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The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel, Captivating, I could not put it down

About The Book

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.

Grab A Copy Here

My Thoughts

When I first received THE MAID OF BALLYMACOOL I was unable to read it due to prior reading obligations. Now I wish I had chucked those books out the window and gotten right to this one. I absolutely do believe this is the author’s strongest writing yet. You cannot help getting lost in the world she creates. I loved the time I spent at Ballymacool House and Wood and was fascinated to read in the author’s notes that they are still there though Ballmacool is abandoned, roofless and covered in vines. I can’t wait to do more online research on this. Though the story is fictional it is based upon many true events. Just my type of book, very well researched.
Brianna Kelly has known no other life than Ballymacool House and Boarding School. Abandoned there as a baby she grew up there and is a maid there. In charge of her is Mistress Maureen Magee, the headmistress of Ballymacool House and Boarding School for Girls. Very mean, she never sees reason from anyone around her. People aren’t born mean so then you say to yourself what happened personally to make her like this? Mistress Magee absolutely hates Brianna with every fiber of her being, but Brianna can remember a time long ago when she was extremely young that she wasn’t like this towards her. As we are reading, we have to try to piece together why she hates this young lady so much. Michael Wray, the son of a local gentry is sent by his parents to the school the corral his young cousin who is a bit pranksterish and outspoken for the school. He is there to keep an eye on her and keep her inline. Upon meeting Brianna, he is drawn to her quiet, shy and reserved way. Something about her feels familiar, have they met before? Brianna spends her free time in the woods surrounding Ballymacool and has a special tree she has been going to for years for relaxation and where she has found treasure. There is in my opinion a gothic feel to the book, a slow burn romance, a headmistress who is hiding something and a mystery just begging to be solved. I could not turn these pages fast enough. There is also a glossary of terms at the back of the book which is very helpful plus the author’s notes that I’d advise because it gives helpful information pertaining to the story. Excellent book!

Pub Date 21 Feb 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About The Author

Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher and freelance writer. Her work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic Magazine, and others. With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona.

Have a marvelous weekend and thanks for stopping in.

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Bookouture Blog Tour for The Mother Next Door by Leah Mercer 

Book Description:


I glance over at Lou’s house as I pull onto my drive, surprised that it is still in darkness. Lou and the kids should have been home from school long ago. I should be preparing a delicious meal for my children as they tell me about their day. But Lou’s car is nowhere to be seen…

The night is drawing in and Lou has still not returned. I try not to panic, but deep down I know something is wrong. Lou is the most dependable friend. Our children are at the same school. We always help each other out, and she cares for my two like only a mother can.

As a storm rages outside and local news reports tell everyone to stay indoors, a feeling of deep dread starts to swell. Then the call comes. The police have found Lou’s car, with my children’s schoolbags still inside along with Lou’s phone. But they are nowhere to be seen.

Clutching my husband’s hands, willing our children to be found safe and sound, I try to silence the voice inside my head. I’ve not been honest. I’m being punished for what happened all those years ago.

And then I get Lou’s message and I know that if I want to see my children again, I need to tell the truth to everyone I love.

What I don’t yet know is that Lou has been keeping her own dark secret. And once the storm passes, nothing will ever be the same again.

A gripping and addictive psychological suspense about dark obsession, intense motherly love and how far we will go to protect those we love the most. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Adele Parks and Sally Hepworth.

My Thoughts

Excuse me for one moment while I pick my jaw up off of the floor!

Secrets, sure we all have them, like eating that last slice of pizza that no one was supposed to eat because it was being saved. But what if your secret was bigger, oh so much bigger and you were about to find out exactly how it would affect your life?

Lou is the perfect neighbor, self-confident, bright, full of energy and always wanting to spend time with the neighborhood kids and pick them up from school when she picks up her own kids. She’s the kind of woman we all want to be and envy. She’s perfect!


There’s a crazy strong storm brewing and Lou is going to pick up the kids after school again, thank goodness because they’ll be safe with her. It’s getting later and later, and the kids are not home yet, and no one can get ahold of Lou.

Three neighborhood women have been friends since childhood. They hide a secret no one can know. Lou’s car has been found, it’s now dark and one child has asthma, the rain is pouring, and the creek continues to rise. Are they safe, dry, in danger?

You can feel the tension mounting, where is Lou? And what is this text message they receive telling the women to “tell all and the children will be safe.” Can they believe it and what power does Lou have over these women?
All we care about is, are the children found safely?


Some absolutely astonishing revelations come to light in the twists and turn revealed in this suspenseful, psychological thriller!
So good, I recommend it to you if you like tension filled reads with an unforeseen ending.


