Roberta Reads

The Murder Next Door by Emily Queen My rating: 4 of 5 stars 🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧 I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. I loved getting to know the characters I met in The Case at Barton Manor more. I thought the portrayal of Rosemary’s conflicted feelings towards Max was well done. The narrator did an excellent job, and now I’m used to her voice it took no time at all to get into the story.  Overall, this was another fun and intriguing murder mystery. I can’t wait to listen to the next in the series. I was given a copy of this audiobook, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

The Case at Barton Manor by Emily Queen My rating: 5 of 5 stars   🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧 I’m a fan of cosy crime in general, and I have previously enjoyed The Case at Barton Manor as an ebook, so I was pleased to listen to the audiobook. I really enjoyed this audiobook. The writing is excellent. For the first book in the series, I thought it did an excellent job of convey the world that Rosemary lives in, and the people who inhabit it, without long stretches of description. The characterisation is also excellent, I took to Rosemary immediately, and her grief over losing her husband (some time before the start of the book) was delicately handled, and didn’t weigh the story down. I also liked Vera very much, though she appears frivolous at a glance, she is always there for    Rosemary. The plot is well conceived and executed. The mystery starts off small, and it was great fun to try and figure it out alongside Rosemary and her friends.  The narrat...

The Christmas Love Letters: a gorgeous, heartwarming new Christmas romance to cosy up with this winter by Sue Moorcroft My rating: 5 of 5 stars I love Sue Moorcroft books, and Christmas books, so I was excited to be invited to read The Christmas Love Letters. I was not disappointed! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I loved the story relating to the love letters, and how they (eventually) brought people together. I loved the setting. Nelson’s Bar is clearly a beautiful place near the sea, and all the snow made the book seem extra Christmassy. The characters were also great. I loved Maddy, and the way she’s coped under difficult circumstances, and given Lyla such a lovely childhood. I really liked Raff too, and in fact all the other characters, with the exception of Harris. I understand his reasons, but that is not how you treat anyone you care about! Sue Moorcroft has produced another beautifully romantic and Christmassy story. I highly recomme...

Sweet Mercies by Anne Booth My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved Small Miracles, so I was thrilled to be offered a copy of Sweet Mercies (the sequel) to review. I was such a joy to return and spend time with the Sisters of Saint Philomena again. I loved the sense of community, both in the convent, and the wider area. It’s wonderful to see how all the characters are getting on, they feel like old friends. I especially loved the kittens, and their interactions with Sister Cecilia. The plot was great, I loved all the different threads running through the book, and the way they intertwined. I enjoyed the sense of history, and the way it all comes together in the end. Overall, this book was a joy to read, full of community and kindness. I really hope that there will be more books in the series. I’d love to learn more about Sister Cecilia’s past. I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin My rating: 5 of 5 stars I read this book because I’ve enjoyed Uzma Jalaluddin’s previous books so much. Plus, I love a well done snowed in story! I really loved this book. I loved all the characters (though it took me a little while to warm up to Saif, he came across as arrogant to start with). I loved seeing Anna and Maryam get to know each other, and themselves. I loved seeing their friendship grow. I loved the sense of love that Maryam’s family had for each other, even if they didn’t always get things right. The setting was wonderful. I absolutely loved Snow Falls, and its inclusiveness. I so enjoyed the way the three holidays and the general winter atmosphere blended together to produce such a festive ambience. I also had a delightful time watching the romances unfold. If you’re looking for a fun winter read, full of romance, friendship, and festive feeling, look no further! I was given a copy of th...

  Review - 5 out of 5 stars: I have loved all twelve books in the Miss Underhay mysteries so far, so I couldn’t wait to read Murder at the Village Fair. Matt and Kitty are on their somewhat delayed honeymoon, and staying with Aunt Effie. Kitty finds another dead body, and in spite of trying to stay out of it as she’s on holiday, can’t resist investigating! I really enjoyed this mystery. It was fun to be in a new location, with mostly unfamiliar characters. The apparently peaceful village is seething with secrets and hidden resentments, so finding the killer is tricky. I didn’t work out for sure who it was until the reveal, which is always good. I always love spending time with Kitty and Matt. I thought that the way the aftermath of their previous case was handled was realistic. So often in fiction detectives end up injured and seem to recover almost instantly. It’s so good to see convalescence happening.  Overall, this was another excellent mystery that will keep you guessing ...

More Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up: The WTF AM I DOING NOW follow up to the runaway bestseller by Alexandra Potter My rating: 5 of 5 stars I really enjoyed Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k-Up, so I was excited to get my hands on More Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k-Up, the sequel. It was very enjoyable to catch up with Nell and see what she’s been up to. And, of course, Cricket, who is my favourite character. I absolutely love their continuing friendship, and the way they support each other. I loved the journey that this book took. All the things that happened to Nell and her loved ones, so realistic of the chaos that real life can be! I loved following the ups and downs, and the ending was wonderful. Overall, this was a great story, jam packed with hilarious and emotional moments. I definitely recommend it. I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own. View all my reviews

Well Dressed to Die by Kate P. Adams My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve really enjoyed the Charleton House series, since I first read Death by Dark Roast. So I couldn’t wait to read Well Dressed to Die. It was such a joy to be back at Charleton House again, and to spend time with the characters I love from the series. Sophie (as usual) stumbles across a dead body, and can’t resist asking questions… This story was a lot of fun, and I didn’t guess who the murderer was until the very end (though I suspected Sophie had got it wrong). None of the suspects seemed to have sufficient motive. One of the things I love about this series, is the cosy scene after the big reveal. It makes me feel right at home again. As well as Well Dressed to Die, this edition includes three short stories, which are all intriguing in their own way. I liked the fact that the stories focussed on characters that are normally supporting ones. I particularly enjoyed Key to a Killer. Overall...

  Review - 4 out of 5 stars: I’ve very much enjoyed the previous books in this series by Lydia Travers, so I was looking forward to reading Mystery in the Highlands. I wasn’t disappointed! This time around, Maud and Daisy are off to Fort William, to investigate some mysterious deaths that have been written off as accidents by the local police. More “accidents” soon follow! I really enjoyed reading this story. The murderer was really inventive, which made it all the more interesting trying to track down who was doing it. Maud and Daisy are gaining in experience, and, of course, they eventually succeed in solving the crimes. It’s one of the aspects of this series that I enjoy - having detectives that are not already brilliant at it, and watching them improve. However, I did feel they should have consulted Clara more. She might have had valuable local knowledge. I loved the setting of this story. With the mountains and the loch, as well as the buildings that Maud and Daisy visit, the ...

  Review - 4 out of 5 stars: Having thoroughly enjoyed The Love Theorem and Love Quest, I was eager to read The Love Proposal. I thought it was an interesting choice to focus on Summer, who was the “villain” in The Love Theorem. I enjoyed reading her reasons for acting as she had, and she’s definitely a character I feel sympathy for. This story puts her in a very uncomfortable position. The male lead was also a character I was less fond of. He’s pretty arrogant (at least in his dealings with women), and I was expecting his character to change more, sooner in the story. He’s also kind at heart, and he definitely does become a more rounded character by the end.  I really enjoyed this book, as always with Camilla Isley, it was a total joy to read, full of funny moments and generally easy and fun to read. I absolutely loved the epilogue. So often, I wonder if a couple will make it for the long haul, so it was lovely to see. I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own. ...