Book Review: Blood & Ink by Brett Adams

 Blood & Ink

by

Brett Adams

Publisher: Fremantle Press

Publication date: 2nd October 2022

 

Genre: Crime Fiction

 

Pages: 384

 

RRP: $32.99AU  (Paperback)

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of Blood & Ink

Blood & Ink was a literary delight!

 

Protagonist Jack Griffen is so well portrayed as the academic; mild mannered  and a little muddleheaded, he is always relating everything back to literature.

 

Jack, feeling down on his luck since his wife and daughter left him to live in the US, throws everything into his job as Professor of Literature at UWA. He enjoys mentoring international student Hieronymus Beck, who is writing a crime novel. Jack sees Hieronymus as his protege.

When Hiero leaves behind his manuscript outline for Jack to read over he soon realises that Hiero is acting out the murders in real life. Knowing the police would never believe him he races across the globe to try and prevent the next murder. Each pending murder is coded as a puzzle that Jack must first decipher. What ensues is a fast paced, adrenaline fuelled cat-and-mouse game as Jack is always one step behind Hiero at every turn.

Once the police become involved Jack becomes the prime suspect and whilst trying to outwit the murderer he must also outmanoeuver the police.

Brett Adams has given his readers a sharply plotted and gripping crime thriller with many literary tie-ins throughout.

A writer who would know more than me about the makeup of a successful novel will recognise

the clever addition of these structural characteristics.

I loved the addition of exFBI, now Scotland Yard criminal profiler, DCI Marten Lacroix, tough and witty. This woman needs her own series!

Blood & Ink is an adrenaline fuelled read. It reads like a hard-boiled detective story, only with a literature professor as the lead character.

I can seriously see this on the big screen.

 

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Brett Adams was raised in country Western Australia and lives in Perth. He has a PhD in Computer Science that taught him to love puzzles, and a family who taught him to love stories (or vice versa). He writes fiction across a range of genres, and has been known to plant an easter egg or two. 

 

 

Book Review: What is Left Over After by Natasha Lester

What is Left Over After

by

Natasha Lester

Publisher: Fremantle Press

 

Publication date: 15th November 2022 (re-release) 

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 288

 

RRP: $32.99AUD (Paperback) 

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Beauty and Lace book club

 

This review first appeared on Beauty and Lace Book Club

 

My review of What is Left Over After

I was excited to hear of the re-release of Natasha Lester's debut novel What is Left Over After.

I’ve been a big fan of Natasha Lester’s books for years and her A Kiss for Mr Fitzgerald would have to be one of my favourite books ever. Her Historical Fiction novels have been published all over the world.

I have loved following Natasha’s strong female leads in her historical novels; trail blazers for women’s rights.
 

For me, What is Left Over After was a little different to Lester’s novels I am used to reading. This is contemporary fiction and the main character, Gaelle, is broken after suffering a life altering tragedy. Gaelle is filled with self-hate and quite unlikeable at the beginning of the novel.  She feels she can never be any different from her mother and she acts out on these feelings filling herself with more hate and self-doubt. She does the only thing she knows; she runs away from her life and husband.
 

As Gaelle hides in a small seaside town in Western Australia where no-one knows her past, she begins to open up to a vivacious thirteen-year-old girl. She tells the young girl the story of her life, growing up with a mostly absent mother and no father, continually moving from place to place. The pouring out of her life story comes as a strange fairytale her mother told her as a child.
 

What is Left Over After is a heart-breaking story of love and loss. Lester explores the concept of what makes us who we are and can you change your life after a dysfunctional childhood.

The story is emotional and the tragedy real. It has a strange story within a story with the inclusion of the fairytale.
 

Natasha Lester’s writing is engaging and even in this debut novel her potential shines through.  

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Natasha Lester worked as a marketing executive for L'Oreal before turning her hand to writing. She won the Hungerford Award for her first novel What is Left Over After. Since then She has become A New York Times - bestselling author of seven historical novels, including The French Photographer, The Paris Secret, The Riviera House, and The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre. Her books have been translated into many different languages and are published all around the world. When she's not writing, she loves collecting vintage fashion and practicing the art of fashion illustration. Natasha lives with her husband and three children in Perth, Western Australia.

