📖 Publication Day Book Review ~ Seething Lane by Jack Jewers

Moonflower
3 September 2026

My thanks to Moonflower for my copy of this book

January 1670. London is enduring its worst winter in decades. 

But for Samuel Pepys, the darkest days are yet to come. Reimagining one of Britain's greatest historical figures through a 21st century lens, Seething Lane sees the return of infamous diarist Samuel Pepys, complete with his trademark audacious wit, keen eye for observation and gripping historical adventure. 

When a strange young man turns up at his office on Seething Lane asking for help, Samuel Pepys is too distracted to take him seriously. Nell Gwyn is about to make her scandalous return to the stage and he wouldn't miss it for all the world.

But in the cold of a winter's dawn, tragedy strikes. Called upon to investigate the brutal murder of a libertine aristocrat, Pepys discovers that the dead man is connected to his mysterious visitor in the most shocking way possible.

A trail of secrets leads Pepys from the backstreets of London to the glamorous world of the theatre, where nothing is quite as it seems. But whatever the dangers, he may find that the deadliest threat lies closer to home…

📖 My Review

For nine years during the start of the Stuart restoration Samuel Pepys wrote his now infamous diary. His wry observations on life are regarded as one of the most remarkable first hand experiences of life in London between 1660 and 1669. 

This clever series of historical novels takes up the pen in 1670 and uses this as a starting point to bring to us Samuel Pepys in his role as an investigator looking into the curious and rather gory death of two people, one victim is known to be a friend of King Charles II’s illegitimate son the Duke of Monmouth and the other is a mysterious young person who initially came to Pepys to ask for his help. In being drawn into this complex murder investigation Pepys and his assistant, Will Hewer, become increasingly involved in a dark and dangerous world, from clandestine business meetings with shady characters, to back stage shenanigans at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Pepys and Hewer get drawn into a complicated subterfuge which proves to be both dangerous and exhilarating. 

The author has a real skill for recreating this decadent and rather shadowy world, a world which is lavishly opulent, as in dining on fine fare in the King’s room at Whitehall, or alive with theatre gossip and the creeping unease of the actors’ dressing room of the Theatre Royal. There is much to discover amongst the great and the not so good of restoration London and I have thoroughly enjoyed walking in Samuel Pepys’s footsteps, he’s an agreeable raconteur, a proficient intelligencer working on behalf of the King and as entertaining a character as he is diarist. Cleverly written and alive with intrigue Seething Lane is a fascinating addition to this historical mystery series.

About the Author

Jack Jewers is a filmmaker and writer. His 2022 debut, The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys, was named one of the Sunday Times’ historical fiction books of the year, and a book of the month by The Independent and Financial Times. His career has been spent telling stories across multiple media formats and his work includes film, TV, and digital media. 

His films have been shown at international film festivals, including Cannes, New York, Marseille, Dublin, and London’s FrightFest, garnering multiple accolades, including an award from the Royal Television Society and a nomination from BAFTA Wales for Best Short Film. Jack’s passion for history has led him to many unexpected places, from uncovering hidden love stories in 3000-year-old poetry, to sending a portrait of Shakespeare into space. 

Seething Lane is Jack’s second novel.

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📖 Book Review ~ The Midwife by the Sea by Jo Bartlett

Boldwood
4 August 2026

Thanks to the publisher for the copy of this book 

When midwife Hope Masterson arrives in Cornwall to start her dream job by the sea, she’s ready for a fresh start and a chance to make a real difference to the lives of the women and babies she cares for.

Working between St Piran’s hospital and the community midwifery unit of Port Agnes, Hope quickly finds herself drawn into the lives of her patients and colleagues. From dramatic deliveries and joyous newborns to heartbreaking struggles with infertility, she is on hand to share in all the hopes, worries and incredible love that motherhood can bring.

But Hope is carrying a secret that could change everything – and she faces an impossible dilemma.

Should she reveal the truth and shatter the lives of those around her, or protect the fragile happiness of the family she’s only just found?

As friendships deepen, romance blooms and emotions run high, Hope must decide whether some secrets are better left untold… and what it truly means to belong.

📖 My Review..

