JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

Half Moon Lake by Kirsten Alexander

‘They said he was their boy. And so he was . . .’


In 1913, on a summer’s day at Half Moon Lake, Louisiana, four-year-old Sonny Davenport walks into the woods and never returns.

The boy’s mysterious disappearance from the family’s lake house makes front-page news in their home town of Opelousas. John Henry and Mary Davenport are wealthy and influential, and will do anything to find their son. For two years, the Davenports search across the South, offer increasingly large rewards and struggle not to give in to despair.

Then, at the moment when all hope seems lost, the boy is found in the company of a tramp.

But is he truly Sonny Davenport? The circumstances of his discovery raise more questions than answers. And when Grace Mill, an unwed farm worker, travels from Alabama to lay claim to the child, newspapers, townsfolk, even the Davenports’ own friends, take sides.

As the tramp’s kidnapping trial begins, and two desperate mothers fight for ownership of the boy, the people of Opelousas discover that truth is more complicated than they’d ever dreamed . . .

Inspired by the real life kidnapping of American boy Bobby Dunbar, Half Moon Lake by Kirsten Alexander is a fascinating crime novel set in the early 20th century.

This book is about many things, not just a missing child. It’s about class and the treatment of black people in southern America in the early 1900s. It’s about reputation and family, and the opinion of others. It’s about making the wrong decision and then being forced to live with it and work with it, because the ramifications of acknowledging your mistake are too damaging to imagine.

“While he hadn’t expected effusive thanks from a man of John Henry’s stature, Tom had thought his kindness to the man’s wife might have elevated him in his eyes.”

The reader is left wanting more. What happened to Sonny? Where is he now? Who took him? What’s going to happen to Mary and John Henry and Grace? The suspense draws the reader in and keeps them turning the page.

The cast of characters all reflect the time and era that the book is set. Mary and her husband John Henry are upper class, wealthy and implement their influence on those lower down. They get away with what they want. Sure, they have their issues — Mary’s mental state has declined since her son went missing and her father treats her horribly and blames her for the disappearance — but they shield their pain from the outside world and put on this act that they’re coping just fine.

Wealth and status can influence justice in this story, and we see it a couple of times. John Henry is on track for a career in politics and is therefore able to manipulate opinion and processes just because of who he is and where he hopes to go. Other people obey him, and are scared of betraying him.

But how far is he willing to go to keep his wife happy? How far is he willing to go to keep his political career on track?

“Esmerelda felt sorry for Mr and Mrs Davenport sometimes. The reunion hadn’t brought them the peace they’d yearned for. She heard their arguments, barely muted by closed doors. And Mrs Davenport’s mood changed at the whim of the child.”

The blurb of this book makes you believe that this boy could be Sonny Davenport, but in actual fact, it’s made clear pretty early on that Sonny’s mother lies. She desperately wants her boy back, so she convinces herself that this little boy — whose real name is Ned — is actually hers.

When the real mother Grace Mill comes forward and the kidnapping trial ensues, the truth starts to seep out.

The book is rich with emotion and pain, as two women fight for the right to claim this young boy. Grace is an unwed mother and very poor, and she is judged because of her appearance and social standing. Mary, Sonny’s mother, is from a wealthy, well-respected family and therefore more people are likely to side with her.

“John Henry decided to stage the viewing after Christmas. If he had to do it – and it seemed he did – he’d not allow it to ruin the Christmas celebrations his wife had put so much effort into.”

I wondered if more attention should’ve been given to the gossipy nature of the town. Given the time this was set, and the crimes that have been committed, the scope of the gossip around town and the number of people trying to insert themselves into the drama felt kind of small. I didn’t get a strong sense of that ‘small town huge news’ atmosphere where everyone is whispering and passing on news and eavesdropping.

Additionally, I was left feeling dissatisfied with the ending, in a way that made me feel like the ending actually weakened the story. It was too abrupt to seem deliberate, too unresolved to be pleasing.

Recommended for fans of crime, thriller and mystery novels.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Half Moon Lake
Kirsten Alexander
January 2019
Penguin Random House Publishers

REVIEW AND AUTHOR INTERVIEW: The House of Second Chances by Esther Campion

Can a house heal heartache? From coastal Australia to the rugged beauty of Ireland, an enchanting novel of starting over, in the tradition of Maeve Binchy and Monica McInerney.

