If you know me, you know I love a good, captivating historical fiction story; and, being half Irish (and half Italian) I do love stories about Irish immigrants. Thus, I was drawn to read The Irish Girl by Sandy Taylor, a story that focused on a young girl who escapes a ruthless criminal in London to try to make a new life for herself. While this story focused on the main character Ivy, it was a bit of a family epic, if you like those, with lots of side characters who each had their own story as well.

Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour!

Here’s the scoop:

In the darkest days of war, can she find a place to call home?

1939: When tragedy strikes in the East End of London, thirteen-year-old Ivy Connell and her little brother Fred find themselves orphaned. Holding Fred’s small hand, she knows she must keep him safe. So Ivy decides to leave the bombed-out streets of the city in search of the Irish village her Daddy used to tell her so many stories about.

Somehow, she’s going to get them both to Ireland…

Ivy’s heard so much about the pretty village where her Mammy and Daddy fell in love. She hopes she might find her parents’ family still living there and a home away from the bombs. On the dangerous journey, they meet other orphans – bold and adventurous Lenny Brown and clever, talkative Arthur – and they travel together across the war-ravaged country.

The friendship between the children deepens with each obstacle they overcome, and they hold onto the hope that one day they will find a place to call home.

But will Ivy be able to reach the safety of Ireland? And if she makes it there, will she be reunited with her long-lost family – or is there more heartbreak to come?

From bestselling author Sandy Taylor, comes a heart-wrenching, emotional story of the power of friendship and the importance of hope in the most difficult times. Perfect for fans of Jean Grainger, Lisa Wingate and Diney Costeloe.

About the Author:

Sandy Taylor is the bestselling author of The Irish Boarding House, The Runaway Children, The Little Orphan Girl and many other heart-warming, emotional historical fiction novels. Her books have hit the top 5 in the UK and the US charts and she has almost 100 million KU pages read across her titles.

Sandy grew up on a council estate near Brighton. There were no books in the house, so Sandy’s love of the written word was nurtured in the little local library. Leaving school at fifteen, Sandy worked in a series of factories before landing a job at Butlins in Minehead. This career change led her to becoming a singer, a stand up comic and eventually a playwright and novelist.

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I love this series about a local book club that gets involved with murder to solve the crime! The main character, Judy, is middle-aged and uses a mobility scooter, which I find unique for protagonists and I just love this aspect as I think representation is SO important for readers. While I also enjoyed book one in this series, know that each of these can be read on their own or out of order as well.

Here’s the scoop:

When the local fish and chip shop owner is found dead next to the fryer, is it a case of wrong plaice, wrong time or is a killer on the loose in the village?

Judy is reading late one night when a knock at the door disturbs her. Local teenager Megan has discovered her boss Colin, owner of local fish and chip shop The Codfather, lying dead next to the fryer. Found with the book club pick of the month at his side, surely Judy and her crime-loving book group can help?

The local police haven’t a clue, but as Judy gathers her bookish friends, they soon uncover more suspects than they bargained for. Was it John from rival fish and chip shop Salty Towers, the estranged brother who stands to inherit the family business? Or is there something fishy about Dazza, the new handyman who carries an empty toolbox? But when they both appear to have solid alibis, the book club are worried there are more red herrings in this case than they had counted on.

When another body is found, Judy realises that time is running out to crack the case before the killer strikes again. Can Judy and her book club follow in the footsteps of their fictional detective heroes to uncover the murderer before someone else is found sleeping with the fishes?

An absolutely hilarious and unputdownable new cozy mystery series, perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Robert Thorogood and Faith Martin.

This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Thanks for my copy and for having me as part of the tour!

About the Author: (when I read this I can’t help but think that I’d like to be her friend! She sounds like a hoot!)

Tracy started writing when her cruel, heartless husband ripped her away from her dream job – shopping for rollercoasters for the UK’s leading theme parks – to live in America with a brand new baby and no mates. In a cunning plan to avoid domestic duties and people who didn’t understand her Derbyshire accent, she wrote NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY.
It went on to become a No 1 bestseller and publishing phenomenon. So now Tracy has a new dream job, making people laugh and sometimes cry through her writing and has had many more novels published successfully around the world. She now lives back in Derbyshire with her now wonderful husband and two children!

