Sophie is devastated by the loss of her mother Lyndsey, she’s left wandering around her house and surrounded by her mother’s things. Her mother was a Sophie is devastated by the loss of her mother Lyndsey, she’s left wandering around her house and surrounded by her mother’s things. Her mother was a talented painter, every summer she traveled to Greece for inspiration and Sophie discovers one of her mother’s paintings is unaccounted for.
Sophie meets Theo, a gorgeous fisherman, she's very attracted to him and love is the last thing Sophie expected to find in Greece. Sophie and Theo have both been hurt in the past, they live in different countries, run their own businesses, and her best friend Tash lives in England and Sophie feels torn between the two of them.
I received a copy of One Last Letter from Greece by Emma Cowell from NetGalley and Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story about discovering Lyndsey’s secrets and her art, Sophie being able to move on from the tragic death of her mum and finding her own happiness. I enjoyed reading about the stunning scenery in Greece, the yummy food and Christina's my favourite character, I found Tash too clingy and overpowering and four stars for this debut novel. ** Warning the book mentions pregnancy loss, infertility and domestic violence in the narrative! **
Merged review:
Sophie is devastated by the loss of her mother Lyndsey, she’s left wandering around her house and surrounded by her mother’s things. Her mother was a talented painter, every summer she traveled to Greece for inspiration and Sophie discovers one of her mother’s paintings is unaccounted for.
Sophie meets Theo, a gorgeous fisherman, she's very attracted to him and love is the last thing Sophie expected to find in Greece. Sophie and Theo have both been hurt in the past, they live in different countries, run their own businesses, and her best friend Tash lives in England and Sophie feels torn between the two of them.
I received a copy of One Last Letter from Greece by Emma Cowell from NetGalley and Avon Books UK in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story about discovering Lyndsey’s secrets and her art, Sophie being able to move on from the tragic death of her mum and finding her own happiness. I enjoyed reading about the stunning scenery in Greece, the yummy food and Christina's my favourite character, I found Tash too clingy and overpowering and four stars for this debut novel. ** Warning the book mentions pregnancy loss, infertility and domestic violence in the narrative! **...more
Abandoned as a baby, Alejandra grows up living in a hosteria in Cordoba, Spain, and here she helps the cook in the kitchen. When she’s accused of a muAbandoned as a baby, Alejandra grows up living in a hosteria in Cordoba, Spain, and here she helps the cook in the kitchen. When she’s accused of a murder she didn’t commit and she's forced to flee the only home she's known. In 1920’s Spain, there's not a lot of choices for poor young women, many are made to work on the streets and Alejandra needs to hide. By chance Alejandra meets Arthur Langham and his lady friend Hilde and they live across the border in Tangiers.
Alejandra needs to leave Spain, she obtains false identity papers, dresses as a man and changes her name to Ale Del Potro. Arthur gave her his business card with the address of his villa in Tangiers called Dar Portuna, here she convinces Arthur to hire her as a cook, and hopefully nobody discovers she’s really a young woman and one with a bounty on her head.
Fifty years later, Samuel Hackett is an American writer, wandering the streets of Tangiers searching for inspiration for his next story and thinking about what he can hock to pay his rent. He discovers an old leather writing case, with the initials A. L. on it, inside is a calendar from the 1928, some old stationery and a key. Around the same time he meets Ellis Norton, an English diplomat and he finds himself drawn into a world of scandal, secrets, danger, corruption and deceit.
I received a copy of An Echo of Scandal by Laura Madeleine from NetGalley and Random house UK in exchange for an honest review. The dual timeline story takes you from a seedy inn in Spain, where powerful men take advantage of young girls, to exotic Tangiers during the 1920’s and 1950’s. Here Sam Hackett tries to solve the mystery of what really happened to Arthur Langham and Ale Del Potro, the locals call the abandoned villa the English House, they believe it’s haunted and cursed. Three and a half stars from me, a dual timeline historical mystery, with a plot full of suspense and unexpected twists and turns.
Merged review:
Abandoned as a baby, Alejandra grows up living in a hosteria in Cordoba, Spain, and here she helps the cook in the kitchen. When she’s accused of a murder she didn’t commit and she's forced to flee the only home she's known. In 1920’s Spain, there's not a lot of choices for poor young women, many are made to work on the streets and Alejandra needs to hide. By chance Alejandra meets Arthur Langham and his lady friend Hilde and they live across the border in Tangiers.
