Book picks similar to
Trickster by Sam Michaels


favorites
netgalley
theme-redemption
features-domestic-violence

Snowflakes over Moondance Cottage


Rosie Green - 2019
    Now, her mum seems to be going off the rails and her sister, Isla, who moved to France, is now back and determined to get the old family home on the market. But the last thing Jess wants this Christmas is for renovations to start on the house. It's sure to stir up old memories she's desperate to forget. And to make things worse, Isla seems to have hired the most obnoxious builder in the world to do the work. Jess could ignore the fact that women seem to be putty in his hands. But what she finds harder to ignore is the frisson she gets every time she squeezes past him in the mess that is now their beloved family home! Soon, the house begins to give up its secrets, some of them shocking. Can the family finally start talking and find a way to move on from the past this Christmas? Rosie Green is the author of the much-loved, best-selling novellas in the LITTLE DUCK POND CAFE series. This is her first full-length Christmas book. READERS HAVE COMPLETELY FALLEN IN LOVE with Rosie Green's LITTLE DUCK POND CAFE series: 'A heart-warming story and one to make your heart sing. The perfect book to get cosy on the sofa with and lose yourself . . . can't wait for the next instalment. Please, Rosie, do not stop writing about the girls and Sunnybrook!' - Zoe, Goodreads 'Worth waiting for! I have loved every one of the Little Duck Pond Cafe books and this was just as good' - Mrs T, Amazon 'A captivating read. Really reels you in and the characters are so believable. This author is so good at what she does. Roll on the next episode!' - Jules King, Amazon 'Loved this book! The author keeps you hooked with the storyline and characters you care about. Looking forward to the next instalment.' - Lesley T, Amazon 'A can't-put-it-down read. Another brilliant episode of these wonderful stories.' - Sue S, Amazon 'Another beautiful little book I couldn't put down. It's so lovely to return to the Little Duck Pond Cafe once again and catch up with all the friends there.' - Sue, Amazon 'Light-hearted, funny, with just enough tension. I really enjoyed this book, as I have with the whole series.' - Karen, Amazon 'Fabulous! What a great read - kept me hooked from start to finish. I love the visits to the Little Duck Pond Cafe and can't wait for the next book.' - Miss Leica Waldron, Amazon 'I love this series so much! And with this latest instalment, I'm in love with it and the inhabitants of Sunnybrook even more!' - Karen Mace, Amazon 'Each instalment is like visiting your best friends. It's such a delightful series, with stories that are light and dark, full of the highs and lows of life and love in a glorious village in the English countryside. As always, author Rosie Green injects much warmth and charm within the storyline and you feel very much involved in village life. I hope the author continues to revisit the Little Duck Pond Cafe as I feel she has so much more to give to her readers.' - Adele, Amazon

The Cult


Abby Davies - 2021
    Led by Uncle Saviour, it was supposed to be a place of love, peace and harmony. But what started out as paradise turned into hell. A shocking abduction…Now, two young children have vanished from their home in the middle of the night. Their parents are frantic, the police are at a loss. A twisting case…DI Ottoline is leading the search – her only clue a mask found in the woods. Could the key lie in events that took place decades ago, when a dream of a new way of life became something far more sinister?

