Paper Heart by Cecelia Ahern

                                                  

Ebook:  359 pages 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Irish Fiction, Romance,

Publisher: August 2025 by Harper Collins

Source: My Kindle Library via NetGalley

First Sentences: Life usually ticks along, consistent as a drip from a leaky tap, but today is different.

Setting: Ireland

Review Quote: An immersive, sometimes heartbreaking, yet ultimately uplifting rollercoaster read. Her best yet' Patricia Scanlan

My Opinion: 

Despite the fact that 'Paper Heart' is I think about the 20th novel published by Cecelia Ahern it is only the fifth I have read over a period of twenty years.

The protagonist Pip is thirty two years old and still living at home, with her parents and sixteen year old daughter. They are both controlled by Pip's parents, in particular her mother. Life at home is unimaginably stressful until Pip starts to question why she is living her life like this'

In conclusion I must honestly say that 'Paper Heart' disappointed me. Parts were enjoyable but I found the origami poems somewhat boring and the storyline generally was so depressing. Josephine, Pip's mother was an absolutely despicable character and it angered me that Pip took so many years to finally stand up to her. 

With thanks to the author, NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review.

Previous Reviews:   Thanks For the Memories   One Hundred Names.  Into The Storm

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

From the bestselling author of PS I Love You comes a story of finding yourself – and finding your way home.Pip’s world is small. But it’s about to become a whole lot bigger.

For years she’s tucked away her dreams, shrinking herself into the space left behind – like the delicate origami she creates alone in her room.

Then hope comes from an unlikely an astronomer from the local observatory. He teaches her to look up at the stars, and to see a world far bigger and more beautiful than she ever imagined.

And perhaps in that big, beautiful universe there’s someone waiting for her. If she can find the courage to open her heart.

Pip never stopped dreaming, but now it’s time for her to live – and maybe even to fall in love.

Author Profile:         

                                                     

                                                  Courtesy of Amazon

Cecelia Ahern was born in Dublin, where she also grew up on September 30th 1981. After completing a degree in Journalism and Media Communications, Cecelia wrote her first novel at 21 years old. Her debut novel, PS I Love You was published in January 2004, and was followed by Where Rainbows End (aka Love, Rosie) in November 2004. Both novels were adapted to films; PS I Love You starred Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, and Love, Rosie starred Lily Collins and Sam Claflin.

Cecelia has published a novel every year since then and to date has published 18 novels; PS I Love You, Where Rainbows End, If You Could See Me Now, A Place Called Here, Thanks for the Memories, The Gift, The Book of Tomorrow, The Time of My Life, One Hundred Names, How To Fall in Love, The Year I Met You, The Marble Collector, Flawed, Perfect, Lyrebird, ROAR, Postscript and Freckles.

To date, Cecelia’s books have sold 25 million copies internationally, are published in over 40 countries, in 30 languages.

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page.   Goodreads Author Profile.   Facebook - Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern - Author's Official Website   Twitter Profile

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins

                                       

Hardback:  310 pages                                                                                                 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Doubleday 2024
Source: Tywyn Public Library
First Sentences: The moon woke me, bright and close. It shed such a strange light over the sea, a dark kind of daylight, like looking at the negative of a photograph.
Review Quote: ‘Vivid, extremely tense, unnervingly unputdownable. This is a superb, powerful read.’ Independent
Main Characters: Vanessa Chapman, James "Beck" Becker, Grace Haswell, Sebastian Lennox, Julian Chapman, Sir Douglas Lennox, Lady Emmeline Lennox, Helena Fitzgerald, Graham Bryant, Nicholas Riley, Isobel Chapman
Setting: Scotland, Eris, Scotland (United Kingdom)

My Opinion: 

Having read all of Paula Hawkins novels so far I can safely say that I have enjoyed this one the most.

In 'The Blue Hour' we have a mystery revolving around deceased artist Vanessa Chapman. The puzzle is slowly revealed to us by her close friend Grace Haswell with the help of James Becker.  James works for the Fairburn Foundation where he is in charge of all the artworks by Vanessa that were donated to them on her death. It is a tense and atmospheric story, the latter mainly due to the remote setting of Vanessa Chapmans home being located on the island of Eris in Scotland, which is completely cut off from the mainland for many hours a day and hers is the only house on the island. The tension is because of the secrets that all the characters have and that are only slowly revealed to the reader.

A chilling and dark novel that in my opinion is well worth reading.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Eris, an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for twelve hours each day.

Once home to Vanessa. A famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared twenty years ago.

Now home to Grace. A solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation.

But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling.

And the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge . . .

Previous Reviews:  The Girl On the Train. Into the Water.  A Slow Fire Burning

Author Profile and Photo from Amazon

 

 Courtesy of Phoebe Grigor

PAULA HAWKINS worked as a journalist for fifteen years before writing her first novel. Born and brought up in Zimbabwe, Paula moved to London in 1989. Her first thriller, The Girl on the Train, has sold more than 23 million copies worldwide. Published in over fifty languages, it has been a Number 1 bestseller around the world and was a box office hit film starring Emily Blunt.

Paula's thrillers, Into the Water and A Slow Fire Burning, were also instant Number 1 bestsellers.

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

 Author Official Website    Paula Hawkins - Amazon Page

 Goodreads Author Profile.    

