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She Saw What He Did, by Lynda Renham

Jared and Abby Miller are having a holiday to try to rebuild their relationship after his affair. They go geocaching on a small island and inadvertently become embroiled in a plot to kill the prime minister. A murder is committed on the beach and Abby witnesses it; now the killer is after her!
But the police don’t believe the couple as no body is discovered for several days. Can the police get on the killer’s trail before he reaches the Millers?
The killer is a man called Sparrow but who is he really? About two thirds of the way through the book, I thought I’d guessed his identity but I was proved wrong in the next chapters.
The pace of the book is great and I loved seeing things from the killer’s perspective, especially as he becomes increasingly frantic. The Millers are a fascinating couple to read about due to their marital issues and how they respond to the events that take place.
The ending is spectacular and absolutely gripping; I honestly had no idea how the resolution to the plot would play out.
Family politics, national politics, love, drama, police procedure, murder. This book has it all!

Blurb:
Abby Miller thought she had the perfect family; a good looking, loving husband and a beautiful daughter. Her life was complete. The shock discovery that her husband, Jared had been having an affair rocked her world. So when Jared suggested a short break to the Cannard Islands, to heal their fractured marriage, Abby agreed. An idyllic holiday turns into a nightmare when Abby witnesses something terrible. Suddenly her life and the life of her daughter are in serious danger and no one seems able to help them.
Author bio
Lynda Renham is author to many popular romantic comedy and gripping psychological thriller novels. She lives in Oxford, UK. She has appeared on BBC radio discussion programs and is a prolific blogger, Twitter and when not writing can usually be found wasting her time on Facebook. Lynda lives in Oxfordshire with her second husband and two cats. Her web page: www.renham.co.uk and Twitter: @lyndarenham

Social media links: www.renham.co.uk Twitter: @lyndarenham
Buy links: US: www.amazon.com/dp/B07MJM61Q6 UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07MJM61Q6
Kindle price: 99p / 99c

Extract:

Sparrow

He looked down at his phone and smiled. A withheld number meant only one thing.

‘Yeah,’ he said roughly.

‘Sparrow?’ questioned the gravelly voice at the other end of the line.

‘Yeah it’s me.’

‘I’ve got a job for you. It’s a bit different from the usual. These are new clients. It’s a big one. Do you think you can handle it?’

Sparrow’s jaw twitched.

‘Sure. Don’t I always?’

‘This is different. You can’t make any mistakes,’ snapped the voice.

Sparrow bristled.

‘When have I ever made a mistake?’

‘Just as long as you understand. I don’t want any problems. There’s fifty thousand in this for you, but these people aren’t amateurs and they don’t take prisoners. This is a big contract. I don’t want it fucked up.’

Sparrow’s eyes gleamed. He’d misheard, surely.

‘How much?’ he questioned. It had always been a few thousand and he’d been more than happy with that.

‘Fifty thousand,’ repeated the voice.

Sparrow whistled. His insides quivered with excitement. That was a hell of a lot of money.

‘No mistakes. You do a good job, you’ll be well rewarded. You mess it up and you’re fucked. Well and truly.’

‘What do I have to do?’ Sparrow asked breathlessly.

‘The same as usual, get the package in safely, except this time you have to caretake for a while longer. This is highly sensitive. We want the heat off before any collection. There’ll be others wanting this cargo and …’

‘What is it?’ he interrupted, pulling a stale sausage roll from a brown paper bag and biting into it. There were a few seconds of silence.

‘Fifty thousand means you don’t ask questions,’ said the voice. ‘The less you know the better.’

Sparrow wrinkled his nose. He wasn’t so sure he agreed with that, but, fifty thousand …

‘Suits me,’ he said, throwing the remainder of the sausage roll into the sea.

‘There won’t be a collection straight after the drop. It’s up to you to keep the cargo safe for a while. A few days, that’s all. ‘

‘Sure,’ he said casually, although he would have been happier knowing just what he’d be caretaker of. Perhaps it was heroin this time. It was drugs, no doubt about that. It must be a big shipment. Still, what did he care?

‘We have to deliver. I’m making myself clear, aren’t I?’

‘How dangerous is this?’ he asked, combing his fingers through his brown curly hair.

‘Fifty thousand dangerous. Take it or leave it. I can find someone else.’

Sparrow doubted there was anyone else on the island that would be able to get the goods in as well as he did.

‘I’ve just got to keep it safe, right?’

‘That’s it. As soon as things are clear it will be collected.’

‘That’s all I’ve got to do?’ asked Sparrow, suspiciously. It seemed too good to be true.

‘You don’t have to take the job. There are others who …’

‘No, I’ll take it,’ interrupted Sparrow.

‘Think of this cargo as your baby,’ laughed the voice.

