formats. You can support indie publishing by choosing to buy direct from Orenda Books HERE.

About the author:

(Rob) is an award-winning Kiwi author, living in Melbourne, Australia with his two daughters and one HarryCat.

Author of the award-winning Nancys series, The Nancys and Nancy Business, Rob is also a creative writing tutor and host of QWS Podcast.

Rob now writes picture books by day and whodunit mysteries by night — except all his characters seem to be completely out of control and pay no attention to him, or any rules.

The Samurai Detectives by Shotaro Ikenami

 

The Samurai Detectives by Shotaro Ikenami.

Translated by Yui Kajita.

Published 30th October 2025 by Penguin.

From the cover of the book:

It has been half a year since Akiyama Daijiro became a samurai; half a year since he left his father Kohei – once the most skilled swordsman in the land – to set up his own blade school by the cool of the river. Ever since, amid the swaying bamboo groves, he waits patiently for his first disciple.

But his serenity is soon disrupted by the visit of a mysterious samurai with an unhonourable offer: in exchange for a vast sum of gold, he must attack and injure the daughter of the Shogun’s most senior counsellor. Troubled by the proposal, Daijiro, alongside his father and Mifuyu, a female warrior without match, soon set out into the underworld of Edo-era Japan to uncover the conspiracy, before quickly finding themselves embroiled in a series of increasingly perilous adventures . . .

Widely considered to be the greatest work by Shotaro Ikenami, the master of Japanese historical fiction, The Samurai Detectives is a twisting, page-turning portrayal of one of the most intriguing, evocative periods in the history of Japan.

***********

It has been six months since Akiyama Daijiro became a samurai, and left his father Kohe to establish a dojo of his own. He hopes to become as famous and skilled as his renowned father, but even though he is already an accomplished warrior in his own right, he must wait patiently for his first student. Daijiro's hopeful meditation is interrupted by a visit from a mysterious samurai who offers him a fortune to take on a mission to break the arms of an unknown target. He feels in his bones this is not an honourable task, so refuses, even though his funds are running very low.

Upon consulting his father for advice, they discover that the target would have been Mifuyu, a female warrior without match, who has vowed to only marry a man who can best her in combat. Subsequently, Kohe makes a point of helping her save herself from the disreputable attentions of the politically motivated suitor who aimed to tip the odds in his favour. This twist of fate brings Mifuyu, daughter of the Shogun’s most senior counsellor, together with Daijiro and Kohe, and embroils them in a series of adventures that take them deep into the corrupt heart of Edo-era Japan.

Volume one of The Samurai Detectives unfurls from the perspectives of a sprawling cast of characters, who immerse you beautifully in its sinuous meanderings, and bring alive time and place in Edo-era Japan - where bribery, corruption, and murky machinations have been allowed to fester beneath the veneer of an age of peace.

The going is slow, very much in keeping with a classic Japanese adventure, wreathed in cunning moves and counter-moves, punctuated with mysteries to be solved  and bursts of samurai action - living up to its tag-line of Shogun meets Sherlock Holmes. Its episodic format gradually delves into the lives of its characters as they go about their adventures, with lashings of detail about what makes them tick in a time ruled by tradition and honour (on the surface at least).

The central characters do hold your attention, and gain your affections (Mifuyu was my favourite), nevertheless this is a book you need to give your full attention in order to appreciate every nuance of the translation from Yui Kajita. I promise your dedication will be amply rewarded by this fascinating glimpse of Japanese history.

The Samurai Detectives is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Penguin for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Shotaro Ikenami (1923 – 1990) was a bestselling Japanese author famed for his multi-million copy selling series of historical fiction novels. Over his lifetime, he won the Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Award and Naoki Award for popular literature. Over a dozen of his works were adapted for film and television, and his work remains exceptionally popular in Japan.

About the translator:

Yui Kajita is a translator , illustrator and literary scholar, originally from Kyoto, Japan, and currently based in Germany.

Life Begins At The Cornish Cottage (Sandpiper Shores Book Two) by Kim Nash

 

Life Begins At The Cornish Cottage (Sandpiper Shores Book Two) by Kim Nash.

