bookbeforeuleap's Reviews (863)

I am a massive fan of this author but always a little unsure about this new branch out into historical fiction but I needn’t have been.

I picked it up and was hooked with in pages, it was clear who the characters where and what was going on and I was immersed in Sofia’s world immediately. I like that it flipped from the current time to her childhood to explain her past and how she became the woman she was.

This is a great piece of historical fiction for those who like a gritty read with a interesting storyline. The descriptions are detailed and meaty and not for the faint hearted!!!

The story gives us a brief history of the main character Dave and how he came to be a lawyer despite appearing to not want to be one and shows us his one friendship with his college, John. Then John disappears and Dave continues on to become an even more successful lawyer but has no real life outside of work. When John appears over a year later and explains where he has been, Dave knows he cannot continue with his mundane and unsatisfying life so he quits his job and moves to the country with his cat.

This book is completely not what I was expecting and was as such I was pleasantly surprised. It touches on many heavy themes in a completely approachable way. I particularly enjoyed the discussions between Dave and John as the touched on so many important issues and were laid out in a completely relatable way, I especially enjoyed the discussion on questions of ethical laws (FYI I am Team John on that one!)

This is definitely going on the shelf with my books that restore my faith in humanity and is one I will pick up again when I need a little perspective.

Thank you to @rararesources for letting me be part of the blog tour and to @MaunzDaniel for gifting me a signed copy of this stunning book.

This is the story of two women with very different lives in a very different time.

The story is incredibly well written and very easy to get into and follow even with the multiple perspectives.

I enjoyed the storyline but I felt like I knew exactly where it was going after about page 50 so I was left a little underwhelmed when that’s exactly how it played out.

I definitely recommend this for historical fiction fans who want an easy read and I will always love the cover!!!!

Although this is billed as being mainly about Stella and George you get the lives and perspectives of the whole family so it really is a well rounded story. It was easy to follow as the different character voices were clear and defined by chapters.


This was such a refreshing treat to read as its something I haven't come across in a book before, it was a mixture of family drama/murder mystery in the form of a party. As some one who has attended a family murder mystery dinner party I was immediately drawn in to this idea and the characters were so well written that I couldn't put it down!

This is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie type murder mystery and family dramas. It was the perfect blend of fun mixed with serious topics and I can thoroughly recommend this as a great lock-down read!

Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review

Another great book in this beautiful series about a man who truly deserves to be remembered. the story is written very well and as always the illustrations are stunning.

I love sharing these books with my children as I feel like we are both learning from while whilst enjoying our story time together.

This is the story of Ada, an elderly lady, who is struggling with loneliness since loosing her husband and Eliza, a university student, who is also struggling with the isolation of moving to a new city and living on her own.

The pair strike an unlikely friendship through chance circumstances and a shared love of tea.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s no secret I enjoy a book with an elder person as a character and this book definitely delivered that, I adored Ada and could read a whole book on her rent-a-gran enterprise!!

I felt like it took a few chapters to find its flow but once it did I couldn’t put it down!! The characters also don’t meet until over half way into the book which means we get to know each of them individually and really felt the connection between them.

This is a stunning debut and I can’t wait for more from this author!!

Thank you to @orionbooks for my #gifted copy