I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Bio

Leah Mercer was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the east coast of Canada. Her first ambition was to be a journalist, but after completing a Master’s in Journalism, she soon realised she preferred anything other than reporting the news. After trying her hand at public relations, teaching and recruitment in various countries around the world, she finally settled in London and returned to writing…fiction, this time. Her first two novels, Who We Were Before and The Man I Thought You Were, were shortlisted at the UK’s Romantic Novelists’ Association Awards. Leah loves books, running and visiting historic houses with her husband and their son.

https://www.leahmercer.com/

https://www.instagram.com/leahmercerauthor/

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The Paris Sister by Adrienne Chinn Blog Tour

The Paris Sister

Three sisters separated by distance but bound by love

The Fry sisters enter the Roaring Twenties forever changed by their experiences during the Great War. Now, as each of their lives unfold in different corners of the globe, they come to realise that the most important bond is that of family.

Desperate to save the man she loves, Etta leaves behind the life she has made for herself in Capri and enters the decadent world of Parisian society with all its secrets and scandals.

Celie’s new life on the Canadian prairies brings mixed blessings – a daughter to adore, but a husband who isn’t the man who holds her heart.

In Egypt, Jessie’s world is forever changed by a devastating loss.

And back in London – where each of their adventures began – their mother Christina watches as the pieces of her carefully orchestrated existence begins to shatter…with implications for them all…

The Paris Sister Blog Tour 1st-7th February @Rachel’sRandomResources

Purchase Links Amazon

My Thoughts

An emotional family drama set during the Roaring twenties.
I have not read the first book in this series, instead jumping in at book two of three. I absolutely need to read book one now.
The book is very wordy at 480 pages, and I loved it. The more descriptive for me the better.
Set during the 1920's we can see woman are starting to stand up for themselves and not be dominated by men anymore.
There is strife, there is drama, as there is in every family but at the end of the day there is the love of family.
This book features three sisters and their mother. The women all live in different parts of the world, one in Canada, one in Egypt and one in Paris.
There is a lot going on in this story as it takes place over years. What I found to make it easier to follow is if you concentrate on each woman and their story rather than concentrate on too many characters at once.
I really enjoyed this historical fiction and learning about the different foods, languages and customs of each country.
The widowed mother has a secret her daughters must not find out. It happened during her younger days when she was not married. Living in London she must now face her past.
One of the daughters lives in Alberta, Canada amongst the wheat fields.
Another daughter lives in Cairo running a health clinic. Another daughter lives in Paris trying to forget her past.
I enjoyed seeing how the women and their mother communicated by letter. Though they may not agree on everything there is always love, communication and encouragement.
The book is very well researched. I felt as if I were right there in the story experiencing all this with the characters.
This is a wonderful, wonderful book. The next book can't come out soon enough for me!

Pub Date 03 Feb 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Visit other blogs on the tour here

About the Author

Adrienne Chinn was born in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, grew up in Quebec, and eventually made her way to London, England after a career as a journalist. In England she worked as a TV and film researcher before embarking on a career as an interior designer, lecturer, and writer. Her debut novel, The Lost Letter, a timeslip love story set in Morocco, was published by Avon Books UK in 2019. Her second novel, The English Wife — a timeslip story set in World War II England and contemporary Newfoundland — was published in June 2020 and has become an international bestseller. Her third novel, Love in a Time of War, the first in a series of four books in The Three Fry Sisters series, was published in February 2022. The second book in the series, The Paris Sister, will be published in February 2023.

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His Secret Daughter by Melissa Wiesner- Bookouture Blog Tour

About The Book

Not Noah. Not my husband. But there he is, unconscious in the hospital bed. Our daughter sobs into my shoulder. We love him so much. What if he never wakes up? And who is the little girl beside him, gazing up at us with big, tear-filled brown eyes? Eyes that look just like my husband’s…

Our family of three is perfect. Just me, Noah and our teenage daughter Maya. The day the police knock at our door, telling us about the car accident, is the worst day of my life. My heart shatters, but what they say next almost makes it stop beating: Noah was in the car with another woman who died at the scene. Her two-year-old girl, Luna, miraculously survived.

With Noah fighting for his life, I’m desperate for the truth: and when I search his desk, I find checks made out to Luna’s mother. Did my loving, loyal husband have a secret family all along?

Despite my own terrible pain, at the hospital I can’t help but comfort this poor child as she cries for her mommy. With nowhere else for Luna to go, I find myself opening our home. Seeing Maya hold Luna’s hand and giggle as they chase butterflies in the garden, it’s almost like my daughter has a sister…

I have an impossible choice. Do I tell Maya the truth about her father? If Noah wakes up, will even more secrets come out about who he really is? And can I forgive him enough to give this sweet, innocent girl a home… or will my husband’s betrayal tear us all apart?

