The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon | Blog Tour Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Aria

Publication date: 2nd February 2023

Blurb:

Two years together. Twenty years apart. One day to change their story.

Benjamin's world is turned upside down the day he meets Clara. Instinctively, he knows that she is his person and he is hers, but the events of one devastating night will take their lives in very different directions.

20 years later, a bombing is reported in the city where Clara and Ben met, and she is pulled back to a place she tries not to remember and the first love she could never forget. Searching for Ben, Clara prays that twenty years of silence is about to end.

But is it too late to put right what went wrong?

This is not a love story. But it is a story of first love, of the mistakes people make, and the lengths they'll go to put things right.

Review:

This book is just wonderful! I went into it thinking it was a typical "missing your first love" type of book but I couldn't be more wrong.

The story spans across different times from the early 2000s to present day. Clara and Benjamin meet during their first year at university. Benjamin is very kind and gentle and is a massive lover of football. Clara thinks the world of Benjamin and thinks they will be together forever. She just can't stand his love of football. Clara's personality at this time is very juvenile and she does come across as a bit annoying but to be honest, it is reflective of her age and we can see how she has grown up in present times.

In present day, Clara is a journalist living in London and Benjamin is a single dad to Aiden and they live in Newcastle. There has been an explosion at the football stadium where Aiden is and Benjamin is frantic because he can't get hold of him.

Obviously Clara and Benjamin aren't together anymore, with Clara now being married to Thom, but we are drip fed information about Clara and Benjamin's relationship back then before we eventually find out what happened in the end. Clara has always thought about him.

There is so much to unpack with this book and I was fully immersed in the characters. Trigger warnings for child sex abuse, sexual assault, suicide and death.

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A massive thank you to Aria for having me on the blog tour. You can find information about the other bloggers taking part in the tour in the graphic below.

Santa Maybe by Mary Jayne Baker | Blog Tour Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an ebook copy for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Santa Maybe by Mary Jayne Baker

Star rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Aria

Publication date: 13th October 2022

Blurb:

Toy Store owner Elodie Martin is not one to get into the festive spirit but nothing gets her fired up more than the chance to get one over on her nemesis, Callum Ashley – the frosty, infuriatingly handsome owner of the local department store.

Christmas is the only time she can compete thanks to her grandad Jim, everyone's favourite Santa Claus. But when he has to unexpectedly hang up his red suit, Elodie is at risk of losing the business for good and has no choice but to rely on last-minute replacement out-of-work actor Nick Winter.

Can a sprinkling of Christmas magic warm Callum's heart and help Elodie find her happily-ever-after? Or is it just possible that love is to be found a little bit closer to home?

Review: 

I am a sucker for a festive romance. There is just something delightful about the setting and this one is super cute!

Elodie Martin currently owns Martin's, the family toy shop where her grandad used to play the best Santa in town when it came to grotto season. They have always had a family rivalry with bigger superstore Ashley's, currently owned by Callum Ashley.

Following Jim's retirement after a stroke, Elodie is hiring a new Santa. Enter - Nick Winter. Nick absolutely lives for Christmas and is the perfect replacement for Jim but also is perfect to make Elodie enjoy Christmas again, a time that she hasn't particularly liked ever since her parents died when she was eight years old.

Elodie is so sure in Nick's abilities to be Santa, that she places a bet with Callum Ashley - her grotto will rake in more profits than his.

Both men are completely different in every way but have one similar thing in common; how much they like Elodie. I absolutely loved the development and relationship between Nick and Elodie. I'll admit, I didn't care too much for Callum but the differences in their lives and misunderstandings kept me reading. 

A cosy festive romance that I would definitely recommend!

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A massive thank you to Aria for having me on the blog tour. You can find information about the other bloggers taking part in the tour in the graphics below.

Double Booked by Lily Lindon | Blog Tour Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an ebook copy of the book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Double Booked by Lily Lindon

Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Aria

Publication date: 9th June 2022

Blurb: 

Gina is about to marry her boyfriend.

George is about to join a lesbian pop band.

Gina and George are the same person.

No wonder Georgina is DOUBLE BOOKED.

Georgina has a strict routine:

1) teach piano to bored children

2) schedule dates with long-term boyfriend

3) repeat until dead

Perfect.

But then, one wild night, she auditions for a famous lesbian pop band and realises:

1) she longs to play her own music

2) she wants to be just like them

3) their drummer is really hot...

Realising she might be bisexual, Georgina – and her schedule – are in chaos. Torn between the safety of her old life, and the freedom of a new one, she does what any rational person would do. She splits herself in two. After all, two lives are twice the fun... right?