Those readers who are familiar with this author’s work will be aware of her two bestselling series of novels based in Cornwall. Firstly, the midwives of Port Agnes in The Cornish Midwives and secondly, the medics of St Piran’s in The Cornish County Hospital. The Midwife by the Sea works a standalone and effectively bridges the gap between the two and brings a heartwarming story about Hope Masterson who arrives in Cornwall to work as a midwife at Port Agnes and also with the community midwifery team at St Piran’s hospital.

It’s such a delight to be back in Cornwall with familiar characters and whilst Hope’s addition is new she soon becomes integrated into the story arc. I enjoyed observing her dilemma as she searches for answers from her past and followed, with interest, the emotional upheaval her arrival had on other much loved characters. The author, as always, tackles some really difficult issues, especially the hospital scenes which are detailed with sensitivity and a warm understanding of human nature. Covering adoption, infertility, trauma and emotional pain the story certainly packs a punch but does so with a lovely light touch and some really special moments. 

The Midwife by the Sea is a lovely heartwarming story about the bond of family, friendship and second chances.

About the Author

Jo Bartlett is the bestselling author of over nineteen women’s fiction titles. She fits her writing in between her two day jobs as an educational consultant and university lecturer and lives with her family and three dogs on the Kent coast.

Twitter /  X  @J_B_Writer #TheMidwifeByTheSea

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📚 Book Nostalgia ~ The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield

Welcome to my Book Nostalgia feature where I'm allowing myself the luxury of going back in time with some of my favourite reads. Over the past 15 years of blogging I have been privileged to read some amazing books which have featured on my BOOKS OF THE YEAR list. 

Sometimes it’s good to revisit these stories in order to remember those extra special books which have influenced my reading over the last 15 years..

Come with me and let's wallow in a book memory from 2011 when Jaffareadstoo first started blogging …

Harper Collins
2011

A bewitching debut novel in the vein of the much-loved classic Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe. It's 1956 and Samuel Lake, a handsome preacher, is voted out of his ministry by yet another congregation, disappointed by his relentless pleas for them to live more charitable lives. Out of options and out of pocket, Samuel and his family are forced to move in with their Arkansas in-laws, the rambunctious Moses clan. At first they thrive in the unruly sea of relatives - Willa, Samuel's wife, runs the bar for Grandma Calla, while the boys, Noble and Bienville, run riot through the surrounding countryside. But when Swan, their formidable but loveable 11-year-old tomboy, crosses the path of neighbour Raz Ballenger, things take a turn for the worse. Raz Ballenger, horse trainer, is a man who rules both his family and his animals through terror. Used to instant obedience, he is insulted when Swan leaps to his son defence, an act that sets a whole chain of unexpected and terrible events into motion...

I recall reading this one, I think, for a magazine review and was totally immersed in the story. It was the author’s debut novel and was so accomplished I’m surprised that she has not written another novel. Known mostly in the USA for her screenwriting and filmography The Homecoming of Samuel Lake is one of those magical stories which will stand the test of time. Here’s what I thought about it in 2011…

***

Homespun America in 1950’s is beautifully described in this accomplished debut novel which interweaves the lives of the Lake and Moses family. Samuel Lake is a preacher without a congregation and without any hope of a ministry of his own he is forced to return to his wife’s family farm in Arkansas with his eccentrically named offspring. Of his three children, it is eleven year old Swan Lake who is the formidable ringleader, who is tomboy enough to run wild through the rural landscape, and yet has a heart bigger than the Arkansas sky.

Reminiscent of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking Bird, this emotionally charged book reveals a story that is at times dark and dirty, and yet has a theme of faith, and family that transcends pure evil. There is an abundance of rich and varied characters who bring the story to life, from grandmother Calla who tends her flowers, and dispenses wholesome wisdom, through to the bravery of Uncle Toy who keeps the bar at ‘Never Closes’, and who loves the Lake children as he would his own.

I stayed up late and long in order to finish reading this story, it made me laugh, it made me cry and ultimately, it made me believe in the power of storytelling.

This is storytelling at its absolute best, and I would recommend this novel wholeheartedly, if I could give it more than five stars I would do so without hesitation.

Read it if you can.

☀️My Reads of Summer 2026 📚

At the start of June I decided to include a few books which were perfect for summer reading.  Most were light and easy, with a holiday destination as part of the narrative, but with an occasion dip into a couple of darker stories. 

