The Love Intervention by Caroline Khoury (Audiobook)

 

Laila is too busy with work to even think about dating. Luckily her friends have noticed that she isn't doing well. A forced leave of absence allows them to set her up with some of the men that "got away".

In the modern world in which we live, where women are told they can be anything they want to be, it is easy to imagine someone like Laila. Career-focused, she hasn't got time for silly things like a social life, or even a life. Laila is dedicated to her work. Her friends, Jenna and Samira, have noticed and have decided to stage an intervention. 

This is no ordinary intervention though. Knowing that Laila is very analytical they play to her scientific nature and explain how she's lacking in dopamine, the "feel-good" hormone and come up with ways in which she can increase her dopamine levels. Between them, Jenna and Samira have scoured social media and discovered that three of the men that Laila had brief relationships with when she was studying abroad ten years ago are still single. By combining a holiday with a brief chance to reconnect with each man, Laila should be able to boost her dopamine levels, and she may just fall in love.

Laila is skeptical and far too busy, but a problem at work results in her having to take a forced leave of absence. It's the perfect opportunity for a much-needed holiday in America and a chance to reconnect with old flames, Austin, Edoardo and Mateo. Laila also has an ulterior motive, she hopes to put to rest a problem from her past that has been haunting her.

We follow Laila through two magical weeks of sunshine, fun and steaminess as she reconnects with each man and discovers that the relationship she had with each one ended in a misunderstanding. Laila begins to wonder if she's made a mistake by letting each one go - but at the back of her mind is the constant thought of her career and responsibilities back home.

I enjoyed the fact that events weren't wrapped up at the end of the two-week holiday, Laila returns home, refreshed by dopamine, but fully intending to resume the life she'd had. However, while she's been away other people have taken the opportunity to re-evaluate their lives and are about to make drastic changes. As for Austin, Edoardo and Mateo, maybe they see a future with Laila and aren't prepared to let her escape a second time!

The Love Intervention by Caroline Khoury is available in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for a review copy.

Author Details

Caroline Khoury was born in Beirut to a Lebanese mother and Welsh father. Having grown up in the suburbs of London, she returned there after over ten years living in Hong Kong, Japan and the US. Single mother to two amazing teen girls and writer of armchair escapist romances.

When Shadows Fall by Neil Lancaster

 

When a woman falls from a Scottish Munro suspicions arise as it's the fourth incident in a matter of months. The local police believe they're all accidents but Max Craigie isn't so sure.

A walker, critically injured from a fall, is rescued by Mountain Rescue working with the Coastguard. The pilot of the helicopter happens to be a friend of Max Craigie and voices his concerns. This is the fourth lone female walker to plunge in the space of a few months. The local police don't seem overly concerned, categorising them as accidents but Craigie wonders if there's something more. It could be laziness, incompetence or something much more sinister.

When Shadows Fall by Neil Lancaster is the sixth book in the Max Craigie series. Max works as part of a team investigating police corruption. Under the guise of a review of death investigations, they look more closely at the accidents and the members of the police force involved in investigating them.

The team are as foul-mouthed as usual. The boss, DI Ross Fraser is very much a technology dinosaur but is extremely creative with his vocabulary. The rest of the team, Janie, Norma and Barney, don't hold back either. There is a very strong sense of camaraderie among the team, mainly because they are so self-contained, the nature of investigating other members of the police means that they have to keep what they are doing secret. This book works extremely well as a stand-alone story but I heartily recommend reading the rest of the series to see the character development.

I found this story the most chilling of all of the books in the series. The nature of the crimes and the fact that social media was used to target victims came across as immensely plausible. Neil Lancaster has also taken inspiration from real events which makes things even more horrifying.

The pace never lets up, from the first page to the last, and my heart was in my mouth on a number of occasions. Alongside uncovering the villain, Max also has the worry of balancing his job with his home life, something that is getting more difficult by the day since his wife is about to give birth. This adds extra tension to the storyline as you can never tell what twists a writer holds in store.

When Shadows Fall by Neil Lancaster will be published on 27th March 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for a review copy.

