I snuggled down to read this on the evening whilst the male members of my household (hubby and son) watched football and daughter was watching catchup TV.

I own several of this authors books but this is the only one I’ve read so far, simply because it’s a review copy.

Leanne is not ready to get involved with another relationship, she’s just split from her ex recently.
But there’s this handsome specimen over there.....
It turns out they were at school together. She didn’t recognise him due to his change of appearance, god, he never used to look like that!

Jake.

He’s has a secret crush on Leanne before who knows when.

This is based around Manchester, UK. It’s gritty and raw.

The first half of the book you’d be forgiven in thinking it’s a romance. It gradually changes tempo.

I really liked this read. I’d give it 3.7 as it’s calmer mildly less gritty as it’s been predicted to be.
Nevertheless, I did like it

I mention a link at all
I won't have it hide and everything x

Leanne is out with her best friend on a night out, trying to enjoy herself and forget her idiot ex who cheated on her. The last thing she expects is a face from the past and what a beautiful face it has become, enter Jake. Jake had been a scrawny kid but has now grown into a beautiful young man and appears successful, nice clothes, has money, he appears to have it all. Leanne takes a chance and Jake is everything she could have asked for, but is there more to Jake than meets the eye and harboring a secret that could threaten everything they have.

Oooh this is a good one, we have waited a while for Heller's newest release and it is worth the wait, Leanne lives in a pokey wee flat, life is a bit rubbish and then boom, hello Jake. Their relationship goes from strength to strength, he is charming, attentive and dishy. Leanna experiences problems with her neighbour, there is a dead body and things become dark and dangerous.

Run opens with a chapter that pulls you in, no clues to identities of the people in the scene and then opens with introductions to our characters. The story breaks down into relationships, person demons Leanne has to overcome after being hurt in her previous relationship and taking a leap of faith on this one. Sex, violence, friendship, love, betrayal, blackmail are just some of the topics covered. Heller creates characters the reader becomes vested in pretty much from page one, action packed with themes of grief and loss, some sexual content and violence hooks you quickly. Thanks so much to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this, 4/5 for me this time, if you haven't read Heller before you are in for a treat and I advise you to get her back catalogue which are all great reads too.

It's been a while since I have read a Mandasue book and I was looking forward to her latest release. I must confess having finished it I was a little surprised at the change in pace almost, it seemed to me that there was certainly a slightly different theme to her writing compared to other books she has released. That said, this was still a great read and I was certainly engrossed, although admittedly a little surprised.

Leanne Riley lives in a grotty bedsit, has little money, no job, and little prospects. Her life seemed to have taken a downhill turn after catching her bloke cheating on her and losing her job. Her friend Sally seems to be the only good and consistent thing in her life. When she goes on a rare night out she bumps into the very handsome Jake who it turns out she knew back at school. Her life suddenly looks a whole lot more interesting with a new man on the scene who is showing interest. Although she is wary of men Jake is literally a Prince Charming and it seems Leanne's luck has finally changed.

Leanne and Sally were great characters and very easy to read, I especially liked their obviously close friendship. Ben and Jake's friendship seemed a little one sided but I loved Ben and thought he was a real gem of a character. By the halfway mark I could have been mistaking this sort of book for one that fall sin the Romantic Suspense genre, however once past that point it all seems to change...and very quickly.

I won't say any more as it will inevitably spoil some great threads in the story line, suffice to say I was hooked with the plot and thoroughly enjoyed this latest release. I finished the book in a little over one and a half sittings and realised that although this was a slight departure from her usual style of writing, I really liked it. It almost keeps the work 'fresh' and instead of getting a dose of the 'usual', you get a variation of the usual which makes for a very refreshing change. Another great read with this new release and one that will no doubt tick the boxes for all her fans.

I enjoyed this book because its written by Mandasue but I didn't find it as gripping as her others. Usually they are full of tension but this one was slightly lacking. It was still a good book about Leanne who splits from her boyfriend. She meets Jake who used to have a crush on her at school. They become a couple but Leanne is wary. Is Jake as good as he seems? He wants to shower her with everything money can buy and wants her to live with him after her flatmate is murdered. Chrissie her best friend is always there for her and is a very strong character who will tell Leanne straight. The end of the book was more like her previous books, fast moving and full of tension.

If he seems to good to be true, he probably is!

The first chapter had me hooked. So much so I put my phone on aeroplane mode, made a cup of tea and got comfortable on the sofa knowing full well that I wouldn't be moving for some time. When I next looked up it was getting dark and I was at 62%!

I really liked that the characters felt like real people living real, everyday lives. Although I did feel for the main character Leanne, I did find myself wanting to shake her for being so naive! Love really does blind you.

