5* review: The Night That Changed Everything by Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice

Available here from Amazon.co.uk

Rebecca is the only girl she knows who didn't cry at the end of Titanic. Ben is the only man he knows who did. Rebecca’s untidy but Ben doesn’t mind picking up her pieces. Ben is laid back by Rebecca keeps him on his toes. They're a perfect match.

Nothing can come between them. Or so they think.

When a throwaway comment reveals a secret from the past, their love story is rewritten.

Can they recover from the night that changed everything? And how do you forgive when you can’t forget?

Every now and again a book, quite innocent looking, just pops up and changes things. Not physically or outwardly, but when you've read it the world just seems a little bit different. This is that book for me.

I began reading with no expectations, and really quickly I began to see it was special - it had captivated me, made me laugh, cringe and really quickly feel for the characters. I was hooked. Then as the story progressed it drew me so far in I felt I was living it along with the characters; feeling their highs and lows along with them. And then BAM, the 'thing' happened, and it just blew me away. The book changed from a romantic, laugh along tale, to the most emotional thing I've read since Jojo Moyes' Me Before You, and since laying it down I've been unable to pick up another book (it was only a few hours ago but with a reading list as long as mine progress needs to be made).

The Night That Changed Everything follows a group of friends, some childhood school friends, some old uni housemates, some work colleagues, but more specifically is narrated in alternate chapters by Ben and Rebecca (told alternately by best friends Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice). You are drawn so quickly into their worlds by their razor sharp come backs and warm, insightful humour, and feel their dilemmas as though they are your own.

As with most late twenty-something groups, there are relationship issues, job stresses and the usual - and some more unusual - family problems, all talked and laughed about, roughly figured out between the gang and a bottle of whisky; and perfect couple Ben and Rebecca are just that, perfect together...and then a comment is made, and everything changes.

I did not see any of the shocks in this book coming, and one literally tore me apart - left me weeping and generally feeling as though this had happened within my friendship group - sad but true. 

By the time the book had finished - which I wanted to shake it vigorously just to see if I could squeeze another few chapters out of it to prolong my time with the gang - I was happy, I  they had overcome all my their woes and it was time for me to leave them to live their lives. Blimey...what a ride.

I would strongly urge everyone to read this book, it is a bittersweet, laugh out loud book that really will make you realise that life is for the living. And will someone find Jemma and make her be my best friend?

Many thanks to Rebecca Hunter at Transworld Publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

5* Review: Ivy Lane by Cathy Bramley

Buy HERE from Amazon.co.uk

(Ivy Lane is currently in Amazon's 3 paperbacks for £10 deal!)

Tilly Parker needs a fresh start, fresh air and a fresh attitude if she is ever to leave the past behind and move on with her life. As she seeks out peace and quiet in a new town, taking on a plot at Ivy Lane allotments seems like the perfect solution.

But the friendly Ivy Lane community has other ideas and gradually draw Tilly in to their cosy, comforting world of planting seedlings, organizing bake sales and planning seasonal parties.

As the seasons pass, will Tilly learn to stop hiding amongst the sweetpeas and let people back into her life – and her heart?

Ivy Lane was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Tilly Parker moves to the small market town of Kingsfield in desperate need of a fresh start. She's clearly been through something traumatic which remains a mystery until later in the book. I attempted several theories of what had happened to Tilly, none of which turned out to be correct which I loved, I get bored easily with predictable plots. 

Tilly finds a part time job teaching at a local infant school, and also feels the need to embark on a new hobby to get her out of the house. After a serendipitous moment when a flyer comes through her door advertising a vacant allotment, she decides to take the plunge. She assumed that gardening might be an easy, solitary pass time, one which she hopes that no-one will ask any awkward questions about her past.

The gardening fraternity quickly welcome her and she begins to forge new friendships, some keener than others! The Ivy Lane community is wonderful, each member with their own quirks. Their own stories weave nicely in with Tilly's first person narration; some sad, some funny, all heartwarming. 

As the seasons change we learn the tragic secrets of Tilly's past and follow her on her journey to rebuild her life, which is helped along when reality TV show Green Fingers come to film at Ivy Lane Allotments, along with dishy producer, Aiden. Through the seasons, The Ivy Lane allotments hold many functions and parties in which Tilly plays an active roll, it is like watching a friend rebuild their life which is quite wonderful.

I loved Ivy Lane, and I love Cathy Bramley's writing, I find her the most effortless of storytellers with total knack of drawing the reader in, her dialogue is so 'true', genuine and witty and her characters are extremely well developed. 

She has rapidly become one of my favourite authors, I could read her books every day, forever.

Read what other bloggers think of Ivy Lane and join in the rest of the tour:

Many thanks to Sarah at Transworld books for sending me a copy of Ivy Lane in exchange for an honest review.

Read my 5* review of Cathy Bramley's Appleby Farm part 1 here: http://bookishbits.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/appleby-farm-part-one-blessing-in.html