Author Details

NEIL LANCASTER is the No. 1 digital bestselling author of both the Tom Novak and Max Craigie series. His first Craigie novel, Dead Man’s Grave, was longlisted for the 2021 McIlvanney Prize for Best Scottish Crime Book of the Year. The second Craigie novel, The Blood Tide, topped several ebook and audio charts. It was also longlisted for the 2022 McIlvanney Prize and shortlisted for Best New Series at the Dead Good Reader Awards.

Neil’s authentic crime writing style stems from his police background. He served as a military policeman and worked for the Metropolitan Police as a detective, investigating serious crimes in the capital and beyond. As a covert policing specialist, he used all manner of techniques to investigate and disrupt major crime and criminals. He now lives in the Scottish Highlands, writes crime and thriller novels and works as a broadcaster and commentator on true crime documentaries. He is an expert on two Sky Crime TV series, Meet, Marry, Murder and Made for Murder.

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben

 

At the age of eighteen Sami Kierce fell in love with Anna while backpacking around Europe. Things ended dramatically when he woke in bed next to the blood-covered dead body of Anna. Twenty-two years later he's convinced Anna has just walked into his classroom.

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben is the second book in the Sami Kierce series but can easily be read as a standalone novel as the author quickly outlines all the relevant information.

The opening chapter is set twenty-two years ago when a young Sami Kierce is traveling Europe with friends in the summer before starting college. He is surprised and flattered when a beautiful woman ignores his much more athletic friends and shows interest in him. A whirlwind romance follows, with Sami and Anna spending all of their time together. After a drink and drug-fueled night Sami wakes to discover he's covered in blood and holding a knife. Anna's body is in the bed beside him.

If that opening isn't enough to grab your attention then what follows certainly will. Twenty-two years later Sami is an ex-NYPD detective, having been kicked off the force for causing a suspect to be badly injured. Kierce is making ends meet by working as an investigator for a lawyer and running an evening class on criminology. It is during one of the evening classes that a woman walks in, and then promptly leaves. Even with only a brief glance at the woman Sami is convinced it was Anna. After giving chase Sami is unable to catch up but it does lead him to a well-guarded property and the infamous Belmond family. In 1999 teenager Victoria Belmond disappeared, feared kidnapped. Nothing was heard of her until eleven years later when she suddenly reappeared with no memory of the past. Are Anna and Victoria the same person? If so, how is she alive when Sami woke next to her dead body?

You just know that when you open a novel by Harlan Coben you are in for a treat with all the twists and turns, twists that will completely blindside you and I couldn't believe how many are packed into the opening chapters of the book. Added to all of this is a gritty setting, lots of action, humour and zippy dialogue. I love the way in which the author also includes mentions of other books. The Lock-Horne Building, home to Win Lockwood, Myron Bolitar's best friend, gets a fleeting mention. There is also a reference to the serial killer who featured in Think Twice.

Trying to figure out what is happening, following the clues, nags at you as you read, it's like having an itch you just can't quite reach. The shocking revelation left me gasping, totally unexpected and so well planned. 

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben will be published on 27th March 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Century for a review copy.

Author Details

Harlan Coben is a no. 1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-six languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries, with eighty million books in print worldwide. His Myron Bolitar series has earned the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards, and several of his books have been developed into Netflix original series, including the no. 1 global hit Fool Me Once, The Stranger, The Innocent, Gone for Good, The Woods, Stay Close, and Hold Tight, as well as the Amazon Prime Video series adaptation of Shelter. He lives in New Jersey.

The Second Chance Book Club by Stephanie Butland

September Blythe is exhausted, both physically and mentally. No matter how many shifts she does at the supermarket she just can't make her money stretch to pay all the bills. When a mysterious letter arrives informing her she's inherited a house and money September can't believe her good fortune.

I discovered author Stephanie Butland a couple of years ago when I read the heartwarming Found In A Bookshop (review here), so I was pleased to see that she had a new novel on the horizon. The Second Chance Book Club grabbed my attention immediately. The main character, September is down-to-earth and her situation fills you with sympathy. Money is short and debt collectors are hovering. September's boyfriend is so laid back about it all, which only seems to add to her worries. Unfortunately, September doesn't have the luxury of family to fall back on as we quickly learn that she was abandoned as a toddler so doesn't know her birth family. A wonderful couple adopted and raised September but they are both dead.