Other books I've read by Natasha:

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2020/10/book-review-paris-seamstress-by-natasha.html

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2020/10/book-review-paris-seamstress-by-natasha.html

 

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2021/08/book-review-riviera-house-by-natasha.html 

https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2016/08/a-kiss-from-mr-fitzgerald.html

 

 

 

Book Review: How to be Remembered by Michael Thompson

How to be Remembered

by

Michael Thompson

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Publication date: 28th February 2023

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 352

 

RRP: $32.99AU (Paperback)

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of How to be Remembered

As soon as I heard about How to be Remembered I couldn't wait to read it, and Michael Thompson didn't disappoint.

 

Every year, on his birthday, Tommy's life is reset. Everything about him disappears and everyone forgets him. On his first birthday his parents awake to a strange baby in their house, the presents wrapped the night before gone, no baby toys or clothes. The police take Tommy to Milkwood House, a foster care home. 

 

Can you just imagine every year you are the new child at the foster care home, obviously dropped overnight by child services, there is no paperwork, nothing. Every year you have to start over as the new child at school, introducing yourself to your friends.

 

How to be Remembered is a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of belonging, leaving your mark, falling in love and the fear of being forgotten.

 

I love magical realism, you just have let go and believe in the unbelievable. Michael Thompson has cleverly plotted this imaginative debut and I just loved going along for the ride. 

You will fall in love with Tommy and ride his ups and downs wanting him to succeed and build a life. There may be tears, okay there will be tears. 😭

 

I'm excited to see what Michael Thompson comes up with next!

 

My rating 5 / 5 💖💖💖💖💖 

About the author

Michael Thompson has been a successful journalist, producer and media executive for the last fifteen years. He lives in Sydney with his wife and two young children. How to be Remembered is his first novel.

 

Book Review: The House of Now and Then by Jo Dixon

 The House of Now and Then

by

Jo Dixon

A lonely house. A missing boy. A long-held secret.

 

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 4th January 2023

 

Genre: Crime / Mystery

 

Pages: 432

 

RRP: $29.99AU (Paperback) 

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of The House of Now and Then

The House of Now and Then is a compelling mystery read, with plot twists that had me reeling.

 

Narrated in dual time-lines; the now being 2017 with Olivia living in Eloise's secluded house in the Tasmanian bush; then, is 30 years earlier in 1985 with friends Jeremy, Pippa and Rebecca house-sitting for Eloise in the same house.

Eloise's architecturally designed house is a central part of the story. For Olivia it is a secluded place to hide from a scandal that has destroyed her life. The three young friends are there to enjoy time together before Jeremy moves to England.

Jo Dixon builds empathy in her readers before disclosing Olivia's scandalous past so you can't help but be on her side. Jeremy, Pippa and Rebecca are fun loving and easy to like but tensions start to build between the three as the story progresses and Pippa meets Leo and brings him into the group.

The two plot-lines play out separately and I was intrigued as to how they would connect.

As Olivia is pulled into the mystery of Leo's disappearance she starts to open up to the people of the small rural town finding friendship and acceptance.

I love it when you open a book that is impossible to put down! The House of Now and Then has a mystery that is so thick there isn't a hint of what's going on. I felt a real compulsion to get to the end and find out the truth behind the disappearance and if Olivia could move on from her past mistakes and reclaim her life.

The House of Now and Then is an intriguing read with decades old secrets, compelling twists and a host of flawed, but real, characters.

This is a powerful debut by Jo Dixon and I'm looking forward to seeing what she delivers next!

My rating 5/5    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Over ten years ago, Jo moved from suburban Brisbane to rural Tasmania. Since then, she's been wrangling an ever-growing collection of animals, bringing up two sons, and attempting to transform blackberry-infested paddocks into beautiful gardens. Now, she also writes full-time, creating twisty, suspenseful stories. The House of Now and Then is her debut novel. She is now working on her second book.