Fans of Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, Kate Hewitt and Diane Chamberlain will adore this absolutely unputdownable read about how the people we love most can hide the darkest secrets.

My Thoughts

I have not heard of this author before reading this book but after reading it, I won’t be missing a single one.
Such a wild roller coaster of a ride, I had quite a few unexpected things thrown at me as I read.
Heart wrenching and heartwarming both. I was absolutely hooked. This book is unputdownable from the very first page, it absolutely draws you in. You won’t be able to stop reading until it’s over. I am totally hooked and must read more by this author!
Intense, this is the one you’ll be recommending to all of your friends.
Such an unexpected ending. This is perfection and I loved it!

Pub Date 03 Jan 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Please visit other blogs on the tour

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About The Author

Melissa Wiesner is a night-owl who began writing novels about five years ago when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. In 2019, she won the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Award in the Mainstream Fiction Category for her first novel. Melissa holds two Master’s Degrees in Public Health and Community Agency Counseling. Her day job is in Social Work where she often encounters people knocked down by hard times but who pick themselves up and keep going, just like the characters of her novels. Melissa lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her charming husband and two adorable children.

https://www.melissawiesner.com/

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Somebody like Santa: A Heartwarming Texas Christmas Love Story (The Christmas Tree Ranch #5) By Janet Dailey-Review

About The Book

For Cooper Chapman, moving next door to his newlywed sister in Branding Iron, Texas, is the biggest gift he could ask for this Christmas. The divorced single dad knows his troubled teenaged son only needs the healing balm of big skies and family ties.  But soon after settling into their new home, Trevor falls in with some wild friends at his new school, leaving Cooper leaning hard on youth counselor Jess Graver. With grace and wisdom, Jess soothes Cooper’s worries over his son, even as the elusive beauty stirs romantic feelings to life . . .

With the holiday growing closer, young Trevor finds an unexpected mentor in a local farmer, helping him build a horse-drawn sleigh for the Christmas parade. Now the only thing that could make Cooper’s New Year brighter would be making warm-hearted Jess his own. But when he stumbles upon a secret from her past, it will take more than mistletoe to bring them back together and keep her at his side for all the sweet seasons to come . . .

Grab A Copy Here

My Thoughts

This is the fifth book in the Christmas Tree Ranch series.
Branding Iron, Texas is the home of Cooper Chapman’s newlywed sister and her husband, it’s convenient that there is a rental next to her for him and his young teenaged son to move into for their new start. Moving to the middle of nowhere in this “redneck hell of Branding Iron, Texas” is not Trevor, the thirteen-year-old son’s idea of a good time, he desperately misses Seattle with his friends and where he fit in.
School counselor Jess Graver more than once comes to the aid of Cooper Chapman, calming his worries when his son falls in with a wild crowd at school trying to prove himself worthy.


Jess and Cooper have an immediate attraction to each other, but I wouldn’t call this book a romance as each of them seems to keep pulling away from the other one emotionally for one reason or another.


There are a lot of side stories that could have taken on a book of their own, a hidden secret discovered, working as redemption to right a wrong as an older man gives the teen a chance to make things right, a Christmas parade, violence and abuse, kidnapping.
I did not particularly like the female lead character in this book, in my opinion she is standoffish and not willing to listen to reason.

My favorite characters would have to be Trevor the troubled teen who gains confidence and turns his life around and even goes out of his way to show empathy and help a troubled friend. Another favorite character is Maggie, that firecracker of a little girl, the take charge kind who is everyone’s friend.


For a novella length book, I think there was too much packed into it and some of these side stories should have been explored in the possibility of their own book.

Pub Date 27 Sep 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own. 

The Author

JANET DAILEY’s first book was published in 1976. Since then she has written more than 100 novels and become one of the top-selling female authors in the world, with 300 million copies of her books sold in nineteen languages in ninety-eight countries. She is known for her strong, decisive characters, her extraordinary ability to recreate a time and a place, and her unerring courage to confront important, controversial issues in her stories. You can learn more about Janet at http://www.JanetDailey.com.

With much appreciation for your visit today. May you stay safe and warm.

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Bookouture Blog Tour for psychological thriller, Her First Child by Sheryl Browne

About The Book

A perfect mother. A loving daughter. A secret that could destroy them both.

New mother Eve is overwhelmed with love for her baby son, Kai. As she swaddles him in a fluffy white blanket, she shudders at a memory of her own childhood. She hasn’t seen her heartless mother Lydia in years, and she hasn’t told a soul about what really happened the night her baby brother died in the squalid little house she grew up in…

When the phone rings in the dead of night, Eve’s heart pounds as she hears the voice at the other end. ‘Hello Mother’, she replies, an ice-cold chill creeping down her spine. She grips her son’s tiny frame close to her trembling chest as she reluctantly agrees to let her mother visit.