So without further ado, here are my ten summer choices for 2026. 

In no particular order, click on the link, it’ll take you to my review…📚☀️📚

A Nantucket Fling by Kathryn Freeman

The Glass Key by Amanda Geard

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

One Scottish Summer by Kate Frost

Secrets of the Italian Guesthouse by Sue Moorcroft 

The Outsider by Valerie Keogh

When You Looked Away by SM Govett

The Greek Guesthouse by Michelle Vernal

A Proposal in Provence by Alison Roberts 

Blue Skies Ahead by Jessica Redland 

📖 Favourite Read of the Month - The Hidden Library by Sharon Gosling

Simon and Schuster
 27 August 2026

Thanks to the publisher for the invitation to read this book

Sometimes the right story leads you home . . . 

When bestselling author Helen finds herself at the centre of a scandal, she escapes to Rathbrooke Hall on a remote island off the Northumberland coast. Tasked with cataloguing the books of a reclusive collector she’s relieved to be out of the glare of publicity, even if the locals are less than welcoming.

But as she spends more time among the dusty bookshelves and rare first editions, she uncovers clues to a secret collection of books that could save the island – and the community that she’s begun to feel part of. Can she unravel the mystery of the hidden library and can she trust Thiago, a charming librarian with secrets of his own?

📖My Review..

Avoiding a disaster in her personal life novelist Helen Thorne arrives on a remote Northumberland  island where she takes up residence at Rathbrooke Hall which was once the home of Cyril Gissing, an antiquarian expert with an immense library of precious books. As a guest at the hall Helen works on behalf of a group of solicitors who are searching for Cyril’s lost will whilst at the same time expecting Helen to undertake an inventory of the library. Helen finds a warm welcome with Martha who is the hall’s housekeeper and Rufus the elderly gardener but receives a frosty, if downright surly, response from Martha’s teenage daughter, Cora, who seems to have a grudge against anyone who challenges the peace of Rathbrooke Hall. The introduction of book collector Thiago Montera into the story adds another dimension to the bookish plot and the possibility of romance.

Rathbrooke Hall quickly becomes one of the central characters of the story and the library around which most of the plot takes place becomes a fascinating place to visit. Beautifully imagined and well described, I could picture the spaces so vividly and the added mystery of a secret collection of very precious first editions which could have been hidden away for centuries piqued my interest. The remoteness of the island, the mammoth task ahead of Helen as she seeks to find out more about the mysterious Mr Gissing and her interaction with the island’s other inhabitants all makes for fascinating reading especially as the story gets increasingly more suspenseful as it progresses.

I love a book about books and this was so well put together that I was quite entranced by the hidden library and only wished that it existed so that I could see it for myself. I read the story quickly as I found I couldn’t put the book down without needing to know more about the mysterious contents of the hidden room. The ending is quite a revelation, the moody atmosphere and the vicious storm that affects the island added ,a sense of menace. Engaging from start to finish, I am delighted to have The Hidden Library as my Favourite Read of the Month for August.

About the Author

Sharon started her career as an entertainment journalist, writing non-fiction books about film and television. She is also the author of multiple children’s books. Sharon and her husband live in a small village in northern Cumbria.

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📖 Book Review ~ The Curse of the Saltmarsh Girl by Clare Marchant

 

Boldwood
7 August 2026

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book

1665: When Margery arrives in Saltmarsh looking for her mother, she finds silence, secrets, and backs turned.

But she is not the only thing that has arrived. As the Plague falls on the village, leaving almost no man, woman or child alive, rumours circulate – about a demon dog, about lights floating above the waters, about voices in the dark… And about a girl, one who has brought a curse.

With Margery’s mother missing, it becomes clear that these remote, desolate marshes are about to become the most dangerous ground she’s ever stepped on…

Now: A beautiful young opera singer named Angel Bailey has arrived in Saltmarsh. She’s there to visit her adoptive brother, but she’s also running away. Because, after years of longing to know where she came from, she’s received word from a woman claiming to be her sister, saying their birth mother’s dying wish is to meet the child she abandoned.

But when Angel becomes fascinated with the story of another mother and daughter, and a centuries old curse on the marsh, the land beneath her feet is about to shift forever…

📖 My Review ..

