📖 Blog Tour ~ The English Wife by Anna Stuart

Bookouture
26 March 2025

Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to be part of the blog tour

1940, England: Clementine Churchill is standing alone on a rooftop in London as bombs rain down on the city when a nearby explosion almost knocks her off her feet. Shaking, she rushes homewards to 10 Downing Street and breathes a sigh of relief when she sees the famous building is still there. It means the Prime Minister – her husband – is still alive.

Stepping into Winston’s reassuring arms, she hears his steady heartbeat. She knew from the day they married thirty years ago that he wanted to lead the country. Since then, they’ve been a partnership in love and in politics. Tragedy once almost tore them apart… but now, Winston is Prime Minister, just as he always dreamed. Except, with the war against Hitler, it’s a much bigger responsibility than either of them ever expected: The world needs Winston, and Winston needs her.

While Winston co-ordinates battles across Europe, Clementine finds herself in the spotlight for the first time. Her husband’s name may be on the lips of every soldier and politician but she knows as she visits hospitals and campaigns for better conditions in air raid shelters, that the ordinary people speak her name just as much. She realises she has the potential to make a difference – not as Winston’s shadow in the background but as Clementine Churchill.

One evening, as she looks into Winston’s dear face, Clementine can tell his bravery comes at a cost. But can she overcome the heartbreaking loss in her past to help the man she loves succeed? And, together, can they finish the fight for freedom?

📖 My Review..

I knew, of course, of Winston Churchill, that charismatic prime minister who kept the country buoyant in the face of a German invasion during the dark days of WW2 but I knew very little of his wife, Clementine, who really was the woman very much standing shoulder to shoulder with her more famous husband. We follow Clementine during the momentous years of the war as she takes on a more practical role, her pragmatic approach to getting the job done is impressive, as is her unquestioning support of her husband and the burden he carries. Alongside, is the story of American journalist, Jenny Miller, who together with her husband, Ned, is based in London. Their updates on American radio relay the consequences of this devastating war on the ordinary man and woman in the street. After the attack on Pearl Harbour, in December 1941, the American involvement in the war adds whole different dimension to the story.

I thought this was a fascinating story, beautifully written and authentic in its description of London life during the Blitz. The compelling description of Clemmies’s life, her commitment to duty and public service and also of the strong, loving and resolute relationship between herself and Churchill comes vividly to life. All too often we hear about the lives of the men of WW2, so it’s been a real delight to read about the women, those stalwart women who calmly went about their lives doing whatever they could to make life just a little more bearable. This comes across wonderfully well, and I raced through the story eager to know more about both Clementine and Jenny, both strong woman with really interesting stories to tell.

About the Author

Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. She was hooked on books from the moment she first opened one in her cot so is thrilled to now have several of her own to her name. Having studied English literature at Cambridge university, she took an enjoyable temporary trip into the ‘real world’ as a factory planner, before returning to her first love and becoming an author. History has also always fascinated her. Living in an old house with a stone fireplace, she often wonders who sat around it before her and is intrigued by how actively the past is woven into the present, something she likes to explore in her novels. Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers.

X @annastuartbooks #TheEnglishWife

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Daughters of Mersey Square by Pam Howes

Bookouture
17 January 2024

Mersey Square #3

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

Mersey Square, Stockport, 1984. Can she find the courage to overcome a devastating tragedy?

Sammy and Roy Cantello have been inseparable since they were teenage sweethearts. Married for twenty years, their eldest son is the apple of Sammy’s eye. When the police arrive, telling her there’s been a devastating crash, it is the worst night of her life. Her boy had always been such a safe driver, what could possibly have gone wrong?

As her firstborn fights for his life and Sammy searches for answers, she realises there’s only one thing that could have been distracting her child: his father Roy’s recent affair with another woman, Olivia Grant. Sammy thought their relationship was over for good, but is there something Roy hasn’t told her?

Desperate for answers about her son’s accident, she goes to see Olivia. But as Sammy enters Olivia’s small flat, she is shocked to her very core: Olivia’s rounded belly tells her this woman is carrying her husband’s child.

As her own son slips away, Sammy is consumed by grief, but she realises that the other woman is struggling too. When Olivia decides she is not the best person to raise her child and begs for support, Sammy knows that her son would want her to help. Can Sammy find the courage to raise her husband’s child as her own?

📖 My review..

I have followed this series from the beginning and thoroughly enjoy returning to Mersey Square to catch up with the characters as they live their challenging lives in this part of Stockport.