Their grandmother’s stone cottage was always a welcome retreat in the childhood summers of Ellen and Aidan O’Shea. After a trip home from Australia, Ellen is keen to bring the neglected home back to its former glory and enlists the help of her dear friend and one of Ireland’s top interior designers, Colette Barry.

Aidan is already begrudging the work on the house he has avoided for nearly twenty years. The last thing the builder needs is an interior designer who seems to do nothing but complicate his life. With their own personal heartaches to overcome, will Aidan and Colette find the courage to give the house and themselves a second chance?

The House of Second Chances by Esther Campion is a novel about letting go of past mistakes, failed relationships and learning to let others in. This is Esther’s second novel and explores love, loss, grief and family.

Aidan and Colette have both been in relationships they’d rather not remember. Colette’s ex-husband treated her terribly and cheated on her many times, and Aidan’s ex-girlfriend left and married someone else. Aidan also acts as a babysitter for another ex-girlfriend who likes to offload her daughter onto Aidan on a regular basis.

Both Aidan and Colette like to shut people out, and they keep pretending that they’re happy being single. When they meet, they initially don’t like each other. They fight over what’s best for the house and the renovation of the property. But soon, they start to understand each other and friendship develops.

“The whole group were looking at him. Oh man! He’d half hoped he might find the seat beside Colette empty for once and enjoy his pint while actually having a civil conversation with the girl. This was not how he’d planned it.”

At first I was a little taken aback with how people spoke to Aidan about his weight. Aidan acknowledges that he weighs more than he used to, and he’s let his fitness slip. His internal dialogue reflects what a lot of people who feel unfit think about themselves. They know they need to eat healthier, exercise more.

But Aidan’s friends and family outwardly comment about his weight and Aidan just takes it. He seems like the kind of character who isn’t afraid to speak his mind, so it seemed a little surprising that he just accepted everyone’s jokes and remarks without sniping back. Even though he thought their comments were justified, I would’ve expected a character like Aidan to respond differently to how he did.

“Ben Dineen cut a fit-looking figure in a designer polo shirt that showed off his biceps. Aidan imagined the six-pack concealed under the shirt tucked into the belted chinos. Lucky bastard, he thought, drawing the sides of his open jacket together to cover the gut that had brought him to this.”

The grandmother’s cottage in the book read like a character, it held such a strong significance to the plot and to the characters’ journeys. It holds memories and is therefore an important place for the characters, but renovating the house is also about moving forward and reflecting on what’s transpired.

Esther brings a range of characters to this story, all of whom are struggling with something. Grace and Ben are having silent fights and communication is needed to overcome their issues. Aidan’s ex-girlfriend Jane keeps running back to her problematic boyfriend despite him being a bad influence on her and her daughter. Colette’s new work experience kid Shane is rebellious and troubled, but is really skilled at drawing. These are just a few of the side characters who enrich the story.

“She’d wanted a daughter too. But this was no time to be maudlin. She had bills to pay, a mother to look after as she got older and, down the track, her own senior years to secure. She’d worked her socks off and would continue to do so. A partnership would just make it more her own.”

Initially, it was really hard to wrap your head around the characters. In the opening chapters of the book, Esther seems to introduce just about every character in the book and it was easy to get lost in all the information because it felt like an information dump. I would’ve preferred if the characters were drip fed a bit more, without so much background information all at once.

Perfect for readers who love family sagas, romance novels, and heartwarming and heartfelt stories.

***

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH ESTHER CAMPION

Firstly, tell us a little bit about your latest novel, The House of Second Chances
This book is set around the renovation of an old farmhouse in West Cork, a beautiful part of Ireland. Builder, Aidan O’ Shea, has been avoiding his grandmother’s house for almost twenty years, but when his sister in Australia decides to turn the house into a business, he is thrust on to the project along with Ellen’s interior designer friend, Colette Barry. Colette is keen to get on with the job but when her ideas come up against resistance from Aidan, she is in for some challenging times. Both Aidan and Colette are struggling with the hurts of past lives, but the house presents an opportunity for healing, if only they can get out of their own way.

