#CoverReveal #TheTwentyDates #KoPorteous #TheEmptyNesterSeriesBookTwo #PublicationDateOctober8th2026

 

The Twenty Dates

The kids have left, assuming love endures. But can yours?

Book #2 in The Empty Nesters Series

Claire’s marriage is in (total!) crisis. Her husband, Mark, is distracted, presumptuous, and utterly clueless - smart scales for their 19th wedding anniversary? Really? Perhaps she'd be better off alone. At least there'd be less laundry.

When Claire suggests separating, Mark panics. He asks for one last chance: twenty dates, one for each year of their marriage, to prove they're better off together than apart.

What follows is a series of adventures Claire never saw coming - some mortifying, some exhilarating, and some that make her question everything she thought she knew. About Mark. About marriage. And about the woman she's quietly become while she wasn't paying attention.

As the dates tick down, Claire must decide: is the spark still there - or has their marriage simply run its course?

Pre-order Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twenty-Dates-Empty-Nesters-Book-ebook/dp/B0H5G54FXK/

https://www.amazon.com/Twenty-Dates-Empty-Nesters-Book-ebook/dp/B0H5G54FXK/

Publication Date: 8th October 2026

Author Bio – 

Ko Porteous lived in a tiny fishing village in the north of Scotland before moving to Edinburgh aged 10.   

Ko loves meeting people with interesting stories to tell and is constantly on the lookout for knotty story themes, particularly involving women navigating the messiness of mid-life. She has worked as a Research Chemist, Assistant Chef, Teacher and School Leader.   

As well as writing, Ko works as a Business Manager and a Funeral Celebrant.   

In her free time Ko loves to run, meditate and travel; preferably all on the same day.    

Ko has been married for 25 years, has 2 children of her own and is now navigating her own empty nest.   

The Twenty Dates is Ko’s second novel and the second book in ‘The Empty Nesters’ series.   

Social Media Links – 

Instagram: @koporteousauthor

Facebook: Ko Porteous Author

#BookReview #Stolen #RubySpeechley #BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley

 

Don't miss this gripping, twisty psychological thriller, perfect for fans of K.L. Slater, J D Kirk and Freida McFadden 📚

He's been in my house.

He's taken my children.

What am I to do?

Vicki has done everything to protect her children. Their father was out of control – every day, his life embroiled in lies, drugs, chaos. So she cut him off, for good.

But when she comes home to a distraught babysitter, panic hits.

The kids are gone. And Lee says he’s not bringing them back.

Vicki can see how he persuaded the babysitter – Jess is young. Naïve. Easy to manipulate. The perfect pawn in his twisted plan.

But then Jess disappears too.

Is this just a father trying to take back what’s his? Or has something much darker wormed its way into her perfect family?

From the bestselling author of Missing comes an unputdownable story of a mother's strength, a family's secrets and the neverending question of: just who can you trust?!

Ruby Speechley is a bestselling psychological thriller writer, whose titles include, Gone, Missing, Guilty, The Uninvited Guest and Stolen. Vanished, her tenth novel, will be out on 15th July 2026.

Ruby's early novels, Someone Else's Baby, The Daughter You Left (previously, Every Little Secret), and A Mother Like You, have all been recently re-published by Boldwood Books (originally published by Hera). They Have My Baby (previously, The Face at the Window) was re-published on 14 May 2026.

Known for their twisty page-turning plots, relatable characters and gripping suspense, Ruby's novels explore dark domestic themes involving trust, secrets, confessions, betrayal, parenting and dysfunctional families, alongside crimes such as abduction, blackmail, online surveillance, and the dangers of AI and social media.

Born in Lisbon, Portugal, Ruby came to the UK as a baby and was raised here by her English father and Portuguese mother. She moved to Cheshire during lockdown in 2020 with her husband and two of her three children (and two Springer spaniels) to be near her eldest son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

You can contact her on X: @rubyspeechley

Facebook: Ruby Speechley Author

Instagram: rubyjtspeechley

Blue Sky: rubyspeechley .bsky .social

Stolen

Written By Ruby Speechley

Review By Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews

First, I want to thank Ruby Speechley, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review. 

Ruby would like to dedicate this book to her bookworm daughter Sophie. 

Dang!! Ruby Speechley wasted no time and dove straight into the intense nail biting edge of your seat scenes in her psychological thriller Stolen. Ruby’s descriptions were insanely detailed, the storyline was fast paced. I felt as if I was a fly on the wall watching the events in the prologue unfold. Being a fan of not only Ruby Speechley but of missing person cases I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this to anyone’s TBR list. 