Sammy and Roy Cantello have been sweethearts since they were children, however, their long marriage hasn't been straightforward and as we meet them in 1984 it is about to get even more complicated when their son is involved in a tragic accident and Sammy discovers something about Roy which puts their whole life together in jeopardy. Not only are Sammy and Roy facing challenges but also their close friends Jane and Eddie Mellor must also face the events of their past when secrets threaten to expose what they have kept hidden for so long.

As always the story flows beautifully and the author does a great job of including the past whilst at the same time bringing the individual characters forwards in time. The introduction of new people into the story-line is done with a fine eye for authentic detail and I especially enjoy the musical references which are reminiscent of the time and evoke memories of the 1980s. This is the third book in this series and whilst it can be read as a standalone story I rather think that these complex family dramas are best read in order so as to enjoy the emotional connection with each of the characters. I look forward to catching up with the Cantellos and the Mellors as they move forward into their next family drama.

Just to add that this book was previously published as 'Til I Kissed You

About the Author

Pam Howes is a retired interior designer, mum to three daughters, grandma to seven assorted grandchildren and roadie to her musician partner. The inspiration for Pam’s first novel came from her teenage years, working in a record store, and hanging around with musicians who frequented the business. The first novel evolved into a series about a fictional band, The Raiders. She is a fan of sixties music and it’s this love that compelled her to begin writing.

Twitter @PamHowes1 #TheDaughtersOfMerseySquare #BooksOnTour

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Girls of Mersey Square by Pam Howes

Bookouture
5 October 2023
Mersey Square #1

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

Mersey Square, Stockport, 1959. Jane Wilson’s parents met during the war in the north of England, but Jane is more interested in listening to the new rock music than hearing stories about the Blitz. When she meets handsome drummer Eddie Mellor, with his sparkling blue eyes and cool black leather jacket, she knows her life is about to start.

But Jane’s parents think Eddie’s rebellious ways will lead their beloved daughter into trouble. They forbid her from seeing Eddie, telling Jane to get a proper job as a nurse. But Jane cannot stand the idea of life without the boy she loves and secretly continues to see Eddie. The day she finds out that Eddie has betrayed her, she is utterly distraught. Were her parents right all along?

Jane is desperate to rebuild her life. Her friends rally round to support her and she gets a job at the local music shop she loves, when to her shock, Eddie invites her to his family home and begs her to reconsider. Just as Jane is feeling tempted, someone pounds on the door of the house bringing shocking news that will change both of their lives forever…

Can Jane find happiness with Eddie? And if she does, will her family ever forgive her?

This book was previously published as That’ll Be The Day.

📖 My Review..

The music filled years of the latter years of the 1950s comes to life in this story of a group of young people who are growing up in Stockport. They all desperately want to finish their exams, leave school and enjoy everything that life has to offer them. However, an interest in rock ‘n’ roll music isn’t really enough to forge a future but that doesn’t stop Jane Wilson and her friends, Sammy and Pat, from starting relationships with Eddie, Roy and Tim, three likely lads who hope to make their fortune in the burgeoning music industry.

The author has caught the musical heartbeat of the 1950s very well,  I enjoyed the musical references to the hits of the day especially to Buddy Holly, who Eddie, Roy and Tim do their best to emulate. The heady days of rock ‘n’ roll are particularly well described and I enjoyed looking up some of the hits which are mentioned in the story and could picture these young people as they met up in coffee bars and record stores. I enjoyed being reminded of listening to records in the music booths which could be found then in most record stores. The reference to Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls also made me smile as these quirky sweets have been made in my home town since Victorian times. Well written, with a fine eye for historical detail The Girls of Mersey Square captures the mood perfectly. The author does a great job of describing those difficult teenage years when the pull of sexual attraction and lure of young love is irresistible and shows both the strength, and vulnerability, of all of the characters, particularly Jane and Eddie who I loved from the beginning of the story.

If you enjoy historical novels which are set during the 1950s, and early 1960s, then you won’t be disappointed with this one. It gets the series off to a fine start and I can’t wait to see what happens next to the characters in The Mothers of Mersey Square which is the next book in this lovely series.

*The second book in the Mersey Square series is also available to read now *

The Mothers of Mersey Square

Bookouture

5 October 2023

Mersey Square, Stockport, 1961. Can she love another woman’s child?