You live in Tasmania but you’re from Ireland. Do you find inspiration from your surroundings, both past and present?
Very much so. Ireland runs through my veins, so I think I will always enjoy writing stories set there. In terms of places I’ve moved to, it takes a while for the landscape and the people to get under my skin. For example, I have lived in Tasmania for six years and it is only now that I have come to write about it in what will hopefully be my next novel.

In The House of Second Chances, grandma’s stone cottage feels like a character. How do you go about capturing the atmosphere and feel of a location, especially when it plays such a big role in a book?
I am delighted to hear you say the house was like another character as I didn’t consciously write it as such. The house has a very distinct past, a vibrant present and, by the end of the book, also hope for the future, so I definitely like your idea of seeing it as a character. I also feel its former owner, grandmother Lizzie O’ Shea, is kept alive through the house and she is a character I kept coming back to as memories of her as she lived in the house set the tone for the place. Crookhaven, where the fictional house is located, is a place I love to visit. I imagine my characters walking the hills and beaches, drinking in the pub, chatting to the locals and setting the world to rights.

Do you have to undertake any research when writing your books?
I dabble in the research side of things as I go. For settings, I draw on photographs and memories from times I lived in or visited places. If I haven’t been to a place or can’t remember details, I will interview someone who has. My husband is also a great sounding board and source of knowledge. Thankfully, he’s always interested enough to listen. He doesn’t write but loves reading, especially the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith.

What element of novel writing do you most struggle with?
Honestly, it’s the physical aches and pains. When I’m in the zone, I sit for far too long without leaving the desk and pay for it later. Thanks to your question, I will try to remember to use my timer!

What element of novel writing do you think is your biggest strength?
I like writing dialogue, but you’d have to ask my readers what they like best. Maybe some readers of your blog will leave a comment and let me know.

What do you like to read? What do you look for when deciding your next purchase?
I think we’re all influenced by the steady stream of emails and Facebook posts announcing the top reads for each month and what we should be reading. I’m quite a slow reader, so although I would love to read all of these popular works, I’m usually about a year behind by the time a book reaches the top of my ‘To Be Read’ pile. I am currently reading Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks which has leap-frogged on to the top of the pile because I love Nicholas Sparks and reading about Africa. One of the perks of being an author is receiving free bound proofs of soon-to-be-released novels. That makes me get a move on and I am looking forward to reading Natasha Lester’s last and next novels once I’m finished with Nicholas.

Finally, what are the you working on next?
I am writing a novel set in Ireland and Tasmania and for now, that’s about all I can say on the matter.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The House of Second Chances
Esther Campion
February 2019
Hachette Book Publishers

REVIEW AND AUTHOR INTERVIEW: The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

Someone once told me that you have two families in your life – the one you are born into and the one you choose. Yes, you may get to choose your partner, but you don’t choose your mother-in-law. The cackling mercenaries of fate determine it all.

From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm’s length. Diana is exquisitely polite, but Lucy knows, even after marrying Oliver, that they’ll never have the closeness she’d been hoping for.

But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family. Lucy had wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.

That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, leaving a suicide note. But the autopsy reveals evidence of suffocation. And everyone in the family is hiding something…

From the bestselling author of The Family Next Door comes a new page-turner about that trickiest of relationships.

The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth is a complex, emotionally charged novel that will keep readers engaged, entertained and eager for the next page. I loved it.

Lucy shares a rather complicated relationship with her mother-in-law Diana. She’s prickly, to say the least. She’s harsh, blunt and she speaks her mind. At times she makes Lucy feel small and unimportant and like she doesn’t matter. Lucy lost her own mother at the age of thirteen, and she is disappointed that her relationship with Diana is so fraught and tried.

And then Diana is murdered.

“In the three days since Diana died, I haven’t cooked a meal, done a load of laundry or been to the supermarket. I haven’t disciplined a child, helped anyone with homework or hidden any vegetables in spaghetti sauce.”

I loved that Diana’s character never changed. Her personality and her reasons for her decisions may not make a lot of sense to readers, but she’s the kind of person who remains the same person throughout the novel.

Sure, she warms to Lucy and she learns to admit when she’s misjudged someone, but she has values and morals and she sticks to them. She’s an interestingly unique character and I quite liked her, even if some of her decisions had catastrophic results.

