Logan runs the Ticklemore Tavern. Violet is a purple haired gin distiller. She sees an opportunity to sell her gin in his pub but the spark between them in unmistakable. However, Logan’s mother Marie is set against the pair getting together, pitting the two women against each other and Logan stuck in the middle…
The Ticklemore Tavern is a warm and light hearted romance novel. It is the fourth book in the Tickelmore series by Liz Davies but the first book that I have read.
Violet and Logan are both really likeable characters and I wanted them to get together as a couple. Both are hard working and have put the needs of others ahead of themselves. They are well liked by other characters in the book.
My feelings towards his mum Marie were much more mixed and complex. As a mum myself, I can imagine that I will be a nightmare for any dates my children have. Their happiness is the most important thing but mistakes along the way are inevitable. We cannot protect them from everything and learnng to let go is really hard!
I found myself torn as I felt angry that Marie’s headaches are used as a weapon to control and manipulate her son. But then in the next instant I gave her the benefit of the doubt and felt sympathetic as I imagined the fear and sorrow of facing the future and a possible serious illness alone.
The Ticklemore Tavern is a really enjoyable read and the autumnal setting has got me ready for the new season! Off to find some flavoured gin…!
The Ticklemore Tavern
Violet makes her own gin.
Logan Cassidy sells it in his pub, The Ticklemore Tavern.
It should have been a match made in heaven, especially since the pair of them fancy the socks off each other, and they are both young, free and single.
Except…
Logan’s mum, Marie, doesn’t think Violet is good enough for her son. No woman is, or ever will be. And when she becomes ill, Logan is torn between looking after his mum or following his heart.
However, neither Logan, nor Marie, has taken the sheer force of nature that is Violet into account. What Violet wants, Violet gets.
Usually…
But maybe not this time, eh?
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Author Bio –
Liz Davies writes feel-good, light-hearted stories with a hefty dose of romance, a smattering of humour, and a great deal of love.
She’s married to her best friend, has one grown-up daughter, and when she isn’t scribbling away in the notepad she carries with her everywhere (just in case inspiration strikes), you’ll find her searching for that perfect pair of shoes. She loves to cook but isn’t very good at it, and loves to eat – she’s much better at that! Liz also enjoys walking (preferably on the flat), cycling (also on the flat), and lots of sitting around in the garden on warm, sunny days.
She currently lives with her family in Wales, but would ideally love to buy a camper van and travel the world in it.
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Ella is recovering from an accident when her late mother’s friend decides to move in with her. Lucille is vivacious and full of life despite her advancing years. She encourages Ella to live life to the full and Ella soon finds herself ready for romance…
The Lost Secret of Ireland is a warm and uplifting book about being offered a second chance at love, set in picturesque Ireland.
Ella has had an emotional few years. Enduring multiple miscarriages that ultimately resulted in the disintegration of her marriage. Her mother’s death and now Ella has fallen from a ladder and is slowly getting her mobility back but is anxious of leaving the house. Into this mix arrives Lucille who is determined to enjoy her twilight years but this puts her at odds with her sons.
Ella makes friends with a local single dad Thomas whilst having an antagonistic dynamic with Lucille’s son Rory. It was enjoyable to see how these relationships developed and who would steal Ella’s heart.
The characters come to life and have a very human feel. I liked the contrast between Ella with Lucille and Thomas with Rory. Village life and the Irish landscape are beautifully described so readers become immersed in the plot.
The Lost Secret of Ireland is a gentle novel with lively characters and an engaging plot.
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Book: The Lost Secret of Ireland
Author: Susanne O’Leary
Pub Day: August 31st 2021
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About the Book:
An enchanting summer romance set on the gorgeous Irish coast, where fresh starts are made, love beckons and secrets are sure to unfold…
In the tiny village of Sandy Cove in Ireland, Ella Caron is trying to recover. When she moved from Paris to a beautiful coastguard cottage on the sea, she wanted peace and quiet and the space to grieve after her mother’s death. She never imagined that her mother’s eccentric best friend Lucille would insist on moving in to keep her company.
With Lucille by her side, Ella finds herself laughing more than she has in years and it soon becomes clear that Lucille has her own reasons for coming to Sandy Cove: she wants Ella to help her move to her own little cottage by the sea. But then Lucille’s son Rory comes to town and her dream is under threat: he wants her in Tipperary, where she can safely grow old in their family home. Ella admires Lucille’s sense of adventure but she can’t help but wonder if Rory is right. Especially when she sees the rickety old cottage Lucille intends to buy and realises that the real reason she wants to escape could turn Rory’s life upside down.