Jane Wilson has just got engaged to her childhood sweetheart Eddie. Although they had a rocky start and Jane is haunted by Eddie’s previous relationship, she couldn’t be happier that they’re back together. But before they can get out the bunting and make it down the aisle, Eddie’s first wife is in a terrible car accident. Eddie’s sweet five-year-old son Jonny is left alone, crying for his mother and inconsolable.

Jane resolves that she must do all she can for the innocent little boy. But at only nineteen, is she ready to be a mother, especially to a child who isn’t her own?

As Jane looks after little Jonny whilst Eddie is away for work, she begins to fall for his cheeky smile and sweet nature, but when she develops an old roll of film and sees the photographs of Jonny and his mother, she realises something is terribly wrong. Jane is sure that Jonny’s mother was hiding a terrible secret. Jane now faces a devastating choice: hide the truth from Eddie or reveal what she knows and risk losing the two people she loves most in the world forever…

This book was previously published as Three Steps to Heaven.

📖My Review..

After finishing The Girls of Mersey Square, the first book in this series, I couldn’t wait to make a start on The Mothers of Mersey Square as I really wanted to find out how Jane, Eddie and the rest of the characters, were getting on with their lives. We pick up the story just a few years later when they are all a little older, and maybe just a little bit wiser, however, as we soon discover, there is much in store for them.

I’ve enjoyed the continuation and found that I could very easily pick up the story where it left off and enjoyed observing how the characters grow in maturity especially when life deals some of them a devastating blow. The dynamics of relationships, both good and bad, is expertly defined as we follow Eddie’s tempestuous relationship with his wife Angie, and Jane’s uneasy relationship with her boyfriend. Fate has a nasty way of intervening and as the story progresses both Eddie and Jane will face many difficult challenges. Time and place comes to life, the small town nosiness, where everyone know’s everyone else’s business and the way the characters all interweave into and out of each other’s lives is done with a fine eye for detail. The music of the early sixties forms a delightful soundtrack to the story and the excitement of those heady days, and vibrancy of the music scene, makes the story all the more enjoyable. Whilst it is possible to read this as a standalone story it does make sense to read from the start of the series in order to enjoy the development of the characters. 

Overall, The Mothers of Mersey Square is a lovely continuation, I’ve certainly enjoyed being back in Stockport, and hope to meet up again with Eddie, Jane, and the rest of the characters in the next book in the series.

About the Author

Pam Howes is a retired interior designer, mum to three daughters, grandma to seven assorted grandchildren and roadie to her musician partner. The inspiration for Pam’s first novel came from her teenage years, working in a record store, and hanging around with musicians who frequented the business. The first novel evolved into a series about a fictional band, The Raiders. She is a fan of sixties music and it’s this love that compelled her to begin writing.

Twitter @PamHowes1 #TheGirlsOfMerseySquare

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Locket by Natalie Meg Evans

 

Bookouture
25 September 2023

My thanks to the publisher for the copy of the book and the invitation to the blog tour

England, 1942. 'It has to stay secret,' he whispers, placing the locket around her neck. 'If they find it, they’ll send me away.' As she holds the locket, glinting in the moonlight, she can’t hold back the tears. 'I just wish we didn’t have to hide…'

When farmer’s daughter Irene meets Theodore at a village dance, sparks fly instantly. The war has brought him all the way from Louisiana to build a US airbase just across her father’s fields, but as they sway together, there is nothing else in the world. Only his gentle touch and his deep brown eyes.

But being together comes at a price. As Theodore is Black, the might of the US Air Force is against them, and all the members of the little village community disapprove of their relationship. And they will all go to terrible lengths to tear the two young lovers apart...

Decades later, heartbroken Ruby is back at her family’s crumbling farmhouse for the first time in years, after the loss of her beloved grandmother Irene. The roof has fallen in, family photographs are damaged – and her grandmother’s jewellery is nowhere to be found.

When Ruby uncovers her grandmother’s waterlogged diaries, she discovers that Irene treasured one piece of lost jewellery above all. A locket from a man called Theodore. And the missing locket holds the key to unravelling a heartbreaking secret that changed her grandmother’s life…

Is someone in the village hiding the locket to keep the truth about Irene and Theodore buried? And can Ruby find a way to honour her grandmother’s memory – or in digging up the pain of the war, will she tear her family apart?

📖 My Review..