Published 31st October 2025 by Boldwood Books.

From the cover of the book:

When life gives you heartbreak 💔, sometimes it also gives you a second chance… 💕

When Tom Sullivan returns to the quiet village of Sandpiper Shore, Emma can hardly believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him since they played Romeo and Juliet in their school play – a lifetime ago, before real heartbreak, and long before she ever imagined life as a widow.

The last thing she wants is to relive the past, especially with someone who once made her teenage heart flutter. But when Emma agrees to put on a charity pantomime to raise money for the air ambulance service that helped her late husband, she’s thrown firmly back into Tom’s path.

As rehearsals begin and the local community rallies around her, Emma finds unexpected joy in bringing people together – and a surprising connection with Tom that feels far too real to ignore. Maybe it’s time for Emma to become the leading lady in her own life, not just for the show, but for herself.

Full of warmth, humour and heart, this is a story about letting go and discovering that it’s never too late to take a chance on love.

***********

Emma is slowly negotiating the heartache that has come with the loss of her husband, Ben, with the help of her close friends and the community of Sandpiper Shore. But her world is rocked when Tom Sullivan, the man who broke her teenaged heart when they were cast as Romeo and Juliet in their school play years ago, returns to the quiet little village that is her haven.

She is unwilling to rake up the past, but when she is reluctantly persuaded to take on organising the local amateur dramatic panto, in support of the air ambulance service that helped Ben, Emma finds she cannot avoid Tom as she had hoped. As rehearsals get underway, she is unable to ignore the connection that still thrums between them..

This uplifting story is the second book in the Sandpiper Shores series, but can easily be read as a standalone. 

Emma is picking up the threads of her life, following the fatal heart attack of her husband Ben, and, having done lots of good work supporting others with the events she has arranged for The Lonely Hearts Club, Nash now weaves a tale that gives her her own second chance at love.

Enter stage left silver-fox Tom, who sends Emma into a spin, torn between the torch she clearly still holds for him, even with the unforgettable pain of disappointed first love; and the lingering grief for Ben that holds her fast. Against the background of pantomime shenanigans, raw emotions, and the awkward presence of an unexpected love rival, the plot weaves tenderly around the couple, as well as their friends (big praise for the lovely friendship between Emma and her pals Jo and Michelle), family, and the community as a whole. Themes of loneliness, loss, and relationship trauma are handled with sensitivity, particularly around the way Nash has Emma and Tom reflecting on their past marriages - and I loved how Emma rediscovers herself and her confidence after all she has been through.

The panto at the heart of the story injects plenty of Christmas magic, making it a perfect festive pick, and the enchanting snowy ending ticks the heart-warming spot nicely. Always good to see older protagonists taking centre stage too!

Life Begins at the Cornish Cottage is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Compulsive Readers Blog Tours for sending me an e-copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this epic collaborative blog tour with Random Things Tours, Rachel's Random Resources Tours, and Zooloo's Book Tours.

About the author:

Kim Nash is the bestselling author of uplifting, heartwarming, romantic, feel-good fiction. She has wanted to write books since she was a little girl. Her other dream, is to live in a home that has a view of a golden sandy beach and the sea sparkling in the sunlight. Until that dream comes true, she’ll continue to write second chance romances about women who live or move to the seaside on her behalf. She is published by Boldwood Books.

One of her greatest writing achievements is to be nominated for the Kindle Storyteller Award in 2020, and she was delighted when Claudia Winkleman had read her book and said it was 'Totally warm and absolutely lovely.'

She lives in Staffordshire with her son Ollie and English Setter rescue dog Roni, is Author Community Director for publisher Bookouture (a division of Hachette UK) and, as an avid reader, started her career in the publishing industry as a book blogger.

When she's not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog at Cannock Chase, reading and binge-watching TV. She's also quite partial to a spa day, lemon drizzle cake and a gin and tonic (not all at the same time!).

Kim also runs a book club in Staffordshire and organises local and national reader/author events.