My heart was beating outside of my chest putting myself in Vicki’s shoes not knowing what was going on with her children who she put in the care of a babysitter-Jess!! Why couldn’t she get a hold of her children or the babysitter? Why were their phones off? My anxiety was going through the roof along with Vicki’s!! I was praying that they were ok. 

Lee was my least favorite character for oh so many reasons!! You will just have to read the book to figure out why I said what I said! Let me know if you agree that he is your least favorite too! 

Stolen is very fast paced, thrilling, gripping, nail-biting, twisted read that you will want to put on your TBR list. 

#BookReview #YouWithTheSadEyes #AMemoir #ChristinaApplegate #LittleBrownandCompany

 

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"Funny, furious, and profane." —The New York Times

“Not your typical celebrity memoir.” —Jimmy Kimmel

Unflinchingly honest and darkly funny, You with the Sad Eyes unveils a side of Christina Applegate we’ve never seen, forever cementing her formidable and iconoclastic legacy. 

Christina Applegate came of age on sets and stages, expected to be on time, with lines learned, ready for lights-camera-action. What started as a financial necessity soon became an emotional escape from a tumultuous home life in the infamous Laurel Canyon scene of the 70s and 80s. She rocketed to stardom on the sitcom Married...with Children and went on to captivate audiences in classics like Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead…, Anchorman, and Dead to Me in her five-decade long career.

Then it all stopped. A Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis in 2021 confined her to a king-sized bed and the company of memories she’d rather forget: memories of the self-doubt and body dysmorphia that stalked her meteoric rise, of her mother’s fight against addiction and abuse after her father left, and of the tax life had taken on her body and mind that was suddenly coming due.

Now, at her most intimate and vulnerable, she unveils a story not even those closest to her fully know. She returns to the diaries she kept her whole life, finding the pain matched by joy, the losses mitigated by the extraordinary, and the weight of life lifted by her unrelenting belief that something greater lay ahead. No longer willing to lock herself away and with the perspective only our own mortality can bring, she knew it was imperative to tell it all.

You with the Sad Eyes presents a remarkable woman and her legacy. In her own words, “I truly believe that books can make people feel less alone. That’s why I’m doing this. You with the Sad Eyes won’t be some big violin scratching for my life. But it will be real. It will be filled with the ups and downs, the humor and grief of life.

So here I am.

Real me.

Lots to say.”

Christina Applegate is an Emmy® award-winning actress known for her captivating performances across film, television, and theatre. Applegate has charmed audiences throughout her career, from her breakout role as Kelly Bundy in MARRIED WITH CHILDREN to her award-winning performance in DEAD TO ME. With memorable credits along the way including ANCHORMAN, DON’T TELL MOM THE BABYSITTER’S DEAD, and her Tony-nominated performance in SWEET CHARITY on Broadway, Applegate has solidified her status as a Hollywood legend. In 2024, Applegate launched her own podcast with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, ‘MeSsy’, where the co-hosts get vulnerable about life’s curveballs and living with MS. With hilarious but grounded conversations, joined by special guests including Will Ferrell, Jean Smart, Robin Roberts, and Jimmy Kimmel, they reflect on persevering through the messiness of life. Beyond her success on the screen, Applegate is recognized for her advocacy work, raising awareness about various causes close to her heart. Applegate’s talent, grace, and humanitarian work continue to inspire fans worldwide.

You With The Sad Eyes

A Memoir 

Written By Christina Applegate

Review By Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews

When I had heard Christina Applegate was writing her memoir You With The Sad Eyes I knew that I needed to put it on my TBR list. I have been a fan of her acting since she was on Married with Children, Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead, and more recently Bad Moms. However, I knew that with this memoir Christina would personally invite us into her private world and bravely share her MS story among other aspects of her life. She is incredibly strong to not only go through this on a daily basis but to share her journey with the world is commendable. 

The cover photo is a beautiful black and white picture of Christina. Whomever chose that picture did a great job! 

This book is dedicated to Sadie for she is the reason for everything! 

In 2021 Christina Applegate was diagnosed with MS. MS attacks the nervous system and slows down your function, your respiratory system, your organs, and everything. The disease eats away at all the things we take for granted. Some have lots of pain. Unfortunately, for Christina she has a lot of it when she wakes up with it. Christina has infusions every 6 months to slow the process down. Her stomach frequently slows down to a halt, leaving her to rush to the ER in pain. 

As you can imagine with all of this that goes on with her the worst side effect is exhaustion. She sometimes goes in a three day sleepless bender. 

My heart totally breaks for her that this has robbed Christina of her active life and who she once was! Now she escapes her reality into watching reality tv shows.

This book though is more than just about her MS a lot more!! It is about her past, her family, her childhood. Plus, there are pictures included in the book as well. I would highly suggest putting it on your TBR list.