Behind Closed Doors by Susan Lewis

When fourteen-year-old Sophie Monroe suddenly vanishes one night it looks at first as though she's run away from home.

Her computer and mobile phone have gone, and she's taken a bag full of clothes.

As the police investigation unfolds a wealth of secrets from the surrounding community start coming to light. And it seems everyone has something to hide.


For Detective Sergeant Andrea Lawrence, the case is a painful reminder of the tragedy that tore her family apart over twenty years ago. She is convinced there is more to Sophie's disappearance than teenage rebellion.

But is the past clouding her judgment, preventing her from seeing a truth that neither she, nor Sophie's family, would ever want to face?

Paperback, 368 pages

Expected publication: January 20th 2015 by Ballantine Books

Terri's Thoughts

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher Ballantine via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is January 20th 2015.

This is a genre that I do not typically gravitate towards.  I don't know why as I generally always enjoy it when I do read it however I tend to prioritise other genres first.  Perhaps it is time to change that as I may be missing some really good reads.

I found this story really interesting with just enough teasers and possible suspects to keep you guessing.  Add to that you really don't know what the suspects have done.  Did Sophie run away?  Was she abducted?  Even worse could she be dead?  I liked the aspect of not knowing what happened to Sophie and this added to the intrigue I progressed through the story.

The main character in Andee was also a strong one.  With a no nonsense exterior and a vulnerable interior.  The fact that the case hit close to home for her as she battled the similarities and the ghosts of her sister Penny who had gone missing years before and the remaining questions as a result. A personal life in turmoil was the icing on the cake.

Without divulging too many details this was a story with an interesting cast of characters and enough sub-plots to keep it moving.  Was everything connected or were the plots individual of each other?  You will have to read to find out!  If I have to add some criticism is that the story seemed to wrap up a little too quickly.   I would have like to have read more of the actions of the Poynter family and their activities.

If you enjoy a good who done it without a complex writing style then I would recommend this story.  I enjoyed it.

About the Author

(From her Goodreads profile)

was born in 1956, in Bristol. My father was a Welsh miner, a poet, an engineer and a thinker. My mother was one of 13 children who, at 20, persuaded my father to spend his bonus on an engagement ring instead of a motorbike. We were a normal, happy, nuclear family, living in a spanking new council house on the outskirts of town – my mother’s pride and joy. But we were going to do better, my mother had made up her mind about that. My father, an unabashed communist, was writing a book, I was signed up for ballet, elocution, piano and eventually a private boarding school, and my brother, (the real great love of my mother’s life) was going to succeed at everything he set his mind to.

I was 9 and my brother 5 when my mother died of cancer. She was 33, my father was 37, and he never married again.

I went to the boarding school, a rogue little pupil in amongst all the posh girls, with their plummy voices, rich parents and exotic tales of faraway places. I yearned for my mother and father, but it was for the best, I was told. My father couldn’t bring me up on his own. However, I believed he could, and because no one would listen to my pleas for freedom, I took it upon myself to get expelled. It took a while, and I had rather a fabulous time achieving it, and by the time I was thirteen I was back in our little council house with my father and brother.

The teenage years are too painful to go into.

When I was 18 I got a job at HTV in Bristol, and at 22 I moved to London to work for Thames. I began as a secretary in news and current affairs, then trained as a production assistant and moved on to light entertainment and drama. It was a love of drama, combined with a fierce ambition, that got me knocking on the Controller’s door to ask what steps to take to become a producer. “Oh, go away and write something,” came the reply. So I did.

23 books later, my only regret is that none of them have yet made it to the screen. I left TV eighteen years ago to do the “novelist thing” of buying a house with a swimming pool in the South of France. Bliss! For the first summer! After that came a disastrous love affair with one of the FBI’s most wanted, the plunge of the pound, and the dawning realization that life full-time in France was very, very different to a two week holiday frolicking around on millionaire’s yachts on the sunny Riviera. Sure it was glamorous, and the yachts – along with the interesting people – all came back in the summer, but the endless months in between were not far short of hell.

So, off to sunny California and Hollywood. After equipping myself with a Mercedes estate for my beloved dogs Casanova and Floozie, a home in the hills complete with pool and perfect sunsets every night, I set about completing the obstacle course of cowboy agents, big-talking producers and wannabe directors. Once I realised that Hollywood was NOT waiting for me, I put the struggle behind me and from thereon life in Tinsel Town became just plain thrilling. From star-studded screenings and glitzy parties, to moonlit dinners on the beach and edgy nightclubs, it was the perfect town to be single. George Clooney was my neighbour, Jennifer Anniston, Charlize Theron and Julianne Moore shopped in the same places, Nick Cage was a guest at my house, and Steve Martin was a regular on our dog walks. Romances flourished and faded, some dreams came true and others were crushed.

After seven happy years of taking the best from Hollywood and avoiding the rest, I had to face up to the fact that I was losing touch with being English. I needed a fix of my own country, so once again my dogs and I were on the move. We returned to Wiltshire for two years where making the adjustment from Manolo Blahniks to Wellies, cocktails at sunset to nights in by the fire, and no more glittery invites to liven up the mail proved too crushing for a still young and lively spirit. 

Website:  http://www.susanlewis.com/
Twitter:  susandlewis

Review: The Same Sky by Amanda Eyre Ward

In this heartrending and poignant novel, award-winning author Amanda Eyre Ward tells the story of Alice Conroe, a forty year old Texas barbecue owner who has the perfect life, except she and her husband long for a child. Unable to conceive, she’s trying desperately to adopt but her destiny is quickly altered by a young woman she’s never met.

Fearless thirteen-year-old Carla Trujilio is being raised by her grandmother in Honduras along with her four year old twin brothers. Her mother is sending money home from Texas where she’s trying to make a better life for her family, but she only has enough to bring one son to her. When Carla’s grandmother dies, Carla decides to take her fate into her own hands and embarks on a dangerous journey across the border with Junior, the twin left behind.

Two powerful journeys intersecting at a pivotal moment in time: Alice and Carla’s lives will be forever and profoundly changed. Heartbreaking, emotional, and arresting, this novel is about finding the courage to trail blaze your own path in life with faith, hope and love, no matter the struggle or the tragedy.

Kindle Edition, 288 pages

Expected publication: January 20th 2015 by Ballantine Books 

Genre: Fiction

Kristine's Thoughts:

I received an advanced readers copy from Ballantine Books via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! The expected publication date is January 20, 2015.

There were two reasons why I requested an ARC of this book.  The first reason was because of the synopsis itself. It sounded like it would be a fantastic and compelling read. The second reason was because I have been to Honduras and have seen the poverty first hand. I also watched a documentary a few years back about a boy who made it from Honduras to Vancouver by riding the rails, surviving the robbers, and hiding from immigration. In short, the subject matter held great interest to me.

The Same Sky is a very quick read. In fact, I was a little shocked at how quickly I got through it. It alternates between Alice and Carla's point of view and tells each of their stories. I was not at all surprised to find myself loving Carla's story. Her journey felt like my journey. I was however, a little disappointed in Alice's story. It was a little choppy and as much as I tried, I couldn't love the characters as much as I wanted to. There seemed to be a disconnect with the emotions and the relationship between Alice and her husband was odd and a little unnatural. Thankfully Carla's story more than made up for it.

The story is very simply written and easy to follow. I actually think that with a little more detail, Carla's story would have been better served as a stand alone. The other half of the story was not that necessary. It is a beautifully tragic story that will keep the reader engaged and in her corner. If not for Alice's story I would have liked the book a lot more and given it a higher rating. I do think that it is a story worth reading as it gives you a sort of "Cliff Notes" and simplified version of what happens on a daily basis in these poverty stricken countries.

About the Author

AMANDA EYRE WARD is the author of five novels as well as a collection of short stories. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and their two sons.

Connect with Amanda

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Review: A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison

A Small Indiscretion fixes an unflinching eye on the power of desire and the danger of obsession as it unfolds the story of one woman’s reckoning with a youthful mistake.

At nineteen, Annie Black trades a bleak future in her washed-out hometown for a London winter of drinking to oblivion and yearning for deliverance. Some two decades later, she is married to a good man and settled in San Francisco, with a son and two daughters and a successful career designing artistic interior lights. One June morning, a photograph arrives in her mailbox, igniting an old longing and setting off a chain of events that rock the foundations of her marriage and threaten to overturn her family’s hard-won happiness.