The basis of Diana’s difficult behaviour is that she had a really difficult childhood and she had to build her extravagant lifestyle from nothing. She thinks the best thing that she can do for her children is give them no money and very little help, thereby forcing them to build their lives themselves and not rely on other people when in need of help.

“After Tom badgered me for years, I finally relented and allowed Ollie and Nettie to attend schools with term fees high enough to feed an entire Afghan village for a year. Years later, I’m still doubtful as to whether the schools were any better than the local ones.”

The novel keeps you guessing, wondering who Diana finally frustrated enough for them to murder her. Because Diana is, at times, very infuriating. And I imagine being her child would be incredibly difficult at times.

Sally Hepworth builds tension well, maintaining a consistent pace throughout the novel so that the reader feels like they’re getting enough enough information to piece together the story, but not too much that the ending is predictable or obvious.

Sally also illustrates motherhood and parenting really well, showing readers the harsh reality of what it’s like when you’re looking after a baby, especially if you’ve got other children you’re looking after too. The book switches back and forth between present and past and we read about Lucy’s journey into motherhood, but we also read about Lettie — Lucy’s sister-in-law — and her struggles with fertility. She and her husband desperately want children but Lettie struggles to fall pregnant and her and her husband struggle to save the money to pursue alternate means of conceiving, such as IVF or surrogacy.

“She glances over her shoulder, then spins on her stool so she is facing me. She’s lost weight. Her eyes look more prominent in her face. And her hair has a dull look, like it hasn’t been washed in a while.”

This book seems to blend a number of different genres — it’s a mix of literary fiction, but also family saga, crime, thriller and mystery. It’s a delicious concoction that I devoured.

The Mother-In-Law is an astounding book, difficult to fault. Recommended for all readers of any genre.

The Mother-in-Law is available now, Macmillan Australia, RRP $29.99.

***

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH SALLY HEPWORTH

Firstly, tell us a little bit about your latest novel, The Mother In Law?

The Mother in Law is a novel about the investigation into the unexpected death of a wealthy matriarch, and mother-in-law. But on a deeper level it is about the relationship between that matriarch, Diana Goodwin, and her daughter-in-law, Lucy, and the difficulties they have as they try to forge a relationship.

Here is how my publisher describes the book:
From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm’s length. Diana is exquisitely polite, but Lucy knows, even after marrying Oliver, that they’ll never have the closeness she’d been hoping for. But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family. Lucy had wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.

That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, leaving a suicide note. Lucy and Oliver wonder if her treatment for cancer had worn her down.

The autopsy finds that Diana didn’t have cancer, but it does reveal evidence of suffocation. Someone wanted Diana dead. And everyone in the family is hiding something…

What does a typical writing day look like for you?
I work 10 hours a day, 4 days a week. On those days, my day tends to look like this:
-8am: I arrive at the library, go through my emails and clear my inbox.
-9am: I do any writing related work that isn’t writing (for example if I have an article to write, or a Q&A to complete, or a cover to approve, I’ll do that first).
-10am: I move into the book part of the day. If I’m writing a first draft, I’ll focus on work count—around 2,000-3,000 words a day. If I’m editing, I’ll focus on how many pages I want to edit (3-5 chapters per day). I don’t always get to my goal, but it helps to aim for something.
-1pm: lunch
-2pm: more writing / editing
-5pm: Clear my inbox again.
-5:30pm I walk home.

What do you think is vital when writing suspense and mystery?
Unanswered questions are really the definition of suspense, aren’t they? I think so. I can’t quit a book if there are questions yet to be answered. Maybe that’s just me? Ideally your story should start with one or two unanswered questions, and then more should be introduced as the story goes along.

What element of novel writing do you most struggle with?
Editing. How I loathe editing! I adore creating a first draft, for me that is when I feel the energy flowing. But editing seems to exercise a different muscle, and for me, it doesn’t matter how often I do it, it is a muscle that is out of shape. What can I say? I prefer building to renovating ☺

What element of novel writing do you think is your biggest strength?
I think I’m quite good at keeping the pages turning. I achieve this through short chapters, creating cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, and leaving plenty of unanswered questions dangling throughout the book.