Christmas Child


Carol Rivers - 2019
     London 1880 A dying Irish girl clutching her new-born baby drags herself to the sanctuary of an East End orphanage and throws herself on the mercy of the Sisters of Clemency. The nuns raise little Ettie O’Reilly as their own and provide her with the love and education she might never have had. But the lives of the nuns and orphans are soon crushed by a powerful and greedy bishop. The heart-breaking outcome separates Ettie from her friends and family, luring her into a world of male dominance and the fickle nature of intimate relationships. In her naivety, with her faith in the goodness of human nature severely tested, she doesn’t know who to trust. And when the boy who has promised his undying love and loyalty betrays her, Ettie’s world starts to crumble. She must finally accept the hard-hitting truth - happiness comes at a cost! Does she have the courage and wisdom to face the demons she long ago learned about from the Sisters of Clemency? Will the resolution of an undiscovered and painful secret be her making - or breaking? ’A gripping page turner' - LEAH FLEMING 'Surely one of the best saga writers of her time' – ROSIE CLARKE 'Brings the East End to life - family loyalties, warring characters and broken dreams. Superb' - ELIZABETH GILL 'Carol Rivers has captured the true spirit and resilient characters of East London' - JEAN FULLERTON What readers are saying about Carol Rivers’ books: 5***** star Amazon reviews Beautiful, page by page … Carol Rivers is a new author to me and I will certainly be reading more of her books. I would like to extend my thanks to her for a terrific read. I love nothing more than to curl up with a nice cup of hot chocolate and a book by my favourite author. Keep up the good work Carol. One amazing author - Carol Rivers is number 1 xxxxx Was so much more than I expected, I didn't want to put the book down! Really would like a sequel to this. The author has a wonderful talent for conveying an authentic sense of time and place, and creating realistic characters. I became so immersed in this fantastic read. Thank you Carol Rivers for always providing the perfect read that keeps you gripped throughout and your imagination alight. The queen of sagas has done it again! Omg what a brilliant read! Been waiting for this! Another fabulous story by the equally fabulous Carol Rivers. Whether you are new to sagas or have read them for many years (like me), you will never be disappointed reading one of Carol's books. They are utterly addictive and beautifully written, leaving you with a mixture of emotions. You will be laughing one minute and crying the next, my description of a brilliant saga writer. I've read all Carol's books now, sometimes twice. I have never been disappointed What an amazing book, such a great read.

The Art of Hiding


Amanda Prowse - 2017
    Forced to move out of her family home, Nina returns to the rundown Southampton council estate—and the sister—she thought she had left far behind.But Nina can’t let herself be overwhelmed—her boys need her. To save them, and herself, she will have to do what her husband discouraged for so long: pursue a career of her own. Torn between the life she thought she knew and the reality she now faces, Nina finally must learn what it means to take control of her life.Bestselling author Amanda Prowse once again plumbs the depths of human experience in this stirring and empowering tale of one woman’s loss and love.

Mavis and Dot


Angela Petch - 2018
    Introducing two eccentric ladies who form an unlikely friendship.Meet Mavis and Dot - two colourful, retired ladies who live in Worthington-on-Sea, where there are charity shops galore. Apart from bargain hunting, they manage to tangle themselves in escapades involving illegal immigrants, night clubs, nude modelling, errant toupees and more. And then there’s Mal, the lovable dog who nobody else wants. A gently humorous, often side-splitting, heart-warming snapshot of two memorable characters with past secrets and passions. Escape for a couple of hours into this snapshot of a faded, British seaside town. You'll laugh and cry but probably laugh more."This book is quirky and individual, and has great pathos...[it] will resonate with a lot of readers." Gill Kaye - Editor of Ingenu(e). Written with a light touch in memory of a dear friend who passed away from ovarian cancer, Angela Petch’s seaside tale is a departure from her successful Tuscan novels. All profits from the sale of the books will go towards research into the cure for cancer.

Perfect Match


D.B. Thorne - 2018
    Determined to find out what happened to his sister, and with the police unwilling to help, Solomon begins to investigate on his own. He soon uncovers a rash of similar cases of women who have been found brutally murdered or assaulted after an online date.There is a predator out there working the streets of London, preying on young women. Solomon sets out to bring him to justice, putting him on a collision course with a deadly killer who is fiendishly clever and more twisted than anyone could possibly imagine...

