Love Unlocked by Cecelia Ahern

 

Podcaster Melody is intrigued when she hears about relationships breaking up on the day that a couple's 'love lock' was cut off a bridge in Dublin. Determined to find out more, she decides to track down the man responsible for the removal of the locks, Al.

I'm really not sure what I was expecting when I started reading Love Unlocked by Cecelia Ahern. I know I certainly didn't expect to become fully invested in the lives and relationships of two wonderful characters. It was refreshing to see that the main characters were both in their late thirties, a time when most people would hope to have their lives sorted out.

Melody is very much a free spirit; she doesn't like the thought of long-term commitment and runs at the idea of spending her life with one person. Unfortunately, she's also terrified of being alone at night (one of her many foibles), so this can be an issue. It's Melody's honesty and vulnerability that make her so likeable. I certainly understood her choices to buck societal norms around marriage.

Al is the complete opposite; he's a true romantic, he loves grand gestures. So when his fiancée breaks his heart, you can't help but sympathise with him. There were times when I found his actions hilarious, and other times that left me feeling really uncomfortable; however, his behaviour was understandable. Music plays a big part in Al's emotional journey; I could hear the songs playing in my head as he went through the different stages of his break-up. There definitely needs to be a Spotify playlist made.

It is under these inauspicious circumstances that the couple first meet, and the chemistry between them is palpable, even though we know they are complete opposites. There is a spark, but they both seem determined to fight it. Melody is adamant she isn't looking for anything long-term, and Al is convinced he's still in love with his fiancée. As the pair spend time together, they begin to realise what has brought them to this point in their lives, but is this realisation enough to make them want something different?

Love Unlocked by Cecelia Ahern will be published on 27th August 2026 in hardback, ebook, and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

Author Details

Cecelia Ahern is an Irish novelist whose work was first published in 2004. Her debut novel PS I Love You was an international bestseller and was adapted to film starring Hilary Swank. Her second novel, Where Rainbows End, was adapted into Love, Rosie starring Lily Collins. Her books have been published in over thirty-seven languages, and have sold over twenty-five million copies. In addition to her novels, she is also the author of a highly acclaimed collection of stories, Roar, which is now an Apple Original series starring Nicole Kidman on Apple TV+.

July 2026 Reads

 

The month began with The Blackbird Conspiracy by Tariq Ashkanani. This is the second book in the Callie Munro series. Discovering her friend and colleague dead, Callie learns that someone in the government will go to any lengths to stop their plans from becoming public. The sparse writing keeps the pace flowing and adds to the sense of urgency. I was really pleased to learn the book three has already been written.

Dissection Of A Murder by Jo Murray has been all over my social media for months, having now read it, I can understand why everyone is talking about it. Leila Reynolds is given her first murder case to defend. There are a couple of problems, though. Firstly, the defendant refuses to explain what happened on the night he is accused of murdering a crown court judge. Secondly, the prosecution barrister is her husband. From the very first page, you are drawn in by the intrigue, you are kept turning the pages, desperate to know what happened.

Washington Poe returns in The Killer’s Mark by M. W. Craven. In the eighth book in the series, Poe and Tilly are now ‘Gumshoes For Hire’, when a teenage girl asks for their help. For the past year, she had assumed her mother was dead until she caught a glimpse of her in a pornographic film. The hunt for answers sees the duo come up against the Triads. Having left the police force, Poe doesn’t have his usual backup, however he still has friends he can call on when desperate. Tilly’s continuing work for the security service also proves to be handy.

Death Writ Large by Susie Dent is the second book in the Clarendon Lexicographers series. Martha is called on to use her expertise in constructed language when an Oxford scholar is found dead. Strange runes near the body are attributed to the writing of a contemporary of Tolkien. When more runes begin to appear, it becomes obvious that someone is seeking revenge. This mystery is perfect for fans of cryptic crosswords, but don’t worry if you struggle with them (like me), as all the clues are explained well.

A complete change of genre next with The Stray Dogs by Ruth Hogan. Vet Leona Lennox is feeling jaded, so she decides to sell her share in her practise and move to the countryside to open a rescue centre for dogs. In her new home, she meets Desmond Leaks, who is also looking for a fresh start after his marriage failed. Years ago, Desmond was part of a band, and he decides to get the group to reform to raise funds for the rescue centre. This is a charming tale of second chances that will tug at your heartstrings.

Frank And Red by Matt Coyne is one of my favourite books of recent years. Everyone I’ve recommended it to (and there have been quite a few) has loved it. So, the pressure was on the author to see what his next novel would be like. I’m happy to report that The Trouble With Sister Francis is filled with nostalgia, humour, joy, and friendship as we meet a group of eleven-year-old boys who are ‘persuaded’ by an elderly nun to join the boys’ club run by the church. I was snorting with laughter throughout, but in floods of tears towards the end.

