Flight to Coorah Creek by Janet Gover

As a Choc Lit reviewer, I receive some of the best romantic fiction out there. This month I received Flight to Coorah Creek by Janet Gover.  

Janet Gover isn't an author I had heard of, but she is certainly one I will be looking out for from now on.  As I always say when I review a Choc Lit book, Choc Lit publish books which contain the best heroes and/or heroines.  This book, however, is absolutely chock-a-block full of heroes and heroines.

The story itself was totally absorbing, it's packed full of adventure and as a bonus you get not just one, but two, romances.  I was hooked right from the very first page, and found it very hard to put down.

Coorah Creek is a place where people go to escape. Ellen, Jessica and Adam all have their own secret to keep, and they are each their own harshest judge. However, secrets have a way of catching up with you, and as each of Ellen, Jessica and Adam's secrets begin to surface, we discover how the Coorah Creek town react.  Are you really judged by what you do in Coorah Creek, and not by what people say about you? 

Each of the characters are resilient and inspirational in their own way.  I particularly loved Jack's relationship with Ellen's children.  I also loved that they each had to go on a journey before they ended up "home".

There were parts of the book where I found it ever so slightly repetitive as the characters battled, at different stages, with their own inner demons, but I found myself thinking that, actually, that is how it is in real life.  When you have the sort of secrets Jessica, Ellen and Adam have, and then you are plunged into a new world where you feel those secrets could ruin everything you've come to know and love, they become all-consuming and that was captured extremely well in this book.

For the last third of the book, the tears came steadily for me.  By this stage, I felt so invested in each of the characters and every time I dried my eyes, a fresh set of tears appeared from the next chapter.

From Janet's website, it seems that Flight to Coorah Creek is the first in the series of books about Coorah Creek and the people who live there.  I for one can't wait for more.

Want to Know a Secret by Sue Moorcroft

When I think of Sue Moorcroft, I think of Middledip village, of Honeybun cottage and of Ratty. Oh Ratty....how I still yearn for you!!!! 

So when I saw Want to Know a Secret? in the top free kindle books list, I jumped at the chance (now that I have my trusty ipad to read eBooks on).

This book is typically Sue Moorcroft in that it's amazingly romantic and packed with gorgeous hero moments that leave you longing to step inside the book and melt into the world of love.  But it's also packed with real life - family troubles, family rifts, family you didn't know about, family you wish you didn't know about and could forget, guilt, greed, depression and money troubles to name just a few.

I have always found Sue's writing addictive and this book is no different. Once I started, I just couldn't stop.  I think this book has a less full-on romance storyline than other Moorcroft books I've read. In this book, the romance is interwoven with the very clever storyline and you don't even realise where it's coming from until it's upon you making your heart beat faster and your cheeks flush ever so slightly. The romance is more of an undercurrent, pulling you under and then releasing you, giving you enough time to recover before the next wave comes crashing in. And the main thread of the story I thought was really excellent - it's original and cleverly crafted together. 

There are a lot of characters in this book, but each and every once had their place.  They are all unique and well developed.  They fit perfectly into their little world.  The pace is perfect, and will keep you gripped right through to the very last word. 

As always with Moorcroft's books, the only disappointment I had was when I'd turned the last page and it was over. If you haven't ever read a Sue Moorcroft book, you're seriously missing out - get yourself to a book store or get yourself online and rectify this immediately. 

World After by Susan EE (Penryn and of Days Book 2)

I dived into World After, having been desperate to know what happened to Penryn and Raffe since I finished Angel Fall a few weeks ago.....

World After doesn't disappoint, it dives straight into where you left off.  No hanging around, warming you back up to the characters and the story....just BAM!

World After is a fabulous second book, and it keeps drawing you in and leaves you wanting more than the first one did.  

The majority of the book takes a slightly different turn to Angelfall as it doesn't follow Penryn and Raffe together but focuses on Penryn's continued journey.  Initially you only get glimpses of Raffe through his sword, and he doesn't appear in the flesh until later in the book.  But when he does appear, there are some touching moments that make your heart melt and the book becomes slightly more like the first.

It can pretty gruesome and dark (more so than the first) but it's just as addictive.  You learn more about the Angel's plans and their reason for being on Earth.  But things take an unexpected turn at the end; it absolutely isn't predictable, it isn't at all what I expected to happen and I have absolutely no idea what will happen next.....!

I hear it's quite a long wait for the third book, and I'm not sure how long I can wait!!! Hurry Susan - I'm desperate!

The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman

Thank you to Amelia for the copy of The Memory Book and for warning me in advance that it is wonderful, but heart breaking.

This book is heartbreaking, yet beautifully written. It captures the emotions of each of Claire's family members as they attempt to deal with Claire's early onset Alzheimer's as best they can, but most importantly they capture how Claire feels - trapped, confused and helpless to name a few.

I loved each and every character. Greg for his unconditional love, Ruth for worrying in the way only a mother can, Caitlin for her goth-phase and her strength and courage, Esther for, well, being totally and utterly adorable and scrumptious and Claire for being scared and brave all at the same time.

Each and every page of this book is tainted with the sadness of the reality of early onset Alzheimer's but somehow Rowan Coleman takes the reader beyond that. We get to learn about Claire's history and Caitlin has her own story to tell and future to discover.  You see more than one mother-daughter bond entwined into the pages of this book, and just like it should be, it's the most important unbreakable bond.

I must admit that I had my suspicions about Ryan right from the very moment he appeared in Claire's life, so I can't say that I wasn't surprised when that element was revealed. Saying that, it wasn't in the slightest bit predictable, I just somehow knew.

My eyes brimmed with tears on a number of occasions, and it makes you realise that life is really to short. Heartbreaking yet inspirational.