Annie's Autumn Escape


Debbie Viggiano - 2021
    Sixty! She feels half that age, even if the mirror tells her otherwise. Hubby Keith promises her a birthday to remember, and doesn’t let her down, but packing his suitcase to shack up with a forty-something isn’t quite the memory Annie wants to make. Suddenly she’s single and – as an empty nester – very, very alone. The Bucket List she and Keith had promised to work their way through is but a dream, until besties Bella and Caz rally around Annie and whisk her away for a trip that will be remembered for ever. Dubai. But it’s not all skyscrapers, bling, sand dunes and sheikhs. As the sun sinks over the horizon of Jumeirah Beach… might there also be love?

Your Move


Silvia Forrester - 2017
    Two dreams. One big lesson in love. With a passion for people and property, nothing gives newbie estate agent Gemma Cole more pleasure than matching buyers with their ideal homes. After a nomadic childhood with her ditzy mum, Gemma longs for nothing more than a place she can call her own. But with one modest income and meagre savings, will she ever be able to make her own home-owning dream come true? When Marcus, the new photographer, arrives at the estate agency, he’s the epitome of laidback, festival chic. Sexy, laidback, festival chic. But Gemma dismisses him as another commitment-phobic, eternal student, just like her ex. However, looks can be deceptive. Marcus is reeling from a shocking family tragedy. Will Gemma revise her opinion of Marcus, and will he trust her enough to reveal his family’s painful past? Pandora works at Perfect 10, a premier beauty and cosmetic clinic. Always effortlessly glamorous – with model-looks, bucketloads of confidence and bulging designer wardrobes – she appears to have it all. But Pan also has a spiralling spending addiction, a string of failed relationships, and still lives at home with her mum. Aged thirty-three. When her numerous credit cards are refused, Pan takes drastic action, and joins dating website MillionaireMen.com. Will a super-wealthy guy be the answer to all Pan’s woes? And can she find one who’s sane, honest and not old enough to be her grandfather? Your Move is a lively romantic comedy, charting the blossoming friendship between modern heroines Gemma and Pandora, as well as the amorous entanglements that crisscross both their lives. Praise for Your Move… ‘A humorous and heart-warming tale’ – Holly Kinsella Silvia Forrester writes novels and short stories, has an MA in creative writing and teaches at the Open University. She lives in Kent with her husband; they have four grown-up daughters and three granddaughters. Silvia enjoys writing contemporary fiction exploring love, friendship and family.

Growing Up for Beginners


Claire Calman - 2020
    When he finds his belongings dumped on the drive, although he may not understand women very well, even he can see that this looks like some kind of hint… and so moves back in with his parents.Backing onto Andrew’s parents lives artist Cecilia, always ready to recount tales of her innumerable ex-lovers, whilst her daughters feel she’s like a misbehaving teenager.But now four lives are drawn together by long-buried secrets of the past, and it is time for them all to grow up, before it’s too late.A desperate decision … A lost letter … A powerful secret hidden for thirty years…Praise for Claire Calman:‘A poignant and beautifully articulated tale of love and loss, memory and forgetting, grief and guilt, new love and letting go. I was engrossed, often tearful, and finally, uplifted.’ Isobel Wolff‘Simply wonderful. I was totally enchanted, devoured it in a day, and have been raving about it ever since.’ Fiona Walker

Summer at the Highland Coral Beach


Kiley Dunbar - 2020
    Booking a trip to the Highlands on a whim, Beatrice hopes learning Gaelic in a beautiful Scottish village might help her heal her grief after losing her baby, her husband and her much loved job in a space of months. But Port Willow Bay isn’t exactly as the website promised. Instead of learning a new language, she’s booked in to learn the ancient skill of willow weaving, her hotel room is Princess and the Pea themed (with a stack of mattresses for her bed!) and worse still, her tutor is Atholl Fergusson, grumpy landlord of the hotel where Beatrice is staying – and she’s the only one doing the course. But as Beatrice finds herself falling in love with Port Willow Bay and its people, and as she discovers the kind heart beneath Atholl’s stony exterior, can she really leave? Escape to the beautiful Scottish Highlands with this utterly romantic, feelgood book; one visit to Port Willow Bay and you’ll want to come back!Fans of Sarah Morgan, Carole Matthews and Holly Martin will be captivated.