My book group read for the month was A Time Of Mourning by Christobel Kent. Having left the police force under a cloud, Sandro Cellini has set up as a private investigator. His first case is to investigate the apparent suicide of a man whose widow is convinced his actions are completely out of character. Following quickly on the heels of this case is the disappearance of a young woman. Are the two cases linked? Set in Florence during a bout of torrential rain that threatens to flood the city, this is a slow and bleak mystery.

In Love Unlocked by Cecelia Ahern, podcaster Melody is intrigued when she hears of numerous relationships ending on the same day. Further investigation reveals that each couple had a love lock attached to a Dublin bridge, and the relationships ended the day those locks were cut off the bridge. Melody decides to confront the man responsible for their removal, Al. What happens when an anti-love individual meets a heartbroken romantic? I loved the characters of Meloday and Al, as well as the mystery surrounding the love locks.

Only one audiobook this month, The Campervan Detectives by Maeve Haran. Discovering her husband in bed with her best friend, Sadie Sutton walks out on her marriage, buys a campervan, and flees to the seaside. When she discovers a dead body, a group of women who have also embraced ‘van-life’ come to her aid. This is an easy-going cosy crime, with an unlikeable victim and plenty of suspects.

Fuller reviews for each book are available on my blog.

Publication dates to watch for:-

The Killer’s Mark by M. W. Craven will be published on 13/8/26 in hardback, ebook, and audio format.

Death Writ Large by Susie Dent will be published on 13/8/26 in hardback, ebook, and audio format.

The Blackbird Conspiracy by Tariq Ashkanani will be published on 14/8/26 in paperback, ebook, and audio format.

The Stray Dogs by Ruth Hogan will be published on 27/8/26  in paperback, ebook, and audio format.

The Trouble With Sister Francis by Matt Coyne will be published on 27/8/26 in hardback, ebook, and audio format.

Love Unlocked by Cecelia Ahern will be published on 27/8/26 in hardback, ebook, and audio format.

The Trouble With Sister Francis by Matt Coyne

 

The long school summer holidays are looming, and in an effort to avoid the local bully, four young boys are persuaded to join a boys' club at the local church. 

Author Matt Coyne's debut novel, Frank And Red, is one of my favourite books. I regularly recommend it to people, and I've yet to hear from anyone who didn't enjoy it. So I had high expectations for his second novel, The Trouble With Sister Francis. 

As the story opens in 1981, we meet four young boys who live on the outskirts of Sheffield. Richie, Stan, Kenny, and Bennett are approaching the end of their time at primary school and a future that will see them separated as they move on to secondary school. Weekends and school holidays see them hanging about in the park until the local bully scares them off. With little else to do, they decide to check out the newly reopened boys' club at the nearby church. The club doesn't quite live up to expectations when they first arrive, and the nun who is in charge, Sister Francis, certainly isn't your stereotypical representative of the church.

At its heart, this is a story about camaraderie. Each of the boys is different. Richie is the natural leader, the one the others defer to. Stan is a bit of a wimp, terrified of everything. Bennett is just different, obviously neurodivergent long before it was identified. And Kenny, he's always the first to arrive and the last to leave, desperately avoiding his terrible home life. Kenny tells tall tales to deflect from what happens at home, and his friends just accept them, all while knowing what he has to put up with. Whenever Kenny was embellishing the truth, I was convinced he was going to grow up to become the Kenny Senior character in Phoenix Nights.

Alongside the story of the boys in 1981, there is a secondary story when Richie uncovers a journal written by Reginald Hartfeld, a fifteen-year-old who is evacuated from London to Yorkshire during the war. We hear from a lonely Reginald, miles from home, who becomes one of the original boys' club members and falls in love. I loved seeing the pieces of ephemera that were included with the journal. How this story connected to the club in 1981 was at the forefront of my mind however.

I found myself snorting with laughter repeatedly at the antics only 11-year-old boys can get up to, and nostalgia hit me on a regular basis; the smell of the school Banda machine and the description of Saturday nights spent as a family were very evocative. There is a confrontation towards the end where I could feel my chest getting tight as I read, and afterwards, I wanted to punch the air and scream "YES!" as I was so invested in the story and characters. There are also lots of bittersweet moments. I certainly didn't expect the tears towards the end. By the time I'd finished, I was ready to go right back to the beginning and start again.

The Trouble With Sister Francis by Matt Coyne will be published on 27th August 2026 in hardback, ebook, and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline for a review copy.