What do you think is key to writing relatable, realistic relationships?
I try to look to my own relationships, and the relationships of people I know, to create situations that feel real. It also helps to step into each character’s skin, see the world through their eyes, and understand what drives them, what motivates them. Writers need to be deeply empathetic to create authentic characters, and be prepared to explore a point of view that is different to their own. They also have to steer away from making a character a villain, simply because they have made a poor choice. The best people (in fiction and in real life) have flaws and strengths, failings and assets.

What have you learnt with each new book you’ve written? Has your writing process improved?
Honestly I’m not sure my process has improved! It feels just as muddled as ever. In fact, I’m constantly plagued by the idea that someone else is doing it better (fortunately all my writer friends also feel like this, so I figure it’s just part of being a writer). As for what I’ve learned, it’s been different for each book, but the most important thing I’ve learned is that eventually I will finish this book (even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time).

Finally, what are you working on next?
I’m currently editing my 2020 book, which is about three couples who end up at a swingers party.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Mother-in-Law
Sally Hepworth
February 2019
Pan Macmillan

White Stag by Kara Barbieri

As the last child in a family of daughters, seventeen-year-old Janneke was raised to be the male heir. While her sisters were becoming wives and mothers, she was taught to hunt, track, and fight. On the day her village was burned to the ground, Janneke—as the only survivor—was taken captive by the malicious Lydian and eventually sent to work for his nephew Soren.

Janneke’s survival in the court of merciless monsters has come at the cost of her connection to the human world. And when the Goblin King’s death ignites an ancient hunt for the next king, Soren senses an opportunity for her to finally fully accept the ways of the brutal Permafrost. But every action he takes to bring her deeper into his world only shows him that a little humanity isn’t bad—especially when it comes to those you care about.

Through every battle they survive, Janneke’s loyalty to Soren deepens even as she tries to fight her growing attraction to him. After dangerous truths are revealed, Janneke must choose between holding on or letting go of her last connections to a world she no longer belongs to. She must make the right choice to save the only thing keeping both worlds from crumbling.

White Stag by Kara Barbieri is the first book in a new dark fantasy series, featuring a large cast of magical creatures and abilities. This book was originally self-published and after it became a success, White Stag was picked up by a major publisher for print distribution.

Before the story has even begun, there are trigger warnings — There are things in this book that you may find distressing or disturbing. Be warned there is content in this book that may trigger you. — and an author’s note where Kara addresses to readers what you can expect to come across in the book. Trauma, sexual violence, rape, assault, mutilation, eating disorders and body dysmorphia are all topics that come up throughout the novel. I think readers who have experienced violent pasts will appreciate these notices, and it will help them decide whether or not this is a book they would like to read.

Janneke is a human girl who was kidnapped when her entire village and family were murdered over a century earlier. She was taken across the border by goblins and has been living as a goblin thrall in a land called the Permafrost — she ages slowly and her body adapts to live with goblins. She starts to become like them, against her will.

“If I could forget where I was, who I was with, what I was doing, it was almost as if I were back home so many years ago, hunting for my family. My heart sank in my chest; that would never happen again. Even if I managed to escape this and live in the human world, there was a nagging part of me that feared I would never belong.”

Lydian abused and mutilated Janneke for just under one year before passing her off to his nephew Soren. It’s been 100 years since Soren claimed ownership of Janneke, and her pain is very much still present and raw. She has flashbacks over what Lydian did to her, but Soren seems caring and trusting and he treats her better.

At its core, White Stag is about identity. Janneke doesn’t know who she is anymore, or who she wants to be. She’s not really fully human anymore, but not full goblin either. If she could leave Permafrost, would she want that? If she could become goblin, would she want that either?

Janneke really learns what she wants out of her life, and she discovers who she is among all these strangers and villains. She morphs into who she is meant to be.

You do have to suspend your disbelief a fair bit for this book, because even though this is fantasy and therefore anything is possible, the idea that a human can turn into a goblin because she’s been among them for so long does seem a little farfetched.

“The hurt in the young girl’s voice was clear. Perhaps whatever you were, you loved your family in some way. Perhaps knowing you were being taken to your likely death was just as painful as knowing you were being taken as a thrall. I shook myself. Attempting to humanise them would only make this worse.”

