I’m here today to dish about this psychological thriller that kept me reading until late at night! The Girlfriend’s Secret was twisty, suspenseful, and kept me guessing until almost the end. I loved it!

Here’s the scoop:

My son thinks she’s perfect. But I know she’s here to destroy me…

From the moment I meet my son’s new girlfriend, I know she’s going to be trouble. Haven isn’t the kind of partner I imagined for my darling boy. Joel is sensitive and kind, whereas Haven is so loud and full of confidence. Her sun-kissed locks and gleaming smile are perfect… too perfect. She doesn’t belong here. And I’ll do whatever it takes to get rid of her…

Except Haven is smart. I underestimated her. I thought if I made life uncomfortable she’d leave my son alone. Instead, she’s somehow wormed her way into the heart of my family, and now she’s living under my roof.

I’m sure she’s not really here because she loves my son. I catch her staring at me with her big blue eyes. She smiles, like she knows something she shouldn’t. Like she knows my darkest secret. And my heart skips a beat.

Why is Haven really here? And how far will I go to protect my family…?

About the Author:

Daniel Hurst is an Amazon number one, multi-million-copy bestselling author of addictive, fast paced psychological thrillers and the King of jaw-dropping endings. His chart-topping titles include The Doctor’s Wife , The Couple’s Revenge , I Want Your Family and Our Perfect Holiday .

Daniel has been a full-time author since 2021 and prides himself on writing fast, releasing stories often and engaging with his readers.

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Thanks for my copy and for having me on the tour! If you like suspenseful reads, don’t miss this one!

I’m shouting it out today for this novel from an established nonfiction writer, Jeff Wallach, who was kind enough to reach out to me.

Here’s the scoop:

Two brothers. One mother. One big question.

Two days before her death, Jenny Elliot suggests to her fifty-year-old son Phillip that, being half Irish, he should be more careful about his drinking. Phillip, along with his brother Spencer, has grown up believing they were the fully Jewish-American offspring of Jenny and her late husband who died in the Vietnam War. Was his mother uttering some dementia-inspired fantasy, or was her true character shining through in her last moments to leave the brothers a clue to their real heritage? After her death, Phillip decides to take a DNA test.

The brothers set off on a genetic treasure hunt in search of who they really are—and what that might mean. Are they purely products of their genetics; or were they formed more completely by their social interactions and upbringing? Are they merely victims of randomness; or are they some combination of those factors? And who, exactly, is Mr. Wizard?

About the Author:

Jeff Wallach is the award-winning author of four books of non-fiction as well as nearly 1,000 articles, essays, reviews, and columns in such publications as The New York Times, The Oregonian, Sports Illustrated, Men’s Journal, GOLF Magazine, Men’s Health, Health, Money Magazine, and many others.

Jeff holds a Masters Degree in Fiction Writing from Brown University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Vassar College. He has taught fiction and magazine writing classes in high school, college, and adult education programs and at several writers conferences.

Mr. Wizard, published by Open Books in 2020, is his first novel.

Thank you for reaching out!

I’m here today to dish about this WWII historical novel and all I can say is boy oh boy did this one make me laugh, cry, feel sad, and then hopeful. It was an emotional ride! I loved this book so much! I hope that it one day can be made into a film. It reminded me a little bit of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society novel – one of my faves! I loved the characters, the focus on books, the fortitude and resilience. Two thumbs up! Thank you for having me as part of the tour and for my copy.

Here’s the scoop:

Every page is shared in secret… and a single book could cost a life.

France, 1941. Margot locks her bookshop door and slips into the cellar, where a circle of brave women gather by candlelight to read the books the Germans are burning. They are risking everything to share forbidden stories and fight back. But one seat is empty… Esther is missing, and as a Jewish woman, she is in terrible danger. Whatever happens, Margot has promised to take care of Esther’s baby, darling Isabelle…

Present day. Lucy gasps as she descends into the cellar beneath the bookshop she has inherited from her grandmother. Wooden chairs are arranged in a circle, as if the resistance book club members have just vanished. A candle sits on a saucer; a book lies open.

Still grieving her grandmother, Lucy was left a letter about the wartime book club hinting at a devastating secret. And one book is wrapped in yellowed newspaper, addressed in faded ink to a woman named Esther. Does it contain a clue about the fate of the tiny baby hidden by the book club? What really happened on that dark night when one of its members was taken by the Nazis?

And as she uncovers the bookshop’s past, will the truth force Lucy to rethink everything she thought she knew about her own family?

The Resistance Book Club is a totally unputdownable and utterly heartbreaking story of incredible bravery in the darkest of times, and devastating family secrets that echo across generations. Fans of Evie Woods, Fiona Valpy, The Nightingale and The Alice Network will be utterly gripped.

