The book synopsis for The One That Got Away? by Emma Bennet

Please note this was previously published as His Secret Daughter

Three years ago
Iris spends a magical night with her gorgeous but arrogant Spanish boss, Sergio. Then he goes around acting like it was just a fling. A few weeks later Iris finds out she’s pregnant, but if he’s not interested she’s going to have to raise this baby alone.

Now
Iris bumps into Sergio strolling through a leafy London park. She’s pushing their now two-year-old child in a buggy. Sergio instantly realizes that beautiful little Paola is his.

Demanding as ever, Sergio flies Iris and Paola out to his stunning Barcelona villa, so he can start to be a real father to his daughter.

After a few weeks, Iris begins to enjoy Sergio’s company and warm Spanish hospitality. She can’t stop thinking about what might have been . . . But part of her fears he might take Paola away from her.

The pair grow close once more, but Iris can’t shake the feeling that Sergio just wants to play happy families for Paola’s sake — is he really interested in rekindling their relationship?

He broke her heart once. Can she trust him with it this time?

3 Stars

Discussing The One That Got Away? by Emma Bennet

Where to find The One That Got Away? by Emma Bennet online:

Buy the book: Amazon affiliate link

Add to your shelves: Goodreads

Desk-Bound Fitness: 6 Stretches You Can Do in Your Office Chair

Working from home while managing multiple chronic conditions, including diverticular disease and IBS, often means that traditional workouts or long daily walks simply aren't on the cards for me. When fatigue, abdominal discomfort, joint pain, or sudden flare-ups hit, even stepping away from my desk can feel like a massive hurdle. This is something I navigate on a regular basis, so I completely understand how frustrating it is when your body just refuses to cooperate with a standard exercise routine.

However, I've learned that staying seated doesn't mean I have to remain completely still or endure constant stiffness.

For me, gentle seated movement has become a essential way to ease joint tightness, relieve lower back tension, and open up my posture—all without draining my limited daily energy reserves or aggravating my digestive system. Here are six simple stretches I rely on that you can do right from your office chair, at whatever pace feels manageable for your body today.

1. Seated Cat-Cow (Lower Back & Spine Flexibility)

Sitting for extended periods always leaves my lower back feeling compressed, and when my digestive symptoms act up, keeping my spine mobile helps relieve that uncomfortable tightness.

• How I do it: I sit forward slightly in my chair with my feet flat on the floor and hands resting on my knees. As I inhale, I gently arch my back, lift my chest, and look slightly upwards (Cow). As I exhale, I round my spine, tuck my chin towards my chest, and draw my belly button in very gently (Cat).

• Why it helps me: It moves the spine through gentle flexion and extension, easing lower back stiffness and encouraging subtle fluid movement without putting unnecessary pressure on the abdomen.

2. Chair Figure-4 Stretch (Hips & Glutes)

I notice that tight hips constantly pull on the muscles in my lower back, making sitting for long stretches quite uncomfortable.

• How I do it: I sit upright and cross my right ankle over my left knee to create a figure-four shape, keeping my right foot slightly flexed to protect my knee. If my body feels up to it, I lean forward slightly from the hips with a flat back until I feel a gentle release in my outer hip and glute.

• Why it helps me: It releases deep tension in the hip rotators and glutes without requiring me to stand or put weight on aching joints.

3. Wrist & Forearm Extensor Stretch (Wrist Mobility)

After hours spent typing and using the mouse for my blogging work, my forearms get horribly tense, which often leads to discomfort right up to my elbows.

• How I do it: I extend one arm straight out in front of me with my palm facing down, then use my other hand to gently pull my fingers back towards my body. I hold this for 15–20 seconds before flipping my hand palm-up to gently pull my fingers downwards.

• Why it helps me: It keeps my wrists flexible and reduces the muscular strain that builds up during long typing sessions.

4. Seated Torso Twist (Spinal Rotation & Digestion)

Gentle rotational movements are a staple for me—not only do they unwind mid-back tension, but I also find they help encourage gentle movement through the digestive tract when my IBS is acting up.

• How I do it: I sit tall in my chair with both feet planted firmly on the floor. I take a deep breath in, and as I exhale, I gently twist my upper body to the right, placing my left hand on the outside of my right thigh or armrest. I hold for a few slow breaths, breathing deep into my rib cage, before repeating on the left.

• Why it helps me: It releases thoracic and lumbar spine tension while offering a soft, therapeutic massage for internal organs without any intense twisting.

5. Seated Chest Opener (Posture & Breathing)

When fatigue sets in or I'm experiencing a flare-up, my natural instinct is to hunch forward over my desk, which restricts my breathing and tightens my chest.