A great standalone. 4.5 stars from me

Thanks to Macmillan for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to the publisher, Macmillan for an ARC of this FABULOUS book! Eeeeeeek!

Set in Manchester, readers will be faced with murder, betrayal, anger, loss, jealousy, love/relationships in Mandasue Heller’s true gritty style!

This is not a fast-paced read…initially. The plot is well developed through the characters and told from the third person POV. The storyline will have you intrigued throughout! And I love the prologue! The author hits the reader with a #KillerHook that grabs you by the throat! So much so, that you will just want to read it until the very end! #Unputdownable

The main character, Leanne Riley, has just come out of a bad relationship and sworn off men. She is likeable and relateable – you will find yourself really drawn to this character. She is really quite vulnerable, despite trying to hide this with a frosty exterior when a man shows her interest! But will she be taken for a fool again?

Jake Pearce at first glance is every girl’s dream. He is strong, intelligent, owns his own business and has a great personality. But he also has another side to him that is exposed and leaves the reader wondering whether or not he can actually be trusted. Has Leanne really found true love with Jake?

Two other characters that I adored were Ben and Chrissie. Ben is Jake’s best friend and loyal beyond belief. Chrissie is Leanne’s best friend and fiercely protective of her mates. These two really added that extra bit to the storyline. How far will they go for their friendships?

There were many interesting characters that will unnerve you, make you laugh, pull at your emotions – exactly what I look for in crime fiction! I particularily loved the fact that I was “comfortably” drawn into this book, immersed in the characters when OMFG, Mandasue Heller kicked my feet out from under me with twist after twist! No holds barred! Loved that!

Would I recommend you read this? Hell Yeah, I would! If you want unsuspecting intensity, wrapped in a real, gritty crime thriller….then stop reading this and grab a copy now!!

Run is the first book by Mandasue in two years not only is she back with her original publishers and never fails to disappoint. But she is back with a bang to say the least. I have been a fan of Mandasue for years and having read all of her books. Run is certainly worth the wait I loved it.

The story starts off with one cliffhanging Prologue giving me an OMG moment, which made me want to read more. Then we follow Leanne Riley on a journey who is trying to get her life back on track after being cheated on by her ex. Which most of us can relate to has this isn't a nice feeling at all. Making Leanne wary of men. On a night out with her best friend she meets hottie Jake. Leanne isn't easy to please, but Jake tries his best to break through the wall she's built around herself. But good looks and money can't hide a multitude of sins. Is that good-looking face just a mask? what is he hiding from his past? what's more, what will it take to make it slip, and who will die in the process . . . ?

Run is full of real life characters that are easy to relate to and Mandasue does a brilliant job of building the characters relationship up throughout the first half of the story. But oh my days what a tense and gritty second half of the story. I couldn't put it down this is certainly a page turner.

Set in Manchester this story is full of secrets, sandal, and murder exactly what you would expect to find in a Mandasue novel.

Seriously you guys are in for a treat, this is a must read which I highly recommend giving it 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've always read great reviews on Mandasue Heller's books and I have some in my library, but I'm ashamed to say that I have never found the time to read any of them. So when the publishers very gently offered me an advanced review copy of her new thriller, Run, I immediately jumped at the opportunity.

Imagine a beautiful sunny day, with blue skies and white fluffy clouds, flowers and green grass swaying in the gentle breeze ... just a perfect day! All of a sudden, thunders crack and lightning strike. The wind picks up and dark grey clouds appear out of nowhere, ruining the day and blotting the sun. Well, in my head I compared Leanne's story in this book to this scenario. Just as quickly a beautiful day turns ugly, so can someone's happy, perfect life.

"When the darkness comes, run and don't look back."

On a night out, Leanne meets the most handsome man she'd ever seen in her life. She's surprised to find out that they had actually been classmates many years before. But Leanne's recollection of Jake couldn't have been more different. The drop-dead gorgeous man in front of her is certainly a far cry from the bullied, skinny boy with wild hair she remembers.

Jake had always been secretly in love with Leanne and he had never forgotten about her, but Leanne has just been cheated by her ex boyfriend and so is not too keen to jump into a new relationship. However, after a few initial hiccups, Leanne is swept up in a whirlwind romance with the wealthy, successful and gorgeous Jake. Leanne has never been so happy, but deep down she feels it's too good to be true. Could this happiness last forever? Could Jake really be the perfect man he seems to be? Why is he so secretive about his past? And why doesn't he ever say where he's going when he leaves the house alone?

Set in Manchester, and packed with lies, secrets, violence, sex and murder, 'Run' kicks off with a suspenseful chapter, that immediately draws the reader in, urging them to keep on reading to find out what's happening. Whose body is found in the derelict building?

