Emma's Review: The Daughter-in-Law by Fanny Blake

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

When Hope’s only son Paul met and married Edie, Hope was delighted that he had found love and was settling down to make his own family. Hope has loved bringing up her own child, and is happy to step in and help out now and again – but is always worried about overstepping the line between grandmother and mother. 

Edie was hoping that having children with Paul would fulfil her as much as her busy job as a barrister has. But the reality is far from her dream. And with her mother-in-law Hope constantly poking her nose in where it’s not wanted, she finds herself frustrated and alone. 

Both women could be each other’s greatest ally, but both have secrets that could ruin their relationship. Secrets neither wants Paul to uncover… 

Book Links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: A Summer Reunion by Fanny Blake

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

One perfect villa, four old friends, and a holiday that will change everything...

Amy, Linda, Kate and Jane were best friends at school. Now, years later, they have grown apart. When Amy discovers her husband has been stealing from her successful interiors business, and with a milestone birthday looming, she decides it is the time to reach out to her old friends once again.

So, she decides to invite the other three to her beautiful villa in Mallorca for a reunion weekend. As the four friends gather, secrets are unearthed, old scores settled and new friendships forged. Will this holiday bring them together or tear them apart? And will each of them grasp their second chance for happiness...?

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Emma's Review: An Italian Summer by Fanny Blake

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Sandy is in her fifties, and at a crossroads in her life: she's a teacher and respected by her pupils, but she feels she is being sidelined in favour of younger colleagues. So when her mother dies, leaving her a sealed envelope addressed to an unknown woman living in Naples, Sandy decides to head to Italy to resolve the mystery by delivering the letter herself.

She books herself on to a small sightseeing trip from Rome to Naples and the Amalfi Coast, hoping to meet some like-minded people along the way. Who is the mysterious woman she is searching for? And will Sandy find friendship, or even love, along the way...?

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Emma's Guest Review: Fanny Blake - House of Dreams

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Only a weekend in Spain - what could possibly go wrong?

At their family hilltop villa, Lucy awaits the arrival of her brother and sister for their mother's annual birthday party. Although this time, their mother won't be there.

Struggling at Malaga airport with her fractious four year old, Jo has already lost her case and is dreading arriving without its precious contents.

For Tom, returning to Casa de Sueños stirs up all sorts of memories - then a beautiful face from his past appears . . .

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An Evening with Cathy Kelly and Fanny Blake

Before I started blogging almost 4 years ago it was very rare that I actually got to meet authors in person as not many authors I read have visited bookshops in my area for book signings, in fact the only authors I'd previously met were Terry Waite and Jodi Picoult when they came to book events in a local bookshop that has since closed.

But over the last couple of years I have been extremely fortunate to have been invited to quite a few events, although most of them are in London, which although I'm on a main commuter route is not easy to get to on a work day as normally have to try and get a couple of hours off work.  Also as any of my friends will tell you my sense of direction is DREADFUL but in the last year I have now visited many different locations across London and with my underground route planner and Google Maps I've only gotten lost a couple of times!

But a few weeks ago I received an invite to an event that I knew I definitely wanted to go to and as luck would have it, it was obviously meant to be for me to attend as it was being held on my day off and there was a special offer on train tickets.  So yesterday afternoon saw me heading off to the big smoke again to the offices of Orion Publishing for an event to meet bestselling Irish author Cathy Kelly whose books I've been reading since her debut back in the 1990's (which ages us both!).

The evening began with a chance for us all to mingle and enjoy a drink and some nibbles and then the formal part of the evening began with another Orion author Fanny Blake chatting to Cathy about her latest book Between Sisters which is published today followed by a Q&A session with us all.

Author Interview: Fanny Blake

Today it's my stop on the blog tour for the paperback edition of Fanny Blake's latest book With a Friend Like You, which is published tomorrow, and I'm delighted to welcome Fanny back to the blog to find out a little more.

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book With a Friend Like You? 
Beth and Megan have been friends for years despite being very different woman. Beth’s is a high achiever, her life is ordered, her house is an oasis of calm. Megan is a teacher, her home life chaotic. Their friendship has been built on years of laughter, tears and an understanding of what makes the other tick. 

However when Beth’s daughter makes an announcement, a wedge is driven between the two women. Misunderstanding and resentment develop into a row and then a full-blown feud that affects not just them but their families too. The question is – is there any way back?

Your novels all appear to feature strong women and their friendships/relationships, have you ever considered writing a novel from a male perspective?
Funnily enough, my next novel House of Dreams (out November 5) is about three siblings, a brother and two sisters, returning to their family home in Spain for a long weekend after their mother’s death. Although I haven’t written the whole novel from Tom’s perspective, it is told from both his and his two sisters’ points of view. I loved writing about him, his marriage, how he deals with the world and how he reacts when a face from the past turns up at the villa.

What can we expect from you next?
I’m in the very early stages of my next novel, plotting and planning and trying to breathe life into the characters.

Guest Book Review: Fanny Blake - With a Friend Like You

Reviewed by Sarah Brew

Beth is a woman in supreme control of all aspects of her life and family, with a stellar career and her house an oasis of calm. Her closest friend, Megan, is very different; somehow she swims through the chaos of her family with ease, the clutter on the stairs, the cat footprints on the kitchen work space. And while they could not be more different, Beth and Megan have a genuine friendship built on years of laugher, tears and true understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Because that's what friends do, isn't it?

But when Beth's daughter reveals a surprising secret, a wedge is driven between Beth and Megan. What begins as mild recrimination and misunderstanding develops into a full-blown row and then a simmering feud. As the two women square up to do battle in the London suburbs, there's everything to play for. All's fair in love and war...

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Guest Post: The Importance of Friendship in With a Friend Like You by Fanny Blake

Today it's my stop on Fanny Blake's blog tour with an excellent guest piece about the importance of Friendship in With a Friend Like You and why she chose to write about it.

All my novels to date have been about women’s friendship in one form or another. I’ve been writing about women of a certain age and, as we get older, it seems to me that we rely more and more on our close friends.  You may only have one of them, or you may have many, but they are the best form of support group you’ll ever have. They often understand things in a way one’s partner can’t, simply because of their similar experiences and knowledge. I couldn’t live without my own friends. We’re there for each other whatever the reason. We bring out the best in each other. We make each other laugh. I’m intrigued by these relationships and what makes them work.

Different friends can have their place in different parts of your life. For instance, Lizy and I talk about our writing every day (our phone bills are astronomical!). I have travelled to China and India with Julie: places we wanted to visit but that did not hold the same fascination for our husbands. Dotti and I have a shared history that goes right back to university and are godparents to each others children. And so on.