📖 Book Tour ~ A Simple Wish by Rosie Goodwin (#Giveaway)

 

Bonnier
28 October 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and the invitation to the blog tour

1885.

Ruby Carter works hard in her parents' bakery. Whilst life isn't easy, she's happy enough - her gentle mother protects young Ruby from her cruel father and loves her unconditionally. So, when her mother falls seriously ill, Ruby is heartbroken. Then, from her deathbed, her mother reveals that Ruby was adopted.

Stricken by grief and alone with the violent man she called her father, Ruby feels she has no choice but to flee. At just fifteen, homeless and alone she is relieved when a kindly stranger named Mrs Bamber takes pity on poor Ruby and welcomes her into her home.

But soon, Ruby learns Mrs Bamber is not as generous as she first seemed - she forces Ruby into a life of crime as a jewel thief in Birmingham's jewellery quarter. With nothing to her name and nowhere to go Ruby has no choice but to go along with it, despite the guilt and shame she feels. But Ruby is determined that she will atone for what she's done, and be reunited with her birth parents.

Ruby's only wish is to find her family.

 📖 My thoughts..

Ruby Carter's young life hasn't got off to the best of starts and when her mother dies a devastating secret is revealed which spirals Ruby's life out of control. Rescued by a woman who, on the surface, seems to have a good heart, it soon becomes obvious that the enigmatic Mrs Bamber wants Ruby for something quite sinister.

What then follows is a lovely rags-to-riches story in which we see young Ruby battle against everything life threw at her and even though her good nature and enthusiasm will be tested to the absolute limit of her endurance what shines throughout is Ruby's simple wish to discover more about her origins.

Beautifully written with all the trademark characteristics which are so reminiscent of this author's popular writing we once again have a story which wrings out every last drop of emotion to leave us wanting only good things for Ruby and also for those who care for her. Bringing the dark side of Victorian Birmingham to life, from the wealthy drawing rooms of the rich, to downright creepy asylums, there is never a moment when the story doesn't draw you into Ruby's world. I especially enjoyed the references to jewellery making and wished I could have seen some of Ruby's clever designs for myself.

I've now read several of this author's heartwarming historical sagas and I think A Simple Wish is one of my favourites.

A Simple Wish is published by Zaffre, in hardback, ebook and audio and is available to buy from all good book retailers.

About the Author

Rosie Goodwin is the million copy bestselling author of more than thirty novels. She is the first author in the world to be allowed to follow three of Catherine Cookson's trilogies with her own sequels. Having worked in the social services sector for many years, then fostered a number of children, she is now a full-time novelist. She is one of the top 50 most borrowed authors from UK libraries. Rosie lives in Nuneaton, the setting for many of her books, with her husband and their beloved dogs.

Website

Twitter @RosieGoodwin #ASimpleWish

@ZaffreBooks

To enter the special Christmas giveaway visit 

The Memory Lane Book Group on 26th November on Facebook

🎄Blog Tour ~ The Winter Promise by Rosie Goodwin

 🎄Thrilled to host today's stop on this lovely festive Blog Tour🎄

Bonnier Zaffre
25 October 2020

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

1850.

When Opal Sharp finds herself and her younger siblings suddenly orphaned and destitute, she thinks things can get no worse.

But soon three of them - including Opal - are struck down with the illness that took their father, and her brother Charlie is forced to make an impossible decision. Unable to afford a doctor, he knows the younger children will not survive. So, unbeknownst to Opal, Charlie takes their younger siblings to the workhouse. When she finds out, Opal is heartbroken.

Charlie starts taking risks to try to support what's left of the Sharp family and earn Opal's forgiveness, but he takes it too far and finds himself in trouble with the law. Soon, he is sent on a convict ship to Australia.

As poor Opal is forced to say goodbye to the final member of her family, she makes a promise to reunite them all one day.

My thoughts.

Opal is doing her best to keep her little family together but there are rough times ahead and with the best will in the world it doesn’t go easy for Opal and her young siblings. Tragedy strikes and fateful decisions have to made if they are all going to survive.

Opal is granted a piece of luck when she is offered the role of female companion to the wealthy Mrs King, a rather formidable character, who does her best to shape Orla for a very different role in society but Opal never forgets her young siblings and wonders what has happened to them all.

This is a lovely story with a delightful heroine who has more than enough angst in her life and yet her fortitude and resilience shines through some rather dark moments in the story. I enjoy how the author lets us know what was going on in the lives of Opal’s siblings so although she herself has lost track of them we, the reader, are privileged to know more than Opal.

All the stands start to come together in a story which warms the heart whilst at the same time tugs away at the heartstrings. I so wanted life to be kind to all of the siblings and all credit to the author for giving us such light and shade, elements of joy combined with moments of great sorrow. The author writes with such consideration for her characters that it is easy to picture them in the scenes which she so lovingly recreates. I am sure that fans of the author’s historical sagas will be delighted with this latest offering. 

The Winter Promise is the first in a new themed series of historical sagas by this gifted author and if this first book is anything to go by I am sure that the series is going to be just wonderful. I can’t wait to read more...

About the Author

Rosie Goodwin is the author of over twenty bestselling novels. She is the first author in the world to be allowed to follow three of Catherine Cookson's trilogies with her own sequels. Having worked in the social services sector for many years, then fostered a number of children, she is now a full-time novelist. Rosie lives in Nuneaton, the setting for many of her books, with her husband and their beloved dogs.

Website 

Twitter @RosieGoodwin #thewinterpromise


@ZaffreBooks