Today marks our nation’s 250th birthday. I know many of my readers are located in Europe and Canada and on other continents as well, but there’s something meaningful about going back and reading the Declaration of Independence – the document that marked the beginning of our nation. If you have never read it, or if it’s been a while, do yourself a favor and take ten minutes and read it here: https://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-source-collections/primary-source-collections/article/the-declaration-of-independence-july-4-1776?_gl=1*qy4kb5*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxvjRBhC2ARIsAI7KJa2yhbJevarCTNVsB7LGQf1RtDyxe6UNPffFRByxcNyCpuJ_3LC-NMIaAk-KEALw_wcB&gbraid=0AAAAADye4kEOaW9zgnLebP7CDw8Tzg7Jx

I will admit that it moves me to tears as it is so TRULY AMERICAN: a group of leaders standing up for what they knew was right and willing to fight tyranny in order to have freedom – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Many Americans take this for granted. Other Americans have died for our rights to have it. I’ll be the first to agree that our country has been sorely divided, and a house divided against itself cannot stand (*fun fact: often credited to Abraham Lincoln, who said it, it was first said by Jesus Christ in the Gospels). But I believe that from conflict can come unity, and that the principles that our Founding Fathers (and Mothers) believed so strongly in are alive and well today. I look to the future with hope for our country. I am optimistic that the foundations on which this country was built will continue to support us into the future. I have hope and much of that resides in our young people, as they are the future. So happy birthday, America! May the coming years bring peace and harmony, and may you be the beacon of liberty that our founding leaders sought and died for you to be.

I’ve never read a Flora Steele mystery before, so I was excited to be part of this tour. I had to say that the concept of someone murdered by a very large cheese was both humorous and horrifying, and it set the tone for this cozy mystery – at times I laughed out loud. Overall, this was a satisfying and fun read. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour.

Here’s the scoop:

When a body is discovered at their local country fair, amateur detectives Flora and Jack Carrington agree this death smells suspicious – and it’s not just the killer cheese. It’s the scent of murder…

Sussex, 1960: It’s the perfect day for Abbeymead’s autumn fair. The village green has been transformed into a riot of stalls and tents, and Flora and Jack are keen to sample all the local produce. But when local cheesemaker Gilbert Barrow crashes into the fair, he brings the festivities to a dead halt.

Flora rushes to the van and finds Gilbert slumped over the wheel, killed by his prize-winning round of cheese, which has broken free of its bonds. Flora is immediately alert – surely Gilbert would have been more careful with his treasured prize… and with his life?

Certain there’s more to this than just a tragic accident, Flora and Jack begin investigating Gilbert’s close circle – his jealous cousin, Bea, his corporate dairy rival, Reginald, and his estranged wife, Vivienne. When Gilbert’s new girlfriend is attacked, the race to find out who had the biggest motive heats up faster than fondue. But can Flora and Jack sniff out the killer – or will their investigation crumble before the murderer strikes again…?

A completely gripping and page-turning, charming cozy mystery novel packed to the brim with brilliant twists. Fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and J.R. Ellis will love Murder at the Country Fair.

About the Author:

Merryn taught university literature for many years, and it took a while to pluck up the courage to begin writing herself. Bringing the past to life is a passion and her historical fiction includes Regency romances, wartime sagas and timeslip novels, all of which have a mystery at their heart. As the books have grown darker, it was only a matter of time before she plunged into crime with a cosy crime series set in rural Sussex against the fascinating backdrop of the 1950s.

Merryn lives in a beautiful old town in Sussex with her husband and one last cat, Bluebell. When she’s not writing, she tries to keep fit with adult ballet classes and plenty of walking.

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My friends over at Team Chic Execs sent me an offer to trial a Makana Mask – https://makanamasks.com/ – and to give some feedback. I don’t really get too many offers for non-book items but a mask is something I can use and I was happy to give it a try.

I ordered a black mask in medium and it arrived promptly with a heavy duty filter.

My focus was on three questions:

1. How it does it fit/feel?
2. Can I breathe in it comfortably?
3. And this is specific to me – can I sing in it?

Since COVID, I keep masks around for travel as we travel by plane often. I also have a lot of allergies and I keep masks for when I’m going down to clean in the basement as I’m allergic to dust and mold (it’s my excuse to clean as little as possible lol). And finally, I do a lot of singing – both at church as a cantor and choir member, and in community theater. Having a good mask, especially for rehearsals when others might be ill or if I have a scratchy throat, is key!

So here’s what I found:

1. The mask fit securely and was soft and comfortable. It really sealed and I did not feel like air was going out the sides, etc. It also did NOT fog up my glasses (which I wear mostly for distance). My family could still hear my speaking voice distinctly, too.
2. Yes – I could breathe in it. Here’s where things got a little tricky – I could breathe, but I couldn’t exert myself and breathe/pant without feeling like I was using up the air. Again, it’s got a strong sealed fit (for safety), and I was using a heavy duty filter, so a lot of air wasn’t creeping in. But for strolling around my basement and sitting down doing stuff without exertion, I was totally fine. Would I put it on and go for a run? No.
3. To be honest, like the “I’m not going to go for a run in this” point above, I really couldn’t get enough air to sing in it. I’m a high soprano and I require a lot of air. That did not work with this mask. However, they do make another filter that is considered light duty and “breathable”. I did wonder if perhaps that would fit my needs for singing.

Info on the mask and filters and how to buy them can be found here: https://makanamasks.com/shop/ (note: this is NOT an affiliate link for BBNB).

Thank you for sharing this product with me and getting my feedback! I appreciate it! Below is a picture of me “modeling” it.