BOOK REVIEW: This is one of the better romances of this kind I have read. It’s a letdown when the hero is a shallow playboy type and the heroine allows her attraction to him to overpower her better judgement. The mix here has the heroine not being overpowered at all. Maggie is a terrific character – her strength not wavering until the final scene, and even then we have to wonder who it was that lost control and succumbed to the attraction – or indeed whether they both did. There is a depth of honesty and realism in these characters that handles the tryst between the powerful bad boy and intrepid good girl way better than some bestselling books of late…. This is a fast read but not a quick fix story. It’s sexy and highly entertaining.
BOOK REVIEW: Julia’s life is not extraordinary, but it is fascinating. She steps off a plane, returning from an unplanned trip away, and is faced with a whole bunch of problems that have sprung up in her absence. It’s a scene easily related to – everything falling apart at the same time. Everyone who has lived a bit of a life has experienced this… What are the decisions and incidents that shaped your life and brought you to that point? Well, in this story, Julia is a flawed character. Reading through the chapters of her life, there were times I didn’t particularly like her. But she is human – brilliantly depicted as such. And I found myself cheering for her in the end. The real heroine in this story, to me, is her best friend. Raz is mysterious… strong. We don’t spend much time inside her head, but that adds to the story, lending a depth of dimension that exist in all of our lives… This is a captivating read. Authentic.
BOOK REVIEW: Actually, I’ve been to the beach house, metaphorically. Any place with important personal history is the beach house. It’s horrible when you drive past somewhere you remember fondly from some life event years ago and find it’s been re-developed. It’s gone… This is a wonderfully uplifting read. The many stories, brilliantly intertwined, are so real and inspiring… If you’re an Aussie you will probably like this book. If you’re not an Aussie you will probably like this book.
BOOK REVIEW: True to life characters and an outback Aussie road trip… this is a touching and shocking human drama, the telling of which begins in turmoil and takes us on two journeys. One is the road trip – onward into discovery and hurt. The other is a series of flashbacks that lead us to our starting point and an expertly crafted reveal. Wonderfully written – mesmerizing… this is a terrific novel.
I like the Braxians. From the opening scenes of this story it’s easy to imagine them. An alien race enslaved by humans. It’s easy to get on board with their plight and cheer for them. The conflict here is the kind that immediately pulls you into the fictional universe depicted. What transpires from there is a pretty good thriller and an excellent romance. We are given plenty to satisfy the appetite in this fast paced, action packed episode, and where we end up feels like it’s just the beginning. Classic sci-fi romance with a good serve of intrigue.
Nothing much happens in the small Australian town of Sunset Point, which is just the way the locals like it. So when an outsider with grand plans threatens to demolish an iconic local landmark to build a huge resort the battle lines are drawn. Young journalist Jessica hopes to make it big with her coverage of the court case, but first she must appease her editor and put a human interest spin on the situation.
At first glance the five people she chooses to background have little in common – but it soon becomes clear that staying at The Beach House has changed all of them in some way.
In telling the stories of Kate, Simone, Tom, Clare and Jack, Jessica too learns some important life lessons.
Actually, I’ve been to the beach house, metaphorically. Any place with important personal history is the beach house. It’s horrible when you drive past somewhere you remember fondly from some life event years ago and find it’s been re-developed. It’s gone… This is a wonderfully uplifting read. The many stories, brilliantly intertwined, are so real and inspiring… If you’re an Aussie you will probably like this book. If you’re not an Aussie you will probably like this book.
Historical Fiction: In the 17th Century Lord Cromwell arrived in Ireland with one mission, to address the Irish Problem. This story follows children stolen from their families and sold into slavery into the Caribbean and their journey back to their homes.
The setting for this powerful adventure is 17th century on the high seas. Pirates and warring nations. Life and death. The idea of children being stolen and sold into slavery halfway around the world is shocking, and it is aptly portrayed here. The story is confronting in its brutality, in the pain of families torn apart, of innocent people murdered. Beneath an expertly detailed depiction of these atrocities is a sweeping tale of guts, courage and the triumph of human spirit. Set aside a full weekend to be transported to another time by this book.
Janine Waldron arrives home unexpectedly to find a scene so shocking that it causes her to lose all reason. She embarks on a road trip across Australia, from Brisbane to Broome, indulging in uncharacteristic behaviour that becomes more degrading and dangerous the further she travels.
As a strange contradiction, people she has never met begin to tell her about defining events in their lives. Realizing the important messages these stories contain, Janine records each one in writing, intending to publish them in a single volume.
This project is her only hope of staying grounded in reality. Is this enough to save this sensitive and creative woman?
True to life characters and an outback Aussie road trip… this is a touching and shocking human drama, the telling of which begins in turmoil and takes us on two journeys. One is the road trip – onward into discovery and hurt. The other is a series of flashbacks that lead us to our starting point and an expertly crafted reveal. Wonderfully written – mesmerizing… this is a terrific novel.
Jen is the clumsy, bug phobic, music loving owner of Sweet Dreams Café in the small town of Maple Grove. She spends most of her time working, occasionally dating, and is generally content and happy.
When Jen unexpectedly finds herself in an elevator with Jacob Walker, A-list actor and sexiest man alive, she catches her breath, smiles politely, wishes him a good day, and amazingly keeps the encounter with the megastar to herself.