Book Review & Giveaway: The Manuscript by Lucy Bloom

 The Manuscript

by

Lucy Bloom

A story of revenge

Publisher: Flamingo Publishing

Publication date: 1st March 2023

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 368 Paperback

RRP: $32.99AU

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPR Media

My review of The Manuscript

The Manuscript wasn't at all what I expected, although it was still an entertaining read.

Accomplished author Edith Scott, recently divorced, wishes to shake-up her life. She starts meeting men through dating apps and also decides to switch her writing genre from historical drama to thriller.

She goes on many dates, falling for some and simply befriending others. When some of the men in her life treat her badly she decides to kill them off through her characters, obtaining a literary revenge. Little does she know that karma is dealing with them in real life.

Bloom is an advocate for women and there is quite a feminist lean to the story but not all Edith's male interests are cads. There are those that simply make wrong decisions and one that is totally chivalrous.

Cleverly plotted with interweaving loops and connections that will leave you speechless. No character is safe from Bloom's authorial sword.

The Manuscript is candid, raw and intriguing; filled with laugh-out-loud moments it also has depth, with a lot of fact mixed in with the fiction.

I did however find it hard to connect with Edith, she came across as self-centred. Edith's best friend Rachel was a fabulous supporting character; married with children she lived vicariously through Edith's adventures.

There are some profanities but they are not gratuitous.

My rating 3/5    ⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Lucy Bloom was born in Africa. She is an international keynote speaker and consulting CEO with a background in advertising and international aid. She has three teenage children and is the author of two other books: a childbirth guide for men and her memoir, Get the Girls Out. The Manuscript is her debut novel. 

Giveaway

Thanks to The Publisher and DMCPR Media I have one paperback copy of The Manuscript to give away. Entry is via the form below. Entries closed at 6pm AEDT on 15th March 2023.

 

This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced here:  https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogspot.com/2023/03/winner-of-copy-of-manuscript-announced.html

Book Review & Giveaway: Crows Nest by Nikki Mottram

Crows Nest

by

Nikki Mottram

A Dana Gibson Mystery 

 

Publisher: University of Queensland Press

Publication date: 31st January 2023

 

Genre: Crime / Rural

 

Pages: 320

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPR 

 

My review of Crows Nest

Crows Nest is a compelling rural crime debut from Nikki Mottram placing her firmly on the list of notable Australian crime writers.

  

I was pulled into the story right from the start. Dana Gibson is a relatable, flawed character. She has had a few life altering dramas and instead of facing her demons she decides to flee from Sydney to Toowoomba. 

 

Dana is a community services worker, well respected in Sydney, but she has to prove herself before she is trusted in this small country town.

I really connected with Dana. She acts on impulse, often regretting her actions later. She is quick to snap and slow to open-up which makes people wary of her.

 

Crows Nest is a police procedural with a different twist. Not happy with the way the police are handling the murder investigation Dana starts her own investigation, evidence board and all. I loved Dana’s little side-kick and mini sleuth Angus, her 11 year-old neighbour. He was a clever little thing and had a sad story of his own.

Crows Nest has themes of dysfunctional families, small town secrets and lack of resources for community workers

Nikki Mottram has written a clever mystery deeply rooted in its small town setting.

 

I am looking forward to the second book, Killarney.

 

My rating  5/5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author 

Nikki Mottram writes crime fiction and has a background in child protection. She has a psychology degree from University of Queensland and has worked in London and Australia in positions protecting and promoting the welfare of children at risk of harm. She has been published in the Boroondara Literary Awards anthology and shortlisted for the Fish Short Story Prize and the Hal Porter Short Story Competition. In 2018, she was the recipient of a Katharine Susannah Pritchard Writers' Centre Fellowship. She grew up and resides in Toowoomba, and brings to her work an understanding of rural communities.

Giveaway

Thanks to DMCPR and University of Queensland Press I have one paperback copy to give away. Entry is via the form below. Entries close at 6pm AEDT on 18th February 2023.