Author Details

Matt Coyne is from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. In September 2015, his life was turned upside down by the arrival of his son, Charlie. Three months into parenthood, he took to social media to write about his experience as a clueless first-time dad. Within days, his post about surviving the early months of parenthood was shared by millions around the world. Following this, Matt created his popular blog Man vs Baby, which now has more than 500,000 followers. He is the author of two Sunday Times bestselling books – Dummy and Man vs. Toddler – both based on Man vs Baby and has written for the Guardian, Telegraph, Private Eye and GQ. The Trouble with Sister Francis is Matt’s second novel, following his acclaimed, award-winning debut Frank and Red. Matt lives in Sheffield with his son Charlie, his partner Lyndsay and a Jack Russell terrier with ‘issues’ called Popcorn.

The Stray Dogs by Ruth Hogan

Vet Leona 'Leo' Lennox leaves her busy city practice to move to the countryside and open a rescue centre for dogs. Unexpectedly, she finds a supportive community and romance along the way.The Stray Dogs by Ruth Hogan immediately appealed to me; I loved the author's previous two books, I really enjoy uplifting fiction, and I'm an animal lover. This book offers it all. I did approach it with a little trepidation though, wondering how many times I'd be reaching for the tissues.Leo has become jaded with her life as a vet. Having sold her share of the practice she owns, she's working her last day when a terrible pet owner shows up, insisting that his dog be euthanised. You can feel Leo's despair as she tries to convince the owner that there are other options, but he's adamant. All of this confirms for Leo that she's made the right decision to leave.Arriving in the small town of Fiddlers Green, Leo meets local plumber Desmond. Desmond is one of those characters who will help anyone. Taking a shine to Leo, he immediately offers support for her project. Being set in a small town, this is one of those places where everyone knows everyone else, and there is a strong sense of community. Mixed in among the individuals willing to help are quite a few eccentric characters who help to keep the story light. There's also an antagonist, who is just the right side of being a pantomime villain to have you staring daggers whenever they appear.As well as being a tale about community, it is primarily a story of second chances. From the abandoned dogs that Leo gives a home to, through to the men Desmond was in a band with when he was younger. The dogs are offered unconditional love. For Desmond and his band mates, it's something different; a chance to reconnect, to find a purpose, to heal wounds. The trepidation I felt at the beginning was unfounded. There are some sad elements to the storyline, but the author doesn't exploit these for emotional effect. I would, however, have preferred to see a redemption arc for the pantomime villain or a karmic ending. I felt she got off far too easily.The Stray Dogs by Ruth Hogan will be published on 27th August 2026 in paperback, ebook, and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for a review copy.Author DetailsRuth Hogan studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths College and went on to work in local government. A car accident and a subsequent run-in with cancer convinced her finally to get her act together and pursue her dream of becoming a writer. The result was her debut novel - The Keeper of Lost Things, which went on be a global bestseller. She is now living the dream (and occasional nightmare) as a full-time author, along with her husband and rescue dogs in a rambling Victorian house stuffed with treasure that inspires her novels.

The Campervan Detectives by Maeve Haran (Audiobook)

 

In a bid to escape her failed marriage, Sadie Sutton takes off in a campervan and heads to her childhood. Instead of finding solitude, she becomes embroiled in a murder mystery and finds an unlikely group of friends along the way.

The Campervan Detectives by Maeve Haran sits firmly in the cosy crime genre. I found this worked well as an audiobook, as it didn't need my full concentration at all times.

Having returned home during the day to surprise her husband, Sadie was shocked to find him in bed with her best friend. Sadie immediately bolted, taking her miniature schnauzer, Sam Spade, with her. I could completely empathise with Sadie as her "flight mode" was activated, and she bought a campervan and headed off. With no plan in mind, she finds herself in the seaside town of Winching, her childhood home.

Not only is Sadie out of her depth with the campervan, something she's never stayed in before, but she's also completely in over her head when she discovers a dead body. Thankfully, a group of women who are also living in campervans are at hand to help her out. Rose, Tina, and Amanda all come to Sadie's rescue, showing her that van-life can be enjoyable. Their particular skills also aid Sadie in her hunt to track down a murderer.

There are lots of characters and possible motives to keep you puzzling, hardly surprising as the victim wasn't a particularly nice individual. I did feel that the villain became fairly obvious once they appeared, but it was interesting seeing how our sleuths narrowed the field down. 

The Campervan Detectives by Maeve Haran will be published on 28th July 2026 in paperback, ebook, and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a review copy.