This first novel is really about the ancient goblin hunt. The Goblin King dies and so there’s a hunt to find the next goblin king. Soren and Lydian go up against each other, and there are high stakes involved. Janneke is at risk of being returned to Lydian. Soren is at risk of death.

Janneke accompanies Soren on this ancient hunt, and that’s when she must choose who she is meant to be. Her humanity is starting to fade and the goblin spirit within her is developing and growing stronger. It scares her.

Humans living in the Permafrost usually die after a few years, so the fact that Janneke is still alive after a century shows you just how strong and determined she is. She’s smart and she’s resourceful, and she and Soren bond over the course of the novel. They both need each other; they make each other stronger.

“He reached out and brushed my cheek with his thumb. i shivered, but not from fear. There was something burning deep inside of me that was beginning to make itself noticed. Something about his soft words and caresses, the strange mingle of fury and concern drew me close.”

Recommended for fans of fantasy, science fiction or paranormal fiction.

Please note the trigger warnings. I found some of the scenes very graphic and very violent and distressing. I can’t begin to imagine how sexual assault survivors may react to this book, so if that’s you, be aware before diving into this story.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

White Stag
Kara Barbieri
January 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

REVIEW AND AUTHOR INTERVIEW: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

Crush (n.): a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach…

Darcy Barrett found her dream man at age eight – ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough. Having conducted a global survey of men, she can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that he’s her twin brother’s best friend – oh, and that 99 percent of the time, he hasn’t seemed interested in her.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around – just to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts. But sparks start to fly – and not just because of the faulty wiring. Soon, a one percent chance with Tom is no longer enough. This time around, Darcy’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne is a heartfelt romance novel about two friends who grew up together and who might finally have their chance to start a relationship.

The timing never quite worked out for Darcy and Tom, and so Darcy buried her feelings about Tom and learnt to never get attached to anyone or any place. Tom has been in a relationship with another woman for almost ten years and so Darcy always assumed her love for Tom was unrequited and it was never going to happen between the two of them. But when Tom comes back into Darcy’s life and is now single, there’s a chance that her and Tom can finally be together. There’s a chance he feels the same way about her too.

Darcy Barrett is an interesting protagonist, a witty, self-deprecating woman who is bold, brash and very herself. She makes no apologies for who she is, and she doesn’t let other people’s opinions of her affect how she acts. She’s quite a unique main character for a romance novel, and a breath of fresh air to the genre.

The romance in the book is a slow-burn, building tension and anticipation for the climax of the story. This book will satisfy any reader looking for a good love story.

“I haven’t seen the colours of sunrise in a long, long time. In my old life, I’d be loading my car with photography gear even earlier than this and heading off to a shoot, a slave to this buttercream light. Everyone looks beautiful in this glow. It airbrushes in a way that my software package never could. It puts a flush in everything it touches.”

Darcy, Tom and Darcy’s brother Jamie have been friends since they were all kids. When they were eight years old, Tom got locked out of his house and turned up on their doorstep. It’s been eighteen years and Darcy has had a crush on him ever since.

Darcy and Tom have a lot of sexual chemistry that leaps off the page, and Sally Thorne has nailed the dialogue between them. It’s funny but also emotional, and one of the main strengths of the book.

There are many times in the book where it feels like Darcy is playing games with Tom, toying with him and making him suffer around her. I think this shows Darcy’s character — she’s confident and outgoing, but I think this masks her inner pain and confusion around Tom, and she is playing games with Tom so she can avoid really thinking about their friendship and where it’s possibly going.

Darcy’s best friend Truly is a fun addition to the novel, bringing humour and heart into Darcy’s life. Darcy may move around a lot and she doesn’t commit to guys or relationships, but her friendship with Truly seems to be one of the more stable parts of her life.

“Truly Nicholson is the queen of a cult indie underwear label called Underswears, and no, her name is not a nickname. Well, it was initially. She was called Truly in utero when she finally made her appearance on an ultrasound screen. That little baby was truly a miracle.”

I didn’t always like Darcy and I found her a bit mean, especially to Tom. Also, Jamie’s presence in the novel felt a little underwhelming. He’s mentioned a lot, and Darcy and Tom talk about him all the time and he’s heavily involved in the remodelling of the home, but he only appears at the very end of the novel? It felt a little jarring.

