Book Review: You Belong With Me by Mhairi McFarlane

First things first, I am a HUGE Mhairi McFarlane fan. If I’m ever asked for a book recommendation (which actually happens reasonably often, as I overshare my love of books to everyone!) my first question is always ‘have you read everything by Mhairi McFarlane yet?’ – and yes, I do explain to everyone ‘you say her name Vahree’. All of her books are wonderful, funny, clever, emotional, modern, beautifully written – and all round fabulous. However one did leave me begging for a sequel as you can see by my previous review of ‘Who’s That Girl?‘ – and 8 years later, Mhairi has delivered!

Here’s the blurb for her newest book ‘You Belong With Me’:

“She found The One. But when everyone wants him, can she keep him?
When there’s a ring on her doorbell on Christmas Day, there’s only one person Edie Thompson wants it to be. The person who’s still in her heart. The person who just might be The One.
She and Elliot Owen called it quits once before – but aren’t they too good together not to try? And here he is – offering her everything she dreamed of.
But dating Elliot, an actor, is anything but plain sailing. Being an ocean apart and followed by the press is one thing, but when Edie’s friends and Elliot’s family are drawn in, things get messy. Then her boss hires a friendly face in the form of Declan Dunne, who’s there for her when times are tough, and Edie starts to wonder … are she and Elliot a fairytale come true – or a cautionary fable about getting what you wish for?”

So immediately we find out who was at the door – phew! It’s what we all wanted all those years ago – and now we get to find out how the relationship between Edie and Elliot pans out. The fantastic supporting cast of the first book are all back to help – and sometimes hinder – things, along with new characters like Declan – who is thoroughly lovely as well (and an image of him naked will stay with me for a while!!)

I have to say there were certain times when I wanted to give both Edie and Elliott a good shake and tell them to talk to each other properly – but this did not detract from the storyline, I was still desperate to read on.

As it’s a Mhairi McFarlane book you expect twists and turns, and it did not disappoint. I’ve commented before about her use of modern technology and how it thus feels really real and modern – and yet again that’s fundamental to the storyline at times. The dialogue between the characters is, as ever, clever, witty and laugh out loud funny at times.

‘You Belong With Me’ is out in June 2024 – and I would highly recommend pre ordering now as a lovely gift to your future self! If you haven’t read the prequel ‘Who’s That Girl?’ then:

a. Why not?! and
b. I probably would if I were you – but you wouldn’t HAVE to as this would stand alone – but you might miss some of the historic references

Many thanks to Harper Collins, Net Galley – and of course Mhairi – for my advance review copy.

Book Review: The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

I have thoroughly enjoyed Lucy Foley’s back catalogue – from her debut historical dramas to more recent large cast ensemble murder mysteries – so when I heard she had a new book out, it was a no brainer to request a copy from Net Galley. Here’s the blurb:

“Midsummer, the Dorset coast
In the shadows of an ancient wood, guests gather for the opening weekend of The Manor: a beautiful new countryside retreat.
But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. And the candles have barely been lit for a solstice supper when the body is found.
It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at…
THE MIDNIGHT FEAST”

The Midnight Feast has a very similar feel to recent Lucy Foley books – told from multiple points of view from different characters and over different timelines. You know that something awful has happened at a new countryside retreat and a dead body has been found on the beach – but you don’t know who the victim is until quite near the end of the book. The storyline jumps between present day – both pre and post the grisly discovery – but also back in time to the early 90s with extracts from one of the character’s teenage journals.

I have to say that what I’ve enjoyed about Lucy Foley’s books before is that they feel well written and ‘literary’ despite being contemporary fiction – but I found that the chapters from the flashbacks felt a bit forced and ‘she said, she did’. I can see that this is because it’s written in the style of a teenager – but I felt it made the book a little disjointed and not up to the usual standard of writing (but fully appreciate this is probably just my taste!)

There is also quite a lot of ‘black magic’ and mystical folklore referred to – specifically ‘the birds’, This is not my vibe at all – and I would actively avoid books with this in – or even TV programmes with such references – but I was happy to give it the benefit of the doubt and push on through because I’ve so enjoyed the author’s previous books! But this does mean I didn’t get references to ‘The Birds’ or ‘Midsommar’ as I’ve not seen or read either.