As Ella and Rory get closer, sharing a moment under the stars that feels meant to be, Ella finds herself caught between the man she is falling for and the loyalty she has to Lucille. Ella knows that she must convince Lucille to tell her family the truth, but it may force them to leave her and Sandy Cove for good…
A dreamy Irish romance that will warm your heart and show you that it’s never too late for a second chance. For fans of Debbie Macomber, Sheila O’Flanagan and Mary Alice Monroe.
Author Bio
Susanne O’Leary is the bestselling author of more than 20 novels, mainly in the romantic fiction genre. She has also written three crime novels and two in the historical fiction genre.
The wife of a former diplomat, she has also been a fitness teacher and a translator. She now writes full-time from either of two locations, a rambling house in County Tipperary, Ireland or a little cottage overlooking the Atlantic in Dingle, County Kerry. When she is not scaling the mountains of said counties, or doing yoga, she keeps writing, producing a book every six months.
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Belinda Penshurst finds her peaceful village life upended when she spots a familiar face. She realises the man is a former police officer and once arrested her! Then she discovers the pub landlord murdered. Can Belinda and Harry work together to solve the crime…?
Murder in the Village is the first book in a new cosy murder mystery series.
Belinda is quite gung-ho about life and rushes into each and every situation. Harry Powell is more reticent and due to his policing background doesn’t want to jeopardise the case. The two lead characters are simply wonderfully entertaining and spark off each other in a fascinating dynamic. There is a genuine warmth between them despite the teasing and sarcasm.
The plot itself revolves around dognapping and murder. There are suspects aplenty as well as several murders, suspicious behaviour and danger across the whole village. I found myself not trusting any of the peripheral characters! There is little graphic detail or forensic information and the plot focus is upon the uncovering of motives and opportunities.
The style of writing is warm and engaging. The pages are full of humour as Belinda and Harry get to know one another’s quirks. I’m really looking forward to seeing how their relationship develops as the ending hints at possible future plotlines for the pair.
Murder in the Village is a great start to a new series and I can’t wait for the next book!
Murder in the Village book description:
Meet Belinda Penshurst. Castle owner, dog lover… crime solver?
Belinda Penshurst loves her home village Little Challham, with its shady lanes, two pubs and weekly market, and she’s determined to keep it peaceful. She may live in Challham Castle but she knows almost everything that goes on under her nose. So when irritable pub landlord Tipper is found dead in his cellar, she’s perfectly placed to investigate.
Retired detective Harry Powell moved to Little Challham for a quiet life. He didn’t expect to be dragged into a murder investigation. But the police don’t seem half as enthusiastic as Belinda about the case, and there are strange things happening in the village. Particularly the number of dogs that have disappeared lately…
Is there a dognapper snaffling schnauzers and luring away Labradors? Is Belinda barking mad to be worried that her brother Marcus was arguing with Tipper on the day he died? Belinda and Harry track down the suspects: the rival landlord, the outraged barmaid, the mysterious man in the black car following dogwalkers around. But are the dogged detectives running out of time to sniff out the killer, before he starts hounding them?
A charming cozy mystery full of laughs and eccentric characters. Fans of M.C. Beaton, H.Y. Hanna and Emily Organ will love the first novel in the Belinda Penshurst series!
Author Bio:
Lisa Cutts is a full-time detective constable investigating murders for a living. When off duty she writes a fictitious version of her day job. She lives and works within the county of Kent with her husband and Labrador.
She is the author of the DC Nina Foster books, Never Forget and Remember, Remember. Never Forgot was longlisted for the Waverton Good Read Award 2013 and the winner of the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award 2014 for Best Thriller. She has also written four books in the East Rise Incident Room series, Mercy Killing, Buried Secrets, Lost Lives and Don’t Trust Him. All four centre around DI Harry Powell and his Major Crime Team battling to solve the latest murders within the county. Currently she is writing the Little Challham mysteries, cosy mysteries set in a fictional village in Kent.
She writes a monthly column, Behind the Tape, for Writing Magazine answering police procedural questions from other writers. In early 2016, she was honoured to become the Patron of Rochester Literature Festival and help establish Murderous Medway, an annual crime fiction festival packed full of amazing author panels. As well as being on BBC Radio 4’s Open Book, Lisa has twice appeared on This Morning to chat about TV crime dramas Broadchurch and Line of Duty.
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Birthday boy Rupert Iverson is found dead in the swimming pool after his lavish party. The police assume a party guest is responsible but the victim’s father insists that local politics provides an alternative motive. This seems more likely as another body is discovered on the beach…
Murder at the Manor is the fourth book to feature Sam Clayton and his police team. I have read and reviewed the third book in the series: Play Dead. Each works well as a stand alone novel as there are no spoilers about events in previous books.
DI Sam Clayton takes a step back for the majority of this book which allows his colleague Julie Everett to take centre stage. Her personal life as well as her professional side in the investigation are described and developed over the course of the book.
