Sophie's Shelves

Joanne has just moved back to the town where she grew up with her 6ywar old son Alfie, who is struggling to fit in at school. In an effort to befriend some of the other mums, Joanne repeats a rumour she has heard, not imagining the consequences this piece of gossip will have. This was a very impressive debut looking at the impact gossip can have. It uses a very emotional charged premise (what would you do if you found out a child killer was living in your town under a new identity?) and explores the reactions to these. Lesley Kara continues to add twists and red herrings throughout the book to keep you guessing. I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC

Kayla thinks of Caz as an arrogant surfing Casanova. However when she finds she's pregnant and her ex-boyfriend dies on the same day, he's the only person who seems interested in helping her. This certainly isn't your standard romance. Kayla's pregnancy and her thoughts about this add another dimension, which may make some readers uncomfortable. For me it added the necessary depth to understand the characters a bit more and to stand out from a crowded field of books. The romance itself is a slow burn as trust rebuilds between Caz and Kayla. I enjoyed this. Will keep my eye out for other books by Crista McHugh.