 

This giveaway is now closed and the winner was announced HERE

Book Review: The Pocket Wife by Susan Crawford

 One challenge I entered at the beginning of the year, and really wanted to achieve, was the MountTBR challenge hosted by My Reader's Block. The plan was to read 12 books That had been on my bookshelves from 2019 or earlier. The Pocket Wife is book number 6.

Title: The Pocket Wife

Author: Susan Crawford

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Publication date: 1st April 2015

Genre: Crime / Mystery 

Pages: 304

Format: Uncorrected paperback 

Source: Won

 

My review of The Pocket Wife 

When Celia Steinhauser is found murdered in her own home it sends friend and neighbour Dana Catrell into a frenzied spiral of paranoia and hallucination. She was the last person to see Celia alive but all she can remember is the few too many drinks they had and then passing out at home...... and the blurry photo Celia showed her of her husband with another woman.

 

Jack Moss is called out on a murder case, he's due home for his and his wife's anniversary dinner but the murdered woman's name sounds familiar. He is sure it's one of his son's teachers. He can't not take the case.

 

The story is told through the dual narrative of Dana Catrell and Jack Moss and is a fast paced frenetic read. Dana's thoughts are all over the place. She has flashes here and there, some from the present and some from her past. Everything clashes and swirls around. Her turmoil is so well portrayed!

I don't know anything about mental illness but I felt that Susan Crawford got all the aspects right with Dana's flashes, paranoia, hallucinations, ups and downs. It was crazy just trying to keep up with her!

Jack Moss was an interesting character, his second wife had just left him. He came across as a bit vague and muddled but he could read people well and had an instinct for liars. His thoughts kept wandering off to his wife and his first marriage.

I couldn't get enough of this story as the number of prospective perpetrators rose and Dana's mind reeled out of control. I had no idea if she or even one of the other suspects murdered Celia. Everyone had something to hide and all  were lying or lying by omission.

The mystery component of the story was compelling. I wouldn't say it was a thriller but it was definitely a page-turning mystery.

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stay tuned, I have a big book giveaway coming soon!!!

Book Review: Red Dust by Fleur McDonald

 Red Dust

by

Fleur McDonald

An outback novel of love, intrigue and redemption

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Publication date: 1st January 2009

 

Genre: Rural Fiction

 

Pages: 330

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: own purchase

 

My review of Red Dust

 

I'm a huge fan of Fleur McDonald however I came into her books over halfway through her writing career. So I thought it was way beyond time I started on Fleur's back list.

 

Red Dust is her debut novel and although not as polished as her later novels it was still a great read. I found some of the conversations a bit stilted and the point of view was all over the place however I was drawn straight into the story from the opening chapter with a dying man's ominous last words. 

McDonald has written a riveting rural crime novel centred around cattle stealing but also featuring the difficulties faced by woman farmers and the isolation of farm life.

After her husband's tragic death Gemma is left with a farm to run and a mountain of rising debts. As she goes through the farm accounts and the town gossip heats up, Gemma starts to wonder if she really knew her husband at all.

I always laugh and comment that Fleur isn't adverse to killing off a much loved character and after reading Red Dust I can say even from her debut novel Fleur liked to kill off characters that I've warmed to. 😂

I loved that this was Dave Burrows first appearance. He is just a side character here so there is nothing of his personal life. He is just there to investigate the cattle stealing and be awesome. 

A small romance thread runs through the story and after all the drama and suspense it's nice to end on a HEA.

 

 My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Photo credit:goodreads

 Fleur McDonald has lived and worked on farms for much of her life. After growing up in the small town of Orroroo in South Australia, she went jillarooing, eventually co-owning an 8000 acre property in regional Western Australia.

Fleur likes to write about strong women overcoming adversity, drawing inspiration from her own experiences in rural Australia. She has two children, an energetic kelpie and a Jack Russell terrier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Links to my reviews of Fleur's books (not in order).

 

Deception Creek 

Red Dirt Country 

Rising Dust

The Shearer's Wife

Something to Hide 

Without a Doubt 

 

*I read this book as part of the Mount TBR Challenge (on my shelf 19/4/2017)

Book Review: Gone to Ground by Bronwyn Hall

Gone to Ground

by

Bronwyn Hall 

Hunted. Alone. Afraid....

