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So I have some more quick fire reviews from books I read last year and haven’t had the time to publish my reviews on – hope you enjoy!

Read more: Quick Fire Book Reviews for August / September 2025

The Names

by Florence Knapp

The Blurb

It is 1987, and in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband intends her to follow a long-standing family tradition and call the boy after him. But faced with the decision, Cora hesitates, questioning whether it is right for her child to share his name with generations of domineering men. Her choice in this moment will shape the course of their lives.

Seven years later, her son is Bear, a name chosen by his sister, and one that will prove as cataclysmic as the storm from which it emerges. Or he is Julian, the name his mother set her heart on, believing it will give him the opportunity to become his own person. Or he is Gordon, named after his father and raised in his image – but is there still a chance to break the mould?

This is the story of three names, three versions of a life and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. It is the story of one family and how love endures, no matter what fate has in store.

What I Thought

What an amazing book!

I did not get through thus one quickly, in fact I did have a little break as it is emotionally heavy. But, I loved it.

The premise – what a difference a name makes, was well thought out and beautifully written.

As I said… it is emotionally draining but this is a book I would recommend to all – absolutely stunning! I look forward to more from this author.

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

Fourteen Days

Edited by Margaret Atwood and Douglas Preston

The Blurb

The tenants of a Manhattan apartment building have begun to gather on the rooftop each evening and tell stories in this exciting new twist on the novel.

With each passing night, more and more neighbours gather. Gradually the tenants – some of whom have barely spoken to each other before now – become real neighbours.

With each character secretly written by a different, major literary voice – from Margaret Atwood to John Grisham and Celeste Ng, Fourteen Days is a heart-warming ode to the power of storytelling and human

What I Thought

When I read the blurb of this book I just had to read it! I was fascinated by the concept and if it would be possible to pull it all together – and indeed they did!

Some of my favourite authors were involved in this project and revisiting the craziness that was the pandemic even now, just 6 years on, seems crazy!

I definitely enjoyed some of the narratives more than others but overall really enjoyed the book. It was something I dipped in and out of and definitely helped break up some of the emotionally tougher books I was reading at the time.

Different and worth a read!

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

The Nightingale

By Kristin Hannah

The Blurb

‘I always thought it was what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I’d like to be known’

This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II, when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France.

It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

What I Thought

I can honestly say – this is turning out to be such a good reading year! Another entry I am sure will be in my top 10 at the end of the year.

I have seen lots of buzz about The Women by Kristin Hannah (which is on my TB R), but got round to this one first and I was not disappointed.

Labelled as historical romance, this book is so much more. The story is utterly compelling, heartbreaking and beautifully written.

I am not surprised Kristin Hannah has been getting all the attention she has lately – her other books are now definitely on my TB R after reading this one and if they are half as good as this one, they will be a great read.

A must read – don’t miss out!

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

The Second Story Bookshop*

By Denise Hunter

The Blurb

She inherits the bookshop of her dreams . . . But she has to run it with the ex she vowed never to speak with again.

Shelby Thatcher adores working in the charming small-town bookshop her grandmother opened years ago. Since high school she’s helped Gram turn the shop into a community hub for book lovers in the lakeside town of Granville, NC. When her beloved grandma passes away, Shelby inherits the bookstore. But to her shock, Gram leaves half ownership to Gray Briggs, the man who broke Shelby’s heart years ago.

Granville residents have been vilifying Gray as long as he can remember. After graduating high school he couldn’t skip town fast enough, even though it meant leaving the girl he’d fallen deeply in love with and alienating her family once and for all. Now he’s back, the beneficiary of his elderly friend’s will. Facing the town’s animosity is difficult, but seeing Shelby again is sheer torture. No one could ever stir his heart the way she did.

As the adversaries are forced to work together, Gram’s beyond-the-grave scheme is working—Shelby’s old feelings for Gray begin to resurface. But the problems that destroyed their relationship before still remain, and a new one surfaces—one that threatens Gram’s beloved bookshop. Is their love doomed to fail again, or will they find a way to make it work this time around?

What I Thought

After a couple of intense, emotional reads, I picked up this book as a bit of light relief.

And that’s exactly what it gave me. While still having its ups and downs, the book felt like one of those Hallmark movies – we knew it would all work out in the end.

A cozy read which was much needed at the time for me, but isn’t going to be one of my top recommendations from this month. Great for cozy, romance fans though!

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

You Can Trust Me*

By Miranda Rijks

The Blurb

They were the best of friends. And the worst of enemies.

When yoga teacher Amelia falls victim to an online scam, her colleague Paige really comes through for her. And with their daughters Marnie and Taryn becoming best friends, the two families grow even closer.

But all is not as it seems. Paige has an agenda.

Once she has won Amelia’s trust, Paige starts to execute her carefully laid plan… stealing Amelia’s money, destroying her business, undermining her marriage. All the while pretending to be Amelia’s closest friend.

Will Amelia realize what’s going on before it’s too late? Or will Paige succeed in turning her life into a living hell before finally extinguishing it?

Two women trapped in a fight to the bitter end – the best of friends, the worst of enemies.

What I Thought

Well, what a rollercoaster. Anyone who reads my reviews knows Miranda Rijks is one of my favourite thriller writers.

Her books are fast-paced and keep you reading ALL night – and this one was no exception.

The disturbing edge of… this could really happen to you… keeps you hooked and means you need to keep reading to find out what happens.

I enjoy the short chapters and the twists upon twists that keep you guessing literally until the very end! Perfect for thriller fans!

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

The Covent Garden Ladies

By Hallie Rubenhold

The Blurb

In 1757, a down-and-out Irish poet, the head waiter at the Shakespear’s Head Tavern in Covent Garden, and a celebrated London courtesan became bound together by the publication of a little book: Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies. This salacious work – detailing the names and ‘specialities’ of the capital’s sex-workers- became one of the eighteenth century’s most scandalous bestsellers.

Yet beyond its titillating passages lies a glimpse into the lives of those who lived and died by its profits – a tragicomic opera of the Georgian era, motivated by poverty, passionate love, aspiration and shame.

What I Thought

I sought this out after watching and really enjoying the Netflix series, Harlots. When I found out it was written by Rubenhold I was really excited as I loved her book, The Five, about Jack The Ripper’s victims.

While it contains some interesting information I did struggle at times to get through this one. Despite the title, it doesn’t focus on the ladies as the TV series did – it focussed on a range of characters involved with them at the time and some of these were a little tedious!

While I did find out some more information that I didn’t get from the TV show, it wasn’t quite what I expected or hoped for and so it left me a little disappointed.

Where To Buy

My Amazon Storefront

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Again – another good reading couple of months and I could not not share with you! Have you read any of these? Do you agree with my reviews or do you have a different opinion? Please let me know in the comments below – let’s talk books!

Take care and keep reading,