A Private Man by Stephanie Sy-Quia

                                                  

Ebook:  253 pages Kindle Edition

Genre:  Religious, Church History, Romantic Fiction,

Publisher:  Picador Jan 2026

Source: NetGalley

First Sentence: They put the neat box into a crisp hole in the ground.

Review Quote: 'I couldn't put it down' - The Independent

My Opinion:

I had never heard of this author before being given the opportunity to read 'A Private Man'. In the authors notes to the novel she explains that her inspiration was drawn from her own grandparents experiences.

A forbidden love story between David a Roman Catholic priest in the 60's and Margaret a progressively minded theology teacher. Two young people that despite their religious faith were unable to envisage a life without each other.

One to read if you are looking for something a little different. Be warned though the love story element is a very slow reveal. Part One concentrates on introducing the reader to the protagonists and it is not until Part Two that the forbidden love story really begins.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and author for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Amazon: 

Rome, 1953. David is young, handsome, charismatic and sworn to celibacy. He is freshly ordained, and about to return to England to begin life as a priest. Devotion to God is all he’s ever known.

In London, Margaret is entangled in an impossible love affair. Committed to living on her own terms without sacrificing her faith, she becomes drawn to a women’s movement challenging the archaic rules of the Church.

When their lives are thrown together at a Catholic college in a quiet village, an undeniable connection forms between them. And so begins a story of forbidden love, sacrifice and secrets, with consequences that will reverberate across the generations.

Author Profile:                                                                                       

                                                           

                                                      Courtsey of RCW Literary Agency

Stephanie Sy-Quia was born in 1995 and is a British–American writer. Born in California and now living in London, Sy-Quia attended the King's School, Canterbury then went on to study English at Oxford.

Biographical Information and Photo courtesy of the following sites:

Wikipedia Profile.      Instagram Profile.   RCW Literary Agency Profile

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

                                                 

Hardback:  307 pages 

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction,Romance, Mystery, Thriller,

Publisher:  John Murray 2025

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentence: “The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

Setting: England

Review Quote: 'Excellent . . . a vivid, forceful love story which plays out at the pace of a thriller' Irish Times

Favourite Quote: “It’s strange, the patchwork stories we tell someone when we want them to catch up, a shortcut to knowing us, as if such a thing were possible.”

Goodreads Choice Award

Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2025), Nominee for Readers' Favorite Audiobook (2025)

My Opinion:

Having heard nothing but praise for 'Broken Country' I was delighted when my library reservation was ready to collect. From the first page I felt this was going to be a read to get fully immersed in.

A dual timeline story that follows the lives of the three protagonists Beth, Frank and Gabriel. We first meet them as youngsters in 1955 when their lives first become entangled. By 1968 when they catch up with each other again, after many years, the dynamics have changed somewhat and a murder is committed.

An emotional read, but beware it deals with the grief of losing a child. Although it is also a romantic story which will tug at your heart strings as passion is intertwined with grief. Highly recommended.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

Author Profile:       

                                                                                                                                    Courtesy of  Goodreads

Clare Leslie Hall is a novelist and journalist who lives in the wilds of Dorset, England, with her family. Under the name Clare Empson, she published two domestic noir thrillers, Him and Mine, that were published in the UK and Germany. She has always loved The Go Between by LP Hartley and Broken Country is a nod to it, featuring a forbidden love affair with catastrophic repercussions. Broken Country is her US debut.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Author Profile.   Amazon Author Profile

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

  

Hardback:  456 pages  

Genre: Mystery,Thriller, Contemporary Psychological Thriller,                                              

Publisher: Penguin Random House 2025

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: The house is spectacular. A huge white stucco villa on three floors plus attic rooms, a direct view of the sea visible through tall windows that frame the vista at the back and the front.

Review Quote: 'Lisa Jewell is a STONE COLD GENIUS! Don't Let Him In is a PHENOMENAL achievement' MARIAN KEYES

My Opinion:

Over the years that I have been reading this genre Lisa Jewell has become one of my go to favourites. In my opinion she is the queen of the contemporary psychological thriller.

