Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Vanessa reviews Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth

Today we have a review from book review team member Vanessa, she blogs at http://vanessawesterwriter.blogspot.co.uk/

Vanessa chose to read and review Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth

“The first book I selected to review via Rosie’s Book list was MIDNIGHT SKY. I don’t know if it was the cover or the blurb, or both, but something drew me to this one. I can tell you I was not disappointed! Five stars for my first read! I did not expect that.

It’s difficult to explain a story like this in a review, because it was so real! There were a lot of characters who I loved and a lot of issues discussed, which I consider really important. Also, the fact that I know so little about horses added an extra depth to the plot.

So, let’s start with the characters. Laura is a pretty, talented home designer who lives and works with a married man, who is now juggling the kids and his ex (but has yet to get a divorce). Simon is the married man and a rogue – he represents the male stereotype I dislike. But, he does seem to care about his kids so he is not a complete waste of space. Maggie, Laura’s older sister, has been in a stable relationship from a young age and is stereotypical of the stay-at-home wife, frustrated by her husbands lack of motivation to help at home. Finally, I have to mention Jess, Maggie’s daughter. A seventeen, going on eighteen, flirtatious and outrageous girl, who made me laugh many times!

There are other characters, but the one I have to talk about is the brooding (let’s think of Darcy or perhaps Mr Rochester) male hunk, James! James is heartbroken after losing his wife in a riding accident and I felt his pain on many levels. However, his patience and ability with broken horses and children won me over. When he also managed to be there for Laura when she goes through a traumatic experience he became my favourite!

However, without giving away any spoilers, this story is about how Laura, James, Maggie, and Jess confront and overcome their issues. It has a feel-good ending, which, in my opinion, opens the door for a sequel. I would love to know what happens next.”

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Georgia reviews Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth

Today’s book review comes from team member Georgia, she blogs at http://www.georgiarosebooks.com

Georgia chose to read and review Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth

I would like to thank Jan Ruth for gifting me a copy of Midnight Sky which I have thoroughly enjoyed reading. I chose this book because of its countryside setting and its romantic and horsey themes. The main character in this story is Laura who is living with Simon and the guilt of breaking up his marriage. His ex-wife (though they are yet to divorce) is irritatingly demanding of Simon and his time and I wished both he and Laura would stand up to her more. Maggie, Laura’s sister, is very different in that she is married with rather challenging children, the middle one of which is the outrageously annoying Jess who works at the local stables where her younger, slightly autistic, sister is learning to ride.

Laura and Simon are in business together running Dragon Designs, a property development company, and Simon, keen to expand overseas seems to show more interest in this, and his ex-wife’s demands, than he does in Laura. Through Dragon Designs Laura is brought into contact with the stables, and horse-whisperer James, who is still very much married to his wife, even though she died two years previously.

I very much liked the writing and excellent characterisation throughout this book. I particularly warmed to James who, still in mourning, worked hard amidst a life of disorganised chaos and I loved the descriptions of his house, dogs and relationships with the horses under his care. Laura and James become great friends drawn together by tragedy and Laura struggles as her relationship with Simon breaks down whereas James can’t see past the loss of his wife. Watching him as he tries to overcome his grief is heart-breaking but Ruth handles the progression of the relationships very well as they develop slowly throughout this story both for Laura and James but also for Maggie whose own family life is also in turmoil.

A lovely, easy read that I’m sure will be a joy for anyone who picks it up.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

December Issues of @FleetLife and @EHDirectory featuring my #Bookreviews

Here are a list of books I’ve had featured in my local magazines for the month of December 2014, with links to the magazine on-line versions and Goodreads links to all the books.

http://www.fleetlife.org.uk click on the online directory and once loaded, find my reviews on page 36.

The Immortal Greek by Monica La Porta

Britannia Part 1: The Wall by Richard Denham

We That Are Left by Juliet Greenwood

Romancing My Love by Melissa Foster

BackPacks and Bra Straps by Savannah Grace

Books that made it in to my reviews in the Elvatham Heath Directory http://www.ehd.org.uk. Click on the online directory and once loaded go to page 13

How I Changed My Life In A Year by Shelley Wilson

Echoes In The Darkness by Jane Godman

Fairy Tale In New York by Nicky Wells

Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth

Craving by Sofia Grey

Rosie’s Book Review Team #RBRT Cathy reviews Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth

Today’s book review comes from team member Cathy, she blogs at http://betweenthelinesbookblog.wordpress.com/

Cathy chose to read and review Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth.

James is a widower and, in the two years since his wife’s sudden death, has built an impenetrable wall around himself and is in a very dark place emotionally. He runs an equestrian centre with his sister, Liz, and finds it hard to do anything much else other bury himself in work until he, literally, drops with fatigue.

