Monday 9 August 2021

πŸ“– Blog Tour ~ Her Previous Self by Anne Allen (GIVEAWAY)

  


Delighted to be hosting a stop on the final day of this blog tour


Sarnia Press
2 August 2021
My thanks to the author for my copy of this book
and to Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to the blog tour


Two women, living two hundred years apart but closer than sisters.

Mary, miserable in her marriage to Thomas Carre, a merchant and privateer and living in the newly built family mansion in Georgian Guernsey.

Lucy, separated from her husband after a tragic loss and now acting as an unwilling sitter for her elderly grandfather, Gregory Carre, who has inherited the same mansion.

Lucy is haunted by Mary’s continued presence in the house and finds herself being pulled more and more back in time. How is it possible for her to live as Mary? To experience scenes from her tragic life? Lucy is forced to come to terms with Mary’s grief as well as her own.

The more enmeshed she becomes the more anxious Lucy is to discover the truth. Why is Mary still restless? What caused her mysterious disappearance two hundred years ago?

And can Lucy move on from her own loss to find happiness again?


My thoughts..

Lucy Stewart has been asked keep her elderly grandfather company while her parents are on an extended holiday. Lucy is hoping that recuperative time spent on the sheltered island of Guernsey will give her the space she needs to come to terms with a sense of loss after a devastating tragedy shattered her life into pieces. 

Picking up on the faded grandeur of Carreville, her grandfather's Georgian home, Lucy is inexplicably drawn towards the portrait of Mary Carre, a distant ancestor, who seems determined to tell her own emotional story through Lucy. Moving effortlessly between past and previous Her Previous Self shares just what happened to Mary Carre in the early nineteenth century, whilst at the same time allowing Lucy the opportunity to explore the fractured threads of her own life. 

Separated by centuries these strong, but emotionally adrift, women seem to recognize a kindred spirit and all credit to the author for bringing such a strong sense of history into the time slip element. All too often in time slip stories one time period seems to dominate but not so with this as I felt equally at home with Mary Carre, in 1800, as she struggles with an unhappy marriage, as I did in 2013 with Lucy's own search for happiness.

The soothing atmosphere of the wonderful island of Guernsey takes centre stage and it's been so lovely to return to the island in this eighth book in the series. As always the author brings the place, and its people so beautifully alive, it's  just as if you are revisiting old friends, who you haven't seen for a while but in whose company you feel comfortable, and at ease.

Beautifully written, Her Previous Self is a worthy addition to this lovely series and even though it can be read as a standalone story, it would be best to start the series at the beginning in order to enjoy this talented writer's wonderful storytelling. Let the enjoyment of The Guernsey Novels sweep you away to this beautiful island - you won't be disappointed.




About the Author




Anne Allen lives in Devon but originates from Rugby. Finding early on in life that she loved the sea she spent most of her adult years moving from one coast to another. Her happiest time was spent in Guernsey where she lived for nearly 14 years and her books are all set on that beautiful island. Until recently Anne was a psychotherapist but has now retired to write full time. So far she has published Dangerous Waters, Finding Mother, Guernsey Retreat, The Family Divided, Echoes of Time, The Betrayal, The Inheritance and Her Previous Self, forming the Guernsey Novels series. The books focus on love, mystery, drama and relationships. In her spare time she dabbles in art and very occasionally housework.


Twitter @AnneAllen21 #HerPreviousSelf

@Rararesources





**GIVEAWAY**


Win x 1 paperback copy Her Previous Self  (UK Winner) or ecopy for an international winner


*Terms and Conditions* 

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 Rachel’s Random Resources reserves 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 Rachel's Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for dispatch of delivery of the prize.







2 comments:

  1. Hi Josie, thanks once again for reading and reviewing my latest offering. I'm so glad you wnjoyed it and what acsuper review! Best wishes. Anne x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a pleasure to read, Anne. I'm a great fan of The Guernsey Novels x

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