None of the characters are particularly likeable (apart from Eddie the barman) and all have their own secrets that as a reader you are party to from their chapters, and it’s interesting to see how these unravel and are revealed to other characters.

The descriptions of the countryside retreat are excellent – and you really get a feel for being there, and the suffocating heat – and the venue does sound amazing.

As you’d expect from a Lucy Foley book there are loads of twists and turns, with characters from the ‘flashback’ chapters intertwining with those in the current timeframe. Some I guessed, some with hindsight I should have guessed, and some were a complete shock – a perfect recipe to keep you just smug enough but still shocked and intrigued by the storyline.

Although I’ve been a bit moany, I really enjoyed the book and was desperate to see what happened in the end – and I thought the end very satisfactory in tying up lots of loose ends.

A big thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for my ARC – it’s out in early June 2024, so not long to wait – a perfect summer read.

Book Review: The Revenge Club by Kathy Lette

Whilst I’ve followed Kathy Lette on social media for years – I don’t think I’ve ever read one of her books before (and I definitely have never reviewed one on here) – but when I saw she had a new book out, I managed to get an advance review copy off Net Galley. Now weirdly on Net Galley it says it’s not out until August 2024 (but I now wonder if that’s a US release date perhaps?) as it appears to already be out on Kindle – and imminently released as a hard back – and Kathy has been having a fabulous time on book tour in her native Australia and has now started on a UK book tour! But at least that means I’m not tempting you loads in advance, and you can order it immediately if you like the sound of it?! So here’s the blurb:

“WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU, IT’S TIME TO GET EVEN.
Matilda, Jo, Penny and Cressy are all women at the top of their game; so imagine their surprise when they start to be personally overlooked and professionally pushed aside by less-qualified men.
Only they’re not going down without a fight.
Society might think the women have passed their amuse-by dates but the Revenge Club have other plans.
After all, why go to bed angry when you could stay up and plot diabolical retribution? Let the games begin…”

The main character in the book is Matilda – who is an Australian born writer now living in London, with 2 children (one of whom is autistic) and is separated from their father (now, this does sound vaguely familiar when compared to the writer’s own life – but ‘write what you know’ is often said!)

Tilly reunites – after 30+ years – with 3 friends she was in a band with at University (Louche Women is a most excellent band name!) but has lost touch with since. Jo has been in the US working on movies, Penny is a news anchor and Cressy is an actress married to a high flying lawyer with 4 daughters. All 4 women – as they approach their late 50s – have experienced issues with being a woman of a certain age – and so come together – as The Revenge Club – to, as the name suggests, take their revenge!

Whilst the book is silly and funny and frequently made me laugh out loud – it also covers important topics facing women of a certain age, but in a very entertaining way.

The ‘Revenge’ plans twist and turn during the plot of the book and keep you guessing right to the end – but the development of the main characters is great and the relationships between them all. I also really enjoyed how Tilly’s kids came into their own in the book – with kids a similar age I could very much empathise with Tilly’s initial frustrations!

Overall this was a fantastic, escapist and hilarious read – and perfect for those of us 50+

A huge thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for my ARC.

Book Review: You Are Here by David Nicholls

Having adored previous books by David Nicholls, (so much so that I can’t watch the new Netflix series of One Day in case it disappoints) I was delighted to be granted a Net Galley advance review copy of his new novel. Here’s the blurb:

“Sometimes you need to get lost to find your way
Marnie is stuck.
Stuck working alone in her London flat, stuck battling the long afternoons and a life that often feels like it’s passing her by.
Michael is coming undone.
Reeling from his wife’s departure, increasingly reclusive, taking himself on long, solitary walks across the moors and fells.
When a persistent mutual friend and some very English weather conspire to bring them together, Marnie and Michael suddenly find themselves alone on the most epic of walks and on the precipice of a new friendship.
But can they survive the journey?A new love story by beloved bestseller David Nicholls, You Are Here is a novel of first encounters, second chances and finding the way home.“

I have to say from the off that David Nicholls has done it again – ‘You Are Here’ is WONDERFUL.

The chapters are told alternately from Marnie and Michael’s points of view – with the timelines sometimes overlapping slightly so that you get each of their perspectives on the same situation. I really liked both main characters from the start in different ways, and felt like we got to know them well and understand their back stories and how they are the 40 something people they are now over the timeline of the book.