From the very start of The Locket I was drawn into this dual time narrative and followed with real interest this rather evocative WW2 story about Irene Boulter, a young woman who just happened to fall in love with a man who her village community didn't approve of. Fast forward eighty years later and Irene's granddaughter, Ruby, is determined to solve a mystery which has been kept secret for far too long.

Spanning the war years, and its subsequent repercussions, we experience the joy, and heartbreak, of a relationship which caused real problems in a rural village which didn't like to stray too far from the straight and narrow. Recreating a time of bigotry and prejudice leaves a real mark on the story and the author explores this difficult time really well so that I had a real sense of the emotional connection between Irene and Theodore, and yet also suffered, alongside them, the pain of betrayal and ultimate heartbreak.

 

I enjoyed the modern day story very much, it sits comfortably alongside the wartime elements and I became totally immersed in Ruby's search for the truth as she discovered just what occurred in 1942 which caused Irene so much unhappiness. The way in which the fragmented pieces of lives torn apart during the war were revealed in emotional detail with neither the historic, nor the modern, overshadowing the other.

Moving seamlessly backwards and forwards in time The Locket is a beautifully written story about long hidden secrets and lives which had been changed by circumstances. 

About the Author

Natalie Meg Evans has been an art student, actor, PR copywriter, book-keeper and bar tender but always wanted to write. A USA Today best-seller and RITA nominee, she is author of four published novels which follow the fortunes of strong-minded women during the 1930s and 40s. Fashion, manners and art are the glass through which her characters’ lives are viewed. Each novel is laced with passion, romance and desire. Mystery is never far away.

An avid absorber of history – for her sixth birthday she got a toy Arthurian castle with plastic knights – Natalie views historical fiction as theatre for the imagination. Her novels delve behind the scenes of a prestige industry: high fashion, millinery, theatre, wine making. Rich arenas for love and conflict. Most at home in the English countryside, Natalie lives in rural Suffolk. She has one son.

Twitter @natmegevans #TheLocket

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Playground by S D Robertson

 

Bookouture
24 September 2023

My thanks to the publisher for the copy of this book and the invitation to the tour

He saved my little girl when I couldn’t. I invited him into our lives. But I had no idea he knew my darkest secret…

It is an ordinary September morning when I nearly lose my little girl. My mouth is dry, my hands shake when I see that she has darted unexpectedly into the playground…

The place where my own childhood ended.

Where I can’t set foot inside.

As she wobbles on top of the climbing frame about to fall, a silent scream freezes in my throat. So when a stranger hears her cries and rushes to help, I feel weak with relief.

I thank him as my daughter presses her tear-stained face into my skirt. Looking into his warm brown eyes and gentle smile, I feel an instant connection. When our paths cross again, I invite him for dinner. I’ve been so lonely since the breakdown of my marriage. What harm could come of it?

Soon we are seeing each other daily and I feel a spark grow between us. But then he says something that makes my heart beat fast in my chest. Something that makes me think he knows my secret.

That he knows what really happened at the playground all those years ago.

And if he knows that, he could destroy my precious family in a second…

📖 My Review..

There is a distinct creepiness about The Playground which hits the ground running when Beth and her daughter are involved in an incident at a local park. Coming to her daughter's rescue, a stranger soon becomes indispensable to Beth and offers her friendship and is someone she can rely on and as the story progresses we discover more about Beth and the real reason for her very real fear of playgrounds. 

The story evolves quickly and there is enough edginess to lend a chill atmosphere and the clues into Beth's past story certainly makes the story compelling. The twin narratives between Beth and Billy work well, I enjoyed getting to know them both with one being more likeable than the other. Beth is a typical mother, wanting the best for her family but struggling in a whole new world and whilst Billy is a comforting presence in her life it soon becomes apparent that he has complex secrets of his own. The tension mounts and I enjoyed how the author kept the momentum of the mystery alive, and I enjoyed trying to piece together all the pieces of this complex puzzle.

The Playground is a well thought out family drama with plenty of twists, turns and red herrings which kept me guessing until the final denouement.

About the Author

Former journalist S.D. Robertson is a USA Today and #1 Kindle bestseller. He quit his role as a local newspaper editor to pursue a lifelong ambition of becoming a novelist – and he’s never looked back. Stuart, whose work has been translated into ten languages, is a reluctant DIYer and unofficial tech support provider for his family. He lives in a village near Manchester and is married with one daughter. There’s also his cat, who likes to distract him from writing by any means possible.