Alejandra needs to leave Spain, she obtains false identity papers, dresses as a man and changes her name to Ale Del Potro. Arthur gave her his business card with the address of his villa in Tangiers called Dar Portuna, here she convinces Arthur to hire her as a cook, and hopefully nobody discovers she’s really a young woman and one with a bounty on her head.
Fifty years later, Samuel Hackett is an American writer, wandering the streets of Tangiers searching for inspiration for his next story and thinking about what he can hock to pay his rent. He discovers an old leather writing case, with the initials A. L. on it, inside is a calendar from the 1928, some old stationery and a key. Around the same time he meets Ellis Norton, an English diplomat and he finds himself drawn into a world of scandal, secrets, danger, corruption and deceit.
I received a copy of An Echo of Scandal by Laura Madeleine from NetGalley and Random house UK in exchange for an honest review. The dual timeline story takes you from a seedy inn in Spain, where powerful men take advantage of young girls, to exotic Tangiers during the 1920’s and 1950’s. Here Sam Hackett tries to solve the mystery of what really happened to Arthur Langham and Ale Del Potro, the locals call the abandoned villa the English House, they believe it’s haunted and cursed. Three and a half stars from me, a dual timeline historical mystery, with a plot full of suspense and unexpected twists and turns....more
Wren Summers had an unusual upbringing, her mother Lily lives in a commune on the NSW south coast and she doesn’t tell people where she grew up. As a Wren Summers had an unusual upbringing, her mother Lily lives in a commune on the NSW south coast and she doesn’t tell people where she grew up. As a teenager Wren won a scholarship to a Sydney private school, she did well at university and she now works at the Sydney Art Museum. Wren’s given the opportunity to apply for an internship in New York, unfortunately her mother receives some bad news at the same time, Lily wants Wren to find a girl called Roma while she's living in, 'The Big Apple.'
The Artist’s Secret narrative has a dual timeline, it’s easy to follow and it goes between 1965 and 1987.
Lily Summers is an American college student, her boyfriend has just received his call up papers and he’s going to be sent to fight in Vietnam. They burn his papers in protest, flee to Lake Como in Italy and he escapes the expectations of his wealthy family. The couple are madly in love, things don’t go as planned and Lily is forced to make a difficult choice.
Wren starts her internship at Archer’s Auction House, it’s a male dominated work place and it’s never employed a women as an auctioneer. A Mafia boss is a customer of Archer’s and so is a high profile entrepreneur. Wren has to cope with working in a very sexist environment and not knowing who she can trust and she’s lost her faith in men. When she encounters people who are double dealing and involved in illegal activities, fraud and deceit, Wren and one of her friends lives are put in danger.
I received a copy of The Artist’s Secret from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I read Alexandra Joel’s previous book, The Royal Correspondent and she’s upped the ante with her latest novel. A well written story about famous art pieces, work place discrimination and Wren discovering the truth about herself and her mother. I really enjoyed reading about Wren living in New York, visiting the famous Nell’s club, her relationship with her girlfriends and being on the lookout for fake artwork. Wren meeting Dr. Jordan Grant and realizing how lucky she was to grow up in Australia and not to judge her mother so harshly. Five stars from me and remember 'love always deserves a second chance.'
Merged review:
Wren Summers had an unusual upbringing, her mother Lily lives in a commune on the NSW south coast and she doesn’t tell people where she grew up. As a teenager Wren won a scholarship to a Sydney private school, she did well at university and she now works at the Sydney Art Museum. Wren’s given the opportunity to apply for an internship in New York, unfortunately her mother receives some bad news at the same time, Lily wants Wren to find a girl called Roma while she's living in, 'The Big Apple.'
The Artist’s Secret narrative has a dual timeline, it’s easy to follow and it goes between 1965 and 1987.
Lily Summers is an American college student, her boyfriend has just received his call up papers and he’s going to be sent to fight in Vietnam. They burn his papers in protest, flee to Lake Como in Italy and he escapes the expectations of his wealthy family. The couple are madly in love, things don’t go as planned and Lily is forced to make a difficult choice.
Wren starts her internship at Archer’s Auction House, it’s a male dominated work place and it’s never employed a women as an auctioneer. A Mafia boss is a customer of Archer’s and so is a high profile entrepreneur. Wren has to cope with working in a very sexist environment and not knowing who she can trust and she’s lost her faith in men. When she encounters people who are double dealing and involved in illegal activities, fraud and deceit, Wren and one of her friends lives are put in danger.