More focused on character development and descriptions, the first half of the book contains little tension and drama. At times it almost feels like reading a romance, but here I don't want to sound as though I didn't enjoy this part. I knew that the author was preparing the ground for something terrible that's about to happen. I knew that a volcano brimming with magma was brewing just beneath the surface, waiting to erupt and cause mayhem. I just wished that the suspense was more widespread throughout the book, as the real drama picks up only late in the story, but when it does, it takes the reader by surprise and does not stop till the blood-curdling ending.

I think the author's forte is characterisation. Leanne, Chrissie, Ben and Jake (and the other characters) all felt so real. I could clearly visualise them and it was as though I've known them for ages. With his big heart, Ben was by far my favourite. I admired him for his continuous support for Jake and the girls. He was actually too loyal for his own good. And I just wished I'd experienced friendships as solid and strong as that between Leanne and Chrissie.

With excellent characterisation, a clever, well thought-out plot, very realistic dialogues, great vivid descriptions and breath taking suspense, I really enjoyed reading this book and found myself completely immersed in the story. My only problem was that I had to work extra hours all week and found myself thinking about these characters, wondering what will happen next and longing to go home and grab my kindle, instead of concentrating on my work.

Now I have already checked out Mandasue Heller's bibliography. I want to read more books by this fab author.

This was my unbiased honest opinion. With thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily and gratefully accepted.

3.5 rounded up.
Leanne is trying to get her life back on track. Cheated on by her ex, she had to move out and lives in a pretty dire bedsit owned by a horrible landlord and to top it all, she is currently out of work.
On a night out with best friend Chrissie, she bumps into Jake, a blast from her past. Once gawky teen, now god, and rich too. He also seems to have forgiven her for rejecting him years ago when they were at school together. Her interest initial piqued is soon flattened as it appears that Jake is already taken by Sally, another old "friend" from school. On a bit of a low, Leanne returns home to find her flat in more disrepair. On meeting with her landlord it also transpires that her rent hasn't been paid, some issue with her benefits. Feeling low, she is also vulnerable and when she sees Jake again and he explains that he isn't with Sally she throws her better judgement away and starts to see him. But is there more to Jake than just being the hard working, rich and handsome person he appears to be?
On the whole, I enjoyed this book from Mandasue Heller, a new author to me but although I enjoyed the beginning and the ending, the middle bit felt a little flat. It spent most of its time defining the characters and setting things up for the ending and, although this was done very well, to me it was a little too drawn out with not much real action contained to keep me going. I may have given up, but to be honest, I was interested in when it would hot up and what would happen when it did. I had a peek at the reviews already up for this and the author's other books and decided that it was worth of my time and so I continued. And, I'm glad I did cos the action, when it came, was really rather good. Maybe this author is more character driven rather than action. I can get that, but to me she didn't quite manage to pull it off enough to satisfy me completely.
Characterisation was good although I was never 100% convinced by Leanne and some of her motivations. There are some things that nagged at me during the book that I can't explain here for fear of spoilers and these things kept chipping away at my enjoyment; I never really shook them off completely, especially with what happened at the end. I did however warm to Ben and Chrissie and, to be honest, I was more interested in watching the two of them dance round each other than I was in what was happening to Leanne.
All in all a mostly solid read that I am glad I persevered with. Would I read more by the author? Probably, but I'd definitely be selective and probably try the sample first.

My thanks go to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

After being cheated on by her ex, Leanne Riley is trying her hardest to get her life back on track, which isn't easy without a job and living in a bedsit surrounded by a junkie and a mad woman.

On a night out with her best friend she meets Jake, a face from her past who has changed beyond all recognition. Jake is charming, handsome and loaded, a far cry from the gawky teenager he used to be. Weary of men, Leanne isn't easy to please, but Jake tries his best to break through the wall she's built around herself.

But good looks and money can hide a multitude of sins. Is that good-looking face just a mask? And what's more, what will it take to make it slip, and who will die in the process . . . ?

As usual not disappointed - an enjoyable read.

you never disappoint your fans what a book was gripped from page 1 the perfect boyfriend never seen that coming this one is quite qsycalogical to the other and loved that thank you so much for letting me review some parts I had tears your fans will love it

Leanne Riley is trying to get her life back on track after being cheated on by her ex. She has no money and no job and living in a bedsit whose other residents are a junkie and a madwoman.

On a night out with her best friend Chrissie she meets Jake, a face from her past, but she does not recognised him at first as he has changed from the geeky boy she had known at school.

This is another fantastic book by Mandasue Heller. I devoured this book in one sitting.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Pan MacMillan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.