Twitter @SDRauthor #ThePlayground

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☼Summer Reading ~ The Summer Holiday by S E Lynes

Destination  .... SPAIN ☼

Bookouture
9 May 2023

My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book

One loving couple. One surprise guest. One week to destroy everything…

When the doorbell rings, I take one last look round the villa. The nuts and olives are in bowls; the white wine is chilling in the fridge; everything is ready for my old college friend, the guest I’m dying to impress.

When I open the door, Coco steps from the dusty street into the cool tiled hall, as effortlessly beautiful as ever. But then her face freezes in horror, her mouth falling open. I turn to see my husband Jeff behind me, his eyes wide, his cheeks pale.

After a moment, they both smile, pretending nothing happened at all. But I know what I saw.

This holiday was meant to rescue my marriage, not ruin it.

But the connection between my friend and my husband isn’t what I thought.

All three of us have something to lose, and something to fight for.

And when the truth comes out, not all of us will survive...

☼ My Review

Kate and Jeff are spending time at their holiday villa on the Costa Blanca. From the outset you get the impression that Kate and Jeff are not really comfortable with the idea of spending time with each other as Jeff is work obsessed which leaves Kate no option but to wander aimlessly with no real focus. When Kate spots Coco Moss, a familiar face from their college days, she decides to surprise Jeff by arranging a surprise visit from Coco, which, as it turns out, opens up a whole can of worms which would have been so much better if left undisturbed.

This is a really clever psychological thriller which turns the minutiae of a marriage inside out and which opens up the past to vicious scrutiny. It was so meticulously plotted that I really couldn't put the book down without wanting to know a little bit more. It is so cleverly plotted that I can well imagine this translating to a compelling TV drama as not only is it set against the backdrop of a beautifully described Spanish coastal resort but it also has an element of suspense which is present from the very start and the twists and turns don't lose pace, or momentum, until this compellingly, addictive story is told. I’m deliberately being vague about the ins and outs of the plot as this really is a story which is better read with no idea of where the plot is heading, that way you will be just as surprised as I was when the whole thing has played out in really vivid detail.

Absolutely fabulous from start to finish, The Summer Holiday is the ultimate holiday read and  just perfect escapism either poolside or relaxing in the garden ☼

About the Author

Formerly a BBC producer, after gaining an MA in Creative Writing, S. E. Lynes became a Creative Writing Tutor at Richmond Adult Community College and now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing.

Twitter @SELynesAuthor #ThatSummerHoliday

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📖 Book Review ~ The One Who Fell by Kerry Wilkinson

Bookouture
17 April 2023

Whitecliff Bay Mystery #1

Mt thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book 

In the seaside town of Whitecliff, everyone looks out for each other. Everyone knows your name. And everyone knows your secrets…

Moonlight falls on the figure of the girl standing on the red-tiled roof. Her white dress and blonde hair flutter in the freezing night wind. And suddenly – she is gone.

Volunteering at the local nursing home is Millie Westlake’s one escape from the rumours that swirl around Whitecliff about her past. But speaking with elderly resident, Ingrid, as they play board games, Millie gets chills at her strange story about a young girl being pushed from a roof, somewhere across the valley…

Everybody thinks Ingrid is confused: but Millie knows how it feels to not be believed. Her parents died a year ago, and the residents of Whitecliff – such a quiet place, other than crashing waves and cawing seagulls – are convinced Millie killed them.

Desperately searching for evidence to find the girl Ingrid saw, a broken roof tile could prove Ingrid was telling the truth. But when strange footprints appear in Millie’s garden, she’s certain someone out there is watching.

Have Ingrid and Millie stumbled across something terribly dangerous? And with the town against her, will Millie have to face up to her own secrets to solve the mystery before it becomes deadly?

📖 My Review..

The dark shadow of Millie Westlake's past follows her wherever she goes but she finds comfort in volunteering at the local nursing home where she has a close bond with some of the residents who live there. When one of the elderly residents tells Millie of a strange occurrence she witnessed happening Millie can't help but be drawn into discovering more about this mystery and is determined to follow the clues which seem to suggest that something sinister is going on in the small seaside town of Whitecliff.

This cosy crime mystery is something of a departure for this author who I normally associate with quite gritty crime thrillers so it was with some trepidation that I began the first in this new series of cosy mysteries. I think this venture works reasonably well with this first book setting the scene quite nicely with an array of quirky characters. Millie is an interesting creation who I'm sure we will get to know more as the series develops. Overall, this is a nice easy read and a good start, with the added bonus that books 1-3 are now available.