I have to say that the geography of the trip and the coast to coast walk is also described beautifully – and Michael’s geeky geographical knowledge was very well received by me (even if not always by Marnie!)

It is a beautiful, gentle love story – where you’re rooting for the characters throughout. It twists and turns – much like the walk itself – as the tale unfolds, and is not straightforward at all (although the shocks aren’t quite as gobsmacking as in One Day!) but at the same time it feels really ‘real’.

The ‘banter’ between Michael and Marnie feels very genuine – as do their interactions with other characters in the book. It is funny, moving, sad, joyful – all rolled up into one fabulous book.

I loved the ending – and would love it not to be the end, but to be the beginning of a sequel.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy – it’s out on 23 April 2024 so not long to wait if you like the sound of it.

Book Review: Now Is Not The Time For Flowers by Stacey Heale

Stacey Heale first hit my radar when she was a guest on the Don’t Buy Her Flowers podcast talking about grief. A friend had recently died – and I found the podcast really powerful – and immediately sent it to my friend’s equally young widow for when she felt ready to listen to it. I’ve subsequently followed Stacey on social media where she’s shared much of her life – and that of her fabulous daughters – as they navigate their lives (and hair colour and footwear!)

I’ve recently become a ‘DBHFer’ – having been a customer of Don’t Buy Her Flowers since it started (I waxed lyrical about them 9 years ago on this blog!) Being a DBHFer is essentially being an ambassador and in a kind of ‘focus group’ for the brand (if only all focus groups involved #gifted gin and chocolate!) and as Stacey’s book is now available in Don’t Buy Her Flowers packages, they asked if I’d like to receive a #gifted copy in return for an honest review. Given the title has a very similar vibe to the concept of Don’t Buy Her Flowers – it does seem like it will be a great fit.

Here is the blurb for the book:

“When Stacey Heale’s husband, Greg, was diagnosed with incurable cancer on their daughter’s first birthday, everything changed. She quickly realised how little is spoken about what the harder times in our lives really look like, leaving us lost to navigate the unknown alone.
Confronted with a new life she was not prepared for, Stacey began to untangle the brutal realities of life and death – and the fundamental differences between our expectations and reality.
Now is Not the Time for Flowers is Stacey’s unflinchingly beautiful and raw memoir that addresses the big conversations that imminent death dictates, boldly taking the reader on a journey through the full spectrum of our lives and their complexities. Told through vignettes of her own life and the death of her husband, Stacey offers a movingly honest, insightful and humorous account of modern womanhood through the lenses of love, desire, motherhood, death, grief, identity, personal growth and the challenges and questions that our lives force upon us.
Now is Not the Time for Flowers is a powerful call to arms for us to discuss the messy and unexpected truths of our nuanced lives.”

Stacey says at the start that her debut book is not a guidebook for death, but is her own experience.  It’s been driven by her husband dying and leaving her a young widow with two small daughters, but it is much more than just about Greg’s diagnosis and death.  Stacey talks honestly and frankly about this, but also other aspects of her life and loves. 

It is not written in a strict chronological order – but is instead grouped into chapters within specific topics – love, desire, mother, bodies, death, grief, identity and growth. The chapters are different lengths and have really interesting titles. It feels like Stacey is talking to you in a very personal way rather than regurgitating a story from start to finish.

It’s definitely not all doom and gloom – it’s funny, entertaining, thought provoking – making you think about things you might not ever have considered before but will affect us all at some point.  It’s also incredibly well written – Stacey is an excellent communicator on her Instagram – and her writing is equally as eloquent. And yes, of course, it made me cry.

Different elements of the book will be relevant to different people at different times in their lives. It’s definitely the sort of book you could go back to and read again and find something new. One thing that has stuck with me is the comment ‘There are no medals at the Shit Olympics’ – and that people go through awful, awful things all the time. Some years ago I remember a friend, who had recently lost his wife to breast cancer, discussing another friend whose 11 year old son had just died from a brain tumour and him saying ‘I just can’t imagine what they’re going through’, whilst I’m thinking ‘I just can’t imagine what both families have been through’.