It is easy to understand September's skepticism when she is informed that her aunt has left her a substantial amount of money and a large house in Harrogate. Initial thoughts are to sell the house but when she visits September is enthralled by the calm it provides. Betrayal by her boyfriend helps cement her decision to move to Harrogate and then look at the possibilities her new life offers her. 

September's aunt was a firm believer in kindness, resulting in her running a book club for people she felt needed a little help. Through this club, September meets a group of individuals who have all struggled through difficult life experiences. As we slowly learn the background of each character we see September blossom as she realises she has not only the means but also the ability and the courage to change her life around.

I loved getting to know all the different characters, it is impossible to isolate just a couple as favourites, I felt empathy towards them all. It was lovely to see their individual stories wrapped up at the end of this uplifting tale of kindness and possibility. Added to all of this were the numerous references to books, from classics to children's literature, there will be something every reader recognises.

The Second Chance Book Club by Stephanie Butland will be published on 27th March 2025 in ebook and audio format. The paperback will be published on 24th April 2025. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline for a review copy.

Author Details

Stephanie Butland is the author of many novels, including beloved bookshop tale 'Lost For Words'. Stephanie lives in Northumberland, close to the place where she grew up. She writes in a studio at the bottom of her garden, and loves being close to the sea. She's thriving after cancer.

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen

 

When a young girl goes missing and her neighbour is the main suspect retired spy Maggie Bird and her friends use all their skills to help the local police find the real culprit.

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen sees a welcome return to The Martini Club, a group of spies who have retired to the small town of Purity in Maine.  While I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, The Spy Coast (review here), I felt that this second book was a cut above. By keeping the story local we got to see more interaction between the characters and a glimpse at the subtle ways in which the skills and knowledge of the retired spies can be utilised.

A cry for help from Maggie's neighbour has the group springing to action. Luther Yount looks like something that has just walked out of the forest but Maggie knows he's a retired professor with a gentle nature, all he wants is a quiet life and the perfect surroundings to raise his teenage granddaughter. Suspicion falls on Yount as he was the last person to see the missing girl, unfortunately, his alibi is a little vague so Maggie and her friends spring into action to help clear Luther's name.

We see the group utilise all of the skills they honed in their careers to uncover clues, usually a step ahead of the local police, and sometimes discover things the police missed in their search. Acting police chief Jo Thibodeau is constantly frustrated by the abilities of Maggie and her friends and irked that no matter how many times she tells them not to get involved they ignore her. 

There is a menacing feeling throughout the story, mixed with a lot of dry wit. During the search for the missing girl remains are found, leading to another investigation and adding to the sense that something sinister is happening in a place so quiet and peaceful that locals don't lock their doors. The police are at a loss trying to identify the remains, but Maggie and her friends are dogged and refuse to give up. What they discover is shocking and has huge implications for lots of people.

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen will be published on 27th March 2025 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Transworld Books for a review copy.

Author Details

International bestselling author TESS GERRITSEN began to write fiction whilst on maternity leave as a physician. She published her first novel in 1987 and has since sold over forty million copies of her books in forty countries.

Her series featuring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the television series Rizzoli and Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.

Now retired from medicine, she lives in Maine and writes full time.

Bay Tales 2025

I took the plunge and attended my first book festival on 1st March 2025. As I'm based in the north-east Bay Tales, which takes place in Whitley Bay, was an ideal starter festival. The event is held in The Playhouse, a 630 seater auditorium, only a couple of minutes walk from the seafront. We were very fortunate that the weather was a perfect spring day so there was ample opportunity for a walk either before the event or during the lunch break.

The festival organisers, Vic Watson and Ann Cleeves (yes, THAT Ann Cleeves), pride themselves on Bay Tales being the friendliest festival going and I immediately started chatting to people as soon as I entered the building. This was lovely as I was on my own, at my first festival, and I'm quite shy too. I'm also rubbish at remembering names so apologies for not including any shout-outs.