Sparrow didn’t laugh with him. The sound of the waves breaking on the rocks roared in his ears. The thought of fifty grand had heightened his senses. He’d be set up for life. He could move to South America, maybe even get his own bar. He could buy one of those open- top convertibles. He’s always fancied himself in one of those.

‘So, you’re in?’ asked the voice.

‘I’m in,’ said Sparrow.

‘I’ll be in touch,’ said the voice. There was a crackle and then the line went dead.


The Second Wife by Sheryl Browne

Rebecca’s best friend Nicole tragically dies but she is not convinced that it was as straightforward as an accident or suicide. Was her seemingly perfect husband Richard to blame in some way?
Rebecca fights her emotions to become Richard’s lover and the line between her investigation into Nicole’s death and her own love life become blurred. Richard has a daughter Olivia but is she quite what she seems?
We, as readers, get to see various different viewpoints through the bok including Nicole through flashbacks to the past. We make discoveries along with Nicole and Rebecca as they find that their ideal man is actually not  so perfect. The parallels between the past and the present are a really clever device for allowing the plot to unfurl.
There is a big plot twist just over two thirds of the way through the book and although I had anticipated it, it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book, instead making me feel a bond with the author.
I absolutely loved this book for the most part but I did not like the ending and found it a bit of a letdown compared with how brilliant the rest of the book was. I felt that the actions of Rebecca in the final chapters did not quite follow what we had learned of her character throughout the rest of the book.
The characters in the book are captivating as we get to see inside their heads and understand their experiences. The plot is quite fast paced and it is definitely a page turner.
This is the second of Sheryl’s books I have read and I look forward to her next one!

 

The Second Wife: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller that will have you hooked

Buy Links: 
Amazon: http://geni.us/B07KD6YS3RSocial
iBookstore: http://ow.ly/fr8r30ntsU3
Kobo: http://ow.ly/Jjxw30ntsSx
Googleplay: http://ow.ly/apNW30ntsRX
She made her bed. You’ll lie in it.
Rebecca only wanted to help out – to be kind.
Richard seemed so alone after his wife, Nicole, died, and Rebecca wanted to make sure he knew he had someone to rely on.
But now she’s in Nicole’s immaculate house. Drinking from her favourite crystal wine glass. Keeping shoes in her orderly closet. Comforting her sweet and grieving step-daughter. It feels like Rebecca is living another woman’s life.
And as she gets to know the neighbours, Rebecca hears stories that make her wonder: was free-spirited Nicole happy in this perfect life, or did she feel trapped? Did she feel, as Rebecca is beginning to, that something wasn’t quite right?
The book everyone’s talking about! If you loved The Girl on the TrainThe Wife Between Us and The Girl Before, you’ll be totally gripped and unable to put down this twisty page-turning psychological thriller.
About the author

 

Bestselling Author, Sheryl Browne, brings you powerful psychological thriller and contemporary fiction.  A member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and previously writing for award winning Choc Lit, Sheryl has several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where she completed her MA in Creative Writing.
So why does Sheryl write in two genres? Quoting E. L. Doctorow, Sheryl says: “Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights…” This she thinks sums up a writer’s journey, you never quite know where you are going until you get there. You might start with an outline, but a strong character will always divert from the plot. If Sheryl’s not sure where a character is going, she simply has to trust him to show her the way. Plus, according to one reviewer, she also has a scary insight into the mind of a psychopath.
To find out more about Sheryl’s novels, go to www.facebook.com/SherylBrowne.Author/ or follow @SherylBrowne on Twitter.
To find out more about Sheryl, go to www.sherylbrowne.com


Diary of a vegan day 21-25

Veganism really does seem to be coming naturally to me now! I’ve been trying out new bakes so have more snacking opportunities, yay!
I got my curry fix on day 21 with bombay potato. So many supermarkets have vegan side dishes available but the cooking of the potato can be a bit hit and miss but this one was deliciious!
Dinner was garlic mushrooms in melted vegan cream cheese sauce on toast and Ilumi rice noodles.

I felt completely stuffed but had experimented with my jam sponge recipe, using a flax egg and serving with vegan squirty cream. Matthew descibed the jam sponge as the best cake ever, woohoo! Go flax eggs!

Day 22’s lunch was a packed lunch for my school trip with Anya to Windsor Castle. Finding bread that is wheat free and vegan has been quite a challenge but there is one in Tesco. Dinner was the amazing fake chicken nuggets from M&S with pasta and ratatouille, perfect comfort food when it is snowing outside!

The vegan ham and cheese needed using up so I finished it along with some Naked Rice.
Tea was a tofu stir fry. Chris had bought some marinaded tofu from Lidl and it was so delicious that it didn’t require any extra sauce.

