Tilly'sStory

June Francis/ Tilly’s Story/ Allison and Busby/ ISBN 987-0-7490-7992-5/ HB £19.99 /446 pages.

This is the third in a series set in Chester and Liverpool by the much loved saga writer June Francis. Those who have read previous books will know that Tilly is Alice’s youngest sister and that she sacrificed a lot to bring her sister up after their mother died and their father went off. The first two books in the trilogy were exciting and compelling but I really feel that Francis has excelled herself this time.

This story tells of Tilly growing up and standing on her own two feet against her sister’s wishes and the resulting coolness between them. We cannot help but admire Tilly’s determination to find work to support herself while she learns to become a writer. Her job in an office is short lived but she has found a decent home with Wendy and her mother over a newspaper shop. Meeting the people that come into the shop, Tilly finds work helping a private detective and also helping Eudora Black’s charity. Alice has never liked or trusted Eudora for reasons of her own, and she can never forgive her father for the way he treated his family, despite knowing that it was his illness that caused his behaviour. Tilly’s determination to see both her father and Eudora bring more grief to Alice.

This is a story of friendship and family life with a thread of mystery and danger running through the book to spice it up. If you enjoy stories that carry on down the years you will find this easy to follow and very enjoyable. Tilly is a warm and lovable character and Francis’ research of the period is as always unimpeachable.

You can never go wrong with this author because you always get what you expect. Five red roses. Linda Sole

Whispering Lake

Whispering Lake by Jessica Coulter Smith

Publisher: Hearts on Fire Books/ebook


Cassie has the ability to see, touch and talk to ghosts. Most of the time, people make her feel like a freak for having the ability to do so. Matt is her best friend for the last 5 years. Cassie adores Matt. He knows about her ability but has never made her feel different because of it. Cassie would love to have a chance to have a relationship with Matt but knows it will never be possible. Matt died more than 50 years ago and is a ghost.

Cassie is going on a mini vacation with her friends. She never expects to meet anyone who will be able to change her mind about Matt, until she meets Cole. Cole doesn’t have any misgivings with Cassie’s ability and completely accepts her for the person she is. Cole has his own secrets, which allow him to believe in Cassie.

Cole thinks he has found the woman that he can spend the rest of his life with, the one that lights a fire in him and an interest that he hasn’t felt since his last serious girlfriend. Now he has to decide if she is really the one for him.

Cassie’s friend Kari is also interested in Cole and she is willing to do anything she has too to get what she wants. Kari doesn’t like that Cassie is getting all the attention. Kari has always gotten the attention of the guys and doesn’t feel it is fair that Cassie is getting some of that attention now. How far is Kari willing to go to get Cole?

Now to complicate matters with Cole, Cassie’s getting her wish about Matt. Just when she thought she had problems with Kari when it came to Cole it is nothing compared to what Kari tries to do when going after Matt. Cassie is going to have to decide what she really wants either Matt or Cole. Cassie needs to decide just how far she is willing to go to get Kari to stop causing all these difficulties and not create any more problems. Cassie is going to have to keep her wits about her to overcome all the problems she is facing.


Werewolves, witches and ghosts oh, my. This one has all that and suspense that will keep you guessing just where this one will end up. It is an interesting book to read as it is hard to put down. You will be glued to your seat until the very end.


I give this one 4 red roses

Melinda Hammond/Moonshadows/Samhain Publishers/ebook/221 pages

It is 1746 and Sarah is making her first appearance at court with her husband. Everything is frightening and new, and the people are strangers, seemingly disapproving. Her husband leaves to fetch her a drink and Sarah steps on a gentleman’s foot. He is friendly and talks to her, telling her about a woman who is the King’s mistress. Her husband returns and is displeased to find her in the company of the Earl of Cordeaux, a wealthy man who apparently imagines he can ride roughshod over everyone.

Jez wakes up in the modern world to find Harry sitting beside her bed. It is time to get up and go to work. At work everything goes wrong and when Jez upsets the intray, a man picks up the bits for her. Jez doesn’t remember her dream of 1746 but the reader will, and because the name of the handsome man is Piers Cordeaux we begin to understand and the link is made. It is at this point that we realise Sarah and Jez’s stories will interlink and perhaps follow a similar path. As the earl tries to seduce Sarah and Piers seems to pursue Jez, both of whom try to resist because they are already married or committed, the reader is treated to a dark and delightful tale in both modern and olden times. But are Sarah and Jez two people or two halves of the same spirit?