The novel moves back and forth across time between San Francisco in the present and that distant winter in Europe. The two worlds converge and explode when the adult Annie returns to London seeking answers, her indiscretions come to light, and the phone rings with shocking news about her son. Now Annie must fight to save her family by piecing together the mystery of her past—the fateful collision of liberation and abandon and sexual desire that drew an invisible map of her future.
 
A Small Indiscretion is a riveting debut novel about a woman’s search for understanding and forgiveness, a taut exploration of a modern marriage, and of love—the kind that destroys, and the kind that redeems.

Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: January 20th 2015 by Random House

Terri's Thoughts

I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher Random House via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  The expected publication date is January 20th 2015.

This is going to be a difficult story for me to review as I struggled with identifying with any of the characters in the story.  This may cause my thoughts to fall slightly on the critical side when I am still undecided if the story deserves it.

This at the very core is a story about how actions in the past can come back to haunt the present day.  Simple enough in concept.  My issue ultimately lies in the character of Annie and my lack of sympathy for her.

I failed to see the attraction or connection Annie had with any of her romantic liaisons.  I simply could not see what attracted her to Malcolm, Patrick and even Jonathan and more importantly what they saw in her.  In my opinion she was insecure and selfish.  This can be traced to her addiction with alcohol which although it doesn't outright say she was an alcoholic the actions she takes in the story make it clear.  It made her entire story lack substance as she chased one guy who did not care about her and strung another along who did.  The tangled webs can not be described in this review for fear of giving away any spoilers.

What I found even more difficult than her poor decisions in her youth were the ones she made as an adult with a family.  This time the alcohol was not a crutch and she had a lot more to lose and yet she easily gave in to the bad decision making of her youth which causes a ripple effect in the lives around her.

While I found Annie to lack in any real redeeming qualities I still found myself eager to find out how her story played out.  While secretly feeling she didn't deserve a happy ending I still wanted to know if she got one or if she was punished for her indiscretions.  I will not divulge which way it went so that the reader can find out for themselves.

Overall a so-so story that had enough interest in it to see me through to the end.

About the Author

Jan Ellison is a graduate of Stanford and San Francisco State University’s MFA Program. She has published award-winning short fiction, and was the recipient of a 2007 O. Henry Prize for her first story to appear in print. Her work has also been short-listed for the Best American Short Stories and the Pushcart Prize. She lives in Northern California with her husband and their four children. A SMALL INDISCRETION is her first book.

Website:  http://www.janellison.com

Review: Once Loved By Cecy Robson

Every memory Lety Tres Santos has from her childhood comes with a scar—some emotional, some physical. Her father is an abusive drug addict, and her mother enables his destructive behavior. College offers Lety a fresh start . . . until her father finds a way to ruin that, too. Now, after losing her scholarship to kick off junior year, Lety must somehow stay in school, pay tuition, and turn a deaf ear to the whispers that follow her. And she intends to do it all without Brody Quaid’s help.

Brody is a lacrosse star, a 4.0 student—and as a freshman, he fell hard for the beautiful and spirited Lety. But their relationship crashed and burned because he couldn’t break through the walls she’s put up around her heart. With Lety hurting more than ever, Brody strives to win her back and make her believe in real love and true partnership. That will mean opening up secrets locked away in his own past—and trusting someone more than he’s ever dared.

Lety knows how painful it can be to depend on the wrong man. She also knows how much Brody wants to do this the right way. But it takes more than sizzling desire to move on and build a future together.

ebook, 252 pages

Expected publication: January 20th 2015 by Loveswept 

Genre: New Adult

Kristine's Thoughts:

I received an advanced readers copy from Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Once Loved is the second book in the Shattered Past series which I didn't know when I started reading it. I was able to follow along without reading the first book but I could tell that there was some history that may have made some things clearer in the beginning. Upon investigating I discovered that the first book was about Lety's brother whom I really liked in this story so I will have to go back and read it.

This instalment revolves around Lety and Brody who are both very likeable characters. Both of them have very major family issues and secrets that they are struggling with at the same time that they are trying to reconnect and get back together. At first I wasn't sure what to think. The story line seemed quite busy to me as it went from Lety's issues with her father to Brody's issues with his family and their attempt to re-establish a relationship. I remember thinking wow...there are a lot of issues packed into 252 pages. Although originally I thought it might be a bit too much I found myself glues to the pages and wanting to know what would happen next. This indicated to me that I was enjoying the story more than I thought.