In ‘Don’t Let Him In’ we meet a man of many names, Nick Radcliffe being one of his many pseudonyms and it this persona that finally brings him down. The man is a chilling and frighteningly plausible character, whose behaviour will shock you. To quote, ’He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie.’ The women he has tormented over the years always fall for his charms and welcome him with open arms. Until one day someone starts to question his motives and his creepy world starts to fall apart.

If you have experience of the (author’s words) 'terrible men in this world' of which sadly there are some, you might find this rather a raw read. Worth doing so as the author successfully explores the psychology of such men. Highly recommend this novel to fans of the genre.

Links to Previous Reviews:  Then She Was Gone,  Watching You, The House We Grew Up In, The Family Upstairs,  The Night She Disappeared,  The Family Remains,  None of This is True

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

He’s the perfect man. It’s a perfect lie.

Nina Swann is intrigued when she received a condolence card from Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband, who is looking to connect after her husband’s unexpected death. Nick is a man of substance and good taste. He has a smile that could melt the coldest heart and a knack for putting others at ease. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…

Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband, Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn’t right.

Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in. But the past won’t stay buried forever.

Author Profile:

Lisa Jewell is an internationally bestselling author of successful  novels, including, Then She Was Gone, I Found You, The Girls in the Garden, and The House We Grew Up In. Her debut novel in 1998 Ralph’s Party, was an instant bestseller. In total, her novels have sold over 2 million copies across the English speaking world. Her work has also been translated into sixteen languages. Lisa lives in London with her husband and their two daughters.

For more biographical information check out her Goodreads Profile


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

Amazon Author Page    Lisa Jewell - Official Facebook Page     Wikipedia - Lisa Jewell

Twitter Profile    Goodreads Author Profile

The Perfect Catch by Samantha Vérant

                                 

Ebook: 308 pages Kindle Edition

Genre: Contemporary Psychological Thriller, Romantic Thriller

Publisher:  January 27th 2026 by Storm Publishing

Source: NetGalley

First Sentence: I'm kicking through the junk he's left behind.

Review Quote: ‘This one pulls you in fast and keeps tightening the screws… Tense and addictive.’ Reader Review, 

My Opinion:

The author states in the notes at the end of the book that her inspiration for this novel comes from real life events. Firstly when she was conned out of money, which fortunately she got back and secondly when she learnt about the world of fashion whilst launching her own handbag line. Events that certainly gave her a brilliant framework for this mind-blowing story.

In 'The Perfect Catch' we have the two main characters, Lexi Marlowe and Christophe Montclair. The reader is taken on a fast paced suspenseful journey' We soon learn that Christophe is a con-man who manipulates rich women, he just may have picked the wrong one this time though.

A quick read full of twists and turns, recommended for thriller readers.

With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Lexi Marlowe has spent years building her fashion brand from nothing, while carefully guarding the secrets of her past.

Then she meets Christophe Montclair – charming, sophisticated and heir to a fortune, he sweeps her off her feet with glamorous parties and his endless high-society connections.

When he gets down on one knee, Lexi barely hears the alarm bells ringing in the back of her mind. Is he too good to be true, or is she simply in love?

Their honeymoon period is soon littered with red flags. Christophe won’t talk about his past, claiming he values his privacy. Tense phone calls leave him looking over his shoulder. Then the police turn up with questions about a murder…

Lexi’s new husband is hiding something big. But he isn’t the only one who married a stranger…

Author Profile:         

                                                          

                                                            Courtesy of  Goodreads

Samantha Vérant was born in the USA, she is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, at-home French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously adorable Charteux cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

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

Goodreads-Author Profile  Amazon-Author Profile  Samantha Vérant Official Website

The French House Share by Gillian Harvey

                                                                                                                             

 Ebook:  346 pages Kindle Edition

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Fiction 

Publisher:  January 25th 2026 by Boldwood Books

Source: NetGalley

First Sentences: 'Do you want to do the honours?' Pete held up the ridiculously enormous key that had been handed to them by the agent an hour earlier.

