When the email landed in my inbox inviting me to take part in this tour I was truly gutted that due to prior commitments I wasn’t able to read and review The Stepsister in time for the tour. Described as a gripping psychological thriller, it looks absolutely brilliant, and the reviews I have been seeing are confirming this! However, I knew I wanted to be a part of the tour in someway, and for that reason, I am delighted to be hosting the author herself, Jenny O’Brien, on my blog today. Before you rush off to purchase the novel though, don’t forget to enter the giveaway a bit further down the page!!!

Over to Jenny…..

First, thank you for inviting me to participate on your blog, I’m delighted to be here.

As an Irish woman living in Guernsey why would I want to set most of The Stepsister in Holland? After all, it’s not a country I’ve travelled to since a teenager. Why not France or even Spain, both of which I’ve visited in the last twelve-months?

Because Holland is special but then I still have the rose-tinted glasses from childhood to view it through. I went twice in the seventies, both school trips and, to this day I can close my eyes and be transported back to a windmill-filled wonderland. There’s just something about The Netherlands that slices through the layers and drills straight to the heart.

The main character in the Stepsister, Victoria, is a talented artist who’s drifted into book illustration by accident. I’ve always been arty but, unlike Victoria, as an observer as opposed to a creator. I can knit and sew. I’ve even had a crack at patchwork and still have the wonky throw to prove it. In Holland, the birthplace of mega-talented painters like Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer I was in my element. It only took one glance at Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a pearl earring’ for my sixteen-year-old self to fall in love with art and to fall in love with this painting. The tilt of her head, the curve of her cheek, the way Vermeer allows light to toy with her bottom lip… Twenty years before Mr Darcy even thought to pick up a paintbrush I was in awe of Vermeer’s work. The photo below is taken from one of the scrapbooks that I used to keep as a child. That Vermeer postcard is nearly forty years old.
Emma R - Books, Writing and Life - vermeer

Over the years’ life, as it tends to, interfered with this passion. I was born in Dublin and moved to Wales before finally settling in Guernsey. I forgot Holland. I forgot Vermeer. I even forgot books with the stress of rearing three children of three and under. It was during this busy time that my mum sent me over a package of books by romance writer, Betty Neels. Almost all her books are set in Holland.

So, you could say that the rekindling of my affair both with books, Holland and this book was fuelled by this simple act of kindness on her part – Thanks Mum x

Synopsis

When a stranger leaves step-sisters, Victoria and Ness, a half-share in a house in Holland, they think it must be a mistake.

But there’s no mistake when Ness goes missing.

Desperate for the truth, Victoria heads to Holland to find out what happened to her. Has she, as her texts show, embarked on a whirlwind romance? Has someone abducted her or even worse?

But there’s someone watching, and that person wants her dead.

Can Victoria find out the truth before it’s too late?

Purchase on Amazon UK
The stepsister cover

About the Author

Jenny O’Brien was born in Ireland and, after a brief sojourn in Wales, now resides in Guernsey.

She’s an avid reader and book reviewer for NetGalley in addition to being a RoNA judge.

She writes for both children and adults with a new book coming out every six months or so. She’s also an avid collector of cats, broken laptops, dust and happy endings – two of which you’ll always find in her books.

In her spare time she can be found frowning at her wonky cakes and even wonkier breads. You’ll be pleased to note she won’t be entering Bake-Off.

Readers can find out more about Jenny from her blog: https://jennyobrienwriter.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JennyOBrienWriter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ScribblerJB
The Stepsister - 8715CB6B-8F86-4241-9D71-D504CE5E13A4

Giveaway

1^st Prize Win an e copy of The Stepsister and a crystal, tulip slider necklace

2 x 2^nd Prize – an e-copy of The Stepsister

(Open Internationally)

The Stepsister Giveaway Prize

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.