This is an intriguing story, mixing the lives of two believable women. It makes for compelling reading and is beautifully told. The end is haunting and wholly satisfying. A book I thoroughly enjoyed! 4.5 red roses. Linda Sole

Cheyenne and Her Prince charming

Cheyenne and Her Prince Charming by Linda Lattimer/ebook/Lyrical Press


Cheyenne Maddison is a lawyer that likes to help people, usually women that are in need of help and someone that will fight battles for them. Women that are trying to get away from abusive husbands but don’t have the money to do so. Cheyenne helps them to get what they need.

Trey Mitchell spent one night in Las Vegas and woke up to a whole lot of trouble. Not remembering what happened and feeling like he was tricked he finds himself married. Not knowing what else to do he goes to the city his wife lives in which is LA. Trey is hoping to hire an attorney to help straighten out the mess his life has suddenly become.

Cheyenne never believed in love at first sight but once she sets eyes on Trey she is rapidly changing her opinion. Now she just has to help him with his problem and find out the truth about his marriage. When she finds the truth she just might be able to have a life of her own without having to continue putting her life on hold for everyone else. She just might be able to have the happiness in life that she is hoping for. With a little help from her assistants, Helen and Roger they just might be able to straighten out Trey’s life. They might be able to also get Cheyenne’s sister the help she needs so that Cheyenne will finally have a life of her own and the one she has always dreamed of.

When shocking facts come to light Cheyenne finds that things are not as she believed them to be and that when you really love someone then they are worth fighting for.


This is a really heart warming story. It is a modern twist on some fairy tales that make this one fun to read. It will have you laughing and rooting for both Cheyenne and Trey. It will also have to you turning the pages to see what happens next.


I give this one 4 red roses

Megan

Megan/Carole Llewellyn/Robert Hale /HB/ £18.99 224 pages

Megan has to leave her home in Wales and her family to enter service. At first she is unhappy, mostly because of her spiteful cousin Lizzie. Megan doesn't mind the work and the servants are friendly, but she is shown unwanted attention by Harold, the younger son of Mrs Fothergill. Robert Fothergill rescues her once but Harold rapes her at the second attempt. Unwilling to cause a scandal, Megan returns to Wales after her father dies. Misfortune seems to haunt her and her family and it is only after several years that this compelling story turns full circle.

A good, believable tale that makes the reader want to continue to the end. Four red roses, Morna

Captive Angel

Wendy Stone/Captive Angel/Eternal press/ebook 188 pages

Angela Carter wakes up to total darkness and to her horror realises that she is in a satin-lined coffin. What has happened to her? She is a doctor and understands she has been drugged but why and by whom? Is she to be raped or murdered? angel, as her mother used to call her, has been captured because someone needs her help and unless she does what he wants she may die at the hands of a coarse brute. These desperate men have been torturing a man for information he refuses to give and seems close to death. Can Angel help him and what will happen to them both if she does? It is inveitable that in such close confinement they should be drawn together, experiencing mutual desire, but can they escape - and can there ever be a future for them?

This is a sensual, exciting and hard hitting story with the promise of others to follow. A must read! 4.5 red rose, Morna

Trial By Fire

Trial By fire/ Anne Ireland/Eternal Press/ebook (long)

Ally Matthews, recently widowed and suffering the tragic loss of her child, rents a cottage in the English, Cambridgeshire countryside for the Christmas season. Her brother will soon be joining her for the festivities, but whilst alone in the cottage, Ally hears whispers and laughter, leading her to speculatively question her imagination. Neighbour, Brian Forrester, who owns most of the land and knowledgeable about its history, is also on hand assisting Ally in unravelling a few unexpected mysteries, events and encounters.Whilst constructing the story, Ally’s new novel takes on a life of its own where the past and present are uncannily intermingling in mysteries of the paranormal, witnessing her dreams unfolding in the novel.

Drenched in emotions, intrigue, rivalry, jealousy, bitter revenge, death and more, Trial By Fire will fail to disappoint and certainly leave readers with much to ponder on.Reviewed by Delores four red roses

Christmas Awards Winners

I am happy to announce that the winner of the main award this year is Pamela Kavanagh for The Touchstone. Publisher Robert Hale Ltd. Congratulations to Pamela! It was a close run thing but in the end The Touchstone was a clear winner.

Pamela will be receiving a small gift from Red Roses For Authors to mark her popular win. So many people told me what a lovely book it was and I am delighted by the response to the voting this year.

The winner for the short award is the ever popular Sloane Taylor for her book French Twist. Publisher Eternal Press. Congratulations to Sloane for producing consistently good books. Sloane will also receive a small gift to mark her win.

I shall be informing the publishers of these wins and I shall need an address to send the gifts to the winners.

Also, one voter will be asked to choose an ebook of their choice as a thank you for sending in the votes.

Reviews will resume in the next few days. Happy Christmas to all our authors. Every author reviewed here is a winner in our eyes!