✪ The Slipping Place ✪ Joanna Baker ✪

Impact Press (imprint of Ventura Press)

1st November 2018

A stunningly compulsive, darkly suspenseful Australian crime novel that asks how far we would go to protect someone we love.

Veronica Cruickshank’s youngest child Roland is her idealistic one – a fighter of lost causes, and the one that always needs protecting, particularly from himself.

So when she hears he is back in Hobart helping an old school friend, Treen McShane, Veronica tries to track him down – but all she finds are second hand reports, whispers of horrific abuse, stories of a small child being hurt.

Then Roland sends Veronica a text message, asking her to go to the Slipping Place, high on Mount Wellington, a picnic spot known only to their family. Here she discovers Treen’s frozen body.

Knowing Roland will be suspected of leaving Treen to die, Veronica resolves to find out what really happened. But as long-buried truths slowly surface, she uncovers a secret that brings the violence closer to home than she could have ever imagined…

Copy received from Ventura Press for an honest review

This is my first read from Joanna Baker, and I was very much intrigued by the blurb.  I am in a bit of a murder/mystery/suspense kind of mood lately.

This is not your typical murder mystery.  We don't have a dogged detective trying to find the answers, we have a mother trying to protect those she loves, all the while trying to find a killer.

Being Australian, I love a book set here, with places I may (or may not!) know.  

This is mostly Veronica and Roland's story - mother and son.  It is a case of what has he gotten himself into? What has he dragged her into? 

However, I felt this book was a little factured.  There were so many characters involved. So many lies, so much betrayal, just so much.  It was hard to keep my head around who was who, who was up to what.   I have to say, I didn't really like any of the characters. They all seemed very self centred ,and I didn't really feel any sympathy or connection with any of them.  Most of the time I wanted to slap them - all of them!  However this could just be me.

I was very confuzzled.

There were twists an turns as we try to figure out whodunnit - gotta say, it was not who I had expected, so well played Ms Baker!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanna Baker is the award winning author of four murder mysteries.  her novel, Devastation Road, won the Sisters In Crime Davitt Award for Best yougn Adult Novel and was described by The Age as 'an outstanding first novel.'

Joanna was born in Hobart and educated at The Friends' School, the Australian National University and RMIT.  She sets her novels in the two places she loves: Tasmania and the wine and high country of North Eastern Victoria. She also writes and speaks about murder mysteries - why they are so enduring, and why they are not trivial.

✤ Royally Yours 👑 Emma Chase 👑 #Royally4 ✤

© ✰ Bianca ✰ Janeane ✰

• ROYALLY #4
• 30 October 2018
• Cover Model: Fabian Castro

★★★★★
4.75 Stars

New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase returns with a sweet and sexy standalone in the Royally Series.

Princess Lenora Celeste Beatrice Arabella Pembrook had an unusual childhood. She was raised to be a Queen—the first Queen of Wessco.

It’s a big deal.

When she’s crowned at just nineteen, the beautiful young monarch is prepared to rule. She’s charming, clever, confident and cunning.

What she isn’t…is married.

It’s her advising council’s first priority. It’s what Parliament is demanding, and what her people want.

Lenora has no desire to tie herself to a man—particularly one who only wants her for her crown. But compromises must be made and royals must do their duty.

Even Queens. Especially them.

**

Years ago, Edward Langdon Richard Dorian Rourke, walked away from his title and country. Now he’s an adventurer—climbing mountains, exploring jungles, going wherever he wants, when he wants—until family devotion brings him home.

And a sacred promise keeps him there.

To Edward, the haughty, guarded little Queen is intriguing, infuriating…and utterly captivating. Wanting her just might drive him mad—or become his greatest adventure.

**

Within the cold, stone walls of the royal palace—mistrust threatens, wills clash, and an undeniable, passionate love will change the future of the monarchy forever.

Every dynasty has a beginning. Every legend starts with a story.

This is theirs.

Lenore and Edward.
I didn't read any teasers or anything Emma posted about this upcoming book - so I was pretty surprised to find out this would be somewhat of a historical romance. Lenore is the grandma of the royals from the previous books. And now we get to hear her story. In the 1950ies, shortly after her mom dies, her father dies too and suddenly Lenore is queen at the young age of 19.
And the whole country and all politicians tell her she needs a husband. But she's not interested. Until Edward comes along. He's the older brother of her good friend Thomas and he's back from his adventures ... to marry a queen??

Eeeeeep, finally book #4 in this amazing series!

Such an adorable romance! A sad romance. So heartbreaking and so full of loss and sacrifices!

I just loved this book. I kind of cried all through it. But I also awwwed and smiled. Edward is so adorable and he brings out this sweet girl in the coldish queen. I just adored those two.

This was the perfect romance.
Sweet, funny, sad, adorable.
The only thing I hated and that broke my heart a bit while reading - and I know it's all fictional, but still - we know, from reading all the previous books, that Edward is already dead in the present time. Lenore is already a widow when we first meet her. They had a long and beautiful life together, but it's still so sad to think about. Ugh.☺

ROYALLY YOURS was another amazingly beautiful book in Emma's Royally series! FUNNY, SEXY, ADORABLE & HEARTBREAKING! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Edward - this one is MINE! ☺  

ARC received for an honest review

Yes! We are back in the Royally world again!

I didn't even read the blurb of this book before signing up to read it, I just knew it would be great.  So imagine my surprise when I started an it was Queen Lenore's story - you know, the grandma from the previous  Royally stories.

And colour me even more surprised when I learned that it was her story of how she became Queen.  Heck yes, I knew I was right and that I would love it.

This is a smart, funny, and at times heartbreaking story.  Edward, no matter how much you want to slap his mouth, you can't help but adore.  I loved watching Lenore and Edward fall in love, and he really is all kinds of swoonworthy.

I love love love how Lenore breaks all the rules, and writes a whole lot more! She was so far ahead of here time in Wessco, and she is quite the ruler. I want to be her when I grow up!

It had been a while between Royally books, however this one was worth every second of the wait.

I can't wait to see what Ms Chase brings us next.

↓ LINKS TO THE BOOK AND AUTHOR ↓

 




BOOK #1

BOOK #2

BOOK #2.5





Book #3

    

By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother of two who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night she is a keyboard crusader, toiling away the hours to bring her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.