The Radio

A comedy so black that you'd have to eat a lot of carrots to know whether George's adventures are actually visible. The Radio centres around the decline of the lovable, yet hapless George Poppleton, a middle-aged, henpecked father and husband who stumbles across an old transistor radio in his loft. His obsession with listening to the radio drives him on an unexpected journey, fuelled by the painful memories of the suicide of his only son many years before. Whilst his only daughter, Sam, and wife, Sheila, plan perhaps the most ill-fated wedding ever conceived, the radio transports George further and further away from reality. When a garlic baguette is used as a lethal weapon and the hogs finally take a stand and turn on the farmer who is about to roast them, nothing is likely to go as smoothly as the family may have hoped. The accidental return of Sam's ex-fiance, David, coupled with the endlessly drunk Auntie Lesley ensures that an almighty farce is just around the corner. The Radio ends with an unimaginable twist, when the family realise that things are not at all how they seemed. It is a story of what it means to be a family, the perception of loving and being loved, and what it means to be sane. It will appeal to anyone who enjoys family-based modern contemporary fiction with both poignancy and humour. Jonathan has been inspired by a number of novels, including Alex Garland's The Beach, and his writing is comparable to Mark Haddon, Nick Hornby and Joseph Connolly.

My review: I was expecting good things from this book when I started it, but never expected it to be as good as it was!

We meet George who is a loveable father figure who is just a little eccentric, and his wife Shelia and daughter Sam. They are a fairly typical family with their fair share of dysfunctional attributes! George, the downtrodden husband finds an old radio that he starts tinkering around with while his wife and daughter go out and have fun while he looks after his grand daughter. The tinkering becomes a bit more than that when he and the radio become inseparable and it becomes the most important thing in his life.

Some parts of the book had me laughing out loud, most had me chuckling, but some bits were desperately sad. The book was fabulously written and it was a real pleasure to read. It's easy going style and good pace kept me gripped and I finished the whole thing in a day. I'd love to read more about George and his family, and a little birdie had told me that there is more to come.

A fantastic book which is comparable to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Lost and Found. You should all go and buy it now!!

I was sent a copy of The Radio by the author in exchange for an honest review

My rating: A very well deserved 5 stars!

Country Loving

Successful city accountant Stevie receives two surprises in one week. A proposal of marriage from her boyfriend and a phone call begging her to return to the family farm in Talyton St George.

But what she thought would be a weekend visit turns into much longer as she struggles to bring order to her father's rundown farm. Finally, she decides to give up her job - and her boyfriend - and stay permanently. Even though the locals are up in arms about her plans for the farm, Stevie loves being back in the country - and having to work so closely with local vet Leo is an added bonus.

Until a life-changing complication throws all her plans into disarray, and destroys her growing romance with Leo...


My opinion: The first thing I have to say is that I shouldn't judge a book by it's title! When I requested this book from netgalley I was expecting a potentially raunchy romance because of the title. That is very far from what I did get, and I was very pleased with what was there!

At the beginning of this book we meet Stevie and her city boy boyfriend Nick, who has just proposed to her. She gets a phone call from a family friend back in the Devonshire countryside which changes her life path forever. She moves back to the family farm to start the fight to keep their home and business.

This book is really well written with some really vivid characters. I really enjoyed this book and have already downloaded the other five books in the series! I would describe this as a cosy romance. It is no doubt a romantic book, but is rather innocent as it very cleverly manages to avoid any sexy detail whilst still implying that these things were happening. I have to say I really liked this approach. A bit like a cosy mystery. I'm not against a sex scene in a book, but sometimes they can be gratuitous. This was like a breath of fresh air!

A fab book and a look forward to reading more from Cathy Woodman.

I received this book from netgalley in return for an honest review

My rating: A big four stars!

The Nearly Weds

What's the worst thing that could happen to a blushing bride? To somebody warm, loving, and fun - like Zoe Moore? When she finds herself jilted at the altar by her fiancé Jason, Zoe knows she doesn't deserve this heartache and humiliation. Unable to face the pitying faces of her friends and family, Zoe takes drastic action: she flees to America. Specifically, to Boston, where she takes up a post as nanny to five-year-old Ruby Miller and her little brother Samuel.Ruby and Samuel have lost their mother in an accident. They may as well have lost their father, too, for Ryan Miller is so wrapped-up in his grief that he barely notices his two attention-starved children. As Zoe sets about tidying up Ruby and Sam's home, and injecting some fun back into their lives, she finds herself gaining their trust and love. At the same time, Zoe grows more and more frustrated with Ryan's bullying behaviour, and his shameful neglect. Whatever happened to the loving man she keeps hearing about from his neighbours? Zoe can't find any sign of him.

The only thing saving Zoe from despair is the small, close-knit group of British nannies who quickly befriend her. There's boisterous Trudie, man-mad but hiding a painful secret; Sloanie traveller Amber, who sports a Buddhist tattoo that, unbeknownst to her, reads 'Batteries Not Included'. And chilly, tight-lipped Felicity, whose cut-glass voice gives little away. But will these new friends be able to save Zoe, when she discovers that the past isn't all that easy to escape, no matter how far you go?

My opinion: I love Jane Costello's books and had managed to hide this one away for a rainy day! I flew through this in just under two days and enjoyed every minute of it.

This story is about Zoe who decides to take up a job in the US as a nanny following being jilted at the church by her fiancé Jason who she thought was he love of her life. Zoe has lived a very sheltered life up until this point, so moving out to the US is a huge, scary adventure for her!

The writing was quick witted and as funny as ever. The story is full of shenanigans and awkward moments, but is also romantic and feel good. I have to say, Zoe's mother was infuriating, and at some points I wanted to punch her right in the face!

All in all a fab book and I can't wait to read Jane Costello's new book! I know what I will be buying to go on holiday!

My rating: 4/5

The Mystery of Mercy Close

Helen Walsh doesn’t believe in fear – it’s just a thing invented by men to get all the money and good job – and yet she’s sinking. Her work as a Private Investigator has dried up, her flat has been repossessed and now some old demons have resurfaced.

Not least in the form of her charming but dodgy ex-boyfriend Jay Parker, who shows up with a missing persons case. Money is tight – so tight Helen’s had to move back in with her elderly parents – and Jay is awash with cash. The missing person is Wayne Diffney, the ‘Wacky One’ from boyband Laddz. He’s vanished from his house in Mercy Close and it’s vital that he’s found – Laddz have a sell-out comeback gig in five days’ time.

Things ended messily with Jay. And she’s never going back there. Besides she has a new boyfriend now, the very sexy detective Artie Devlin and it’s all going well, even though his ex-wife isn’t quite ‘ex’ enough and his teenage son hates her. But the reappearance of Jay is stirring up all kinds of stuff she thought she’d left behind.

Playing by her own rules, Helen is drawn into a dark and glamorous world, where her worst enemy is her own head and where increasingly the only person she feels connected to is Wayne, a man she’s never even met.

My opinion: Let me just start by coming straight out with the fact that I love Marian Keyes. Her books are always so well written, funny and have more substance than your average chick lit. I also think that she is hugely inspirational as a person.

Anyway, I had this book for Christmas and it has taken me forever to read, not due to the content of the book, but the fact that the hardback is massive and also pretty heavy! I may have become a bit lazy since getting my Kindle! I finished off the last 200 pages last week sat in the sun on the one day of Summer we had in Wales.

Yet again, Marian has produced a cracker! We pay another visit to the Walsh family, this time to Helen who has turned her hand to private investigation, and her world seems to be eroding slightly around her.

The story has the theme of mental health and we hear about the darkness that Helen experiences during a period of depression, and how she fights it. It is starkly honest about how shit it is to be depressed and I imagine that Marian as drawn on her own experiences to write this account. Saying that, it is not a depressing book. It is truthful, yet quite light in tone. Mental health issues are not stigmatised in the book in any way, and I think goes some way to breaking down barriers to talking about depression.

The story is funny, has a sprinkling of romance, and a great big dollop of Mammy Walsh, who I am pleased to say hasn't changed a bit! A fab read that has luckily just been released in paperback. It would be great as a holiday read!

My rating: A big fat 5 stars!