Hope Street by Mike Gayle

                                             

Hardback:  354 pages                                                                                                 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton  2025
Source: Tywyn Public Library
First Sentences: Bernie McLaughlin made her way up the narrow flight of stairs, the treads squeaking and groaning with each step as she carried her son's morning mug of tea. She was so exhausted she felt more like eighty-four than sixty-four.
Review Quote: 'Moving, uplifting, unforgettable. Mike always writes from the heart and creates stories we fall in love with' Lisa Jewell
Main Characters: Connor McLaughlin and Lila Metcalf.
Setting: England
My Opinion: This is only the second book by this prolific author that I have read, although I have wanted to read more of his work since 2018 when I read the last one. Somehow I have missed out on doing so, a shame if they are as good a read as this one. 

Hope Street is a poignant story with characters that are so believable. Connor McLaughlin is the male protagonist and currently the only resident of Hope Street of the title. The street is due for redevelopment but Connor is refusing to move.  Lila Metcalfe becomes interested in Connor and the background to his refusal to move when she is sent to interview him, for her job as a local reporter. How she decides to help him is a story of friendship, sad yet heart-warming. 

A realistic storyline with wonderful cast of characters makes this novel a throughly enjoyable read that I throughly recommend.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Lila Metcalfe is a trainee journalist in Derby and she's very used to being given the stories that no one else wants. So, when her editor tells her that the city's Cossington Park development is being held up by a solitary resident on Hope Street who is refusing to leave, she knows she is going to be the one sent to find out more. And that's how she meets Connor.

Twenty-something Connor is the sole resident of Hope Street and he is not at all what Lila is expecting. And he has a very clear reason not to move: he is waiting for his mum to come home.

Previous Review:  The Man I Think I know

Author Profile from Goodreads in his own words:

I was born in the 70s — the 70s were great. I would recommend them to anyone.

I was also born in Birmingham — in my humble opinion the greatest city in the world with the nicest people too.

I used to live in London — a great city too. But a bit on the pricey side.

I also used to live in Manchester — another great city (although technically I lived in Salford which is next door but that’s sort of splitting hairs).

Before I went to university I wanted to be a social worker — I have no idea why. It didn’t last long.

After I left university I wanted to write for the NME — I’ve always loved music but it was only when I went to uni that it started loving me back. I can’t play any instruments or sing so writing about music seemed to make sense.

My first paid writing gig was for a listings magazine in Birmingham — (Actually my first unpaid writing gig was an interview with Kitchens of Distinction for Salford Student Magazine. I can’t begin to tell you how terrible it was.)

I used to write a music fanzine — it was called Incredibly Inedible and I co-edited it with my mate Jackie. We typed up the first issue on my dad’s olde worlde typewriter and then literally cut and paste on to A4 sheets using scissors and glue. Over the three years of its existence we interviewed many bands and artists including: Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, Pavement, Bill Hicks and Blur.

Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Author's Official Website.     Mike Gayle - Facebook Profile.    Instagram Profile

Goodreads - Author Profile      Mike Gayle - Amazon Author Page

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

Hardback:  416 pages      

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense                                         

Publisher:  Harper Collins 2024

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: It's opening night of The Manor, the new jewel of the Dorset coastline.

Review Quote: ‘A high octane tale’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

Literary Awards: 
Audie Award Nominee for Mystery (2025), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery/Thriller (2024), She Reads Best of Award Nominee for Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense (2024)

Setting: Dorset, England

My Opinion: 

I first read one of Lucy Foley's novels in 2019 and this is now my fifth. Murder mysteries are not a favourite genre of mine but I enjoy her novels as I find the writing atmospheric with good characterisation.

'The Midnight Feast' is set in a luxury hotel during its opening weekend. The owner is Francesca who has inherited the house from her Grandfather. With the help of her husband Owen, the house has been renovated and turned into a well-being resort. Some of the locals are not happy about the development and remember only too well what happened there fifteen years ago. The story of events is told via dual timelines.

A slow burn of a story for me, apologies for the pun, not a spoiler, but there is a fire involved. It is not until the storyline is well evolved that the pace picks up.  Thriller fans will undoubtably enjoy this, I did but was not keen on the gothic folklore aspect.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads

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…

Previous Review:  The Paris Apartment.  The Guest List

Author Profile:                

                                   

                                                      Courtesy of Goodreads

In her own words from her Goodreads Profile

Hello and welcome to my Goodreads page! I’m the author of the murder mystery thrillers The Midnight Feast, The Paris Apartment, The Guest List and The Hunting Party — as well as the historical novels The Book of Lost and Found, The Invitation and Last Letter from Istanbul. 

I came to writing through a love of reading — I previously worked with books as a fiction editor, a literary agent’s assistant, a bookseller and a literary scout! 

Inspired by trips to the West Country and local folklore I began plotting my latest novel, The Midnight Feast. A midsummer heatwave, a setting with a past, a reunion that takes a dark turn. And so The Midnight Feast came to life.

Thanks to brilliant readers around the world, my novels have sold over five million copies, and been translated into multiple languages. I’m also a No 1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. A life-long Agatha Christie fan, I also contributed to Marple, a collection of short stories featuring the legendary detective.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Lucy Foley Author - Facebook.   Twitter - Lucy Foley.    Goodreads Profile

Amazon Profile