Review: 

What a fantastic debut!

Double Booked centres around Georgina, a music teacher who has been with her boyfriend Douglas for seven years. She sticks to the same routine with no surprises in her life.

One night, her best friend Soph forces her to tag along to a gay club with her to see a band that Soph loves. Georgina realises that she quite likes the band's drummer Kit and thus begins a journey of self-realisation. Finally coming to terms with the fact that she is bisexual, she tries to balance her life as Georgina with her regular job and stable boyfriend with her other life as George, queer pianist for the band Phase.

I honestly loved this story so much. I felt so many emotions for all of the characters and really understood how tough it must have felt for Georgina but also Doug too. Wonderfully written and funny to boot. It shows the struggles of coming to terms with your sexuality (the focus on biphobia was well done), worrying about what others will think but wanting to be true to yourself.

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A massive thank you to Aria for having me on the blog tour. You can find the information about the other bloggers taking part in the tour in the graphic below.

Six Days by Dani Atkins | Blog Tour Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Six Days by Dani Atkins

Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Aria Fiction

Publication date: 14th April 2022

Blurb:

Gemma knows that she and Finn are destined to be together. They are soulmates. But then, on their wedding day, he never arrives at the church.

Gemma is convinced Finn wouldn't abandon her like this, even though he has disappeared once before. But back then he had a reason. She feels sure something terrible has happened, but no one else is convinced. Even the police aren't concerned, telling Gemma most people who disappear usually turn up in a week... assuming they want to be found, that is.

For the next six days Gemma frantically searches for Finn, even though every shocking revelation is telling her to give up on him. Before long, even she begins to doubt her own memories of their love.

How long can she hold on to her faith in Finn if everyone is telling her to let him go?

Review:

My heart!

Six Days follows the story of Gemma Fletcher and Finn Douglas. It is their wedding day and Finn doesn't show up at the church. All of the guests and even her dad and best friend Hannah think he has just done a runner. Gemma knows something bad must have happened to him because he would never leave her. The police aren't convinced either when Gemma presents it to them, Finn doesn't qualify as a missing person. All signs lead to the fact that he's just jilted her.

The narrative switches between Finn and Gemma's first encounters, which are definitely not your typical love story but it also shows Finn as a little unreliable. Part of me really loved Finn's character but at other times I thought, "Did he just leave her?!" It also follows the six days after Finn's no-show and what really happened.

I genuinely cannot fault this book at all. I read it cover to cover in about 20 hours and it made me feel giddy, it broke my heart, it made me excited, it made me want to cry. I just absolutely loved it.

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A massive thank you to Aria Fiction for having me on the blog tour. You can find information about the other bloggers taking part in the tour in the graphics below.

The Girls by Bella Osborne | Blog Tour Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

The Girls by Bella Osborne

Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publisher: Aria Fiction

Publication date: 14th April 2022

Blurb:

Four old friends. Thrown back together after forty years apart. What could possibly go wrong?

In the 1970s, The Girls were best friends sharing a house and good times: Zara the famous diva actor, Val the uptight solicitor, Jackie the wild child and Pauline the quirky introvert. Now they're in their twilight years, and Zara suggests that they live with her to support each other through old age.

Initially, being housemates again is just as much fun as in their heyday. But then Zara reveals the real reason she asked them to move in with her, and suddenly things take a sinister turn.

As the women confront their demons they come under the spotlight of the press, the police and an angry parrot. With their lives spiralling out of control can they save their friendships and each other?

Review:

The Girls opens with the line "Pauline didn’t usually drink vodka at lunchtime. But then it wasn’t every day you committed suicide." Very strong and emotional to draw us in. We learn that Pauline is a 68 year old woman with no family or friends around. She receives a fancy letter from an old friend called Zara, an invitation to her birthday party.

Jackie, a carer and Val, a solicitor also receives the same letter from Zara who is now a famous actress. The four ladies previously lived together in the 70s but have since drifted apart. 

At the party, Zara is delighted that they are all together again and suggests that they all move in together again. The majority of the ladies laugh off the idea but personal circumstances mean that it ends up happening. Coincidence or the force of someone else?

All four ladies have very different lives and problems, my heart especially went out to Pauline. Reading about their lives being back together was interesting, in this different stage of their lives.

I don't want to give too much away regarding the plot or ending but I ended up loving this group of characters together and seeing their development.

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A massive thank you to Aria Fiction for having me on the blog tour. You can find information about the other bloggers taking part in the tour in the graphics below.