I received a copy of The Artist’s Secret from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I read Alexandra Joel’s previous book, The Royal Correspondent and she’s upped the ante with her latest novel. A well written story about famous art pieces, work place discrimination and Wren discovering the truth about herself and her mother. I really enjoyed reading about Wren living in New York, visiting the famous Nell’s club, her relationship with her girlfriends and being on the lookout for fake artwork. Wren meeting Dr. Jordan Grant and realizing how lucky she was to grow up in Australia and not to judge her mother so harshly. Five stars from me and remember 'love always deserves a second chance.'...more
In 1836, Ellis Valmont finds a man wounded and unconscious in a stolen pirogue (a type of canoe) she and her mother Sophie treat his wounds. Ellis sawIn 1836, Ellis Valmont finds a man wounded and unconscious in a stolen pirogue (a type of canoe) she and her mother Sophie treat his wounds. Ellis saw the man disembarking with the New Orleans Greys the previous day in Velasco and why hasn’t he moved on with the other members of his unit? As his fever rages, he mutters odd things about the war and about buried treasure? Ellis writes down and keeps a record of what he talks about and she discovers his name is Clay Gentry.
Ellis is concerned he has lost his mind or he’s a spy for the American president Andrew Jackson or for the enemy who continues to threaten the republic of Texas. With her father Boyd and brother Thomas away fighting, Ellis has to follow her instincts and faith in god.
Ellis and Clay leave for the San Jose Mission, here Ellis takes care of the sick and wounded, with his memory slowly returning and Clay remembers his promise to help his friend Sam Houston. The story has links to the novel, Pirate Bride, many of Maribel’s descendants are included in the narrative and their history. Both Ellis and Clay are strong characters and role models, they believe in doing what is right and the lord is walking alongside them and keeping the Mexicans from crossing the river into Texas.
I received a copy of The Alamo Bride from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Kathleen Y'Barbo has written a story with a Christian theme and it’s the 7th book in the popular Daughters of The Mayflower series. I liked reading about Ellis’s use of herbs in healing, the couples links to New Orleans and their budding romance. Three and a half stars from me and I wish I had read all of the previous books in the series....more
Patricia and Jean Owtram were only teenagers when the Second World War started, they lived at Newland Hall, five miles from Lancaster and the sisters Patricia and Jean Owtram were only teenagers when the Second World War started, they lived at Newland Hall, five miles from Lancaster and the sisters had a typical English upper class childhood. Educated at home by a governess, they had a pony, the family went fishing in Scotland and as teenagers they attended boarding school. The family took in two Jewish Austrian refugees, Edith and Lilly and Patricia and Jean quickly became fluent in German and with a slight Austrian accent.
When the war broke out in 1939, their father Gary Owtram was a major in the 137th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, and his unit was sent to Singapore and he was taken prisoner by the Japanese. Patricia joined the Wrens, she signed the secret services act, and was sent to various remote locations along the British coastline. Patricia listened to German radio messages, quickly wrote them down and had no idea they were forwarded on to Bletchley Park and where the German Enigma code was cracked.
Jean was two years younger than Patricia and once Jean turned eighteen she joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. Jean's first posting was in Cairo and then Italy, where she helped the Partisan efforts against the Germans, and yet she was too young to celebrate the D-Day landing with an alcoholic beverage.
Two sisters who couldn’t discuss what they did during the war, finally in the 1960’s they did and were able to honor their father’s wartime service in a fitting way. A true story about the vital work of young women during the Second World War, the responsibilities they took on as teenagers, and how they helped England achieve victory.
I received a copy of Codebreaking Sisters from NetGalley and Mirror Books in exchange for an honest review. This book was less than two hundred pages, I enjoyed every single one and I don't normally read biographies. Patricia and Jean Owtram’s experiences and maturity was truly inspirational, don’t forget their father was a prisoner of war at the time and they didn’t know his fate. Five stars from me, I highly recommend reading this amazing true story and it’s full of interesting facts and information about the Second World War....more
In 1942, the German’s occupy Paris and Adele and her father Gerard Basset manage to keep their small school open. Adele’s late mother was a ballerina,In 1942, the German’s occupy Paris and Adele and her father Gerard Basset manage to keep their small school open. Adele’s late mother was a ballerina, she taught both her daughters Adele and Lucille how to dance. Adele continues to hold her dance classes after school, it gives the children a chance to forget about the war and their empty bellies. The Germans demand she make a list of all the Jewish students, Adele has no choice and she’s determined to help the children and their mothers. Adele hides as many as she can in a concealed attic, she smuggles in food and tries to figure out a way of getting them safely out of Paris.