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

 

Imprint: HQ FictionAU

 

Publication date: 3rd August 2022

 

Genre: Thriller / Suspense

 

Pages: 288  

 

RRP: $29.99AUD 

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of Gone to Ground

 

Set amidst the political unrest of The Democratic Republic of Congo Gone to Ground is an adrenaline fuelled race through the jungle.

 

Australian doctor Rachel Forester has been sent to a remote jungle post on the whim of a scorned ex-boyfriend. As a dedicated surgeon she is happy to be saving lives. When the post is evacuated she puts her patients' lives ahead of hers and stays behind to evacuate on foot with three UN soldiers.

 

Bronwyn Hall brings the jungle to life; the heat, insects, spiders and snakes all had me holding my breath. Throw in some close encounters with rebel militias and there was always this ominous 'what will happen next' feeling keeping me glued to the book.

 

Rachel was tough but believable as a civilian trekking through the jungle and I loved the addition of the romance element, it was a nice aside to the danger.

With themes of forced child labour, violence towards women, rebel militia activity and political unrest the narrative has a foreboding sense of unease that simmers throughout the novel. 

 

The story moves along at a steady pace with the plot keeping me totally intrigued and turning the pages. Gone to Ground is a book I truly didn't want to put down.

 

Bravo, Bronwyn Hall, on this remarkable debut!

 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  

About the author

 

Photo credit: Harper Collins

Bronwyn Hall didn't intend on being a writer. Her career has been spent working in health and community services, spanning aged care, disability and mental health. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature (and Psychology - for the day job) and she comes from a family of passionate readers. Born and bred in Australia, Bronwyn has a love for new cultures and environments, having lived for several years in both Papua New Guinea and Brazil. She is deeply intrigued by the extraordinary breadth of qualities that make up the complex creatures called humans - not least, their quiet conquering of adversity. Bronwyn lives and writes on Wurundjeri land in Melbourne, Australia.

 

Book Review: Lily Harford's Last Request by Joanna Buckley

Lily Harford's Last Request

by

Joanna Buckley 

 

She's always made her own decisions.... why stop now? 

 

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Imprint: HQ Fiction 

 

Publication date: 2nd February 2022

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 352

 

RRP: $29.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of Lily Harford's Last Request

 

Lily Harford's Last Request is a poignant story on ageing, dementia and euthanasia.

Told through the eyes of Lily, in her mid 80's, Pauline, her daughter, and Donna, an aged care worker, the reader receives a well rounded view of how ageing affects all concerned with the person's care.

Joanna Buckley raises the dilemma of an ageing parent and explores this through Lily's slow fall into dementia. Lily is at a stage where she knows her memory is failing and she is terrified of the inevitable outcome. She would rather be dead!

Pauline is trying to help her mother, keep up with her job and see her grandchildren. Multi-tasking as daughter/wife/mother/grandmother. Something has to give!

Donna an aged care worker has a troubled past. She loves her job however is belittled by family members who think her work is demeaning.

Lily Harford's Last Request is an emotional read. The highly emotive topic of euthanasia will open up some heated discussions.

I feel Joanna Buckley approached the subject in a sensitive way although I think some situations may have been over dramatised. 

The flashbacks on Lily's life gave the reader a perfect insight into the woman that she was. It was hard to think that this frail old lady was once strong, determined, capable and confident.

A few wonderful and unexpected twists made this exceptional debut a story to remember.

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Joanna Buckley is an author based in Melbourne. She has a background in creating short stories, poetry, social media content and educational materials, she has also worked as a copywriter and editor. Joanna is a mother of three and part-time careers counsellor, and Lily Harford's Last Request is her first novel.

 

 

Book Review: Someone Else's Child by Kylie Orr

 Someone Else's Child

by

Kylie Orr

If she were my child, 

I'd do anything to save her

Publisher: Harlequin Australia

Publication date: 1st June 2022

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 352

 

RRP: $29.99AUD

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

My review of Someone Else's Child

 

Kylie Orr has created a complex and charismatic character in Anna in this impressive debut novel.