 

A new pot noodle meal from Itsu and this tasted sooooo good.
Dinner was a pasta bake with chopped up vegan chorizo sausage. The vegan mozzarella melted nicely and complemented the spicy sausage flavour.

Still trying to make my favourite meals and experiment with different cheeses so this time it was the turn of nachos. Not too bad… Leftover chorizo with chilli beans and rice.

So this 5 days was about continuing my mission to find cheese alternatives, revisiting favourite bakes and exploring the range of vegan products available in supermarkets. Success!


Unraveling the Truth About Love by Addison Cole

The problem with Addison’s books is that every time I read one it becomes my new favourite!
I really loved this latest installment in the Braden brothers series.
Josh is a successful fashion designer in New York. In the last book, he was re-introduced to childhood crush Riley, who also love clothes design. He invites her to NY based on her excellent portfolio but it isn’t long before they go beyond a professional relationship.
Riley has always loved Josh from afar, thinking he was out of her league. Their relationship quickly becomes passionate but she is concerned that her colleagues will think she slept her way into the job so they decide to keep their relationship a secret.
Things are going well until halfway through the book when a colleague accuses her of stealing designs. Can Josh trust his heart and the woman he loves depsite the evidence against her…?
The main couple in this book are both strong characters who appeal to the reader. The dilemma they face feels very realistic and the emotional tensions make for a great read!


NEW RELEASE…

Discover the magic of the Bradens, and fall in love with Addison Cole’s rich and romantic storytelling.

In Unraveling the Truth About Love…
Small-town overachiever Riley Banks has finally scored her big break–working in Manhattan as a fashion design assistant for her childhood crush, Josh Braden. She enters her new job hoping to make a name for herself and–just maybe–explore the romance that slipped through her fingers way back when.

Josh Braden has models at his beck and call, a staff that never says never, and an elegant clothing line for the holiday season. When he hires Riley Banks, he expects her to learn the business from the ground up. But the girl next door turns out to be much more than he remembered.

When Josh and Riley’s friendship heats up, every steamy kiss, and every passionate caress stirs a love they cannot deny. But when Riley designs a wedding gown that would cause even the most jaded fashion editors to swoon, Riley’s mentor accuses her of stealing the design.

Facing indisputable proof and the mistrust of her lover, Riley is not sure she can take the heat of life in the fast lane of the fashion industry–and Josh is forced to choose between the woman he loves and the career he adores.

Unraveling the Truth About Love is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you’d expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you’re looking for a more explicit romance, pick up the steamy edition, Friendship on Fire, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa’s sweet-romance pen name.

Available to buy from……

Amazon.com Barnes and Noble Kobo iBooks GPlay Paperback

 

 

Addison Cole’s stories are the perfect blend of sizzle and sweet. You won’t be able to stop reading.” – New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne

Romance, fun, emotions, and happily ever afters that will warm your heart, Addison Cole writes charming and unforgettable stories about real people and love in its most wonderfully moving forms.” – New York Times bestselling author Violet Duke

Addison Cole has created characters you’ll fall in love with and a seaside world you’ll never want to leave.” – USA Today bestselling author Chris Keniston



Also Available in Sweet Heat Series

Each book may be read as a stand-alone novel, or as part of the series.

A Love So Sweet (Sweet with Heat: Weston Bradens, Book 1) by [Cole, Addison]A Love So Sweet (Sweet with Heat: Weston Bradens, Book 1)

Treat Braden wasn’t looking for love when Max Armstrong walked into his Nassau resort, but he saw right through the efficient and capable facade she wore like a shield to the sweet, sensual woman beneath. One magnificent evening together sparked an intense connection, and for the first time in his life Treat wanted more than a casual affair. But something caused Max to turn away, and now, after weeks of unanswered phone calls and longing for the one woman he cannot have, Treat is going back to his family’s ranch to try to finally move on.

A chance encounter brings Treat and Max together again, and it turns into a night of intense passion and honesty. When Max reveals her secret, painful past, Treat vows to do everything within his power to win Max’s heart forever—including helping her finally face her demons head-on.

Available to buy from……

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble Kobo iBooks GPlay Paperback

 

Our Sweet Destiny (Sweet with Heat: Weston Bradens, Book 2)


After ditching a troubled relationship—and her veterinary practice in the process—Jade Johnson returns to the safety of her small hometown and finally finds her footing. That is…until her horse is injured and the son of the man her father has been feuding with for more than forty years comes to her rescue. She’s spent forever trying to deny her attraction to headstrong, too-handsome-for-his-own-good cowboy Rex Braden. The last thing she needs is that particular man complicating her life.

