Category: Contemporary Literature

The Louisiana Republic by Maxim Jakubowski @CaffeineNights #RandomThingsTours

On By Jen LucasIn Authors: G-J, Blog Tour, Contemporary Literature, Fiction, J, T5 Comments

Today I am delighted to be joining the blog tour for Maxim Jakubowski’s The Louisiana Republic. Definitely a departure for me and my little blog but I have a guest post from the author which I know you’ll all find fascinating. My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to join in the blog tour. Let’s see what the book is all about.

Louisiana Republic CoverAbout the Book

New York, and the world, have been transformed by an unexplained global catastrophe now known as ‘the Dark.

Once a modest researcher, has now become an involuntary detective. He is recruited by her elder sister to find the missing daughter of a local gangster in a city in chaos where anarchy and violence are just a step away. He soon discovers the case is anything but straightforward and compellingly close to home.

Compromising photographs and the ambiguous assistance of a young woman with ties to the criminal gangs lead him to New Orleans, which has seceded from the rest of America in the wake of the Dark. A perilous journey down the Mississippi river, murderous hit women and sidekicks, and the magic and dangerous glamour of the French Quarter become a perilous road to nowhere and to madness in his quest for the amoral daughter, his own lost love and his sanity. Will he find the missing women or lose himself?

Continue reading “The Louisiana Republic by Maxim Jakubowski @CaffeineNights #RandomThingsTours” →

The Kindness of Strangers by Julie Newman @julesmnewman @urbanebooks @LoveBooksGroup

On By Jen LucasIn Authors: N-Q, Blog Tour, Contemporary Literature, N, T1 Comment

I’m delighted to join the blog tour for The Kindness of Strangers, the new book from Julie Newman. I have an extract to share with you all in a moment, but first let’s have a look at what the book is all about.

TKOSAbout the Book

Deception abounds in Julie Newman’s breath-taking new novel.

Widow Helen is desperate for a perfect family life, and will do everything she can to get what she wants.

A veteran of the Afghanistan conflict Martin is adrift and seemingly without hope – can he ever win back his estranged family?

Pregnant teenager Charley is striking out on her own to create a new life for her unborn child, but her mother Lizzie has other ideas.

When three seemingly disparate lives connect, the past and the present collide to reveal secrets, lies and how far people are willing to go to hide the truth.

Following the gripping and controversial Beware the Cuckoo, Julie Newman’s thrilling new novel lifts the lid on the dark past that haunts a seemingly happy household.

Continue reading “The Kindness of Strangers by Julie Newman @julesmnewman @urbanebooks @LoveBooksGroup” →

#BlogTour: A Grand Old Time by Judy Leigh @JudyLeighWriter @AvonBooksUK

On By Jen LucasIn A, Authors: K-M, Blog Tour, Contemporary Literature, Humour, L4 Comments

I’m delighted to be joining the blog tour for A Grand Old Time, the new novel from author Judy Leigh. With thanks to Sabah Khan of Avon Books for inviting me to join the tour. I’ll be sharing a guest post from Judy in just a moment, once we’ve seen what the book is all about.

AGOTAbout the Book

A funny and heartwarming debut for fans of Celia Imrie and Dawn French.

Evie Gallagher is regretting her hasty move into a care home. She may be seventy-five and recently widowed, but she’s absolutely not dead yet. And so, one morning, Evie walks out of Sheldon Lodge and sets off on a Great Adventure across Europe.

But not everyone thinks Great Adventures are appropriate for women of Evie’s age, least of all her son Brendan and his wife Maura, who follow a trail of puzzling text messages to bring her home.

When they finally catch up with her, there are shocks in store . . . because while Brendan may have given up on life and love, Evie certainly has not.

‘Lovely . . . a book that assures that life is far from over at seventy’ Cathy Hopkins, bestselling author of The Kicking the Bucket List

’Brimming with warmth, humour and a love of life… a wonderful escapade’ Fiona Gibson, bestselling author of The Woman Who Upped and Left

Continue reading “#BlogTour: A Grand Old Time by Judy Leigh @JudyLeighWriter @AvonBooksUK” →

#BlogTour: Manipulated Lives by HA Leuschel @HALeuschel @RaRaResources

On By Jen LucasIn Authors: K-M, Contemporary Literature, L, M3 Comments

Today I am delighted to welcome author H.A. Leuschel to Jen Med’s Book Reviews to share a guest post and extract as part of the blog tour for her book, Manipulated Lives. Before I hand over to Helene, here is what the book is all about.

MLAbout the Book

Five stories – Five Lives

Have you ever felt confused or at a loss for words in front of a spouse, colleague or parent, to the extent that you have felt inadequate or, worse, a failure? Do you ever wonder why someone close to you seems to endure humiliation without resistance?

Manipulators are everywhere. At first these devious and calculating people can be hard to spot, because that is their way. They are often masters of disguise: witty, disarming, even charming in public – tricks to snare their prey – but then they revert to their true self of being controlling and angry in private. Their main aim: to dominate and use others to satisfy their needs, with a complete lack of compassion and empathy for their victim. 

In this collection of short novellas, you meet people like you and me, intent on living happy lives, yet each of them, in one way or another, is caught up and damaged by a manipulative individual. First you meet Tess, whose past is haunted by a wrong decision, then young, successful and well-balanced Sophie, who is drawn into the life of a little boy and his troubled father. Next, there is teenage Holly, who is intent on making a better life for herself, followed by a manipulator himself, trying to make sense of his irreversible incarceration. Lastly, there is Lisa, who has to face a parent’s biggest regret. All stories highlight to what extent abusive manipulation can distort lives and threaten our very feeling of self-worth.

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#BlogTour: The Undercover Mother by Emma Robinson @emmarobinsonUK @Bookouture

On By Jen LucasIn Authors: R-U, Blog Tour, Contemporary Literature, R, Romance & Chick Lit, T5 Comments

Today it’s my great pleasure to be joining the blog tour for The Undercover Mother by Emma Robinson. Somewhat of a departure for me as a) I don’t kids and b) I don’t like kids. I do however like great books so was thrilled when Kim Nash of Bookouture invited me to take part in the tour. I’ll let you know my thoughts on the book in just a moment, as soon as we’ve seen what it’s all about.

TUMAbout the Book

Jenny has too much on her plate: literally – she’s only expecting one child but she’s eating for at least three. Not to mention trying to juggle her nightmare boss, a know-it-all sister, and an infuriatingly laid-back husband. 

She used to be known for her ‘Single Girl About Town’ column. But when her boss gives her job to a younger colleague, Jenny panics and proposes she blogs instead about being a clueless new mum. Surely people will find her new friendship group fascinating? (Even if the only thing they seem to have in common is that they all had sex around the same time 9 months ago…)

And if her readers aren’t quite hooked yet, maybe Jenny will just have to be more liberal with the truth. After all, none of the other mums will read it… will they?

The Undercover Mother is a hilarious parenting page-turner that will make you laugh, cry and want to crack open the gin. Perfect for fans of Why Mummy Drinks and The Bad Mother’s Diary.

Continue reading “#BlogTour: The Undercover Mother by Emma Robinson @emmarobinsonUK @Bookouture” →