I obviously hope that lots of the book won’t be relevant to me personally for years and that my husband lives a long and healthy life – and in that way, reading this book reminded me of when I did a paediatric first aid qualification when my eldest kids were much younger. The theory back then being that even if I was an emotional wreck if one of my own children was injured – there might be a time when I needed to be the slightly emotionally removed responsible adult for someone else’s child in an emergency. In the same way – as well as making me ruminate about my own life and loves – I think this book will also help me be far more aware of how to be a support if someone I know is going through the terminal diagnosis or death of a loved one.

Now Is Not The Time For Flowers was released on 28 March 2024 – and is now available in Don’t Buy Her Flowers gift packages too – I can highly recommend Montezuma chocolate to accompany it (thanks DBHF HQ!)

Book Review: Murder On The Dance Floor by Katie Marsh

Having recently enjoyed the first book in the Bad Girls Detective Agency series by Katie Marsh, How Not To Murder Your Ex, I was delighted to see that the second book was available on Net Galley ahead of its release later in March 2024, and I was granted an advance review copy.

Here’s the blurb:

“They DID promise her a killer hen weekend…

Jeanie’s getting married, and – despite her completely impossible four sisters – her best friends Clio and Amber are determined to give her a bachelorette weekend to remember. They’re in matching pink T-shirts and the drinks are flowing…
But the night turns out to be unforgettable for all the wrong reasons when a girl turns up dead on the dancefloor. And – even though she’s a stranger – she is wearing one of Jeanie’s hen T-shirts.
Who is she? And why are the police convinced that the hens are involved? Can the newly-formed Bad Girls Detective Agency solve the murder? And in time to get Jeanie up the aisle?
Unputdownable mystery set on the English coast – perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Bad Sisters and How to Kill Your Family.”

The book follows on 6 months after the initial book in the series – with Jeanie on her hen weekend before getting married to Tan, the father of her 18 month twins. There is the usual friends and family politics of such a weekend – but then there’s a murder on the dancefloor. (Interestingly the song of the same name by Sophie Ellis-Bextor appears to be a timeless classic, with my teenage kids enjoying it when out clubbing just like we did back in the 90s – even before Saltburn made it a global hit recently!)

Now I’m just going to throw up a little niggle at this point. The murder victim has the same surname as the crime family in the first book of the series, and it’s a distinctive surname, not a Smith or a Price – but NO ONE MENTIONS THIS AT ALL. I’m assuming this is an oversight – and the surname may even change before the book is published – but it seemed really odd to pedantic old me!

Since solving the murder of Clio’s ex husband in book one, the ladies have formed a detective agency – and use their skills to try and solve this new murder. There are lots of references to the first book – and characters that reappear (like Marg the septuagenarian drug dealer) but I think it would still stand alone, as enough of the back stories are explained if needed. However, I think reading ‘How Not To Murder Your Ex’ first would be a good plan (and it’s currently free to download if you have Prime!)

Whilst this is primarily a ‘cosy mystery’ – there are lots of other issues discussed too – family dynamics, relationship secrets and lies, female friendships to name but a few. The different characters – particularly Jeanie’s sisters – are well described and thought out, and the camaraderie between Jeanie, Clio and Amber is again evident. I also liked the storyline of Jeanie’s relationship with her own Mum.

Overall I really enjoyed this new book – another fun and escapist read – and I’m looking forward to seeing what the Bad Girls Detective Agency get up to next!

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Net Galley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: How Not To Murder Your Ex by Katie Marsh

I love books – just in case the content of this blog hadn’t given that away?! And I recently spent time at a party interrogating one of the Editorial Directors, Emily of Boldwood Books about the current state of the industry (I’m also really interested in business, and generally finding out ‘stuff’!) She did thank me the next day for attending her TEDtalk! One of the things we discussed was how ‘cosy mysteries’ are a super popular genre at the moment. For those of you not in the know, the definition of a cosy mystery is (according to Wikipedia – and thus spelt the American way!)

“Cozy mysteries, also referred to as “cosy mysteries” or “cozies”, are a sub-genre of crime fiction in which sex and violence occur offstage, the detective is an amateur sleuth, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially-intimate community. Cozies thus stand in contrast to hardboiled fiction, in which more violence and explicit sexuality are central to the plot. The term “cozy” was first coined in the late 20th century when various writers produced work in an attempt to re-create the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.”

