Rebecca Reads

[ad/gifted - I received an eBook copy of the book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Title & Author: Sea Rift by J. M. Simpson

My rating: 5/5

Publication date: 18th April 2024

Blurb:

Old wounds run deep. Revenge has deadly consequences.

A dead body is found hanging in local woods. It contains a sinister message for Mickey Camorra. It seems his dark past is catching up with him. As Detective Steve Miller finds another body, he ties both deaths to the Tao crime family. An old contact betrays them and the Camorra’s face their deadliest threat yet.

Mike Young is pleased to see an old flame return to Castleby. He’s hopeful they might rekindle their romance, but he soon discovers she is not all she seems.

Ex-soldier Foxy tries to move on after the death of his ex-wife. As he explores an unexpected new liaison, a rift with a close friend troubles him deeply, and he wonders about his future happiness.

Former hostage negotiator Nate Bennett moves back to Castleby, hoping the town will help heal his sick wife. When a baby is kidnapped from a cafe and the search intensifies, Nate finds himself face to face with the crazed kidnapper, as he desperately tries to save a baby’s life.

Review:

Sea Rift in the fifth novel in the Castleby series and if you haven't read any of these books yet, you are missing out. I've read the other four books over the past couple of years and going back into this one felt like going home.

This series is set in the fictional seaside town of Castleby and is perfect for fans of small towns, found family, the RNLI and organised crime thrillers.

Sea Rift introduces hostage negotiator Nate Bennett who has just moved back to Castleby. He lived there as a child but after his daughter was stillborn and Nate having made the tough choice to have his wife Viv sectioned due to her mental health following the birth, he thinks the town will be perfect for a fresh start for them both.

At the same time, crime boss Mickey Camorra is sent a message in the form of a dead body and all the signs point to another crime organisation, the Taos.

There are lots of POVs from multiple characters but Simpson writes in a way that leaves no confusion, each paragraph leaves you wanting more until you find that it's hard to put the book down! It is meticulously planned and super fast paced. I was dying to know how everything tied together.

I loved getting back to the lives of my old favourites; Doug, Foxy, Steve, Maggie, etc. It felt like a hug!

I would say there are big trigger warnings for baby loss in this book but, wow! I feel like I want to go back and read them all again!

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Thank you so much to Literally PR for having me on the blog tour. You can find information about the other bloggers taking part in the tour in the graphic below.

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Title & Author: Somewhere In The Sunset by Estelle Maskame

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Ink Road

Publication date: 11th April 2024

Blurb:

Two perfect strangers in San Francisco. Gracie and Weston have their futures mapped out.

Gracie's future is glossy, glam and loved-up. Flawless like her influencer lifestyle. Weston's is all tattoo parlors, hitting the bar on the regular, and earning his police officer's badge. Tough guy, or so he tells himself.

What they have in common is heartbreak. In the aftermath of shattered romances, they're reeling. Gracie's been unceremoniously dumped... by the guy who promised to be her forever. While Weston is realizing he never showed his ex quite how much he loved her.

When two sets of friends stage an intervention - no more pity parties - worlds collide in a downtown club. There's spilled drinks, thrown punches and ugly tears in the back of an Uber. Not exactly a cute meet-cute.

Their futures uncertain, Gracie and Weston gravitate toward one another. The chemistry between them is undeniable - but they're just friends, right. Right?

Cue unexpected - and blush-worthy - lessons in dating etiquette, life skills and forging a connection to make your heart stand still. Somewhere in the Sunset has all the feels.

Oh, and the sex is fire.

Review:

Oh, this book is beautiful. This is the author's first foray into adult fiction having previously written YA novels and it is just gorgeous. I had read a lot of heavy books recently so was looking for a light palate cleanser. I didn't expect my heart to be broken!

It's Gracie Taylor's twenty-second birthday and her boyfriend of seven years has just left her. She is understandably heartbroken. They lived together, ran a popular couple's YouTube account and had amassed a huge following across their social media. It feels like she's lost everything.

Weston Reed is a twenty-three year old rookie cop and his girlfriend of four years has broken up with him. She didn't feel appreciated by him and he realises just how much he took her for granted.

Their friends take them out to a nightclub and Weston and Gracie's paths cross. Both in similar situations, they find themselves supporting each other and getting each other through this tough time in their lives. They soon realise that it might be more than just a friendship.

I don't want to give too much away with how the book ends but I absolutely devoured this in less than 24 hours. I loved the characters and I could feel the turmoil that they felt of still being in love with their exes but feeling guilty for potentially starting a new relationship so soon.

My heart aches but the ending is beautiful. Gracie's character development is just what she needed.