But when Eve has to make an emergency call from Kai’s bedroom early one morning, she curses herself for allowing her mother back into her perfect little family.

‘Kai was fine when I checked on him a few hours ago.’ Her mother says, breathlessly as she watches her daughter’s face change from fear to rage.

Why was Lydia in Kai’s bedroom during the night? And as Lydia pleads her innocence, could it be that she’s not the most dangerous mother in this family?

Fans of The Girl on the Train, Gone Girl and The Wife, will absolutely love this gripping and addictive thriller. Her First Child will have you hooked from the very first page!

My Thoughts

I am a new reader of psychological thrillers. As a new reader of this genre, I am drawn to the synopsis of the books, and I have enjoyed the ones I have read. The pace of this one is fast; you never really know what to expect.
This is my first read by this author and I am open to reading more by her.
The story was very suspenseful, I thought I understood what was going on but then it flowed into another scenario, another possibility.
Who can you trust when relationships are based on neediness and lies. Oh, so many lies.
What is good in this life, what is bad? You think you know, but you don’t.
Betrayal, abuse, neglect, despair, tension, you will find this and more.
A mother unable to do the one thing she was made to do, protect her children. As her daughter grows into a woman will she inherit her mother’s mannerisms, her silence, the madness, the inability to cope with reality?
In this dual timeline, there is a lot of covering up, hiding the bad, the secrets must never see the light of day. Twists and turns with a very unexpected ending.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Participating Blogs

Author Bio

Author Bio:

Bestselling Author, Sheryl Browne, writes taut, twisty psychological thriller. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies where she completed her MA in Creative Writing. Sheryl has also obtained a Certificate of Achievement in Forensic Science and – according to readers – she makes an excellent psychopath. Sheryl’s latest psychological thriller HER FIRST CHILD comes to you from BOOKOUTURE. Her previous works include the DI Matthew Adams Crime Thriller series, along with contemporary fiction novels, The Rest of My Life and Learning to Love.To find out more about Sheryl, go to www.sherylbrowne.com
https://twitter.com/sherylbrowne

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New Beginnings at the Old Bakehouse:by Christie Barlow, The perfect Scottish escape to cosy up with.Review

About The Book

Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter what

‘A letter, a goodbye, and a baby girl whose name will begin with “L”…’

When Heartcross’ resident clairvoyant tells Molly McKendrick to expect a whole lot of scandal and upset to blow in with the approaching winter storm, Molly doesn’t know what to think.

With a baby on the way any week now, and Christmas not far off, the last thing Molly needs is drama, but when she crosses paths with Bree, a sixteen-year-old homeless girl, and takes her in from the cold, secrets from the past flood the present and Molly, her partner Cam, and their son George, are soon experiencing a holiday season filled with unexpected festive surprises…

Grab A Copy Here

My Thoughts

I absolutely love this series, it’s so charming and it’s a snuggle up and feel-good read.
We are again in Heartcross and though having never visited Scotland I feel as though I have through this book. The descriptions are just fabulous.
Our main characters are Cam and his wife, Molly who is pregnant with their second child.
They are the town’s resident vet and bakers. Cam always bakes extra to give away to the homeless shelter and they appreciate it so much.
Though many in town say it’s hokey Molly visits a fortune teller and eerie enough all she predicts comes true.
When Molly McKendrick has a chance encounter with homeless teen Bree she has off flashbacks and feels as though she knows her. She takes in Bree off the cold streets, and they become close. Secrets are revealed and though it comes as a hock they work through them. This author and series have zipped right up my list as favorites. Though there are hardships they are talked out and hardships gotten through. I loved this sweet Scottish escape, it’s just a ray of sunshine.

Pub Date 30 Jul 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Author

Christie Barlow is the number one international bestselling author of seventeen romantic comedies including the iconic Love Heart Lane Series, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm and Kitty’s Countryside Dream. She lives in a ramshackle cottage in a quaint village in the heart of Staffordshire with her four children and two dogs.

Her writing career has come as a lovely surprise when Christie decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. Christie’s dream was to become a writer and the book she wrote to prove a point went on to become a #1 international bestseller in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.

When Christie isn’t writing she co-presents The Book Show on Radio Northwich, enjoys playing the piano, is a keen gardener and loves to paint and upcycle furniture.

Christie is an ambassador for the @ZuriProject alongside Patron of the charity, Emmerdale’s Bhasker Patel. They raise money and awareness for communities in Uganda.

Christie loves to hear from her readers and you can get in touch via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Twitter – @ChristieJBarlow

Facebook – Christie Barlow Author

Instagram – christie_barlow

What makes you want to read New Beginnings at the Old Bakeshop?

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