About the Authors:

Ellie Curzon is the pen name of Catherine Curzon and Helen Barrell. Catherine and Helen began writing together in the spring of 2017 and swiftly discovered a shared love of the past and a uniquely British sort of story. They drink gallons of tea, spend hours discussing the importance of good tailoring and are never at a loss for a bit of derring-do.

Catherine Curzon is an author and historian of old Hollywood and even older royalty. In addition to a series of eighteenth century biographies and a sell-out play, she has written extensively for a number of international publications, and has spoken at venues and events across the United Kingdom. Catherine lives in a haze of Dean Martin atop a steep Yorkshire hill, with a rakish gentleman and a very woolly dog.

Helen Barrell has written two books on Victorian crime, and has appeared on BBC1 and Radio 4. She loves researching family history and rummaging in libraries and archives. Originally from the south-east of England, Helen now lives somewhere in the Midlands with a large ginger cat, who resembles a Viking, and a well-stocked 1960’s cocktail bar.

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I’m here today to promote a new suspenseful read by Victoria Jenkins: The Glass House. This was a good one!

Here’s the scoop:

After my sister was killed, my parents vowed never to return to this place. But I made a promise to uncover the truth. And now that I’m back, her killer has nowhere to hide.

Standing in the impressive hallway of this luxury holiday home, it’s hard to imagine our little house once stood here. Someone wanted to bury the ghosts of the past when they built the glass house and tourists come for miles to stay here. I’ve planned every detail of this trip and made certain the locals won’t recognise me. It’s the only way I might get them to talk.

But soon it’s clear no-one wants me here. At first it’s little things like whispers and threatening looks. Then one night, when I return to the house, I notice my possessions are out of place and I’m sure I can see a figure in the darkness outside.

Then I hear the sound of breaking glass downstairs and my heart shatters. Someone has been watching my every move. They must know who I really am. But when I come face to face with my sister’s killer, am I prepared for what I will find?

A completely addictive and twist-filled psychological thriller perfect for fans of Alice Feeney, Mary Kubica and John Marrs.

Here’s a bit about the author:

Victoria Jenkins is an English tutor and former secondary school teacher from South Wales who has been writing for years and day-dreaming about becoming a ‘proper’ writer for the past decade. She have an MA in Creative and Media Writing from the University of Wales, Swansea, where she wrote a lot of poetry while planning a lot of plots she hoped she would once day write. Victoria lives in South Wales with her husband.

I never tire of reading these “edge of your seat” thrillers that I’m trying to figure out while I read. This one was well-paced and kept me reading way past my bedtime! Thank you for my copy and for having me on the tour!

I’m excited to be shining the light on a new novel coming out in September: Circus of the Vanishing Elephant by Tim Schooley.

It sounds so interesting and good! Thanks to the author and his publisher for reaching out to me.

HOW DO YOU MAKE AN ELEPHANT DISAPPEAR?

In 1974, the King Minos Circus is struggling to survive—until Christos “King” Minos unveils a dazzling new illusion: a vanishing elephant act starring Henrietta, the animal he loves more fiercely than he can admit.

But when Henrietta disappears during a parade, the trick becomes something far more dangerous.

Suspicion falls on Minos’s estranged daughter, Randi—an activist who has vowed to free the circus elephants—and on Ainge, the circus’s newest clown, a young man still haunted by his father’s rejection after learning he is gay. Minos feels betrayed by both and vows to recover Henrietta and bring those responsible to justice.

But are Randi and Ainge the villains Minos imagines? Their journey across the American West—through small towns, roadside shows, and shifting loyalties—forces them all to confront hard questions about family, freedom, and who truly belongs to whom.

Because in the end, the fate of Henrietta may not belong to the circus at all.

“Tim Schooley draws on his own experience as a Ringling Bros. clown to craft a vivid, propulsive novel about loyalty, spectacle, and the cost of holding on too tight. Historical fiction with real sawdust under its nails.”

— CITY BOOK REVIEW

“Set in the 1970s, the story follows a struggling circus after a beloved elephant mysteriously vanishes, setting off a journey filled with family conflict, loyalty, and questions about what freedom truly means. While the mystery keeps the pages turning, it’s really the relationships between the characters that make this story shine.

“Henrietta quickly became the heart of the novel, and I found myself completely invested in what would happen to her. The emotional depth caught me off guard, and I appreciated that the story explored difficult topics with compassion without ever feeling heavy-handed.

If you’re looking for a character-driven story with a unique premise, memorable characters, and plenty of heart, this is definitely worth picking up. A quick, engaging read that stayed with me long after I finished.”