Ruby


Marie Maxwell - 2012
    Set in the aftermath of WW2, this gripping saga is richly evocative of the period and shows the true grit of our heroine Ruby.

The Unbroken


Alex Caan - 2020
    The car door was pulled open and she was dragged out, her screams loud and raw, as she kicked and fought. She called out for Oscar, again and again, screaming for help.But he never came. It was the wedding of the year. Millie Beaumont marrying billionaire playboy Oscar Hayat, the eyes of the world watching.But the dream turns into a nightmare when Millie and Oscar are brutally abducted while on honeymoon. Millie is killed, her body dumped in London. Oscar is still missing…Enter DS Moomy Khan and DI Sarah Heaton - not your typical police officers. Moomy is running from her own troubled past, while Sarah is having to live with the hard choices she has made. Yet they will stop at nothing to find Millie’s murderers and track down Oscar. Only a family as high profile as the Hayats have enemies lurking in every corner - have they taken the ultimate revenge, or is someone else behind the death and kidnapping?And can Moomy and Sarah find Oscar - before time runs out and he suffers the same fate as his wife?The first book in the gripping, fast-paced new Khan and Heaton crime series, The Unbroken will thrill fans of A.A. Dhand, Angela Marsons and Robert Bryndza.Praise for Alex Caan:‘Wow!!...mysterious, suspenseful and full of delicious and devious surprises…Loved it!’ Angela Marsons, author of the D.I. Kim Stone seriesA chillingly authentic, bang-on-trend thriller - one you'd be a fool to miss Lisa Hall, #1 bestselling author of Between You and Me

A Little Christmas Faith


Kathryn Freeman - 2017
    And Faith has gone all out; huge Christmas tree, fairy lights, an entire family of decorative reindeer. Now all she needs are the guests … But what she didn’t bank on was her first paying customer being someone like Adam Hunter. Rugged, powerfully built and with a deep sadness in his eyes, Adam is a man that Faith is immediately drawn to – but unfortunately he also has an intense hatred of all things Christmassy. As the countdown to the big day begins, Faith can’t seem to keep away from her mysterious guest, but still finds herself with more questions than answers: just what happened to Adam Hunter? And why does he hate Christmas?

Diary of an Adorable Fat Girl


Bernice Bloom - 2016
    She's also about six stone overweight. When she realises she can't cross her legs, has trouble bending over to tie her shoelaces without wheezing like an elderly chain-smoker, and discovers that even her hands and feet look fat, it's time to take action. But what action? She's tried every diet under the sun. This six-book series is the hysterical story of what happens when Mary joins 'Fat Club' where she meets a cast of funny characters and one particular man who catches her eye. The story is laugh-out-loud funny and will resonate with anyone who has dieted, tried to keep up with any sort of exercise programme or spent 10 minutes in a changing room trying to extricate herself from a way too-small garment that she ambitiously tried on and is now completely stuck in. Bernice Bloom is the big, new name in comedy writing...this is the first installment of her great new series of laugh-out-loud mini books.

17 Church Row


James Carol - 2019
    P. Delaney's The Girl Before comes a thriller that makes us question our relationship with technology and the lengths we would go to, to keep our family safe.Three years ago, Ethan and Nikki Rhodes suffered a devastating loss. Their four-year-old daughter Grace was tragically killed when she ran from their garden into the path of a car. Ethan, a radio personality, escapes into work, while Nikki quits her job to care for their remaining child, Grace's twin sister, Bella, who hasn't spoken since that night.Trying to give the family a fresh start, Ethan moves them to a revolutionary house designed by the world-famous architect, Catriona Fisher. For the Rhodes', this is a life-changing move because a key feature of the house is the state of the art security system that allows them to be completely safe from the outside world within their own home.But what if what they fear most is actually inside the house? What if 17 Church Row isn't the safe haven that they think it is?