Laura and her lover, Simon, run a property development and interior design company and are working and living together. Laura and Simon had an affair while Simon was still married, and his bitter and resentful wife seems to be permanently in the picture. Consequently things are not going too well and when Laura suffers a harrowing trauma and her relationship goes from bad to worse.

Maggie, Laura’s sister, is having seemingly insurmountable problems of her own, money worries, her insensitive husband and her pretty but offensive teenage daughter. Her younger daughter, Ellie, has mild autism which is helped by her riding lessons with James, but Maggie doesn’t know how much longer she’ll be able to afford them. On top of all that she’s waging a losing battle with her weight.

All the involved story threads are woven together beautifully and, one way or another, the colourful array of characters manage to bring out the best qualities in each other. Midnight Sky encompasses such a lot, emotional highs and lows, relationships, heartache and not to mention a good dose of teenage angst. The story is set mainly in Snowdonia, which is described in evocative detail, giving a vivid sense of place.

Jan Ruth’s writing flows easily and the story is captivating and poignant. The complete mixture of emotions are conveyed with such realism and sensitivity I couldn’t help but empathise. James, suffering so much torment and yet so patient and gentle with his horses, especially the damaged, untrusting Midnight Sky, and the children he takes for specialist teaching. He is a complicated and compelling man. Laura and Maggie are both facing critical and life changing situations and learning how to deal with them.

All the characters are genuine and credible and penned sympathetically. I was drawn completely into their lives almost without realising it. Very nearly a fly on the wall. I loved it!

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth

Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Midnight Sky has a lovely rural setting in North Wales near Snowdonia, with a smaller minor setting in Chester. Laura Brown lives with her partner Simon and together they run Dragon Designs. They are property developers.

Laura’s sister Maggie lives at Hafod House in North Wales and invites Laura to her birthday party where she meets locals Liz and James Morgan-Jones who run a stable yard. They have some cottages that need modernising and making profitable, Maggie hopes Laura can land the job for them but James is a difficult person to get on with and they start off on a bad foot.

There are some wonderful engaging characters in this book to get behind, Maggie’s daughter Ellie is mildly autistic and learning to ride is an ideal therapy for her. Whilst her older sister Jess is wild, out-spoken and has a major crush on James. Maggie herself is wonderfully protective of all her brood and will go to great lengths for them all.

Then there is Simon, Laura’s partner, struggling through a divorce with a demanding ex-wife and children who take up much of his time and energy. Yet nothing prepares you for the harrowing heart-ache that James is suffering and only Laura can penetrate the walls of mental protection he has built when she becomes equally as vulnerable in her own life.

This book mixes rough, rugged Welsh countryside with a busy horse-yard, property developing and interior design, plus the all important possibility of romance to make your heart melt.

Find a copy here from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com Just 77p or $1.24 for a limited period

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Good Deeds Challenge, Year 2, Week 26

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I an into my second year.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

October 12th – This morning I had an extremely hard decision to make about a book, I was asked to read and review Obstacles by Chris Reardon after 14% I could read no further, for me the book needed to be seriously looked at by an editor, so I stopped reading and decided to write an appraisal of what I had written. I think this is only the second book I have been unable to write a review for. Looking on Amazon the book has a varied selection of reviews, several people gave similar thoughts to me, whilst others raved about the book. I do hope the author is open enough to consider the points I made.

Have taken on 3 more books to review today in my ever growing pile. Posted my review of Shared Skies by Josephine O’Brien, a YA fantasy set in the UK which I really enjoyed. Next up A Fairy Tale In New York for Nicky Wells who will be launching her book in December ready for Christmas.

October 13th – My morning helping at school, then a friend had some books she had finished reading and offered them to me, I took some for me and others to give away. Picked up litter on my way home.

October 14th – Launched my new feature Rosie’s Avid readers today. Reviews from real people who might say “I’ve just read this really good book…”.  Dropped some money into a Macmillan cancer collection box.

October 15th – Cleaned my house from top to bottom and threw out some old clothes. Am reading Midnight Sky by Jan Ruth and really enjoying it.

October 16th – Walked into town this afternoon, to borrow some books from the library and picked up litter.

October 17th – An overdue haircut this morning, left a tip. Launched The Friday Challenge with Shelley Wilson, inspiring people to try new things and change themselves for the better. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-5MH

October 20th – Today I’m reading Craving by Sofia Grey A biker psychic and a girl who just might be his salvation. Now I do enjoy a psychic read so I have been snuggled on the sofa for most of the afternoon. Posted my review of Midnight Sky for Jan Ruth.