Anna is the woman that everyone instantly loves and everyone wants to be friends with. She is gorgeous, sunny and outgoing. When she picks Ren, a community service worker, to be her best friend Ren feels forever grateful. She was never one of the popular girls.

Anna is raising money to take her young daughter overseas for cancer treatment and Ren throws herself into the fundraising.

 

Anna is a classic manipulator and Kylie Orr highlights this in Anna and Ren's one-sided relationship. It was hard to read at times how badly Anna treated Ren through a toxic friendship that Ren was blinded to. 

 

I have read a book with a slightly similar plot so I twigged to the outcome quite early however this didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book as I was eager to see how the friendship would fair and when the tide would turn. What ensued was a gripping read filled with emotion, turmoil and shocking reveals.

A small side story of Courtney, a young single mother with a disabled child, highlights the need for respite care and how hard it is for carers to get some respite. The difference between young, shy Courtney begging for help and the bright, charismatic Anna getting attention from many sources tells us a lot about human nature.

 

The ending to this story is fast, furious and unexpected. Someone Else's Child is an intriguing tale about trust, friendship, manipulation, mental illness and the generosity of community. 

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

About the author

 

Kylie Orr is a Melbourne-based writer who once kicked a winning goal in a charity football match and has never let her family hear the end of it. Over the past fifteen years, her feature articles have been published in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Life and across News Ltd. Kylie's novels explore the darker side of humanity and question what we understand about ourselves. Her debut novel Someone Else's Child was longlisted in the Richell Prize, the MsLexia International Novel Competition and awarded the Dymocks & Fiona McIntosh Commercial Fiction Masterclass scholarship. She has four children, just the one husband and a cat called Alfie who has surprised everyone by taking up space in her camera roll and on her reading chair.

 

Book Review: 138 Dates by Rebekah Campbell

 138 Dates

by

Rebekah Campbell

 

The true story of one woman's search for everything

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Imprint: A&U New Zealand

 

Publication date: 2nd July 2021

 

Genre: Non Fiction / Memior

 

Pages: 416

 

RRP $29.99AUD 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: Courtesy of the publisher via DMCPR Media.

 

About the book

 

 On the outside, Rebekah Campbell has an enviable life. She is founder of hot Sydney startup Posse.com, writes a popular blog and gives inspirational talks at conferences for female entrepreneurs.

But when she turns off the light each night, she is alone and terrified of the future. She knows that what's important to her isn't money or startup glory or social media followers. She wants love. She wants a family.

And she is stuck. She hasn't been on a date in ten years. She's too embarrassed to list herself on the internet and can't bear the risk of getting rejected.

She decides to act. She'll take the tactics she's learnt building companies and apply them to finding a man. Her epic journey will take her on dates with 138 different men in Sydney, New York and San Francisco, while at the same time confronting the immense challenges of launching a business.

She'll face exhaustion, humiliation and heartbreak; she'll meet some strange and dangerous characters. And she will strip herself of the ego and expectations that have been holding her back. She will not stop.

138 Dates proves that the end is always worth the effort.

 

My review

 

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Not being the target audience and all.

 

If you follow Rebekah on social media you know how this turns out but this little spoiler didn't affect my reading pleasure.

 

Rebekah is open and honest as she takes on finding love as she would a business venture, organising do's and don'ts lists and practically interviewing her dates. 

I did find her quite judgemental and not very warm when she was on the dates. She was all business.  

I admire her tenacity as she goes on 138 different dates and I enjoyed all the descriptions of the different restaurants and meals she had. 

 

As she combines looking for love with the stress of running a start-up, Rebekah talks a lot about her business and work although I still feel she played down how stressful and time consuming starting your own business is.

 

I really enjoyed this candid and entertaining look at dating in your mid thirties and the call out not to give up on your dreams. However, I feel the real take out was Rebekah's acceptance of herself. It's hard to find love when you don't love yourself.