I wasn’t overly interested in the remodelling storyline because I don’t really care about construction/renovating/building etc, but that doesn’t matter. That plot just forms the skeleton of the story – the real plot is the development of Darcy and Tom’s relationship and the two of them navigating their feelings for the other person.

I’d recommend this to lovers of romance and contemporary fiction, and anyone who read and loved Sally’s previous novel The Hating Game.

99 Percent Mine is available now, Hachette Book Publishers Australia, RRP $29.99.

***

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH SALLY THORNE

How did you find writing 99 Percent Mine compared with The Hating Game?
I’ve never intentionally written a book before. The Hating Game was written as a gift for a friend’s birthday and I had no plans to publish it. However, that book wanted to get published very much, and it turned out to be a smash hit. 

Writing the second book was very hard. I’ve never experienced success before, and I haven’t had to follow anything up. The Hating Game felt like a fluke to me. I got writer’s block for a very long time. People would ask me how I was dealing with the pressure. I wasn’t dealing well at all. A successful book on sale in 25+ countries didn’t feel so great when I could barely write a single new word.

But, like anyone who’s written a book knows, you just have to ignore the voice in your head that says you’re a fraud. I nearly gave up many times, kept on going, and got out the other side. I was helped by my wonderful agent, who always told me that I’m talented and I can do it. I also had support from many established authors who sent emails to check in and helped me through it.

What’s important to your writing process?
I need a blank day on my calendar. If I have an appointment later in the day, I don’t write as well. But if I know I have all the time in the world, I can just gradually relax into that creative zone and just see what happens. It’s not a terribly practical way to get work done, but I do my best work when I have nowhere to be except my computer.

What’s not important to your writing process?
I personally don’t plot out my book beforehand, I just write the relationship between the characters and make things up spontaneously. I love the moments where my hands type out something I’ve never even thought of, and when characters just say things that seem perfect. I tried plotting once, but I got bored and never even started that book.

What do you think readers are looking for in a romance novel?


Intensity of emotion. It’s what I put the most effort into in my books. Every single moment that those two characters are together should feel electric. Readers want that delicious slow burn as the characters tease and back away, building up to something that should be beautiful and life changing when they finally give in to love. I want the reader of my book to feel like they’re in that character’s shoes, standing opposite that man, feeling every single heartbeat.

What do you like to read?


I like reading genres different to my own (rom com), so I do like reading Alice Hoffman’s beautiful magical-realism, Annie Proulx’s Wyoming short stories and also sexy intense dark romances. I can always count on Christina Lauren books to make me feel and laugh. I also have a penchant for Harlequin novels from the 1980s and 1990s. They’re great.
I should own up to the fact that in 2018 I was so stressed out writing 99 Percent Mine that I probably only read four or five books.

I read in an interview that you used to write fanfiction. How did that prepare you for writing your novels?
Fanfiction is something that I’d recommend to anyone who wants to try writing. It’s an in-built community who already likes a similar thing, and within that space you can really work on creating something with a point of difference. I was writing around 2008-9 and there’s an astonishing number of writers from that period who are now bestselling authors of original fiction. 

I think fanfiction prepared me for writing original fiction because it was uploaded like a serial, one chapter at a time. You learn to get good at ending chapters on a little cliffhanger or leave the reader wanting more- ‘Update soon’ is a very common request in reviews. You work on your pacing and heightening the will-they won’t-they aspects of romantic relationships to play your readers like a fiddle. Back then, all we wanted was reviews. We’d actually ask total strangers for feedback. How brave! Nowadays I don’t read my reviews at all.

What’s left on your bucket list?
I want to go to Korea, I would love to have the words New York Times Bestseller after my name and I’d love to sit in the cinema one day to watch The Hating Game movie.

And lastly, what are you working on next?
On the Hating Game movie front, the option was sold and is now in the development stage- David Mirkin (The Simpsons Movie, Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion) is attached to direct it, a fabulous funny screenplay was written by Christina Menghert (I had input- how fun) and I’m hoping to have some meetings when I go over to the US in April for my book tour. I also signed another two-book contract for HarperCollins in December, and am drafting my third book.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

99 Percent Mine
Sally Thorne
February 2019
Hachette Book Publishers

%d bloggers like this: