Roberta Reads

  Second Chances at the Little Bookshop Nora’s city life isn’t exactly working out how she planned. She’s stuck in her best friend’s tiny boxroom and hasn’t yet found that dream bookish job. But when she’s forced to return to her hometown of Little Harbour, Nora’s life takes an unexpected plot twist. Her estranged sister needs her help and the beloved family bookshop of her first love, Alex, is about to go out of business.  Alex knows a trip home to his dad and The Book Nook is long overdue. If only his own life wasn’t such a complete and utter mess he’d have visited by now. But then he hears Nora Bell is back in town and it’s the push he needs to change everything. When the two meet again it’s clear the spark of attraction still burns bright, but their unresolved past overshadows any possible future. Can they work together to save the bookshop and find their fairytale ever after, or will hidden secrets and surprising truths keep them apart? Perfect for fans of second chance r...

Review - 3.5 out of 5 stars: I love historical cosy crime, especially that set in the 1920s, so A Front-Page Murder immediately appealed to me. The setting comes through really well. Various bits of description that are interesting without detracting from the story, set the book very firmly in 1920s London. The story took a little while to get going, but it was all important background information that made a fully realised world, and contributed essential detail to the mystery. The middle part was a good pace, with enough action and intriguing information to keep me interested. However, I found the last hour or so too stressful for me. I very much enjoyed gradually uncovering the mystery as Poppy investigated.  I liked Poppy very much. She was determined to get to the truth of what had happened, even if her relatives were implicated.  Overall, this story was too thriller-like for my taste, I prefer my crimes more cosy. However, if you like your historical cosy crimes fast pac...

  Review - 5 out of 5 stars: I’ve enjoyed the whole series of Cressida Fawcett Mysteries, so I couldn’t wait to start reading Death in the Mayfair Hotel. This time, Cressida and her friends (and of course her pug Ruby) are spending Christmas Eve at a party at the Mayfair Hotel. Naturally, they find a dead body, and festive investigative shenanigans commence. This murder mystery was so much fun. I very much enjoyed being back with a favourite group of characters. I love the ongoing progress in Cressida and Dotty’s personal lives. And the festive atmosphere was the cherry on top. The plot itself was intriguing. Though I had a fixed suspicion from near the beginning, there were plenty of other suspects who all looked guilty. My suspicion was based on taking an instant dislike, rather than on facts. But I was wrong, and the culprit came as a complete surprise (though there were clues!).  As always, I loved Ruby. As well as bringing some welcome humour to the story, she also seems ...

  Review - 4 out of 5 stars: I love Jessica Redland books, and I loved the previous two books in this series (The Start of Something Wonderful and A Breath of Fresh Air), so I was excited to get started on The Best Is Yet To Come. I was not disappointed! This book follows Emma, as she starts on a new adventure after being a teacher for many years. I really liked Emma, she is kind and resilient.  I loved reading this book, and devoured it over two days (sadly I had to stop to sleep). I loved the alpacas, they were adorable. I loved all their different personalities too. I loved being back at Willowdale Hall and I can’t wait to see more of how that develops over the coming books in the series. It’s such a brilliant setting, with the old house, the lake, and the surrounding countryside. It was lovely to see some of the characters from the previous books, and find out how they’re getting on. I loved the continuing storyline with Oliver finding out who his father is.  Overall,...

  Review - 5 out of 5 stars: I’m a big fan of the Miss Underhay Mysteries, so I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Murder in the Countryside. In this, the 17th book in the series, Kitty stumbles across a body when visiting a farm.  I really enjoyed reading this book. There was an array of interesting characters as suspects, and complicated family dynamics to unravel in order to solve the mystery. The plot was great, with unexpected secrets being uncovered. I couldn’t put it down until I’d discovered the culprit! It’s always a joy to spend more time with Kitty and Matt, who by this time feel like old friends. And I was pleased to see Alice thriving in her new occupation. Overall, this was another truly excellent mystery that I just couldn’t put down. I highly recommend the whole series. I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own. Book Description: A meandering drive on a beautiful day, a visit to a local apple orchard, a chance for Bertie the dog to stretch h...