RoroblusMumReadsReviews/Rants

4* Sad at first, then sweet. Mismatched Mikkel and Teddy somehow work, and it's lovely to see Sparlow again, as well as more of Mikkel’s magical-waterways cottage with attitude 😀  This book is part of BE's new PNR Sparlow Village setting, but can be read as a standalone, the only connection being that we met Mikkel and his fascinating cottage in The Other Side.  Teddy reminded me a bit of myself - 'coulda, shoulda, woulda' with a guilty complex over stuff that's not really of our doing. He's probably a bit like quite a few of us, but in his case, add in that he's dead, which he doesn't immediately realise; he's agoraphobic; he's got OCD, and he's stuck in an afterlife place/stage of afterlife called The Drift, that's not Heaven, nor Hell. Enter Mikkel, a demon who's (currently, hopefully for a long time to come) on the good side in the lovely village of Sparlow that not everyone IRL can access, though it's on the map in the Peak ...

4* Good intro to a possible series straddling our RL world and one that's maybe really there, just out of view... As ever with a BE tale, you get a decent, solid storyline; research into a subject she features - here, it's UK policing and its hidden dangers and sadly, politics; leads you'll be rooting for; hot sexy scenes; a bit of the paranormal that feels like Mulder wasn't lying when he said the truth was out there; heartbreak and tugs on your heart, before a guaranteed HEA.  Drum and Oisin absolutely deserved their HEA. To be betrayed the way that Drum was was heartbreaking, but it was also heartwarming that Oisin never lost hope of finding him again, and that Drum never broke. Oisin's faith and efforts came with a price that cost not only him but threatened his nearest and dearest, yet he never doubted he'd find Drum.  The Sparlow aspect of the tale was intriguing; if The Zon we hate and love can go there, maybe it's not so far removed from reality! I t...

5* Grabs your attention and doesn't let go. I just devoured book 1 and I've grabbed the rest of the series. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of book 7, which turned out to be another 5* read, though I nearly DNF'd it over the confusing Scottish dialogue. It was fine reading it as a standalone, but even better reading this one to clue me in about the characters and series. This one picks you up and doesn't let go, not even at the end. The tale has danger, disbelief, shocking scenes, performative police politics and corruption that actually feel quite believable, despite my initial disbelief. I live between 2 of the London areas featured in the teen gang attack, and yes, I could see that happening. Justice was satisfyingly served, possibly skipped a little because of the bigger picture - thank goodness for cops wearing bodycams.  The underlying story is chilling and believable despite my initial disbelief. County lines. Gangsters. Gangs. Threats and damn good instincts an...

4* The actual tale was decent, but the bigging-up of Boring Colin got on my nerves, as did the ad nauseam mentions of his now-aversion to lemon cake; his accident/poisoning; his attitude towards Doris; repeated dialogues; and his not-believable plans for his potential new job. I'm leaving this series here. This is mostly a rinse-and-repeat tale with the usual M.O. courtesy of Doris and Burt, with some decent sleuthing by Georgina and Sybbie. The murder mystery was indeed murder and a well-hidden mystery, and a rather sad one, although it borrowed from the Fools and Horses episode when the Trotters go to France for Uncle Albert's memorial and discover...that the old gentleman got about in his day.  The reason for Gary keeping his mother's diaries secret seemed far-fetched in 2026, especially with 2 generations of the family being decent villagers and members of the community since then. It didn't ring true. Nor, really, did his feud with his former friend, which sounded ...

3* Decent tale, but it dragged a bit. Veered into Tudor history, as well as the 60s, and at times it droned on, making me skim-read towards the last third. I'm new to the series but there's enough info given that I wasn't lost. Unfortunately it had too many cooks in it, and too many trivial things, such as the owner of the house coming on to Neil, and him repeatedly bringing his gf into the conversation; the marital strife of the owners; even the journal in the end started to become boring.  It's a mystery. The killing gets solved. I think another person dies. I can't remember anything else and sorry, I can't do this review justice. ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Little, Little Brown Books, for my reading pleasure.   ure.; 

3.5* Not sure I believed the twist, the killer or the 'altruism' of the Charlie character at the end - what price will there be to pay? - but it's always nice to catch up with Jayden, Ali and Gus.  This is very readable as it's set in small-town, well, village actually, UK with characters that are believable and likeable, with tales that aren't normally unrealistic or OTT. It's got the usual decent, measured sleuthing that seems to come naturally to Ali (more than former-cop Jayden, strangely) and things that go from seemingly isolated and trivial-ish in the grand scheme, to connected and part of a bigger picture that's got underworld and scary connections and connotations.  Secrets and lies are outed. Justice is sort of done if you're of the an-eye-for-an-eye mindset - I am, under certain circumstances. But, it meant more than one life ruined, sadly. And yet maybe a rapprochement? It ends well for a few, but relationships will need to be worked on and r...

4* Good, solid read with an unexpected twist at the end, which leaves a massive cliffhanger 🤨 MK can be occasionally hit and miss, but this is a solid read without filler.  There's a believable get-out-of-jail - no pun intended - for Jack where the gun, the teddy and Ritchie the bad guy are concerned, even if it gives rise to questions that the DCI should be asking. But, his secrets are safe. For now.  The slasher aspect is realistic enough to be chilling. And people's stupidity is very believable in making him go viral. That the cops were stumped was believable, but why oh why did no one think of Velcro? Really? I went there immediately.  The ending was perhaps, in hindsight, lightly hinted at. Very lightly. Kitty was seemingly stupid to call the person she'd shopped to the cops, but when the ending came to light, it was actually a bit shocking and sad, although sad is too strong a word for what I'm trying to say. Only a bit, though, as a certain person meeting a gris...

