Blog Tour – Friday 30th April

Hi Guys

Thanks for stopping by! You guys are in for a wonderful treat! I have the best job in the world! I get to read fantastic books and write about them too; helping to introduce you all to some amazing characters and stories.

And this, Ladies and Gents is a non stop-can’t-put-it-down read from beginning to end!

Big Thanks as always must go to the wonderful Rachel, our blog host of Rachels Random Resources – www.rachelsrandomresources.com

And also, this story would never have existed if it hadn’t have been for this glorious author, who has invented these fantastic, exciting characters and exciting storylines.

Here we have Death of a Texan, a 2nd book in the Chloe Parsons Mysteries series.



As I knew I was receiving this book for review, then I caught up quickly with the first book in this series and quickly loved the flow and style of Cat’s writing.

The first book can be purchased here for those interested
(The Bellhop Only Stalks Once (The Chloe Parsons Mysteries Book 1) – Kindle edition by Hickey, Cat. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.)

About the Author

Cat Hickey has a Master’s degree in Biology, and teaches Anatomy and Physiology at a university in Baltimore, MD, USA. She writes light-hearted mysteries and thrillers that are based, partly, on her extensive travels around the world. She is also an avid yogi who teaches aerial yoga and practices aerial circus arts, and spends the rest of her time with her three rescue animals, which consist of three cats and a horse.

Social Media Links –  www.facebook/cathickey

About the Book

A grieving widow. A sketchy admirer. An adoring boyfriend.

But one of them is up to no good.

Chloe’s new life in Costa Rica seems perfect: her relationship with Mateo is heating up, and her career as a private investigator is off to a good start. She only wishes that her cases were more interesting than the lost dogs or cheating husbands she’s been hired for so far…

She gets her wish when a dead body lands, almost literally, at her feet. Hired by the highly strung Elena Vargas to follow her husband, Victor, Chloe discovers that not only was he cheating on his wife – he’s been murdered.

As Chloe delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Victor’s death, she uncovers secret after secret. The danger becomes all too real when she narrows in on the killer’s identity. Someone is following her everywhere, and threatening notes arrive on her doorstep.

As if that’s not bad enough, her relationship with Mateo begins to unravel, and his coworker, Jaime, seems intent on convincing her that Mateo is a cheater.

Desperately trying to figure out what’s going on, Chloe becomes more and more enmeshed in a sordid world of lies, sex, and murder.

Who can Chloe really trust? And can she catch the killer before she becomes the next victim?

My Review

When I read the first in this series (here), I was very pleasantly surprised by the writing by this author who was new to me. Filled with an amazing, gripping story, I knew that I had to get my hands on the next book in the series. And I was not sorry that I did.

This book, which can be read as a standalone story was twisting, dark and satisfying. I love Chloe’s character. She was likeable and believable from the first read and I followed her readily as she sought out the mysteries, but I was also interested in her as a person. Set in beautiful, Costa Rica, Chloe is living the best life. She is in a relationship with the drop-dead gorgeous Mateo and her career is doing amazing. The life she always wanted is now hers, and yet, she wants more excitement in the jobs that she takes on as a private investigator. Sure, lost pets and cheating husbands pay the bills, but Chloe wants something she can get her teeth into…and soon, she gets more than she bargained for when Victor, the cheating husband she is hired to watch, ends up dead.

Quickly, and excitingly we are pulled into a dangerous, mystery and before long the list of people wanting this man dead gets longer. Chloe finds herself on a dangerous path where lies, deceit and secrets create threats to her own life; couple this to the strains in her relationship with Mateo and we have an exciting, intriguing read from page to page.

Fast paced and edgy, this story kept me entertained from the very beginning. I sunk happily into the pages and found myself unwilling to put the book down until I had read until the end. The development of the characters means that I want to keep coming back for more. The dialogue was easy to follow, and I found the characters engaging and realistic.

My Conclusion

I loved this book! I have already started recommending it to all of my friends. I am so eager to read more and cant wait to see what Chloe might get up to next!

Rating – 5 out of 5 Stars!

Thanks for reading guys!

S x

Hi Guys!

Blog Tour – Thursday 8th April 2021

Welcome to another blog tour! I have a wonderful book to introduce you to today and an author who has now been added to my favourites list!

This warming, charming little story will take you on a remarkable journey with Zaffron, our main heroine! She has indured a lot of hardship in her life, but her fight and determination land her in a place where she creates a lasting friendship with Blaire, the charming colleague who offers brilliant dialogue!

I must thank the blog host, Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources and Alison Burke, the author, for allowing me to read this book. It really was a brilliant story and can’t wait to tell you more about it!

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. It was a remarkable read and one that had an easy, readable, feel to it. It effortlessly gripped my interest and I found myself reading deeper and deeper into the story. Being a fan of a good, old, charity shop myself, I was immediately interested in the starting setting, and I found the characters within the pages both believable and likeable.

As always, I will pause here, to tell you a bit more about the author.


About the Author



In her own words:

I was born and grew up in Lancashire, gained several nursing qualifications and had the privilege of a long and varied nursing career, briefly in the Royal Army Nursing Service abroad, mainly in the NHS in UK. True love and a happy family came my way and now I have the time to read, write and remember.

Social Media Links:-

Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/lilydaleco
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lily_dale_companies/
Website – https://www.alisonburkefictionwriter.com/

About the Book



You can find almost anything in a charity shop, but can you find love?

            You can certainly find friendship and there is both laughter and tears ahead when 19yr old Zaffron, lonely, anxious and without direction, meets Blaire Daintry, good-looking, charming, and gay.

            Both volunteers in the charity shop, he has a hidden agenda, she has secrets,  but they are friends from the start, despite Blaire’s constant sparring with Ida, the stern, good-hearted older volunteer who Zaffron admires. And perhaps Ida has secrets too.

            Together with other victims of the city’s housing crisis, Blaire and Zaffron set up a safe and happy home.  Secure at last, she tells him of the dreadful incident in her childhood that has marred her life, but not even his total acceptance gives her the confidence to start a relationship with an attractive and decent young army sergeant who falls in love with her.

            Is it fear of the truth coming out that holds her back?
Or is there some other reason, buried too deep in her heart for her to recognise?

My Review



Vulnerable characters, new friendships and brilliant writing helped to make this book one of easiest and enjoyable books that I have read. From the start, we are introduced to Zaffron and almost immediately we are aware of her vulnerability and this is where the need to know more about her grows. Within a few pages, I was already building an image of her in my mind, and I found myself liking and believing in her.

I have volunteered in a charity shop myself in the past and what I read in this book felt real to me and I enjoyed reading the ‘behind the scenes’ moments which helped to build more character profiles, bringing life to the story and the people within the pages. Before long I was intrigued by the connections that were shaping between the characters and I adored the sweet, easy connection that Zaffron and Blaire had.

The book sure does pack an emotional punch! From humour to sadness, this book tugged at my feelings and I felt bound to the story, not wanting to let go until I read the very end. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed in the least. It truly does represent human spirit and reminds those reading it that life can take bumps, but no one path is permanent and that we can turn our lives around.

The author has a fantastic way of storytelling and I felt myself walking those steps with the characters. I could almost smell the musty clothes in the charity shop. I have added Alison to my favourite authors list and I very much hope that we will see a sequel in the future!

Conclusion

Fantastic Book! Fantastic Writing! Brilliant Author! 100% recommend!

If you liked my review, and would like to hear more. Please look up these other reviews from other bloggers taking part in this tour!



Thanks All

S xx