I asked Emily for some recommendations of books Boldwood have published – and she very kindly sent me this (she did send me others too before her writers think she has favourites!!)

Here is the blurb:

“It is 5:30 am on Clio’s forty-fifth birthday and her hated ex is lying dead on her doorstep. Even worse, this is no accident. Someone’s killed him…
When single mum Clio‘s ex Gary turns up dead on the doorstep of her caravan – the one she’s been forced to live in ever since he stole every penny she had – there’s only one suspect. Her.
What’s more, she doesn’t remember much about the night he was killed – not just because of the forgetfulness that’s been plaguing her along with the hot flushes – but because she definitely had one too many cocktails with her two best friends Amber and Jeanie.
Clio does remember them talking about how much they all hated him though. And, in the frame for murder, she has to ask herself – if she didn’t kill Gary, who did? One of his many enemies? Or someone a little closer to home? And can she and her friends find the real killer before it’s too late?
Unputdownable mystery set on the English coast – perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club, Bad Sisters, and How to Kill Your Family.“

I enjoyed this from the start. It alternates between the ‘current’ timeline when Gary’s body has been found – with the last day of Gary’s life, to set the scene as to who might want to kill him. And there are lots of potential murderers as Gary was not a nice person at all.

The description of Clio and her friends Amber and Jeanie was very realistic (as a woman of a similar age!) – and you can tell there is plenty to fill them out back story wise – with one having young twins, and the other having just been kicked out of the local police force.

As the group of friends start their investigations, so do the police, and everything intertwines – whilst at the same time you’re finding out more about the colourful set of characters. There are interesting alliances between people who may otherwise be sworn enemies – but come together in an attempt to solve the mystery of Gary’s death.

I really enjoyed the book – it was a fun, escapist read with a ‘girl power’ / friends forever vibe. I liked it so much I requested a copy of the second book in the series from Net Galley which I am currently devouring!

Book Review: Nuclear Family by Kate Davies

Nuclear Family was recommended in Red Magazine, and I was delighted to be granted an advance review copy by Net Galley. I’d heard high praise for Kate Davies’s previous book ‘In At The Deep End’, although haven’t yet read it myself, but I had high hopes for this too. Here’s the blurb:

“When Lena buys DNA testing kits for her father Tom and her twin sister Alison, she thinks they’ll enjoy finding out where their ancestors come from, and what percentage Neanderthal they are. She has no idea the gift will blow her family apart.
Tom is forced to admit that he isn’t his daughters’ biological father: he and his late wife, Sheila, used a sperm donor. He’s terrified Lena and Alison will reject him, and desperate to win back their trust – whatever it takes.
Alison thinks DNA doesn’t matter. She and her wife are trying to start a family using donor sperm, too. To her, Tom is their dad, and that’s that.
But Lena becomes obsessed with tracking down their biological father. And when she discovers she has a half-brother – an actor with a blue tick on Instagram – she becomes obsessed with him, too…
From the author of the Polari Prize-winning In at the Deep End, this is a very funny and deeply moving novel about identity, donor conception and what it means to be a family.”

I really enjoyed this book. The chapter titles are a work of art before you even get into the content of the book itself! The storyline is modern, well written, funny, emotional – and really makes you think.

Whilst my husband and I have both done the DNA kits mentioned in the blurb and that feature as a key part of the book – ours didn’t reveal anything shocking, but I have had a conversation with someone who works with troubled families, who said that she could see them causing huge issues – exactly as happens in this book.

We’re also really lucky that we had 4 quick to conceive and successful pregnancies and births (even with a vasectomy and reversal between children 2 and 3 – that’s a whole other blog post!) but I appreciate we were incredibly fortunate – and the book looks at many different ways in which a family can be created. Having read the acknowledgements, it’s evident that a number of these different family structures are based upon the authors own experiences as a child and subsequently as a parent.

Whilst each of the characters I felt was at times a bit selfish – fundamentally they all love each other deeply. I also liked the fact that some non-traditional topics such as older people embarking on a new sexual relationship, and trans men carrying a child, are part of the supporting story arcs and not thrust front and centre, but discussed as being totally normal.