 

About the Author

Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.

As well as his million-selling Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Twitter @kerrywk

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📖 Blog Tour ~ Be Brave For Me by Elaine Johns

Bookouture
26 August 2022

A Cornish Wartime Story #1

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book
and the opportunity to be part of this blog tour

Cornwall, England, 1941. Gazing at the coiled barbed wire and danger signs on this once-beautiful beach, Maddie suddenly hears a frightened little cry. Her heart pounding, she races down the dunes, but knows she will never reach the child in time...

Maddie Brady is overwhelmed with relief to see a brave soul ahead of her rescue a little boy trapped among the landmines on the beach. But thanking the man, Maddie is shocked to hear a German accent. Why would an escaped German prisoner of war rescue an English boy?

As a driver in the Army, Maddie is duty-bound to report Rudi immediately. But when he speaks of his home in a sheltered valley destroyed by Nazis, and how his father was killed for objecting to the war, Maddie feels a deep connection to this lost soul with sparkling blue eyes.

With Rudi hiding out in a farmer’s barn, Maddie can’t keep herself away, smuggling him bread and water. Their passion brings them comfort in the darkest days. But as their love grows, so does the terrible danger of discovery…

As her colleagues begin to suspect she’s hiding something, Maddie is torn between loyalty to her country, and the man she’s shared everything with. Helping Rudi flee across the desolate countryside would mean being parted forever – and if he’s captured, he may not even survive. But could she bear to betray her soulmate? As the war tears the world apart, will they survive the impossible – or will their secret love only bring them despair?

📖 My Review..

Be Brave For Me is  a love story with a difference as Maddie and Rudi meet in the most unexpected of circumstances. Madeleine Brady is a driver in the army and has been given the task of taking an officer to a camp which house prisoners of war and it is there where she meets Rudi Fischer, a German POW, who has been classified as non-dangerous. However, Rudi is being bullied by another prisoner and taking these threats seriously, Rudi escapes the camp and it is this momentous decision which brings Maddie and Rudi together.

What then follows throughout the story is mainly about Maddie and the effect that the war has on her life. She is a determined young woman and faces everything with a stoicism so often found in this wartime generation who lost so much and who never took life, or love for granted. The author writes well and keeps the reader's interest alive, especially as the time span runs from 1941 when the story begins, to the conclusion of the story in 1957 when secrets and resolutions are shared.

Be Brave For Me is the first in a new series of wartime stories set in Cornwall and this book certainly gets the series off to a good start. I enjoyed the warmth of the storytelling, the attention to historical detail and most of all I enjoyed Maddie and Rudi's love story with a difference.

Best Read with..a bottle of Cornish ale

About the Author

Elaine Johns inherited her love of fiction from her Irish mother and a passion for writing was the happy result. She was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, came to London to attend the Italia Conti Performing Arts Academy, and made records with her twin brother in their teens that scraped their way into the charts. After an initial career as a jazz singer and flautist in big bands, she was a print and television journalist in Bahrain, editing and presenting the News in English at Bahrain Television. She is now freelance, writing mostly short stories for UK women’s magazines from her home in Cornwall and, before retiring, used to lecture part time at Truro College. She has written several contemporary women’s fiction novels, including Ice Cream for Breakfast and Lemonade and Lies. Her favourite genre is historical women’s fiction, and she particularly enjoys writing in the 1940s and 50s.

She is now well and truly transplanted to Cornwall and enjoys life with her long-time partner (her hero and rock), a jazz musician and artist. Elaine has two grown-up sons, and loves Zumba, music, walking with her friends, and getting the most out of life, whatever it throws at her!

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📖 Blog Tour ~ The Painter's Girl by Helen Fripp

Bookouture
22 March 2022

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

Paris, 1860s. For Mimi Bisset, survival is everything on the cobbled streets of the Paris slums. She tries to forget the pain of losing her daughter Colette: born out of wedlock and forcibly given away to a rich family. But Mimi’s world turns upside down after a chance encounter with handsome artist Édouard Manet. Boldly posing for portraits on Manet’s chaise longue, Mimi feels a wild freedom – and as Manet teaches her how to layer the vivid paints on canvas herself, a passion grows between them that breaks all the rules…

At Manet’s side, Mimi is caught up in his world. They dance all night at Paris’s new can-can clubs and drink absinthe at masked balls. But one day, strolling by the Seine on her lover’s arm, Mimi catches a glimpse of familiar green eyes… it’s Colette, with a family who Manet knew all along.