Setting: France

Review Quote: ‘Gillian Harvey’s books are the ultimate treat… Witty, emotional, endearing… Her books are everything!’ Goodreads Reviewer

My Opinion:

'The French House Share' is the fourth title I have read and enjoyed from Gillian Harvey and I only discovered her writing in 2024. Her novels offer the reader a dose of escapism and transport them to France.

Isabella, (Bella) the protagonist of this emotional story is in her early thirties and for the last eight years has along with her husband been living a dream life in France.  Forced to unexpectedly relinquish her rural B and B she decides that the last thing she wants to do is leave France. To enable her to stay she manages to obtain a job in a hotel in Paris and a room in a house share in Versailles. Unfortunately she has been telling a few white lies to facilitate the job and the room and one would suspect they start to catch up with her and make life even more complicated. Will she be able to sort things out and actually enjoy the new life she has made for herself.

A read that will transport you to France and lift your spirits as you find yourself encouraging the protagonist to be optimistic as she sets about taking chances to make changes in her life, though maybe not always in ways one would personally approve of.

With thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Bella’s living her dream life, running a beautiful, rural French B&B and has finally put her past behind her. But when her husband suddenly asks for a divorce, everything changes.

Forced to abandon everything she’d built before, she finds herself moving to the beautiful town of Versailles, where she takes a job working in a hotel, and moves into a chaotic house share.

At first, it doesn’t feel like a problem that she can’t seem to convince her young housemates she’s older than them – it’s quite nice to pretend she’s in her 20s again. But when it becomes clear her new boss has also hired her under false pretences, she starts to wonder if she’s gone from living the dream to living a lie.

Despite the chaos though, she starts to feel that spark return. Even more so when handsome American landlord Brad arrives on the scene. But with so many secrets – now and in her past – how will Bella’s new start end?

Previous Review:   The Riviera House Swap.   The Little Provence Bookshop.  

 The Bordeaux Book Club

Author Profile:         

                                                                             

                                                            Courtesy of  Goodreads

Gillian Harvey is a British author and freelance writer, currently living in Norfolk, England with her husband and 5 children. She writes contemporary, uplifting and emotive fiction, often set in France where she lived for 14 years.

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

Gillian Harvey - Author Website.    Goodreads Author Profile    Facebook Profile

Instagram Profile.   Twitter Profile

The Italian Village in the Hills by Victoria Springfield

 

                                                

Ebook:   320 pages      

Genre:   Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Historical Romantic Fiction, Italy, WWII,                                     

Publisher: Boldwood Books January 19th 2026

Source: NetGalley

First Sentences: Stella's napkin fluttered to the floor. She twisted around as far as her new dress would allow but a smiling waiter had got there first. He spread the fine linen back across her lap.

Review Quote: 'Gorgeous escapism and a complete joy to read!!'  Review of the authors writing overall.

My Opinion: 

As a self confessed Italophile I was delighted to discover the author, Victoria Springfield last summer when I read One Summer in Italy. Her books are set in Italy and are contemporary feel good fiction that draw you in with realistic characters and evocative scenes that make the reader feel immersed in the Italian lifestyle. She uses a mixture of fictional and real places but the inspiration comes from real life, this time from San Remo and the surrounding Ligurian countryside.

'The Italian Village in the Hills' is set in the fictional village of Leto and is a tale of families and loyalties that hark back to WWII.  The main characters are Stella, originally from the village who after many years trying to forget why she left, unexpectedly finds herself back there. Secondly we have Amy, a much younger woman who is mourning the death of her grandfather. Curiosity about his past also leads her to the village of Leto.  Both Stella and Amy make some interesting and surprising finds, but will these emotional discoveries lead them to find happiness in Italy.

This escapist read is recommended to those that enjoy a feel good romance and of course Italophiles.

Thank you NetGalley, Victoria Springfield and Boldwood Books  for the opportunity to read and review.

Goodreads Précis: 

Stella has spent decades trying to forget the heartbreak that made her flee the Italian village of her childhood. But when her new fiancé surprises her with a trip back to Liguria for her upcoming birthday, she is forced to confront the past, her first love and a tragic family rift.

Amy is mourning her beloved grandpa and curious to know more about the old coin necklace and mysterious postcard that he left her. Following his trail to the Italian Riviera, a chance meeting leads Amy to Stella’s village in the hills and to secrets that have lain buried since the war.

Against a backdrop of cobbled medieval streets, sunlit piazzas and rustic olive groves, both Stella and Amy make surprising discoveries about their families – and themselves.

By facing up to the past and opening their hearts, can Stella and Amy find happiness in the Italian village in the hills?

Escape to Italy with this warm, romantic and emotional tale of family, love and second chances.

Previous Review: One Summer in Italy

Author Profile:                

                                              

                                                           Courtesy of Amazon Profile

Victoria Springfield writes uplifting, contemporary women’s fiction immersed in the sights, sounds and flavours of Italy. Her feel-good stories follow relatable characters of all ages as they find adventure, friendship and romance. Her latest book is The Italian Village in the Hills set in Liguria. Previous titles: One Summer in Italy set in Venice, An Italian Island Secret set on Ischia, Invitation to Italy set on the island of Procida, The Italian Fiancé set in Lucca, A Farmhouse in Tuscany and her debut The Italian Holiday set on the Amalfi Coast.

After many years in London, Victoria now lives in Kent with her husband in a house by the river. She likes to write in the garden with a neighbour’s cat by her feet or whilst drinking cappuccino in her favourite café. Then she types up her scribblings in silence whilst her mind drifts away to Italy. Open a Victoria Springfield book and feel the sunshine.

Victoria is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Twitter Profile.     Facebook Profile.   Instagram Profile

Tackle by Jilly Cooper

                                                                      

      

Audio:  11hrs 21m

Narrator: Katherine Parkinson

Genre:  Contemporary Romantic Fiction

Publisher: Penguin Audio Nov 2023

Source:  Purchased from Audible

First Sentence:  Rupert Campbell-Black, despite being one of the most successful owner/trainers and one of the handsomest men in the world, was in the darkest of places.

Review Quote: 'A combination of drama, sex and good social comedy . . . unputdownable' Sunday Times

My Opinion:  

Sadly as she is no longer with us this will be the last title from Jilly Cooper. I listened to this via Audible and unfortunately it was a disappointment. Actually as I don't even like football I probably should not have considered this one. Naively the title did not give away the main subject away to me, just the fact it was Book 11 the final volume of the Rutshire Chronicles, attracted me.

In 'Tackle' Rupert Campbell Black returns along with his wife Taggie who is recovering from breast cancer.  Despite still having his racing stables he has now invested in a football club and without a real storyline it is really just a précis of the lives of the many unmemorable characters. To me a lot of it was boring due to the subject matter and the fact so many of the characters were just so annoying. 

I have not read any of Jilly Cooper's novels for a very long time, though I have watched and enjoyed the TV adaptation of 'Rivals'. Maybe that is why I wanted to find out more about where the stories had taken the Campbell Blacks in this final volume. 'Tackle' certainly does not have the author's normal bubbly personality showing through in her written words as it did so much in the many books I have read of hers over the years.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Rupert Campbell-Black, undefeated race-horse owner and handsomest man in the world, is in the darkest of places. His adored wife, Taggie, is about to undergo chemotherapy, his beloved horse Love Rat has died, and now his daughter Bianca wants him to buy a languishing local football club - a sport Rupert knows nothing about - so she can return to Rutshire with her football star husband.

Rupert's first impressions of Searston Rovers are distinctly unfavourable. But swayed by Bianca and Taggie, soon Rupert has signed the deal. As Searston's new owner, he won't stand for anything less than victory in the Premier League, despite the odds being stacked against him. With help from the club's ravishing and adorable secretary, Tember West, Rupert sets out to mastermind Searston's rise to the top, starting with taking charge of the players - much to the fury of Searston's manager.

The rival football club and their corrupt dealings aren't going to make it easy for him either - and they have a history of foul play. Let the sabotage and scandal begin..

Book 11 of 11: Rutshire Chronicles

Author Profile

                                                     

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                            Courtesy of Goodreads

Dame Jilly Cooper - 1937 - 2025

Dame Jilly Cooper began her career as a cub reporter on a local paper in Brentford, covering everything from fetes to football. Her breakthrough came in 1969 when The Sunday Times colour magazine published a humorous piece about being a hopelessly undomesticated young wife. The success of that article led to a column in The Sunday Times newspaper, which she wrote for over 13 years, followed by a further five years at The Mail on Sunday.

Her first book, How to Stay Married, was published in 1969. Over the following decades she went on to write romantic novels, children’s books and non-fiction, but is probably best known for The Rutshire Chronicles - the chart topping series including Riders, Rivals, and Polo -  as well as her most recent best seller, Tackle!

A full and interesting biography can be found on her Website

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Profile      Jilly Cooper - Official Website.    Amazon Profile

The Daughter by T. M.Logan

                                             

Hardback:  399 pages      

Genre:  Contemporary Psychological Thriller, Family Mystery,

Publisher: Zaffre, Bonnier Books UK. 2025

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

First Sentence: Ten weeks. It is the longest time we've ever been apart.

Review Quote: 'An excellent premise and explosively enjoyable finale' The Guardian

Setting:  England

My Opinion: In recent years I have found myself reading many more books in the thriller genre and T.M. Logan is definitely one of my go to authors. T.M Logan has told his readers that he often gets ideas for his books from real life scenarios. So it is no surprise that he had a what if moment whilst collecting his daughter after her first term away at university, which has eventually evolved into 'The Daughter'

A missing person! When Lauren turns up to collect her daughter, Evie from university for the Christmas break she is not there. Lauren and her son Lucas find their world unravelling around them as they battle to come to terms with Evie's disappearance. Determined to track her down, the twists, turns and dramas they encounter during their search for her make for an unpredictable read.

With a naturally flowing writing style and realistic characters I found this captivating. This novel was a great start to my 2026 reading and I recommend to all fans of the genre.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Lauren can't wait to see her daughter again, to pick her up from university at the end of her first term. But when she arrives at her hall and knocks at room 309, a stranger opens the door.

For a few minutes, Lauren assumes she must have the wrong room, or the wrong floor. Maybe even the wrong building.

But she soon discovers the Evie's not there. She hasn't been there for weeks. So where is she? 

Following one family's desperate race against time as one terrifying moment unravels into a living nightmare, The Daughter is the unmissable new heart-in-mouth thriller from T.M. Logan.

Previous Review: The Dream Home

Author Profile:                                                                                                

                              

Bestselling author TM Logan was a national newspaper journalist before turning to novel-writing full time. His thrillers have sold more than two million copies in the UK and are published in translation in 22 countries around the world including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, South Korea, Poland, Hungary, Serbia, Greece, Romania and the Netherlands.

He was born in Berkshire on the 19th of December 1975 and grew up in Reading, the youngest of three boys and a fully-fledged bookworm from a very young age. He read history at Westfield College, part of the University of London, and went on to do a postgrad at Cardiff University.

Wanting to write journalism seemed an obvious choice, and after five years as a reporter and then education correspondent on the Nottingham Evening Post he moved to London to work on the Daily Mail. The next move took him back to the East Midlands, where he worked for the University of Nottingham as a press officer, writing fiction in any spare time he could find. In January 2017 his first thriller was published. a few weeks later his current position as a deputy director in charge of the university’s communications team – was scrapped as part of a restructure. That was when he decided to take the plunge into writing full-time.

He lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children, and writes in a cabin in the corner of his garden.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Author Profile.    Amazon Author Page   Official Author Website

Twitter Profile.    Instagram Profile.   Facebook Profile