There were a few rabbit trails in the story that I feel were not necessary to the story and could have been omitted. Some of the story revolving around Lety's college friends and their relationship troubles were not necessary to the story line in my opinion. Perhaps this was an attempt to remind the reader that Lety is in fact a college student and that these are typical struggles for that demographic. I just found that it took a little bit away from the big picture and the seriousness of Lety and Brody's troubles. Their friends struggles just did not interest me with everything else that was happening.

In the end. this is a story of two people who are trying to overcome and succeed when the odds are stacked against them. It is filled with a lot of serious and emotional trials and tribulations on both sides while at the same time delivering on the things that fans of new adult fiction come to expect. I expect that there will be a third book revolving around Lety's younger sister and I will be keeping my eyes open for it. 

**On a side note, the cover photo does not reflect the description of Brody at all!**

About the author

CECY (pronounced Sessy) ROBSON is the Penguin Random House New Adult author of Once Perfect, Once Loved, and Once Pure, and the award-winning author of the Weird Girls Urban Fantasy Romance series. A self-proclaimed professional napper, Cecy counts among her talents a jaw-dropping knowledge of useless trivia, the ability to make her hair big, and a knack for breaking into song despite her family's vehement protests. A writer, registered nurse, and mother living in the South, Cecy enjoys spending time with her family and silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.

Connect with Cecy

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Review: Various States of Undress: Georgia by Laura Simcox

Laura Simcox concludes her fun, flirty Various States of Undress series with a presidential daughter, a hot baseball player, and a tale of love at the ballgame.

Forget being the president's daughter—Georgia Fulton is certain that she's on her way to journalistic stardom. Nothing's going to keep her from getting the story of her young career—a feature on sexy ballplayer Brett Knox … nothing except Brett, that is. Arrogantly charming and hotter than a Memphis summer, he's doing everything he can to distract her. He may be the focus of her assignment, but getting too close to him could cost her everything … including her heart.

Brett Knox, star player for the Memphis Redbirds, is determined to get to the big leagues—which means no distractions. Certainly not in the form of a sexy brunette who won't take no for an answer. As far as Brett's concerned, his life story isn't up for discussion—no matter how fast Georgia makes his heart race. But with everything on the line, he's got no choice but to trust her. If only he can trust himself … not to fall head over heels for the one girl completely out of his league.

ebook, 100 pages

Expected publication: January 6th 2015 by Avon Impulse

Terri's Thoughts

I received a copy of this book from the publisher Avon Impulse via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  It was just released on January 6th.

I will start by saying that Goodreads says this book is 100 pages.  I have no way to validate this as it was an e-book but I am pretty sure it was longer than that.  While still a quick read based on my usual reading patterns I would say it was more around 150-200 pages.

This was a really cute story.  The concept of two people who are public figures meeting and falling in love all while trying to stay out of the public eye.  I enjoyed the concept that Georgia was the daughter of the president of the USA and her interaction with her secret service agents.  That reminds me....this is the third in a series.  While I have not read the other stories and it in no way impeded the enjoyment of this one, the references to the other sisters has me interested in what occurred in their stories.

Both Georgia and Brett were solid characters.  Georgia was intelligent and ambitious without being entitled or boring.  Brett was for lack of a better word...HOT.  A sexy athlete with a charming personality and brains to boot.  I think Simcox may have captured every females fantasy with him.  The chemistry between the two was sizzling.

I felt that perhaps Brett was a little too obsessed with his background and dwelled on it as opposed to using it to motivate his future.  I suppose there would not have been much of a story if he hadn't but just a small observation on my part.  That aside there were no real character flaws.

I wont go in to much detail as it is not a long story but I will see it was an enjoyable pastime.  Those who enjoy light hearted romance will be sure to enjoy this read.  I really do need to go back to read the other two stories as I am curious as to how all of the sisters turned out.

About the Author

After spending twenty years in professional theater as a costume designer, with a few of those years also spent as a college instructor, Laura abandoned the nomadic lifestyle to sit in a comfy office chair at a second hand oak desk and write. The result? Romance novels! Her favorite thing ever since she was, oh, about twelve. She writes contemporary, light novels and enjoys creating quirky characters and funny, sexy dialogue. Still, the love story is the focus and Laura has a huge soft spot for a sappy, happy ending.

