Welcome

Hello and welcome to my new blog.

For those of you who don’t know, I used to run the successful blog Babydolls and Razorblades. That blog had unfortunatley disbanded at the end of 2020, this was a decision I didn’t take lightly but felt was the right choice as it featured things that are no longer relevant to me.

I ‘ve always said my blogs would feature things that I enjoy Babydolls and Razorblades didn’t feel like me anymore, so here we are. A nice, shiny new blog and new name that I think is more suiting and more appropriate (at least it doesn’t sound like a porn site).

This new blog will be Jolene’s Book Corner (obviously). It will include Book Reviews only!!!

Please check out the Review Policy page.

Book Review: Not that kind of Ever After by Luci Adams @luciejadams

Thank you to Hannah Hargrave and Luci Adams for asking me to review Not that kind of Ever after.

Blurb

Once upon a time, in a flatshare south of the river, there lived an aspiring author named Bella Marble. Above all things Bella wants to find love. But one fateful week changes everything.

When her best friend moves in with the most boring ogre in history and her perfectly paired parents tell her their own love story is coming to an end, Bella’s illusions of finding ‘the one’ shatter. With the help of her very own knight in shining Armani, Bella ditches the fairytale and decides it’s time to write herself a brand-new kind of happy ending. And while London may be fresh out of Princes, it’s got a surplus of frogs – and as Bella learns, kissing frogs can be extremely fun.

Review

Well what can I say about this book; apart from how freaking funny and relatable it is. It is a very well written debut that I couldn’t put down and I absolutely adored the characters, especially Bella. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

Purchase here

Book Review: The Kill by Evie Hunter @rachelsrandomresources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Kill by Evie Hunter

Blurb

After six years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Sebastian Carter is out and determined to get answers about who set him up. He knows it’s someone close to him and Sebastian will make sure they pay.

Ava Harper is living a lie. Although she loves her job caring for young Lily Carter, her real reason for being in the Carter household is to get answers of her own – from none other than convicted murderer Sebastian.

Sebastian hates liars, but he’s intrigued by Ava. As he gets to know more about her, he wonders if the answers she’s looking for could solve his mystery too.

Or will getting too close to Ava risk them both getting killed…?

Review

This is the first book I have read by this author and it most certainly will not be the last. It was well written and flowed well. The book was gripping from the start with plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Purchase here

Book Review:Scottish Country Escape by Julie Shackman

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review Scottish Country Escape by Julie Shackman

Blurb

Determined to overcome a family tragedy, Elle Cassidy decides to reopen her late mother’s ailing newsagent as a stationery shop in the quiet Scottish town of Fir Haven.

But when the arrogant yet handsome crime writer Dexter Grayling almost runs over Elle in his beast of a sports car, the town is thrown into a tailspin – especially when Dexter claims that local resident Linda Carlucci has put a curse on him and he is no longer able to write.

Can Elle put aside her dislike for the self-absorbed writer and help Dexter uncover what is really going on with the Carlucci family? And in the process will Elle realise that there’s a lot more to her beloved Fir Haven than she first thought…

Review

I absolutely adore this series, not only because its based in Scotland but also because they are very well written and cosy.

The latest installment is another wonderful read, I was hooked from the start. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. It was a fab romantic read, absolutely adored Elle.

I look forward to reading more in this series. Highly recommend.

Purchase here

Book Review: Where the water falls by Romola Farr @RomolaFarr @rararesources

Thank you to Merlin Ward and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review Where the water falls by Romola Farr

Blurb

It had been a long, hot summer followed by a very wet autumn. The River Hawk, lying to the north of a former little mill town, was in full flood but nobody imagined the catastrophe that lay ahead.

Not the elderly couple who created a beautiful memorial garden that would become a lake.Not the opera singer who found a friend who would risk all to save her life.

Not the owner of Wax Polish who would battle to rescue her first love.Not the new parents who would be overwhelmed and torn apart.

And certainly not two drama students whose lives would change forever.

Review

I don’t know where to start, this was a beautifully written story that was a rollercoaster of emotions. I was hooked from the start. This was another brilliant book from Romola Farr, I highly recommend checking her other pieces of work out.

Purchase here

Book Review: Stolen Kisses at the Loch View Hotel by Margaret Amatt @AmattAuthor @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review Stolen Kisses at Loch View Hotel by Margaret Amatt

Blurb

One hotel. One week. And a secret that could change everything.

Ever-optimistic Briony Dalgleish has watched her dreams evaporate. Now, the only way to save her beautiful hotel in the Scottish Highlands is to sell up. In desperation, she agrees to a deal with an American businessman, but when his representative arrives, Briony recognises him as someone she’d rather forget.

American sci-fi geek Zach Somerton is on a last-ditch mission to redeem himself after an epic business fail. If he messes up this time, his career is over. But Scotland’s like another planet, and Zach’s facing crazy locals, bizarre legends, and a woman who’s out of this world. When his boss forbids him to reveal to Briony the real reason he’s at the Loch View Hotel, Zach’s loyalty is tested to the limit.

Forced to work together, Briony and Zach investigate the hotel’s murky past and face up to their own. But getting too close could end their careers. Can Briony and Zach find a way to let in love? Or will secrets and lies crush their chance of happiness?

Review

This is the first book in the new The Glenbriar Series but can easily be read as a standalone and is a spin off of the Scottish Island Escapes series.

I absolutely loved reading this book, it was a perfect start to the knew series. I instantly fell in love with the setting and characters. I really enjoyed the mystery that ran throughout.

i look forward to reading the next installment to what promises to be a fan series.

Purchase here

Book Review: The Catch by Shari Low and Ross King

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Catch by Shari Low and Ross King

Blurb

At a glittering after-party on the night of the Academy Awards, author Mirren McLean celebrates her win with her childhood friends Davie Johnston and Zander Leith by her side.