The book also doesn’t end with all of the elements of the story tied up in a neat bow – which would have been a total sell out to – so I’m pleased with that.

I also think this would be an interesting book to discuss at a book club if you’re that way inclined!

I’m every so slightly behind with my reviewing – and this came out last week, so if you like the sound of it you can order it right now!

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC.

Book Review: The Island Swimmer by Lorraine Kelly

Like most people in the UK – I’ve grown up with Lorraine Kelly ever present on my TV screen – the definition of a National Treasure! So when I heard she’d written her first novel, I was delighted to be granted an advance review copy by Net Galley. If you need to read the blurb – rather than just read a book because you love the author – here it is:

“Once the tide turns, you can’t hold it back…
When Evie’s father falls desperately ill, she finally returns to the family home on Orkney and the wild landscape she left as a teenager, swearing never to return. Not everyone is happy at her arrival, particularly her estranged sister Liv, their relationship broken after a childhood trauma.
As Evie clears out her father’s neglected house to prepare it for sale, lonely Evie finds herself drawn to a group of cold-water swimmers led by her old friend Freya, who find calmness beneath the waves. Together they help Evie face up to the mistakes in her past, unlocking a treasure of truths that will reverberate through the community, and shake her family to its core.”

The book follows three different time lines:

The 1970s when Evie’s parents are meeting for the first time and starting their relationship;
2004 when Evie leaves Orkney after an unknown trauma; and
the present day when Evie returns to her family home after finding out her father is seriously ill.

Each of the individual timelines has a storyline in its own right – and it was lovely seeing them unwind and how they impacted on each other.

Getting to know Evie and the supporting cast of characters was great – and the descriptions of Orkney and the different settings there was really evocative. It sounds stunning.

Whilst the book is primarily is a family drama – it does touch on other topics such as coercive control, discrimination faced by trans people, cancer and accidental death – so there is definite light and shade.

I have to say that there were some grammatical errors and words missing or repeated in sentences – but I suspect those will be dealt with before the book is actually published (and I am a total pedant!) as this was an advanced review copy.

Overall I would say the book is exactly what you’d expect from Lorraine Kelly – feel good, clever, warm, community spirited, but with enough spice and cheekiness to be interesting! A warm hug of a book.

Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for my ARC. It came out on 15 February 2024 – so you can buy it now.

Book Review: Come and Get It by Kiley Reid

I appear to be one of the few people who didn’t read Kiley Reid’s debut novel ‘Such A Fun Age’ – which ended up being one of the books of 2020 and a Sunday Times bestseller. So when I heard she had a new book out – I requested an advance review copy from Net Galley. Here’s the blurb:

“Everything comes at a price. But not everything can be paid for.
Millie wants to graduate, get a job and buy a house. She’s slowly saving up from her job on campus, but when a visiting professor offers her an unusual opportunity to make some extra money, she jumps at the chance.
Agatha is a writer, recovering from a break-up while researching attitudes towards weddings and money for her new book. She strikes gold when interviewing the girls in Millie’s dorm, but her plans take a turn when she realises that the best material is unfolding behind closed doors.
As the two women form an unlikely relationship, they soon become embroiled in a world of roommate theatrics, vengeful pranks and illicit intrigue – and are forced to question just how much of themselves they are willing to trade to get what they want.
Sharp, intimate and provocative, Come and Get It takes a lens to our money-obsessed society in a tension-filled story about desire, consumption and bad behaviour.”

Before I started reading this I noticed that it had really mixed reviews on Net Galley – with some people questioning the lack of storyline – but I decided to not be deterred and started reading!

The book tells the story from the view points of various people based around a University dorm – Agatha and Millie as mentioned in the blurb – but also Kennedy, who is one of the students in the dorm around which the story is based. Whilst there is a ‘real time’ timeline – it also looks at the back story of each of the characters, and thus what has made them who they are today.

I can totally see where the reviews are coming from with the story not really going anywhere. Observationally it is brilliant, and you really get a feel for campus life – and the characters are very well described – but I just didn’t get the point of the book. I kept reading to see if something exciting happened – and it just never really did. 

It feels like after the acclaim given to the author’s first book – this ‘difficult second album’ didn’t really hit the spot.

Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for my ARC. You can ‘Come and Get It’ right now, as it was published on Tuesday 30 January 2024.