Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for this cosy and intriguing new release from Sharley Scott. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to take part, and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Book Description
It’s 1988. The era of young love, with Scott and Charlene melting hearts in Neighbours, and a new princess for the Royal Family. With Bros, Madonna and Wet Wet Wet in the charts, and children hoping for Ghostbusters’ toys in their stockings.
But it’s not all fun for Belinda. If her life was a board game, she’s losing at snakes and ladders. Once she’d been working her way up one of those ladders but, thanks to her snake-like polytechnic lecturer, she’s toppled from the rungs. Now she works in an old people’s home, where her chief duties involve cleaning toilets and emptying commodes.
At least her lovely colleague, Joe, offers excitement in her otherwise dreary life. But Belinda can’t believe he'd be interested in someone like her. Not when her pretty friend, Tracey, only has to glance at a man to have him fall for her.
But just when it seems things are looking up for Belinda, the residents’ precious possessions start to go missing. Then she witnesses a disturbing incident and doesn’t know what to do. Luckily, Belinda has Joe to guide her – until she discovers that he’s hiding a secret, one that forces her to make an agonising decision.
Will she continue to hide in the shadows, never speaking out – or will she put her future on the line to stand up for what is right? After all, she’s caring for a generation that's lived through two wars. Now it’s time to fight for them.
My Review
This is a brilliant read full of intrigue and romance, and one I loved from the first page to the last.
We first meet Belinda Swift on her first day working at a care home. This is not the future that Belinda had planned but she is determined to make the best of her life and keep her secrets in the past.
It doesn't take her long to settle into her toilet cleaning duties and caring for the residents at the home. She also makes good friends with a colleague Joe.
Belinda really begins to enjoy her job, it gives her the confidence to change a few things about herself, including her hair and her look. she also enjoys getting to know all of the residents within the home and builds relationships with them. She works hard and to make sure they are happy and even begins to enjoy their company.
Things begin to get strange within the care home when things begin to disappear. Belinda is normally quiet by nature and isn't keen to rock the boat especially when she has a idea of who may be behind the missing items, she also sees something happen within the home that really horrifies her. Belinda is determined to speak up but with no evidence who will believe her.
luckily for Belinda she has Joe on her side and the the two of them hatch plane to help the residents and reveal the truth.
This was such a fun read that I adored from beginning to end. The mystery and intrigued within the book really keeps you guessing the outcome of the story.
The book is set in the eighties which is a decade that I love and I thought all of the references to the era where just great fun.
Belinda was a really fun character to get to know. It was wonderful to see her blossoming with the book and build new relationships. She also grew to love herself too which is so important. She builds great relationships with all of the care home residents and the spark between her and Joe is apparent from early on in the book.
I really enjoy the writing style of Sharley Scott I find it very engaging and keeps me engrossed throughout the story.
This is such a great read and is the perfect way to spend an afternoon getting lost within the pages.
I loved this book and I'm sure you will too.
About the Author
Sharley Scott is the author of the Devon Seaside Guesthouse novels – Bedlam & Breakfast and B&Bers Behaving Madly – and the Maddie Meadows series.
Sharley is a guesthouse owner in South Devon. She is thankful to have been blessed with lots of amazing and kind-hearted guests, who are nothing like some of the fictional characters featured in the Devon Seaside Guesthouse series.
The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows – and its sequel The Gift of a Rose – portray the life of a working single mum. Some of the mischief Maddie's little one, Josh, gets up to will be familiar to all parents. In real life, Sharley has carried out the threats she made to her son decades ago and now gets her own back him by telling tales to his girlfriend (some of the incidents in the books are inspired by him), although he returns the favour by recounting utterly embarrassing stories about his mum.
Sharley's latest novel ‘A Little Birdie Told Me…’ is being published in February 2021. This book goes back in time to the late eighties: a time of fun music, interesting fashion, strange hairstyles and no internet or mobile phones. Fancy having to talk to each other! (Says the author who frequents Facebook too often).
W ith that in mind, Sharley can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SharleyScott3/
Or follow Sharley on Twitter: @SharleyScott
Thank you for visiting my Blog today, and I hope you enjoyed my review.
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