Laura lives in North Carolina with her husband (true love is real!) and her adorable, high energy four year old son who is currently obsessed with How to Train Your Dragon. And that's cool, because she trains her own little dragon every single day. For escape, she flits around on social media, so come say hi!

Website:  http://www.laurasimcox.com
Twitter:  simcoxwriter

Feature and Follow Friday #57

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme that allows book bloggers to interact with each other and find new blogs! It has two hosts, Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The rules are...
 
(Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog.

This weeks question is...

Do you have any fun collections (other than books)? - Suggested by Peace Love Books. 

Kristine's Answer:

I guess I'm pretty boring because I don't have any fun collections. I did have a bit of a purse obsession a couple of years ago and probably have enough to consider it a collection if that counts.

Terri's Answer:

I also no longer have any collections.  I used to collect anything the was Coca Cola related (and I mean anything) until I decided to de-clutter my life and house and I got rid of all of it.  If shoes and purses count I do have a healthy collection of all!

Do you have any fun collections?

That is our Feature and Follow Friday for this week! Comment down below if you're a new follower of ours with a link to your blog and we will make sure to follow you back. You can follow us via gfc, bloglovin, email, facebook and/or twitter.

Review: Revealing Ruby by Lavinia Kent

Unmasked by smoldering desire, a rigidly disciplined madame gives in to the ultimate temptation in Lavinia Kent’s seductive new eBook original novella.

As the proprietress of London’s most discreet house of pleasure, Madame Rouge—Ruby to her clientele—prefers to keep her own company. The first rule in her establishment? She never, ever personally entertains the customers. However, the tall, dark, and provocatively tattooed American sailor who shows up on her doorstep makes Ruby wonder whether some rules were made to be broken. If she indulges, even just once, Ruby’s loyal patrons might get the wrong idea. If she doesn’t, she may never stop fantasizing about where that tattoo leads. . . .

No complications: That’s all Derek Price, captain of the Dawn’s Light, asks of his consorts on shore, and he’s willing to pay handsomely for the favor. But of all the women at Madame Rouge’s, the one he wants is the only one he can’t have, for any sum. Derek is not a man with an abundance of patience. However, for a night with Madame Rouge, Ruby, whoever she is, he’s willing to make those lush curves and sapphire eyes come to him.

ebook, 98 pages

Expected publication: January 20th 2015 by Loveswept 

Genre: Erotica/Historical Fiction

Kristine's Thoughts:

I received an ARC from Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! The expected publication date is January 20, 2015.

This is book 1.5 in the Bound and Determined series but reads as a stand alone novella. At only 98 pages my only expectation was to get lost for a short time in a quick story. This book did just that. My thoughts will be brief on this title because there is only so much you can say without telling the whole story in a novella.

Basically this story is about Madame Rouge (Ruby) and Derek Price a client she encounters at her establishment. Ruby has strict rules about fraternising with her clients but finds herself instantly attracted to Derek and his dragon tattoo. When he comes to her with a problem regarding her establishment, sparks fly and the chemistry is beyond description. The only things I can say to describe it is hot, hot, hot! There is not much of a plot to speak of but more a story of character development. Through their conversations (when not busy with other things) you get a sneak peak at their lives while still being somewhat kept in the dark. It left me wanting to know more about them. It ends with a cliffhanger and leaves you anxious for the next instalment.

Overall I enjoyed this brief story and and I am anxious for the next instalment to learn more about these two characters and where their story will go. I have a feeling that it will be even better than this sneak peek at them! 

About the Author

I live in Washington, DC with my husband, kids, two cats and a changing menagerie of other small beasts.

I worked in both the arts and in the business world before giving into my love of story telling after the birth of my oldest -- although it wasn't until after the birth of my youngest when I suddenly had full-time childcare that it all came together for me.

I love discussing books -- almost any books at any time.

One of my great joys is having my children get old enough that we can all read the same things and talk. I am so happy that YA is the flourishing world that it is.

And of course I love Romance. I started back with Kathleen Woodiwiss and Johanna Lindsay and have never given them up since -- although there were a few slow spots along the way. (From Goodreads)

Connect with Lavinia

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads