River of Stars by Georgina Moore

                                                  

Hardback:  340 pages                                                                                                

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Publisher:  July 2025 HQ

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

First Sentence: The music pulsed out of the darkness, a siren call pulling her to Walnut Tree Island.

Review Quote: 'Full of rich characters and an enchanting setting, this is a gorgeous read' Fabulous

My Opinion:  

Georgina Moore's second novel 'River of Stars' published last year is inspired by her life living on a houseboat moored on an island in the River Thames near London.

A family saga that feels realistic as the reader is introduced to a group of residents that are part of a small island community. The main characters are members of the Star family, Mary an older lady now the matriarch, her daughter Ruby and granddaughter Jo. Their family history is interweaved with the Greenwood family owners of the island. When the grandson returns after many years away, to consider selling the island after his father's recent death, emotions run high. Everything about island life becomes complicated as the past tangles with the present.

A character driven atmospheric read that brings alive the bohemian life style of the island residents. The wonderful descriptions of the nature on the island also adds to the pleasurable reading experience.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

A stunning new novel exploring the lives and secrets of a group of residents of an island in the Thames

Walnut Tree Island is home to artists, dreamers, lovers and heartbreakers. Life is different slow, languorous and always communal, with every evening offering a new opportunity to gather at a neighbour's houseboat over a glass of wine.

But when a former resident reappears after nearly two decades away, the islanders are thrown into a frenzy as they wonder what plans their new landlord has in store for them.

And for Jo, an artist who long ago lost her muse, his return reopens the wounds of a love she thought was gone forever…



Previous Review:   The Garnett Girls

Author Profile

                                         
                                                     

                                           Courtesy of Goodreads                                       

Georgina Moore grew up in London and lives on a houseboat on the River Thames with her partner, two children and Bomber, the Border Terrier. The Garnett Girls was her first novel and is set on the Isle of Wight, where Georgina and her family have a holiday houseboat called Sturdy. Georgina's second novel River of Stars published in 2025 is inspired by her life on the river but also by the musical heritage and artistic community of an island upstream from her called Eel Pie Island.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Profile.    Amazon Profile.    Georgina Moore - Twitter

Facebook 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

An Ideal Husband by Erica James

Hardback: 406 pages

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Family Saga, 

Publisher: Harper Collins 2024

Source:  Tywyn Library

First Sentence: It was a perfect March day and spring had arrived in all its glorious splendour. 

Setting: Suffolk, England

Review Quote: 'I love Erica James and her new book does not disappoint. She brings a real warmth to her characters and also a poignancy to her story telling. Highly recommend.' Netgalley Reviewer, 

My Opinion:  Erica James is one of my long time favourite authors for a guaranteed agreeable read. Once again she has not disappointed me.

'An Ideal Husband' is a contemporary family saga, covering a year in the life of the Langford family. A perfectly normal happy family, or so they thought until Kip Langford tells his wife Louisa that he is leaving her. The dynamics of the relationships within the family are full of emotion as they navigate a roller coaster of a year. What complicated individuals they all are and at times some of their behaviour feels unbelievable. Louisa in particular feels far too sympathetic and understanding of her husband's behaviour.  

Recommended to fans of contemporary escapism, remember that is what it is escapism and fiction which is why at times the reader may find it somewhat removed from the reality of such a situation!

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

The Langfords are a perfectly happy family. Louisa and Kip, happily married for nearly forty years, have raised their children and are now just settling into a new phase of life where they’ll have more time for themselves. Everything seems perfect. But then, one Boxing Day after a lovely family Christmas, Kip tells Louisa that their marriage is over. It’s not something Louisa saw coming. And what he tells her next is even more he’s fallen in love with their son’s ex-girlfriend, Zoe, the woman who broke Angus’ heart. So just like that, Louisa’s marriage is over… and her new life can begin. A gorgeous, gossipy family drama of a couple navigating a divorce, a woman on a journey of self-discovery, and an older man getting his just deserts.

Previous Reviews:  I have reviewed quite a few of her earlier novels on the blog. They are Tell It To The Skies,  It's The Little Things,   Hidden Talents, The Hidden Cottage, The Real Katie Lavender,  A Secret Garden Affair, Mothers and Daughters,  Letters From the Past,  Summer at the Lake,  Coming Home to Island House

Author Profile:         

                                       

Photo Courtesy of  Amazon

In the author's own words from her Amazon Profile.

Thank you so much for visiting my Amazon Author Page. My first novel - A Breath of Fresh Air - was published in 1996 and was selected by WH Smith as a finalist for their Fresh Talent promotion. Since then I have written many more novels, most of which have been bestsellers, including Gardens of Delight which won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award and features Lake Como, one of my favourite places to visit. My novel Summer at the Lake also features Lake Como and was a No.1 bestseller in Norway.

My twenty-fifth novel - A Secret Garden Affair - was published in the spring of 2023 and is my second book to be published by HQ Stories. Partially set in the summer of 1981 when Prince Charles and Lady Diana are about to marry, Libby discovers her fiancé has been cheating on her. Heartbroken, she flees London to go to Larkspur House in Suffolk to be with her great aunt Bess and the renown garden designer Elfrida Ambrose. As Libby tries to piece her life back together, Bess and Elfrida find themselves reliving the past with all its secrets and tragedies. 

My 26th novel - An Ideal Husband - is currently available in hardback and I hope you'll enjoy meeting the Langford family who have to face more than their fair share of trouble after Kip announces that he wants a divorce as he's been having an affair with their son's ex-girlfriend! The paperback will be published in November.

If you want to keep up with all my latest news, or simply get in touch to ask me a question about one of my books, you can find me online in all the usual places as well as my website.

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

Erica James - Official Website.   Instagram - Erica James

Goodreads Author Profile  Erica James - Amazon Author Page.  Erica James - Facebook

The Lighthouse Keeper of Anglesey by Carline Young (Welcome to Anglesey Series Bk 4)

                                          

Ebook:  320 pages      

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance                                            

Publisher: 2 May 2025 by Storm Publishing

Source:  NetGalley - My Kindle

First Sentence: Lloyd Evans sat alone on the smooth-pebbled beach and gazed out towards the horizon, far beyond the lighthouse.

Review Quote: ‘‘Sweeps the reader away... you will cheer for our main character and love the description of her life in Anglesey... I read it in one sitting.’ Reader Review,

My Opinion: 

Caroline Young writes heart-warming stories about ordinary people and their everyday lives on the beautiful island of Anglesey. Living not very far from here and having visited, it is lovely to be able to visualise the locations that the author describes so well.

In the 4th book of the series 'Welcome to Anglesey' the storyline centres around the main female character Seren. Seren has returned to her roots on the island, leaving behind the stresses and problems of her life in London. She is slowly building a new and better life for herself and her young daughter, but it does not come without its trials and tribulations.

As the author herself says 'Life is often far from easy, but we need to remember what we all share rather than focusing on our differences.' Recommend this gentle story which reminds the reader that to be happy in life we need to feel loved, safe and to love others.

Thanks to Storm Publishing, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review 'The Lighthouse Keeper of Anglesey' 

Previous Review:  Coming Home to the Windmill by the Sea

Précis Courtesy of NetGalley:

A moving story of love, second chances and family from the Amazon bestselling author of The Forgotten Farmhouse by the Sea.

When single mother Seren Evans returns to the Welsh island of Anglesey with her five-year-old daughter Enya, she hopes to finally escape her troubled past in London. Moving into a cottage near the iconic Black Point lighthouse where she spent her early childhood, Seren reunites with her estranged father Lloyd and begins to piece together the mystery of why her mother suddenly abandoned them decades ago.

As Seren adapts to island life and takes a job at a local art gallery, she finds unexpected romance with Jamie, a Scottish journalist seeking solace from his own tragic history. But with the shadows of her past threatening to catch up with her, and with long-buried family secrets coming to light, can Seren find the peaceful life she’s always dreamed of?

Set against the wild beauty of the Welsh coast, this emotional novel explores family secrets, the power of community, and how love can light the way home through life’s darkest storms. Fans of Susanne O’Leary, Amanda Prowse and Sheila O’Flanagan will be swept away by The Lighthouse Keeper of Anglesey.

Author Profile:                    

Caroline Young has always written stories and found inspiration in the world around her, be it a bustling city or a windswept beach. She has worked for many years as a writer of non-fiction books for children, which allows for few adjectives or creative expression, so she keeps these things for her fiction. As the mother of three grown-up daughters, she now has the time to focus on her own writing, and tell the stories she wants to tell. Caroline has a degree in English from Cambridge University where she was exposed to wonderful writers from every age, and she aims to relate just some of their ideas and language to her life and writing. Caroline's idea of paradise is a bright day with a bracing wind and the sea, waiting for her to dive into it (even in January!). She hopes to write stories that the reader can lose themselves in, which take them somewhere different and fill them with joy in the beauty of the natural world, and all the amazing people in it.

            

Amazon Author Page.     Goodreads Profile.   Caroline Young - Storm Publishing

Photos and Biographical information Courtesy of the above links.

Happily Ever After by Jane Lovering

                                                      

Ebook:  269 pages

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romantic Fiction, Humorous Fiction, 

Publisher:  Boldwood Books 17th February 2025

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentences: 'Are you sure this is right? Only this is Lady Dawe's place and she is bonkers'

Review Quote: ‘A unique, well-written story that is uplifting, emotional, and humorous—well worth reading.’ Reader Review. 

My Opinion:  

I have read several of this author's books in the past, but it was a long time ago 2011/2012. Somehow I have missed out on her more recent publications until now. 

'Happily Ever After' has a dreamy heroine, Andromeda who believes that real life is like the books she read during her unconventional upbringing. While cataloguing the vast neglected library in an old and crumbling mansion, she soon learns that real life is somewhat less predictable.

The setting and the characters are all well developed with the story having twists and turns to hold the readers interest. Clever touch is each chapter having a literary reference as a title heading. If you enjoy contemporary fiction with a touch of romance and humour this is a very readable example of the genre. 

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

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Andi Glover loves nothing more than a good book.

Any book in fact because when you’re raised by unconventional parents who think school’s for squares, alongside a deeply conventional sister who escapes home as soon as she can, fiction is eminently preferable to reality.

The only problem is that fiction isn’t the best way to learn about the real world. When Andi starts her new live-in job at Templewood Hall for the eccentric Lady Dawe and her enigmatic son Hugo, it’s tempting to think she’s fallen into the pages of one of her favourite gothic novels.

But the plot twists at Templewood Hall are stranger than fiction and it’s not long before Andi questions if she’s living in a romance novel or a whodunnit. Bumps in the night, a missing heir, ghostly apparitions and secrets that have been kept for generations - the mysteries mount up. Then there's the inscrutable gardener who seems to appear when needed - is Andi right to hope for a happily-ever-after end to her story?

Author Profile:         

                                           

                                            Photo and Profile Courtesy of Amazon

WINNER - CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2023 with A COTTAGE FULL OF SECRETS (Boldwood Books) ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2012 with PLEASE DON'T STOP THE MUSIC (Choc Lit publishing), RoNA ROSE (NOVELLA OF THE YEAR) 2018 with CHRISTMAS AT THE LITTLE VILLAGE SCHOOL AND FANTASY ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2019 with LIVING IN THE PAST

Jane was, presumably, born, although everyone concerned denies all knowledge. However there is evidence that her early years were spent in Devon (she can still talk like a pirate under the right conditions) and of her subsequent removal to Yorkshire under a sack and sedation.

She now lives in North Yorkshire, where she writes women's fiction novels with funny bits and labours under the tragic misapprehension that men are queueing up for her. She owns possibly the world's worst dog, a Patterdale Terrier who answers to - well, who knows, since she rarely comes back; she is also the owner of five practically grown-up children, and she has to spend considerable amounts of time in a darkened room as a result (of the dog, not the kids).

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

Jane Lovering - Facebook Profile.   Twitter Profile   Amazon Book Page

The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page

                                   

Paperback:  374 pages      

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction,                                          

Publisher: One More Chapter, Harper Collins 2022

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: Everyone has a story to tell. But what if you don't have a story? What then? if you are Janice, you become a collector of other people's stories.

Review Quote: ‘Janice is a wonderful woman whose authenticity pulls you along…the breadth and originality of supporting characters makes this debut an immersive delight’ Dorset Magazine

Favourite Quote: “Please, please, please say you like books.”

Main Character: Janice

Setting:   Cambridge, England.

My Opinion: 

Sally Page has recently published her third novel 'The Secrets of Flowers'. As this title is already on my Wishlist I have decided to read this her debut and 'The Book of Beginnings ' first, as her writing has been recommended to me.

The protagonist and collector of stories is Janice. she works as a Domestic cleaner and the story revolves around her clients stories and those of others in her life. Janice also has a story of her own, that she certainly does not want to share.

This winsome novel was such delight to read. I highly recommend it to any reader looking for something lighthearted, amusing and distinctive.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

She can’t recall what started her collection. Maybe it was in a fragment of conversation overheard as she cleaned a sink? Before long (as she dusted a sitting room or defrosted a fridge) she noticed people were telling her their stories. Perhaps they always had done, but now it is different, now the stories are reaching out to her and she gathers them to her…

When Janice starts cleaning for Mrs B – a shrewd and tricksy woman in her nineties – she meets someone who wants to hear her story. But Janice is clear: she is the keeper of stories, she doesn’t have a story to tell. At least, not one she can share.

Mrs B is no fool and knows there is more to Janice than meets the eye. What is she hiding? After all, doesn’t everyone have a story to tell?

Author Profile: 

Courtesy of Author Website

After studying history at university, Sally moved to London to work in advertising. In her spare time she studied floristry at night school and eventually opened her own flower shop. Sally came to appreciate that flower shops offer a unique window into people’s stories and she began to photograph and write about this floral life in a series of non-fiction books. Later, she continued her interest in writing when she founded her fountain pen company, Plooms.co.uk.

In her debut novel, The Keeper of Stories, Sally combines her love of history and writing with her abiding interest in the stories people have to tell. Sally now lives in Dorset. Her eldest daughter, Alex, is studying to be a doctor and her younger daughter is the author, Libby Page. Both are keen wild swimmers.

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

Amazon Author Page.    Author's Official Website.   Instagram Profile  Twitter Profile

Facebook - SallyPageAuthor

The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore

                                 

Ebook:  336 pages                                                                                                

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction

Publisher: February 2023 HQ

Source:  My Kindle

First Sentence: Margo slammed the heavy door shut behind her, letting her hand linger on the cold brass of the doorknob.

Review Quote: ‘Moore finds wry humour in her protagonists’ dilemmas, conjures a beguiling sense of place, and wrings emotional depth out of the women’s fractious relationships with each other’ The Times

My Opinion:  

As a debut novel that I had heard a lot about I was looking forward to reading.  ‘The Garnett Girls’. It certainly met my expectations.

The Garnett Girls are Rachel, Imogen and Sasha three very different sisters whose early years were overshadowed by their free spirited mother and an alcoholic father who deserted them. The girls and their mother Margo are all weighed down by secrets, which they need to share with each other.  An intriguing family drama that centres around the family home on the Isle of Wight.

Recommended as an absorbing read for any reader that enjoys a well written character driven family story.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:


Forbidden, passionate and all-encompassing, Margo and Richard's love affair was the stuff of legend--but, ultimately, doomed. When Richard walked out, Margo locked herself away, leaving her three daughters, Rachel, Imogen, and Sasha, to run wild.

Years later, charismatic Margo entertains lovers and friends in her cottage on the Isle of Wight, refusing to ever speak of Richard and her painful past. But her silence is keeping each of the Garnett girls from finding true happiness.

Rachel is desperate to return to London but is held hostage by responsibility for Sandcove, their beloved but crumbling family home. Dreamy Imogen feels the pressure to marry her kind, considerate fiancé, even when life is taking an unexpected turn. Wild, passionate Sasha, trapped between her fractured family and controlling husband, is weighed down by a secret that could shake the family to its core.

The Garnett Girls, the captivating debut novel from Georgina Moore, asks whether children can ever be free of the mistakes of their parents.




Author Profile

                                            
                                                     

                                             Courtesy of Goodreads                                       

Georgina Moore grew up in London and lives on a houseboat on the River Thames with her partner, two children and Bomber, the Border Terrier. The Garnett Girls is her first novel and is set on the Isle of Wight, where Georgina and her family have a holiday houseboat called Sturdy.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Profile.    Amazon Profile.    Georgina Moore - Twitter

Facebook Profile

Mum and Dad by Joanna Trollope

 

                                      

Hardback: 325 pages

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Publisher: Macmillan 2020

Source:  Tywyn Library

First Sentence: This was Monica's favourite time of day, these early mornings - dawns, really, and surprisingly dark, even in southern Spain - when nobody expect the village cockerels appeared to be up.

Setting: Spain and England

Review Quote: Trollope writes about family relationships with intelligence and clear-eyed sympathy ― The Times

My Opinion:  I am a long time fan of Joanna Trollope as I have been reading her novels since her first 'The Choir' was published in 1989 and have always found her novels to be light and entertaining.  'Aga Sagas' used to be the popular term for her style of writing, although it is not heard much nowadays, it does still seem to describe her writing about contemporary relationships.

It is a family crisis that draws the characters together in ‘Mum and Dad’. Although the episode forms the backbone of the novel it is actually the relationships between the protagonists that drives the story. Complex family relationships and challenges face a family in a quandary as they all struggle to settle their differences.

The author is the original ‘Queen ‘ of exploring the complications of family relationships in her novels, of which ‘Mum and Dad ‘ is the twenty-second.  A very prolific writer who is well worth reading for a good story that is well told.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

"What a mess, she thought now . . . what a bloody, unholy mess the whole family has got itself into." 

It’s been 25 years since Gus and Monica left England to start a new life in Spain, building a vineyard and wine business from the ground up. However, when Gus suffers a stroke and their idyllic Mediterranean life is thrown into upheaval, it’s left to their three grown-up children in London to step in . . . Sebastian is busy running his company with his wife, Anna, who’s never quite seen eye-to-eye with her mother-in-law. Katie, a successful solicitor in the city, is distracted by the problems with her long-term partner, Nic, and the secretive lives of their three daughters. And Jake, ever the easy-going optimist, is determined to convince his new wife, Bella, that moving to Spain with their 18-month-old would be a good idea. As the children descend on the vineyard, it becomes clear that each has their own idea of how best to handle their mum and dad, as well as the family business. But as long-simmering resentments rise to the surface and tensions reach breaking point, can the family ties prove strong enough to keep them together?

Author Profile:         

                                                                                           

                                                     Courtesy of Amazon Profile

Joanna Trollope was born on 9 December 1943 in her grandfather's rectory in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, England, daughter of Rosemary Hodson and Arthur George Cecil Trollope. She is the eldest of three siblings. She is a fifth-generation niece of the Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope and is a cousin of the writer and broadcaster James Trollope. She was educated at Reigate County School for Girls followed by St Hugh's College, Oxford. On 14 May 1966, she married the banker David Roger William Potter, they had two daughters, Antonia and Louise. In 1983 they divorced, two years later, she married the television dramatist Ian Curteis, they divorced in 2001.

From 1965 to 1967, she worked at the Foreign Office. From 1967 to 1979, she was employed in a number of teaching posts before she became a writer full-time in 1980. In 1996 she was awarded the OBE for services to literature.She now lives alone in London.

A comprehensive biography can be read on her Official Author Website

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

Facebook Profile.  Official Author Website   Wikipedia Profile

Amazon Author Page   Goodreads Author Page