In the foyer, there was a merchandise stall selling a variety of goodies, everything from filled goodie bags and hoodies, through to pens and mugs. Having such a wide range of products meant that there was something to suit every purse if you were after a souvenir. Alongside this Forum Books had a stall selling books by the authors appearing on the panels. The selection of books was plentiful and rotated throughout the day. Volunteers were also selling raffle tickets for some fantastic prizes with all proceeds going to the local foodbank. Refreshments were available in the foyer from a cashless bar where the service was slick. Ladies' toilets were nearby and there were plenty of cubicles so there was no need to queue.

On to the main event. Vic gave a lovely warm welcome and even let us in on a Vera secret (I've put the spoiler on a separate page, link here). I couldn't believe how lucky I was to be sat in the second row, I felt that I could reach out and touch the authors.

I'd decided I was going to write a blog post before going to the event, hoping to enthrall you with inciteful comments from all the speakers. But that's not going to happen, I didn't make any notes, I just sat back and enjoyed five hours of fascinating discussion.

The first panel featured Ann Cleeves and William Shaw in conversation with Tim Rideout. This was then followed by the Viper panel featuring Tariq Ashkanani, Janice Hallett, Oskar Jensen and Guy Morpuss, moderated by Emma Flint. The last panel of the morning session was from Pan Macmillan. Moderated by Steph McGovern, it featured Sarah Hilary, Tracey Whitwell and the writing duo Ellery Lloyd (husband and wife Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos).

 

The moderators skillfully managed the discussions to ensure each author had an equal opportunity to speak and to keep the conversations flowing and snappy. There was also the opportunity for audience members to email questions to the moderator; the end of each session featured these audience questions. After each session, there was a thirty-minute break. This allows attendees to get books signed by the panel, stretch their legs or purchase refreshments.

During the lunch break, I took the opportunity to get some fresh air and wander along the seafront. Thanks to the beautiful weather the place was packed. There were plenty of places to buy food and drink. The festival organisers had also arranged discounts with some local businesses. If you didn't want to venture outside there was ample seating in the foyer of the Playhouse, with the merchandise and book stall continuing to operate.

There were two panels on the afternoon. The first, from Orion, was moderated by Chris McDonald and featured authors Anna Mazzola, John Sutherland, Emma Kavanagh and Mari Hannah. Final panel of the day was a conversation between C. L. Taylor and Mark Billingham. Before the second panel, the organsiers held the draw for the raffle. There were some fantastic prizes available such as book bundles, gift cards, your name to appear in an author's next book, a Fortnum & Mason hamper, and even a chance to have your worst enemy killed off (in a book, obviously). It was wonderful to hear that the raffle raised £1000 for the local foodbank.

And before we knew it the day was over, the eight hours had flown by. Whilst I didn't make notes there were quite a few things that really stood out for me.

• The expertise of some of the authors is phenomenal. From the law, the police force, psychology, or hostage negotiation, these people really know their stuff.
• Not everything is intricately researched at the beginning of a novel. Many prefer to get the story written and then do research.
• Plotting a story varies widely, some have spreadsheets, others have post-it notes, and many use nothing at all. The overall message was simply to write, and get something on the page.
• We laughed a lot, especially during the conversation between Cally Taylor and Mark Billingham.
• Dragon porn is so last year, the next big thing is parrot porn! (You had to be there).

I want to say a huge thank you to the organisers, volunteers and Playhouse staff for making the event so welcoming. Everything was beautifully organised. If you're dithering about attending, particularly if you are on your own, you don't need to worry, everyone is very friendly.

On a side note, although this is a day event there are other events on Friday and Saturday night and  Sunday morning. Friday night is "Noir At The Bar" and Sunday morning was "Voices Of The North East" at Whitley Bay Library, both of these events were free. Saturday night was "Whose Crime Was It Anyway?", which is a ticketed event. You could also take part in a bar crawl and check out the favourite cocktails of some of the authors.

If I've tempted you to attend then tickets for next year's event are now on sale. Bay Tales 26 will take place on Saturday 28th February 2026.

Bay Tales Vera Spoiler

Attendees of Bay Tales 2025 were told a spoiler for the Vera series of books by Ann Cleeves, do not scroll down if you don't want to know.

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read any further if you want to be kept in the dark.

Book 12 in the Vera series will be the last.