Author Details

Maeve Haran is an Oxford law graduate who had a successful career in television before writing her worldwide bestseller Having It All , which was translated into twenty-six languages. She has written twenty contemporary novels, two historical novels, and a work of non-fiction in praise of life’s small pleasures. She has three grown up children and four grandchildren. She lives mainly in North London but escapes when she can to a much-loved cottage in the beautiful Cuckmere Valley near the sea in East Sussex. Her hobby is ignoring age and having a good time!

Death Writ Large by Susie Dent

 

The death of an Oxford scholar is considered to be suicide, however DI Caldwell suspects there is more to the case as a result of the strange writing found at the scene. With the help of Martha Thornhill and her colleagues at the Clarendon English Dictionary, he unearths a tale of revenge.

Death Writ Large by Susie Dent takes place just over a year after the events of Guilty By Definition, the first book in the series (you can read my review here). As with the first book, I approached this with a little trepidation, expecting a slow read. I'm really not sure why I was so worried; the plot is gripping, the pace is brisk, and all the cryptic clues are clearly explained.

Being set in and around Oxford, the descriptions of the city are appealing. I've only visited once, very briefly, but would like to do so again, taking in some of the places mentioned. 

Martha and her colleagues, Safi and Alex, are asked to help in the suspected murder because of strange runes left at the scene. Martha immediately recognises them as being a language invented by writer James Naylor, a contemporary of Tolkien. The victim used to be part of an elitist group who were fans of the writer, and the other members of the group immediately become suspects. None of this group is likeable, they continue to look down on everyone, considering them inferior. I had little sympathy for them when it became obvious that they were also being targeted.

There are enough secondary characters to keep you guessing, although I did begin to have my suspicions as to who was responsible about halfway through. Even though I'd guessed who the villain was, I was completely fooled by the reason. The conclusion is tense, with the danger having you on the edge of your seat.

Death Writ Large by Susie Dent will be published on 13th August 2026 in hardback, ebook, and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre for a review copy.

Author Details

Susie Dent is a writer and broadcaster on language. She recently celebrated thirty years as a co-presenter and the resident word expert on Channel 4’s Countdown, and also appears on the show’s comedy sister 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Susie comments regularly on TV and radio on words in the news, and is the author of several non-fiction books on words and language.

The Killer's Mark by M. W. Craven

 

Teenager Esmerée Blue seeks the help of Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw to find her mother, a person she long thought was dead. The quest leads to a dark and dangerous confrontation for everyone involved.

The Killer's Mark by M. W. Craven is the eighth book in the Washington Poe series, a series that just keeps getting better and better. The author has taken the books in a new direction, with Poe having left the police force and set up as a private investigator with his friend Tilly Bradshaw. This makes this book an ideal starting point for anyone new to the series, but I really would recommend reading the series right from the beginning so you can see how the characters have developed.

Even though the duo has set up business as 'Gumshoes For Hire', Poe is reluctant to actually take on any cases until a teenage girl asks for help. Esmerée explains how she lived in New York with her mother, Océane, who was the mistress of an extremely wealthy man, until her mother murdered the man and fled, leaving Esmerée to fend for herself. Esmerée has always believed her mother to be dead, until she recently caught a glimpse of her in a pornographic film.

Having previously been involved in the hunt for serial killers, fans of the series will be used to the dark tones that frequently appear, and The Killer's Mark is no different. The villain of the piece this time around is the Triads, an organised crime group that has almost mythical status within the UK, easily causing fear at the mere mention of them. 

There are times when you would assume Poe and Tilly are going to be hampered as they no longer work for the NCA and cannot rely on the backup it provided. No longer constrained by the rules he had to follow as a police officer (and let's be honest, Poe and rules had a very flimsy relationship), we see a much more gung-ho side to Poe, and as a result, some decidedly tricky situations to be extracted from. Thankfully, the pair have a network of ex-colleagues and friends they can call on. Tilly's work for the security services plays a prominent role in the storyline.

With Poe now being his own boss, he no longer needs to think before he speaks; fans know that kowtowing to authority was not one of his strengths. As a result, the level of sarcasm is high. Add to the mix a feisty American teen, and I found myself laughing out loud repeatedly.

As the conclusion approaches, the pace never lets up, and the level of danger seems to increase exponentially. Shocking revelations are uncovered, with a satisfying resolution leaving so much scope for the future.

The Killer's Mark by M. W. Craven will be published on 13th August 2026 in hardback, ebook, and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown UK for a review copy.

Author Details

Multi-award-winning author M.W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle. He joined the army at sixteen, leaving ten years later to complete a social work degree. Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author. He is an instant Sunday Times bestseller and, for his Cumbria-set Washington Poe series, a recipient of the 2019 Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger, the 2022 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, the 2023 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and the 2025 Fingerprint Crime Book of the Year. The series has now been translated into thirty languages and sold over one million copies.