Maddy's Book Blog

  The Truth of Us by Sara Cox   I’d obviously heard of Sara Cox, and the premise of this book really intrigued me — and I’m so pleased to say it absolutely delivered. Sometimes celebrity‑penned novels can feel a little flat, but this one is a triumph. It’s engaging, heartfelt and far more assured than I expected, with a story that pulls you in and a voice that feels both natural and genuinely entertaining. In 1982, on a street in Manchester where all the houses looked much the same — though number 51 was always a touch neater than number 49 — two girls became inseparable. Abi and Christy, birthday twins and instant best friends, grew up side by side: Christy the wilder one, Abi happily led astray. Twenty years later, their lives couldn’t be more different. Abi is back in her parents’ house with a husband and children, while Christy is living the high life in London. But when Christy’s mum becomes unwell, she returns home, and the two women find themselves neighbours once a...

  Winter Lights in Pine Harbor by Tammy Robinson I’ve read nearly every book Tammy Robinson has written, and I’ve loved them all. Even though she’s based in New Zealand and I’m here in the UK, her characters and situations always feel incredibly relatable, as if she’s writing about people you might know yourself. There’s a warmth and emotional honesty to her stories that I adore, and Winter Lights in Pine Harbor is another beautiful example of why her books are such a joy to read. Mae was an ER nurse, completely burned out after years of pressure, and when a young boy dies on her watch she knows she can’t stay. She moves to Pine Harbor to work as a community nurse, hoping the slower pace will help her heal. Jonah has lived in Pine Harbor all his life; his parents want him to take over the family business, but he prefers the quiet, steady rhythm of being a lobsterman. When Mae becomes responsible for Jonah’s father’s care, sparks fly almost immediately. Jonah’s dream of showing...

  I Can’t Believe I Don’t Have a Boyfriend by Harry Trevaldwyn Having read and enjoyed the first book in this series, I was delighted to be offered the second — and it was just as enjoyable. These books feel like sitting down for a chat with a much younger, very amusing friend who has an endless supply of self‑deprecating humour and chaotic charm. I didn’t quite laugh out loud, but it certainly made me smile all the way through. Patch and Sam have shared their first kiss, but they’re not officially boyfriends yet — something Patch is desperate to change. He’s convinced the best way to make it happen is to give Sam the most perfect date imaginable… but, of course, the best‑laid plans rarely survive contact with real life. Meanwhile, his best friend Jean is tutoring one of the worst boys in school and doesn’t seem to hate him nearly as much as she should, Patch’s mum is suspiciously cheerful, and Sam’s friend Peter is being altogether too nice. With Peter also on Patch’s team for...

  The Way Home by Amanda Prowse   Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite authors, and her books are always a joy to read. She writes about real‑life situations and how real people deal with them, with characters who feel true to life and instantly relatable. The Way Home is no exception — heartfelt, honest and beautifully told, it’s the kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve finished. Lilly‑Bob has lived in the same council flat since childhood, sharing it with her beloved father and growing up with a view of the river that became part of her identity. The flat itself may be modest, but the community around her has become a kind of chosen family — especially the single mum in the block and her little boy, who have both become very dear to her. Her father bought the flat from the council so he could leave her something secure, a place filled with memories and love. Now in her seventies, Lilly‑Bob is devastated to receive a compulsory purchase notice: the council ...

  Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse by Sue Moorcroft Sue Moorcroft is one of my favourite writers, and it’s always a real treat to have one of her books to dive into. A long, hot summer paired with one of her novels is perfection. Her stories may be rooted in romance, but they always offer so much more — rich emotion, real‑world depth, and settings so vividly drawn that you can almost feel the heat and see the scenery. The landscapes she describes are consistently stunning, and this book is no exception; it made me want to pack a bag and head straight to Italy. Jade grew up on the shores of Lake Como, raised by her paternal grandparents when her too‑young parents couldn’t care for her. She naturally fell into helping at their guesthouse and always assumed she would one day take it over. But after her grandmother passes away, Jade discovers her father had two more children she knew nothing about — a secret her grandmother had been sworn to keep. The aptly named Three Sisters Gue...

  One & Only by Maurene Goo I was really intrigued by the blurb for One & Only . Having read The One by John Marrs, where people are matched by DNA, the idea of being matched through past‑life visions instantly caught my attention. It’s a great concept, full of potential and originality, and the story itself has some genuinely clever moments — although the copy I had could definitely have benefited from a bit more editing. Cassia Park has always been destined to join her family’s matchmaking business, The One & Only. The women in her family share a secret gift — the ability to see people’s past lives and identify the person they’re fated to be with, the soul they’ve loved across lifetimes. For ten years Cassia has searched in vain for her own fated match, until a bike accident leads to her being rescued by Ellis, a charming 28‑year‑old who sparks something unexpected. Their fling feels effortless, but when Cassia later visits Ellis’ office, her true fated turns out...

  One of the Family by Mark Edwards   Mark Edwards is one of my favourite authors in this genre, and I’ve read every one of his books. One of the Family is right up there with the best of them — exciting, sharply written, full of well‑drawn characters, and packed with the kind of twisty, ever‑present mystery he does so well. Patrick, a driver and aspiring filmmaker, meets Holly — an uptown girl from an extraordinarily wealthy family — and soon finds himself invited to their remote Scottish mansion. There he meets her father Charles and his unnervingly youthful new girlfriend, her brother Lewis, her sister Miranda and Miranda’s husband Zach. When Charles’ girlfriend turns out to be a striking doppelganger of his late wife, things take a decidedly dark turn. Add in a couple of unsolved deaths that naturally pique Patrick’s curiosity, and you have a novel that’s impossible to put down, the kind that keeps you reading well into the night. Mark Edwards is the master of the psy...