–SECOND CHAPTER BOOKS

BUY LINKS — NOT affiliated with BBNB

https://www.historythroughfiction.com/store/p/circus-of-the-vanishing-elephant-paperback

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249567838-circus-of-the-vanishing-elephant

About the Author:

Tim Schooley brings firsthand expertise and authenticity to the story. A former Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus clown, he later became an appellate lawyer and law professor, teaching at UC Davis Law School and serving as managing attorney of the California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District. He is deeply involved in the Sacramento literary community, serving as Co-Chair of the Sacramento Book Festival and on the board of the Sacramento branch of the California Writers Club.

I’ve been away visiting family and I think there is no better time to for reading at leisure than during vacation! I read several novels this past week and this was one of them. This was a memorable one; it was both interesting yet emotional. I enjoyed it! I especially liked the character of Zinnie.

Here’s the scoop:

Will she ever see freedom for her babies?

Mississippi, 1848. It’s a bright spring morning when enslaved midwife Zinnie is forced to begin an unimaginable journey: two thousand miles on foot. Her newborn baby is strapped to her back, her two little girls holding her hands, as she walks behind the slavers’ wagons.

Every mile brings blistered feet, aching limbs and the constant terror of what might happen to her children. But Zinnie carries an unbreakable determination to protect them. When they cross state lines, could it be her chance to fight for their freedom?

Texas, present day. Elementary school teacher and single mom Lynette is exhausted, balancing work, motherhood and life-changing decisions about her future. Then, while sorting through her grandmother’s attic, she discovers a sapphire brooch hidden among long-forgotten treasures.

The brooch unlocks an extraordinary family story of courage, sacrifice and a woman who refused to give up. As Lynette uncovers the truth about her ancestors, will it have the power to change her life forever?

This utterly heart-wrenching and unforgettable novel is inspired by the true story of Biddy Mason, an African American woman and midwife who fought for her family’s freedom and saved countless lives. Perfect for fans of emotional historical fiction by Amy Harmon, Olivia Hawker and Marie Benedict.

About the Author:

Suzette D. Harrison grew up in a home where reading was required, not requested. Turning her love of reading into a rising literary career, Suzette was first published when her poetry appeared in her middle school’s creative journal. While Suzette pays homage to Alex Haley, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, Langston Hughes, and Toni Morrison as legends who inspired her creativity, it was Dr. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that unleashed her writing. Literally! The award-winning author is a wife and mother who holds a culinary degree in pastry and baking, and is currently cooking up her next novel…in between batches of cupcakes.

Thank you so much for having me as part of the tour and for my copy!

I’m here today as part of the blog tour for a new family drama: The House of Pearls. It was a gripping story that kept me engaged from start to finish. It reminded me a bit of a Kate Morton novel. I enjoyed it a lot!

Here’s the scoop:

A photograph of three young sisters. A forgotten pearl necklace that sends her tumbling through time…

Present day: single mother Elsa Dean is shocked when she inherits a sprawling three-storey house from her estranged uncle. Elsa hasn’t seen the golden stone façade in over a decade. Then an antique pearl necklace and a black and white photograph hidden behind a secret door in the attic sweeps her back into the past. Elsa sees her aunts, the three Merriwell sisters, each make their own terrible choice that will change their family forever…

1959: When sixteen-year-old Edie Merriwell finds herself pregnant just as her beloved mother dies suddenly, she has no-one to turn to. All she has left is her mother’s last gift: a tiny seed pearl on a delicate silver chain. She never takes it off. Her sisters could never understand. And her father is courting a new wife suspiciously quickly. Within a year, gossip about the Merriwell family will reach fever pitch, and none of the sisters will ever live in the beautiful house again.

History repeats itself at this house of pearls and lies. What really happened to Edie and her baby? Elsa has been keeping her own secrets too. Will she be brave enough to confront her tangled history and lay the ghosts of the house to rest for good?

An utterly gripping and heartbreaking tale of betrayal and a family secret that echoes down the generations. Perfect for fans of Louise Douglas, Eve Chase and Rachel Burton.

About the Author:

Ali lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and their two children. She decided she wanted to be a writer pretty much as soon as she learned the word, and attempted her first novel when she was at primary school. Ali studied English at University College, Oxford in the early 90s, then worked in educational publishing before doing a diploma in journalism at Cardiff University. She moved to London to work as a journalist and landed a job as a reporter at The Stage.
Ali began writing fiction in earnest after starting a family and moving to Abingdon. She also work part-time in publishing locally. Her son is autistic, and was diagnosed in 2011. The following year her novel Stop the Clock was published by Transworld, followed by After I Left You in 2014.

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