Three kids from a tough street in Glasgow, the dazzling trio rose from the ashes to become Hollywood stars with global fame and vast fortunes.

This is their moment in the spotlight.

But by morning, there’s only darkness.

A secret from their past has come back to haunt them and the shield of stardom can’t protect them from the horrors of their old lives.

Someone is out to destroy them… and unlike the movies, there’s no guarantee that the good guys will win.

Review

So after you get past the long list of characters there is actually a really good story being told.

It was a well written book but ideally you should read book one, The Rise, prior to this because it’ll give you a more in depth understanding of what’s going on. There was a lot of “I need to know more” moments so it definitely kept you on the edge of your seat.

Purchase here

Book Review: The Perfect Girl by Kelly Golden @kellygolden1234 @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Perfect Girl by Kelly Golden.

Blurb

Sophie is perfect. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and when she smiles her wide, open, caring smile, her teeth sparkle. Everybody loves her. So would I, except she’s my husband Mike’s best friend, and sometimes they seem a little too close for comfort.

This summer, Sophie is renting the grand house next door, bringing over fancy wine, offering to babysit our beautiful three-year-old daughter. It’s nice, actually. She’s smart and funny. Maybe the way she is with Mike – squeezing his arm, tilting her head when she laughs at his jokes – is just how she is with everybody.

But then she says something that sends a shiver down my spine – does she know something about me she shouldn’t?

And when her new husband arrives, looking slightly too familiar, I realise my time is running out. My baby girl and I are in terrible danger.

Sophie really is perfect. She has me perfectly trapped. And as my world begins to crumble, I start to wonder: does Sophie just want to steal my husband, or has she planned the perfect murder?

Review

I absolutely loved this book, it was gripping from the start and the end of every chapter made you want to know more. The story was well written and I adored the characters (even the bad ones), you felt as though you were there in the story. I highly recommend this book and look forward to what else the author has to offer.

Purchase here

Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi @zoerosiauthor @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi.

Blurb

You’ve done a bad thing. She has you in her sights. Now you’re going to pay.

Meet Camilla Black: an affluent, respected, influential fashion magazine editor, who lives it up in her beautiful Mayfair apartment. But Camilla’s glamorous life is a lie. Behind her poised exterior beats the cold dark heart of a vigilante killer, a murderer hell-bent on wreaking vengeance upon bad men.

Camilla expects to get away with murder. She’s careful. And anyway, it’s worth the risk. She’s making the world a better place with each predator she kills. But when one of her victims’ bodies is unexpectedly found, his gruesome death is splashed all over the papers.

To make matters worse, she’s now being pursued by Detective Wheelan, a new addition to the Met with laser-sharp focus and a worrying habit of solving impossible crimes…

She knows she should stop, but she can’t. Some men just deserve to die. Will Camilla’s insatiable appetite for justice be her downfall, or can she outsmart the police?

Review

Pretty Evil (previously Predator) isn’t something I would normally read but it sounded so good I couldn’t resist and having read the authors other books (under Zoe May) I was super excited to sink my teeth into one of her thrillers.

There is no messing about with this book, you are at the thick of it straight away and you are kept captivated throughout. The story flows well but be warned it is very graphic at times and can be overwhelming.

The book wasn’t what I was expecting, it was well written but too graphic for me, however I thought Camilla was a fabulous character and I did enjoy the overall story.

Purchase here

The Neighbour by Gemma Rogers @gemmarogers79 @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review The Neighbour by Gemma Rogers

Blurb

For myself and Lauren, my 10-year-old daughter No3 Beech Close was to be our refuge after two years of hell nursing my sick mother.

In need of a fresh start and wanting to distance ourselves from the bad memories of my mother’s house we moved to Beech Close, a small cul-de-sac of six houses situated around a picture-perfect green.

It seemed perfect but I had underestimated the secrets that this tightknit community shared.Within hours of moving in my next-door neighbour Valerie made it abundantly clear we were not welcome.

I soon discovered that Valerie hadn’t welcomed the previous occupant either and she’d since disappeared without a trace.

Had I put myself and my daughter in danger moving to Beech Close?

Which neighbours, if any could I trust?

And how far would they go to keep their secret

Review

Well what can I say, Gemma Rogers has absolutely smashed it again with her latest release.

The Neighbour was a gripping read from the start, there were plenty of unexpected twist and fear gripping moments.

I loved the relationship between Shelley and her daughter Lauren, I liked how it showed that generation trauma can end.

The Neighbour was an excellent read that I would highly recommend.

Purchase here

Book Review: Lies at her Door at A A Abbott @AAAbbottstories @rararesources

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me the chance to review A A Abbott’s latest offering, Lies at her Door

Blurb

She forgot about her childhood friend… until his body is found under her garden. Can she prove she didn’t commit the decades-old murder?

Lucy Freeman struggles to find satisfaction in life. Trapped in the shadow of her rock star brother, the thirty-two-year-old craves more than her days at home caring for her terminally ill mother. But her routine takes a turn for the horrifying when a giant sinkhole collapses the earth outside their house and reveals a skeleton.

Shocked to discover the bones belong to a former member of her sibling’s band, Lucy’s worst nightmare comes alive when police suspect her of the killing. And as she turns to her dying parent’s diaries in a desperate search for vindication, she’s entangled in a dark and complicated truth.

Will unearthing long-buried wrongs prove lethal?

Review

I have been a huge fan of AA Abbott since the release of The Trail Series so I was super excited when I saw this standalone pop up.

What an absolutely stunning yet gripping read that kept me guessing throughout. I couldn’t put it down. I don’t want to give too much away but the characters and storyline were superb. This was yet another fantastic psychological thriller from Abbott.

Purchase here