In 1665, Margery is searching for her mother in the isolated village of Saltmarsh however, she finds the local people distrustful and suspicious and it is only the kindness of strangers that keeps her from harm. Far into the future, in the present day, Angel Bailey arrives in Saltmarsh to housesit whilst her brother is away and it is in the very fabric of a converted medieval barn where Margery and Angel’s stories start to mingle and the secrets of a troubled past are finally revealed.

Brooding and atmospheric the story combines tragedy with a poignant reminder of the powerful impact that mothers have on their children. Margery, in 1665, not only confronts prejudice but also has to fight the prospect of disease as the deadly bubonic plague brings devastation to the village. Cleverly intertwining the past and present I felt immersed in the landscape, which is very much part of the story, and in combining myths and legends, especially the mystery of the Black Shuck, the author allows a glimpse into a forgotten world. Angel’s story in the present day is very much her quest to discover more about the history of the landscape and as she starts to get to know more about Saltmarsh village so the threads that bind the two women start to come together.

The Curse of the Saltmarsh Girl is an immersive story which brings the cold and eerie creepiness of the Saltmarsh to life and I turned the pages eagerly to discover more, hoping that all the loose ends would be drawn together and that the sins of the past could be resolved.

About the Author

Clare Marchant is the author of dual timeline historical fiction. Her books have been translated into seven languages, and she is a USA Today bestseller. Clare spends her time writing and exploring local castles, or visiting the nearby coast.

Facebook: claremarchantauthor

Twitter: @claremarchant1

Instagram: @claremarchantauthor

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📖Book Review ~ HEROICA by Alison Morton

 

Even the strongest state is vulnerable to its past

2020, Roma Nova. Carina Mitela investigates a potential rebellion but discovers the long-buried secret that ignited the attempted uprising links directly to her own powerful family. 

1683, Vienna. As Europe struggles against the Ottoman onslaught, Honoria Mitela leads her troops into the desperate battle to save besieged Vienna. The fate of Europe – and of Roma Nova itself – hangs in the balance.

1849, Central Italy. Statia Mitela’s impulsive act saves one life but jeopardises Roma Nova’s very existence and threatens her descendants with public disgrace, financial ruin and permanent exile.

Three stories of the women of the Mitela family, descendants of the founders of Roma Nova, bound by blood and courage.

📖My Review ..

It’s always fascinating to return to Roma Nova and the alternate world which this talented writer has brought to life in a series of well written novels. This collection of three novellas allows us a glimpse into  three very different time frames which all have one thing in common, they all feature strong and decisive women of the Mitela family. The challenges faced in each of the three stories reaches out to both present and past but with a definite common denominator, that of strong women doing their best to survive and thrive in a complicated world.

The first story, Revolution introduces us, in 2020 to Carina Mitela, an officer in the Praetorian Guard Special Forces, who in the guise of a market researcher is looking into the threat of seditious rebellion however, in the course of the investigation Carina discovers an unexpectedly shocking link to her own family. 

The second story, Honoria’s Battle takes us into seventeenth century Vienna and introduces us to Honoria Mitela, who, in her role as chief intelligencer, interrogates a potential spy working for the Ottoman Empire. With the Siege of Vienna in 1683 as its focus the story cleverly integrates Roma Novan activity within a real period in history which has personal consequences for the Mitela family.

The third and final story, The Idealist, opens in the present with Carina Mitela being given a piece of secret family information which leads her to an ancestor, Statia Mitela in revolutionary Italy in 1849. As head of the family Statia is drawn into a difficult situation which will have far reaching consequences  for the a Mitela family well into the future.

HEROICA gives us three strong and decisive women in three fascinating novellas which feature the best of Roma Nova’s involvement in history and politics, all told with the authors fine eye for detail and a comprehensive understanding of how the Roma Nova world fits into this alternate narrative.Those who are familiar with this series will recognise Carina Mitela however, this fascinating trilogy of stories adds a little more flesh into how the Mitela family has been involved in political and familial strife throughout the whole of Roma Novan history.

About the Author

Author of the Roma Nova alternate history thriller series, historical fiction JULIA PRIMA (HNS Editor's Choice) and EXSILIUM and the Mélisende Doubles contemporary thrillers. Audiobooks available for the four of the Roma Nova series 

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