Showing up a month later at Sweet Dreams, Jake orders a coffee and blueberry muffin to-go from Jen herself, leaving her dumbfounded and feeling like an infatuated fangirl.
The two form an unlikely friendship over coffee and conversation while he films on location.
Knowing Jake won’t be in town forever, Jen keeps her attraction and her feelings for Jake to herself. She knows once he finishes filming he will leave, and life will go on as usual.
Or will it?
Under different circumstances could the friendship between Jen and Jake blossom into something more or is it all just Sweet Dreams?
BOOK REVIEW: This is a brilliant slow burn to a heart, mind and body shattering climax. Meeting a famous actor – a super hot one of the opposite sex – would be a dream come true, right? But how would you really respond? I think this little story nails reality. Our heroine knows from the outset exactly where her place is – where an ordinary person fits in the world of a movie star. The way her feelings overwhelm her logic is crafted to perfection. What a ride! This is obviously a story for the ladies but it wouldn’t be hard to reverse the roles and imagine being an ordinary guy with a real chance of snagging a screen beauty. The brilliance in this story is in the hunt and the chase. And it isn’t either of our protagonists doing the hunting or chasing. No, they’re both hopeless cases… This is about how love doesn’t let up until Jen, Jake and us readers are at its mercy. Then it really gets going! Awesome read.
Just as retired G-man John Hixon recovers from wounds incurred from a security detail in which he saved the life of billionaire investor Julian F. Thibaut, Thibaut calls him again. This time, his talents, intuition, and experience are put to the test as he attempts to protect seven of Thibaut’s friends while investigating a murder. In this, his second novel, FCEtier brings eight new characters into play along with several from his previous novel, The Tourist Killer.
Hixon and company, along with his loyal K-9 corps, must defend their home turf as they seek the truth behind international conspiracies and encounter the seat of ultimate power — the puppeteers who control the world’s finances. Hixon and company discover that those same powerful forces who control the world’s money also control the destinies of those who oppose them. FCEtier takes readers on a breathless and perilous trek through the jungles of politics and the palaces of power.
Standouts in this novel are the realistic characters and their dialogue, and an intelligent plot. The club of old men at the centre of things seem ordinary and innocuous. You are fascinated by their interactions and their minds, but you wonder where it’s all leading. You are actually pulled quite unsuspectingly into the intrigue – or perhaps it’s a case of the characters being so interesting and well written that you are distracted from the plot and freshly surprised by the way it steadily builds and escalates into a powerful political thriller. Yes, the strength of both the plot and the characters are quite impressive. I’d highly recommend this novel to readers who like an intellectual challenge to go with their serving of wit, humour and suspense.
Just past actuality and third universe on the left…
Emily Branwell wakes up one morning with a hangover and finds her horoscope is astoundingly accurate, sausages keep appearing out of nowhere all around her, and she can walk through walls. That is confusing enough, but when a huge, threatening shadow appears in the sky, Emily must solve the riddle of her rapidly disintegrating world before reality itself collapses.
In her quest for answers, Emily seeks the help of both psychics and scientists, but finds that ultimately the truth lies far beyond the world anyone knows.
Maybe next time she’ll count her drinks.
Plato’s Cave takes a humorous look at humanity’s search for truth and the meaning of existence through the eyes of someone who wishes the universe would just stop bothering her.
BOOK REVIEW: This is an excellent, highly imaginative story you can just read and enjoy. You could also read it again and again and delve deeper into Plato, I suspect. I liked the witty, irreverent style of storytelling the author used, even apologetic about getting too philosophical or scientific in places. It kept things light and enjoyable and kept the story powering along. Terrific characters, especially the heroine. The sausages… classic!!
Little Doll is a dark, gritty story not for the faint hearted. It’s not all bad. Redemption, forgiveness and trust are central themes that are weaved amongst the character’s interactions. If you are easily offended by most things violent, this tale of survival may not be for you.
Laila had already overcome many heartbreaking obstacles in her twenty-five years… but none compared to this. With her brother missing and no other family to speak of, Laila has no idea of the evil that shadows her every move. Now in the hands of a notorious cartel family, she quickly learns that trust and betrayal are a deadly mix.
Aiden had a plan. One that was operating smoothly until Laila surfaced in his father’s mansion. With time against him, he must work night and day to right the wrongs that threaten to expose his ultimate betrayal.
Juan and Aiden share many differences, but the one thing that threatens to tear their family apart is the one thing they want to claim as their own, no matter what the costs.
This series continues with Part Two: Crimson Desert (Bittersweet Duet)
This book contains themes and situations some may find confronting.
The beautiful young heroine in this powerhouse of a book is dragged through shocking acts of violence, through deprivation, imprisonment, lust, domination, desperation, need, passion, betrayal… She is wonderfully drawn – authentic and endearing in her blend of fight and vulnerability. You’re going to want to personally get your hands on her captors. They are excruciating to read. Our hero is a bit of a mystery so far. The way the heroine is driven to (mistakenly?) hate and despise him is brilliant storytelling. Just how much she is now indebted to him is tantalising…. I’m so glad the next volume is already available. This story is too good to stop reading at this point. A cover to cover edge-of-your-seat thriller.
G.S. Bailey 