Although she’s reeling that the man she loved kept such a secret from her, Mimi is filled with hope she’ll finally get her daughter back. But when a terrible rumour begins to circulate about Mimi, the only place she has to go is back to the slums. Destitute, hungry and alone, can Mimi clear her name? Or will her heart shatter all over again when she loses her daughter for a second, final time?

📖My review...

Growing up on the Montmartre streets of Paris have made Mimi Bisset into someone who can look out for herself and who isn't afraid to take chances. When she is offered work in a Parisian circus she grasps the opportunity with, quite literally, both hands as she trains to fly through the air as a trapeze artist with the renowned, Jules Léotard. When an untimely event brings her into contact with a group of artists who spend their time sketching the circus performers, Mimi finds that she is drawn into the progressive world of the French Impressionists. Her burgeoning relationship with Édouard Manet will take her far beyond the poverty stricken world she inhabits and into a glittering world of artists and their muse.

Beautifully reminiscent of a bygone era, the very essence of nineteenth century Paris comes alive with vibrant expectancy, whether it be high kicks at the Folies Bergère or mixing a paint palette of alizarin crimson and yellow ochre at Édouard's studio on the rue Bonaparte, the story brings us firmly into the colourful work of the Impressionist painters. And as her own artistry blossoms so Mimi starts to grow in confidence, seeing ahead of her a whole world of possibility. Cleverly combining historical fact with fiction this fascinating story allows us a glimpse into Mimi's world, her hopes and fears and her express wish to be reunited with someone very precious to her.

The Painter's Girl is beautifully written historical fiction. Imaginative and expressive I have loved following Mimi's poignant journey as she follows her dreams into a better future.

🍷 Best read with...a bowl of oysters and a glass of Muscadet

About the Author

I love delving into the past and uncovering new stories, and in my writing, the tiniest historical detail can spark an idea for a whole chapter. My female characters rail against the social constraints to which they are subject and often achieve great success, but they are of course flawed and human, like the rest of us. It’s the motivations, flaws, loves and every-day lives of my characters that I love to bring life, against sweeping historical backdrops - and I will find any excuse to take off and research a captivating location or person for my next story.

My first novel is set in the Champagne region in France, and I’m currently working on my next one, set in late eighteenth century Paris. I spent a lot of time in France as a child, have lived in Paris and spent a year with my family in a fishing village in South West France, so that’s where my books have ended up being set so far. Who knows where next!

Twitter @helenfripp #ThePaintersGirl

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🎄 Festive Read ~ The Little Christmas House by Tracy Rees

🎄 Festive Read 2021 🎄

Bookouture
October2021

Hopley Village #2

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of this book

In gorgeous Hopley village snow is falling and twinkly lights are going up but Holly Hanwell feels anything but Christmassy…

It’s meant to be the most wonderful time of the year but thirty-year-old Holly Hanwell doesn’t really feel like celebrating… not after the bombshell news her boyfriend is leaving her to have a baby with someone else. So Holly’s organised a quiet Christmas in her cosy little house and plans to avoid the traditional village festivities, and anything resembling a man, at all costs.

That is until she bumps into sexy newcomer Edward. He recently bought Christmas House, at the edge of Hopley, but the renovations on the crumbling building are more than he’d bargained for. Sheltering from the snowy weather in the warm village café, Edward makes Holly laugh over delicious mugs of hot chocolate, topped with cream and sprinkles. Despite the spark between them, Holly knows she needs to protect her already fragile heart and she’s determined NOT to fall in love this Christmas.

But holiday magic works in mysterious ways and they keep crossing paths – at the nativity show, the carols, gift shopping – and then a festive crisis at Christmas House unexpectedly brings them together. Yet just as Holly realises her feelings are growing for handsome but complicated Edward she discovers a secret from his past which makes her question everything she thought she knew about him…

Will Holly and Edward’s December romance be over before it’s begun? Or will this be a Christmas to remember?

🎄My thoughts..