Fiercely loyal Rex Braden has never put anyone or anything before his family. Despite the irate family history, sparks fly between Rex and Jade, unleashing fifteen years of stifled, forbidden love—and causing the rebel in each of them to rear its powerful head.

Loyalties are tested, and relationships are strained as Rex and Jade find out if true love really can conquer all.

Our Sweet Destiny is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you’d expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you’re looking for a more explicit romance, pick up the steamy edition, Destined for Love, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa’s sweet-romance pen name.

Available to buy from……
Amazon.com Barnes and Noble Kobo iBooks GPlay Paperback


The Art of Loving Lacy (Sweet with Heat: Weston Bradens, Book 4)

Lacy Snow wasn’t looking for love when she met strikingly handsome and seductive Dane Braden. But how could she ignore the six-foot-three darkly handsome god who tagged and researched sharks for a living—and made every nerve in her body tangle into an overly sensitive knot? Even her fear of sharks could not suppress their intense attraction.

As founder of the Brave Foundation, Dane Braden travels from port to port, educating and advocating on behalf of the mammals he adores—and spends his nights finding solace in the arms of strangers. The last thing Dane was looking for when he met Lacy Snow was a relationship, and the last thing he expected was to fall in love.

More than a year—and hundreds of flirty texts, steamy phone calls, and sensual video chats—later, they reunite and take passion to a whole new level. But as Lacy’s phobia meets Dane’s past love life, their steamy romance is upended, and when tragedy strikes, Dane and Lacy are forced to face their deepest fears head-on as they try to navigate their own sea of love.

The Art of Loving Lacy is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you’d expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you’re looking for a more explicit romance, pick up the steamy edition, Sea of Love, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa’s sweet-romance pen name.

Available to pre-order from……
Amazon.com Barnes and Noble Kobo iBooks GPlay Paperback



About the author

SIGN UP for ADDISON’S Sweet with Heat newsletter. Fun, flirty romance with a dash of heat. www.AddisonCole.com/Newsletter

DOWNLOAD the first book in Addison’s Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers series free: READ, WRITE, LOVE AT SEASIDE

Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.

Addison is proud to be part of the Main Street Romance family, a partnership with bestselling authors Nancy Naigle, RaeAnne Thayne, and Chris Keniston, bringing sweet happy-ever-after love stories to the Main Street Romance community. Join them at www.MainStreetRomance.com ~ open 24/7 just for you.

Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Addison’s books are available in paperback, digital, and audio formats.

Find Addison on the following sites….

Website Newsletter Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest Goodreads Bookbub Amazon Author Page

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Diary of a vegan day 16-20

Time for an attempt at baking a cake! I tried out a chocolate orange cake using oil instead of egg and margarine/butter. The consistency was quite dense and it was quite like a madeira cake.

 

The flavour was good but there was a slightly unusual aftertaste. I happily ate it though and was pleased with my first ever vegan cake!

Meals on day 16 were garlic baguette (I love it when my regular foods are vegan!) and then stonkingly good vegan nuggets from M&S. These were sooooo good and I haven’t had anything resembling chicken nuggets in over 20 years so was stunned at how good they were plus they had a wheat free crumb: FABULOUS!!! Again the onion rings and beans are regulars in my diet, yay!

 

 

Tried out this ready meal from Co Op. I won’t be getting it again: the butternut squash was quite tough and it can’t be frozen so can’t be kept for long 🙁

A different type of vegan sausage from Sainsburys (their range really is good)

My first ever try of jackfruit which is a VERY big thing in the vegan world. Again, I’m not sure I will try this again as it can’t be frozen so isn’t too convenient. The taste was ok but sometime there was an overwhelming flavour of aniseed which I personally don’t enjoy.

Dinner was leftover sausages converted into a sausage stew. The kids had their sausages in a stew as well, confimring that I may be able to tempt them to become at least vegetarian if not vegan.


Saturday was a special treat and we ate out at Harvester. I had the vegan peri peri tofu skewers which were absolutely lovely. I think the portion was a little stingy as 3 skewers would have been nice. I am not a fan of peas but the accompaniment was ok. The chips were an add on and definitely required to fill me up (so only a small tea of oat cakes was needed). The salad bar was not clearly labelled with descriptions or allergens to it was difficult to make informed choices 🙁

 

I bought some more vegan toiletries at Superdrug as these were both new ranges that I’d not spotted last time. The scent of the oat and coconut lotion is simply heavenly!

Chris got experimental and used the puff pastry I’d bought. We spread some tomato puree on the pastry and then added vegan ham and mozzarella/cheddar. I used the leftover pastry to make some parmesan pinwheels but these were not overly pleasant when eaten cold.

In the afternoon we settled down to watch a film; yay popcorn is vegan!

Dinner was pizza using vegan ham as one of the toppings. I am a really big fan of the mozzarella!