• How I do it: I sit near the edge of my chair and reach behind me to rest my hands on my lower back or grasp the back of the chair. I slowly pull my shoulder blades together and press my chest forward, opening up through my collarbones.

• Why it helps me: It reverses that slouched desk posture, opens up tight pectoral muscles, and allows me to take deeper, restorative breaths that help calm my nervous system.

6. Gentle Neck Rolls & Ear-to-Shoulder Drops (Neck & Upper Traps)

Stress and chronic fatigue always seem to settle directly into my neck and shoulders, leading to tension headaches if I don't catch it early.

• How I do it: Sitting tall with relaxed shoulders, I inhale deeply, and as I exhale, I lower my right ear towards my right shoulder. If I need a slightly deeper stretch, I rest my right hand lightly on the left side of my head—letting gravity do the work without any pulling. I hold for 20 seconds, slowly roll my chin to my chest, and switch sides.

• Why it helps me: It melts away upper trap tightness and relieves screen-induced neck strain in just a couple of minutes.

Listening to Your Body

Managing chronic conditions like diverticular disease, IBS, and ongoing fatigue has taught me that consistency always matters far more than intensity. I always try to honour how my body feels on any given day: on higher-energy days, I might hold these stretches a little longer or do a second round; on low-energy or flare-up days, completing just one or two gentle movements from my chair is a massive win.

Movement doesn't have to be taxing or exhausting to be effective. Small, mindful stretches allow me to stay comfortable, supported, and relaxed while working from home.

Do you manage chronic illness while working from home? Do you have a favourite low-impact stretch for desk days? Let me know in the comments below!

Books: First Lines Fridays 2nd October 2026

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? 

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page 
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first 
• Finally… reveal the book!

My Pick For This Week

The first lines of the book:

And the book is...

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CW3S14TF
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Poolbeg Press
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 1, 2024
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 340 pages

Book synopsis The World's End by Karen Fitzgibbon

Five people sail to a nearby island.

Only four return.

On a warm weekend in May, Grace Doran and her friend Sarah travel to Castle Cove to stay in a luxurious summerhouse known as The World’s End. After a night of partying and temptation, they hire a boat and sail to a nearby island.

Grace never comes back.

One year later, private investigator Lana Bowen arrives in Castle Cove determined to uncover what really happened that night. Haunted by a traumatic event in her past, Lana begins to dig into the secrets surrounding Grace’s disappearance.

But the deeper she investigates, the clearer it becomes that someone in Castle Cove knows exactly what happened on that island.

And they will do anything to keep it buried.

Because some secrets are worth killing for.

The World's End is the gripping first book in The Lana Bowen Mysteries, perfect for readers of Patricia Gibney, Andrea Mara and Angela Marsons.

Books in the Lana Bowen Mysteries

Book 1 — The World's End

Book 2 — Never Look Back

Book 3 — Tell the Truth

Where to find The World's End by Karen Fitzgibbon online: 

 

Get the book: Amazon affiliate link

Add to your shelf:  The World's End on Goodreads

The book synopsis for The Mother at Number Nine by Grant Kessler

She feeds your daughter. She listens to your secrets. She wants your life.Claire Halloway is a burnt-out social worker running on caffeine and guilt. Between a crushing caseload and raising her six-year-old daughter, Lilly, she is constantly one mistake away from disaster.

Then she meets Jade.

Jade lives at Number Nine. She is the neighbor everyone dreams wealthy, serene, and always there with a glass of wine and a listening ear. She bakes cookies with Lilly. She picks her up from school. She offers Claire the one thing she desperately a friend.

But as Claire’s life begins to unravel—missed appointments, memory gaps, and anonymous letters threatening her career—Jade is always there to pick up the pieces.

Ideally positioned to step in. Ideally positioned to take over.

Claire suspects she is being gaslighted, but her history of instability makes her the perfect victim. Is she truly losing her grip on reality, or is the woman across the street executing a revenge plot seven years in the making?

By the time Claire realizes the truth, the trap has already snapped shut. And the only way out is to confront a ghost from a past she thought was buried forever.

Perfect for fans of gripping domestic suspense and twisty psychological thrillers, The Mother at Number Nine will keep you reading late into the night. Prepare for a shocking ending you won't see coming.

Discussing The Mother at Number Nine by Grant Kessler

Where to find The Mother at Number Nine by Grant Kessler online:

 Buy the book: The Mother at Number Nine Amazon affiliate link

Add to your shelves: The Mother at Number Nine on Goodreads