There is little violence or graphic forensic detail included despite the seriousness of the crime. I enjoyed the dynamics and authentic banter between the police characters which make them seem more human and relatable.
The initial focus is on the intricate romantic background to the victim and his party guests before moving onto the wider local community. The police need to be systematic and thorough to sort through relevant information which lead to twists and turns in the plot.
Murder at the Manor is an enjoyable police procedural. Although I did miss Sam’s prominence in the investigation, I enjoyed getting to know Julie in greter depth.
Murder in the Manor book blurb
DETECTIVE SAM CLAYTON IS BACK IN ANOTHER GRIPPING NORTH NORFOLK MYSTERY.
Has a village feud led to murder? Or is the killer closer to home?
Rupert Iverson is found dead in the swimming pool of his North Norfolk manor house, dressed as Louis XIV.
He was hit over the head with a blunt object and held under the water.
More than one of the twenty-four guests has motive — as do several of the local villagers, who have been feuding with Rupert’s father.
Then one of the villagers is discovered on the beach.
Will Detectives Sam Clayton and Julie Everett uncover a connection or will a third body turn up?
This page-turning crime mystery set in an atmospheric part of Norfolk is perfect for fans of Michael Hambling, Matt Brolly, J.R. Ellis, J.D. Kirk and Elly Griffiths.
ANNE PENKETH
Anne Penketh is originally from Lancashire, but her work as a foreign correspondent took her all over the world before she turned to writing fiction. Anne’s series of murder mysteries featuring DI Sam Clayton allowed her to return to Norfolk where her relatives live.
Anne is currently based in London, but she’s such an inveterate wanderer that she has no idea how long she’ll stay.
BOOKS BY ANNE PENKETH
DI SAM CLAYTON SERIES:
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MURDER ON THE MARSH
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THE BAD SISTER
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PLAY DEAD
-
MURDER AT THE MANOR
FOLLOW ANNE ON
Jack and Tegan are on separate road trips when destiny throws them together. Both are harbouring tragic secrets but unwilling to reveal their heartbreak to each other. Can they learn to trust each other and heal their hearts…?
The Girl in the PIcture is a very emotional book about love, loss and grief. Jack and Tegan give us hints of the tragedies they are hiding. They are in denial about their own emotions as well as not trusting each other.
In fact, at first they are highly antagonistic towards each other and this was a great dynamic to introduce them to us. Tegan is more of a free spirit, a writer, and in tune with nature and the beauty of the world. Meanwhile, Jack seems very uptight as he prepares to join his family firm of lawyers.
The friendship betwen the pair gradually unfolds as they learn to open up more and show their true selves. Perhaps more importantly, they also find the courage to face the truth and deal with their own grief.
It was quite obvious that Jack and Tegan would find some common ground and start to enjoy each other’s company. I really enjoyed watching the two characters develop, get to know each other and start to heal the heartache they had been enduring. The writing style brings both Jack and Tegan to life and it is impossible not to get completely caught up in their stories.
The Girl in the PIcture was an enjoyable book that will pull at your heartstrings. I have previously reviewed Her Family Secret by Melissa Wiesner.
The Girl in the PIcture book description:
As the newspaper clipping falls from the cardboard box Tegan takes in the woman in the picture: her chestnut hair, her eyes full of laughter, the way she nestles against the man beside her. And as she reads the words in the article, Tegan almost stops breathing. Was coming here a terrible mistake?
When Tegan’s family is torn apart by a terrible tragedy, she runs away in search of somewhere to keep safe from the past that haunts her, and the painful secrets she’s never told anyone. Arriving in Copper Canyon, Colorado, where wooden storefronts line the quiet streets and no-one knows her name, Tegan breathes easy for the first time in years. And when she grows close with Jack, another lost soul who won’t talk about his home, it seems she’s found the perfect companion to explore the mountain landscapes with.
But just as Tegan starts to think maybe safety isn’t a place, it’s a person, she notices the box of photos and newspaper clippings that Jack takes everywhere in the trunk of his car. Who is the woman in every frame? And why does she look so familiar…?
Tegan knows the only way to protect herself, and keep her dark family history locked away, is to discover more about the woman in Jack’s photos. But when she does, will the truth help her build a new life, or will it send her running once more?
An absolutely unforgettable and breathtaking novel about love, loss, and the secrets we’re all hiding. Perfect for fans of Kerry Fisher, Diane Chamberlain, and Kerry Lonsdale.
Author Bio:
Melissa Wiesner is a night-owl who began writing novels about five years ago when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. In 2019, she won the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Award in the Mainstream Fiction Category for her first novel. Melissa holds two Master’s Degrees in Public Health and Community Agency Counseling. Her day job is in Social Work where she often encounters people knocked down by hard times but who pick themselves up and keep going, just like the characters of her novels. Melissa lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her charming husband and two adorable children.
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