There's something so magical about Hopley Village which makes you want to move there right away and become one of those lucky people who call the place home. Primary school teacher Holly Hanwell is facing a tough Christmas so she puts all her enthusiasm into creating the perfect festive pageant for her pupils. When her newest pupil arrives at the school, Holly soon develops a special rapport with eight year old Eliza Sutton, and is determined to help the little girl overcome her troubles. Edward Sutton, Eliza's dad, is juggling being a single dad in a new house which needs renovations and living a village where they know no-one. Gradually over the space of this lovely story, the lives of Holly, Eliza and Edward start to intertwine and that's when Hopley village starts sprinkling its magic.

Beautifully written with all the characteristic warmth and empathy which this talented author puts in her stories, I was quite captivated by the way everything just fitted perfectly into place. Never overly sentimental but with a huge smattering of ahhh... moments, I just loved everything about The Little Christmas House. It's a wonderful read for a wintery afternoon by the fire. 

About the Author

Tracy Rees was the winner of the Richard and Judy 'Search for a Bestseller' Competition and her books are paperback and kindle bestsellers. A Cambridge graduate, she had a successful eight-year career in nonfiction publishing and a second career practicing and teaching humanistic counselling before becoming a writer. She lives in Wales.

Twitter @AuthorTracyRees #TheLittleChristmasHouse

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📖 Blog Tour ~ A Letter from Nana Rose by Kristin Harper

 

Thrilled to host one of today's concluding stops on this blog tour

Bookouture
25 October 2021

My thanks to the publishers for my copy of the book
and to Sarah at Bookouture for the invitation to the blog tour

“My darling girls. You were once so happy in this house. Now I’m gone, all I ask is that you spend one last summer here together on Dune Island. And please forgive me, your Nana, for the secret I’m about to tell you…”

Arriving at the honeysuckle-covered beach house inherited from her beloved grandmother, recently heartbroken Jill hopes to convince her two feuding sisters not to sell a place so full of happy childhood memories. But the envelope waiting on the driftwood table changes everything. In her elegant handwriting, Nana Rose promises a new letter will arrive each day of the summer revealing a family secret she took to her grave.

Shaken, Jill anxiously awaits each letter filled with Nana’s bittersweet memories of her own sister who she loved more than anyone—and lost far too young. But why did Nana never speak of this tragic loss to her grandchildren?

Watching the sunset each night and wondering how well they really knew Nana Rose, Jill feels her family is closer than they’ve been in years. And after a chance encounter with blue-eyed tree surgeon Alex, she wonders if Nana believed being back on Dune Island would help Jill find love, too?

But when Nana’s final letter arrives, the revelation about how her sister died is more shocking than Jill ever imagined. Suddenly, despite the chance of happiness with Alex, selling the house seems the only way forward. Will Jill find a way to forge new bonds of sisterhood and save their inheritance, or will Nana Rose’s secret tear them all apart?

📖 My thoughts..

Grieving the loss of their beloved Nana Rose, Rachel, Brooke and Jill meet once again at Nana Rose's house on Dune Island, Massachusetts. Filled with happy memories of holidays, and family gatherings, the sisters have to make the momentous decision to either keep, or sell, the estate. It soon becomes obvious that each of the women have different viewpoints and during the ten days they spend at the cottage, Brooke, Rachel and Jill have some big decisions to make which is influenced by the arrival of a series of letters from Nana Rose.

The author takes us right into the heart and soul of the novel and with clever flashbacks we move forwards and backwards through time learning about the sisters, and Nana Rose, in the process. The sisters are a good mix of personalities, sometimes they're frosty towards each other and I smiled at the petty bickering which is so reminiscent of sibling rivalry. The touristy life on Dune Island is brought to life and I enjoyed how the author took us around the place, sampling food from The Clam Shack and delicious sounding almond croissants from the bakery. There's a warm hearted intimacy to the story which makes you feel close to the characters just as if you are settling in, with them, to watch the beauty of the bay and see sunset over Dune Island.

Finding the secrets of the past is the only way to go forwards and in this lovely story, we learn so much more about the sisters as they try to set aside their differences in order to come up with a decision which works for all of them, just as Nana Rose wanted them to do.

Beautifully written with a charming observational style, A Letter from Nana Rose is such a pleasure to read. 

About the Author

Ever since she was a young girl, there were few things Kristin liked more than creative writing and spending time on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with her family. Eventually (after a succession of jobs that bored her to tears), she found a way to combine those two passions by becoming a women’s fiction author whose stories occur in oceanside settings. While Kristin doesn’t live on the Cape year-round, she escapes to the beach whenever she can.

Twitter @KHarperAuthor #ALetterFromNanaRose

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