 

My rating 4 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

 About the author

 

Rebekah Campbell is the co-founder of Hey You, a mobile app used by more than one million Australians to order and pay at cafes. She has kept a blog about her experiences as an entrepreneur which was named 'Best Business Blog' by Smart Company and became a New York Times column in 2012. Rebekah writes a monthly opinion piece for AFR BOSS Magazine and has contributed to MamaMia, Women's Agenda and Stuff. She is a high-profile public speaker who spoke at TEDx Sydney and numerous events for Business Chicks. Rebekah was named a Woman of Influence in 2015 and APEC Young Woman Innovator. She is currently the host and curator of the City of Sydney's virtual event series 'Reboot', supporting 18,000 Sydney business owners to recover from the impact of COVID 19. Rebekah's personal passion is her everything which she finds at the end of this book.  

 

 

Book Review: Happy Hour by Jacquie Byron

Happy Hour

by

Jacquie Byron 

 

Franny loves her dogs, her cocktails and her solitude. But life has other plans...

 

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Publication date: 31st August 2021

 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

 

Pages: 352

 

RRP: $32.99 AUD

 

Format read: Uncorrected proof paperback

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

About the book

 

Gin in one hand, paintbrush in the other, Franny Calderwood has turned her back on the world, or at least the world she used to love. Having lost her husband, Frank, in tragic circumstances three years earlier, 65-year-old Franny copes the only way she knows how: by removing herself completely from the life she had before. Franny lives a life of decadent seclusion, with only her two dogs, Whisky and Soda, a stuffed cat, cocktails and the memory of Frank for company.

Then the Salernos move in next door. The troubled but charming trio - beleaguered mother Sallyanne, angry teenager Dee and eccentric eight-year-old Josh - cannot help but pull Franny into the drama of their lives. But despite her fixation with independence, Franny's wisecracks and culinary experiments hide considerable trauma and pain, and when her eccentric behaviour has life-threatening consequences she faces a reckoning of sorts. Yes, Frank is dead, but did the woman he loved have to perish with him?

A story about one woman, two dogs and the family next door, Happy Hour is a hilarious and uplifting insight into grief, loss, true love and friendship.

 

My review:

 

Happy Hour is a thought provoking story of love, loss, friendship and forgiveness.

 

People often ask 'what book changed your life' and I can never really think of a book that was so profound it literally changed my life. However, I think Happy Hour has come close by changing my attitude towards friends I may have given up on a little too easily.

Franny is wallowing in self pity. For the last three years, since the death of her beloved husband, Franny has spent her days with her dogs and her memories, clock watching until she can have that first drink of the day. She has pushed everyone out of her life.

I loved Franny's family and friends who consistently rang her and asked her over, never giving up after three long years of excuses.

At times her self pity became too much for me and I did feel annoyed with her. And then Jacquie Byron gives us this quote....

"No one can criticise the way someone else handles grief." (so true)

Many part of Happy Hour are heart-breaking but there are also many heartwarming situations surrounding the blossoming inter-generational friendship between Franny and her young neighbours.

Byron puts her characters in difficult situations that make the reader stop and think about their own reaction to these situations.

Humour offers lightness in a book heavy with themes of loss, grief and alcohol abuse.

 

Happy Hour is a story that will make you stop and think. A fabulous debut! Funny, engaging and heartwarming. 

My rating 5 / 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Jacquie Byron grew up with wishing-chairs and Trixie Belden. Her love of reading morphed into a love of writing, leading her to study journalism while waitressing her way around various bars and tables in Melbourne and, for a short stint, the UK. Collecting and sharing stories has kept her busy professionally for more than twenty-five years, taking her from the Ogden Museum in New Orleans to an IDP camp in Uganda. Shocking herself as much as those around her, Jacquie has been a motoring writer, a jewellery editor, a fashion publicist and more. Today she writes for business and for pleasure. Happy Hour is her first novel. Whisky is her first cairn.

 

https://jacquiebyron.com/ 

 

 

Challenges Entered: Australian Women Writers Challenge AWW2021

 

                                   Aussie Author Challenge #Aussieauthor21