4* These books are such a guilty pleasure, so un-PC, and 🔥 🔥 🔥  There are a few inconsistencies with Cam being British or German, but this isn't a series about accuracy. Surprisingly, the F1 info does seem pretty accurate and the scenes realistic, so maybe the author's a fan. So, we get more of the same hot, sexy, un-PC stuff that we all read AH for, but here, it's maybe more than most, as Cam's unapologetically homophobic at the start. He's not a hater, he just doesn't mingle with anyone who's not straight and they don't feature on his radar. He's also pretty rude and unsociable. So when he falls, it's great that he falls hard. His mindset, shared by pretty much all AH's alpha leads, is that he's not attracted to a guy, and getting blown by a guy doesn't make him gay... so no change from the modus operandi.  The sex is shit hot. I've read all the books and I think this surpasses Roman's one and the one with the Arab lead. ...

 3* Stormy turns into Mary Calmes' Jory in this, the authority on everything 🙄 And if you don't like cracked heels, don't read this - it should come with a warning.  This book is slow and repetitive - not just because Mickey's paralysed, but because the author says the same thing almost every other page. I really, really, really could've done without reading about cracked heels time and time again. So ick, but that's how Benji shows his gratitude and devotion. The leads' coming together is weird, and the tale didn't work for me. There needed to be more conversations about no need for guilt, about costs, about physical and mental tolls - basically about everything. Some characters are name-dropped, like Mickey's parents, but they're absent at the end? The biggest TSTL with this? They assume, despite medics not confirming it, that Mickey will be in a wheelchair permanently or semi-permanently and Stormy draws up plans, takes them to an architect a...

3* Lots of picking up and putting this down, as it's slow and the pacing is off. I nearly DNF'd 3 or 4 times before 40% gone. It only gets interesting around 70% in. Stormy needed counselling, not just somewhere to rest, heal, eat and call home. That not a single person, including a professional who deals in abused persons suggested any, was surreal.  There's a lot introspection from Stormy/Matthew, which feels realistic. But, Tex is so talkative, he's gotta be on the spectrum, yet no one clocks? Talking so much, bartender or not, isn't normal. But it seems like the author ignored obvious stuff for the sake of her tale. It did have heart and it had characters who had each other's backs, but far too much of it was spent on Tex's verbal diarrhoea. The biker community was great, though. Glad it was a KU title. 

3* Seems like everyone's a liar and sells their soul in this university town. Some are killers, and others cover killing up. Is academia really this bloodthirsty?  There are no likeable characters in this book, including the narrator. Everyone seems to have opinions about the narrator, and the narrative of how and why things are done, with far more people involved in the (should be, but isn't emotive enough) event that starts the tale off.  Sadly, it ended up being a waste of my time, reading a book with an unsatisfying ending. ARC courtesy of NetGalley and One World Publications, for my reading pleasure. 

4* Decent but ugh, it's heavy on family recriminations, secrets, regrets, alcoholism, and connections.  This is a good police procedural with several characters who could've been the killer, and several who get their comeuppance. It's book 2 in a series and maybe book 3 will follow up with the person who really needs to pay for his crimes, but they sound as if they can be read as standalones, too. The killer ended up being a victim themselves, but will they be able to live with themselves? The policing was smart and forensics had nothing on Emmy. She maybe in part figured things out because of her relationship with the deceased, but she also had help from 'big sister', Martha/Jude. And friends and family. There'll be more reveals, and healing, in book 3, whether she's still sheriff or not. ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for my reading pleasure. 

3* Better editing than in this author's Joffe books, but it's not a great storyline and the 'lets sort of go there' conversations didn't feel organic. D E Beckler does a far better UK-based PI series. I only read this as it's in KU that I got for free. There's very little happening in it, despite the dodgy DCI aspect, the people trafficking aspect, the romance-that-isn't aspect, the dodgy cop aspect and the would-be-lover cop aspect. 

4* Flows gently like a stream, with no danger, no one who seems like a murderer, no rushing, and it ends in sadness.  I'm not familiar with the author or her team of detectives who slowly but surely get the job done. No one seems very dynamic, no one seems like they have anything to prove, but they get the job done. Or, at least the main guy does, but he's not memorable enough for me to remember his name a few hours after finishing the book.  It is a bit of a sad tale with spoilt female deceased, one worse than the other. Lives are cut short and lives are broken by the actions of a really bitchy one, who felt all too real in 2026. ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my reading pleasure.

4* Very well done, and the author kept the ending real, if sad.  This tale starts with an abused woman and ends with a woman who's living life on her terms, her way. She's stronger for having the lies she lived with, and her past, brought into the open. Most characters end up happy, and I was pleased that an unforgivable betrayal remained unforgiven. The storyline is told in the blurb, but add in danger, bad guys, abuse, betrayal and things working out because of the courage of a man who'd lost almost everything, but wasn't prepared to lose what he had left. ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for my reading pleasure. 

3* Good stortline but efforts at a romance were a waste - absolutely no chemistry between the leads, on top of very, very little time together.  This is a doesn't-feel-dangerous tale that has all the elements to make it a feels-dangerous tale, but they're not there in the right proportions: the graffiti doesn't feel sinister; not enough is made of the ex; the 'protector' lead doesn't get to protect hardly at all; the camping, right on the anniversary of the sad event the town is famous for, feels TSTL, not dangerous or suspenseful. One catty character is there for about 1/4 page, never to be seen again. The townspeople who maligned and threatened Harper were silent when the truth was outed.  Sigh. A good editor could've amped up everything by asking the author for - more. Not a waste of time, but ultimately, unsatisfying. ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my reading pleasure.