Manu Lafon is Adele’s childhood friend, he’s the curator of the art museum next door to the school and Adele has a crush on him. At a time when you can’t trust anyone, can she turn to Manu for help and together they have to take huge risks. They come up with a plan to get the Jewish children out of Paris, everything has to fall perfectly into place and it’s extremely dangerous. Adding to Adele’s worries, her sister Lucille has fallen in love with a German officer, Adele finds him repulsive and she can’t understand why Lucille can’t see that he’s leading her on. With him lurking around in the background, Adele’s feels vulnerable and she worries about him visiting the school.
The Dance Teacher of Paris has a dual timeline, it's set in Paris during the Second World War and later in 2015.
In 2015, Fleur Anders works as a lab technician in London, she was raised by her grandmother Lydia Calvin and her grandmother moved to Sussex after the war. Lydia doesn’t talk about her childhood growing up in France and she visits Paris every year in August. Lydia is in her early eighties, and it’s time for her to share her story and secrets with Fleur before it’s too late. Lydia asks Fleur to travel with her to Paris, she's keen to go and she has no idea what's going to be revealed and the people she will meet.
I received a copy of The Dance Teacher of Paris from NetGalley and Embla Books in exchange for an honest review. I have read and enjoyed two of Suzanne Fortin’s previous books, The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger and Beyond A Broken Sky and her latest book is my favorite. The narrative is outstanding, and Ms. Fortin is the queen of dual timelines and it's easy to follow. A story about having the courage to stand up for what is right and the awful consequences of war, honor, courage, dedication, keeping secrets, loss, and being in love. Five stars from me, never feel guilty about surviving, be happy and keep on dancing for those who can't....more
Venice Arial lives in New Orleans with her parents, her father Jean-Pierre is a banker and her mother Lorraine is a socialite. Mrs. Arial is extremelyVenice Arial lives in New Orleans with her parents, her father Jean-Pierre is a banker and her mother Lorraine is a socialite. Mrs. Arial is extremely controlling, she’s picked out a suitable man for Venice to marry, and she’s busy planning the engagement party and wedding. Venice needs a break from her mother and her wedding plans, the family own a lovely summer house and it’s built by the shores of Pontchartrain Lake. Venice escapes Louisiana, she takes her friend Emilie with her and they stay at Belle Haven.
Here she meets local man Etienne Armand, he and his father are shrimp fishermen. Etienne and Venice fall in love, she knows Etienne will not be good enough for her mother and she’s tired of her being so bossy. Etienne dreams about becoming a lawyer, moving to New Orleans and marrying Venice. With the First World War raging in Europe, it’s only a matter of time before American joins the fight and for the young couple it has terrible and long lasting consequences.
The narrative has a dual timeline, it goes between 1916 and 1991. Venice is now ninety five years old, she looks back at the last seventy five years and wants to share her and Etienne’s history with her granddaughter. It’s a story about love at first sight, WW I, the Spanish flu epidemic, greed, deception, revenge and having a mother that doesn’t care about her daughters feelings and happiness.
I received a copy of Belle Haven by Jayne Burke from NetGalley and Vintage South Books in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed reading about New Orleans, the Mardi gras, Creole food, Belle Haven, and when Venice and Etienne first met. I found parts of the story rather farfetched and especially in the last half of the book. A real shame, too much over the top drama for me and three and a half stars....more
Irish nurse Emer loses her sister Orla to cancer, she’s consumed by grief and Emer feels guilty and is desperate to leave her job at Massachusetts GenIrish nurse Emer loses her sister Orla to cancer, she’s consumed by grief and Emer feels guilty and is desperate to leave her job at Massachusetts General Hospital. She finds a new position looking after Susannah Olsen, who lives on Vinalhaven Island, off the coast of Maine and her patient is a real loner. The two women get off to a shaky start, Susannah doesn’t want anyone taking care of her and despite the fact that her niece Lynsey employed Emer to be her companion and palliative care nurse.
The two women have something in common, they have both lost a sister they loved dearly and Susannah is reluctant to talk about Kate. Emer discovers Kate died in suspicious circumstances in the 1960’s, her husband Mathew Young disappeared and has never been seen since. When Emer finds a bundle of old letters, Susannah starts telling her about her childhood and how her mother favored her younger sister, Susannah's plans of going to to college and Kate’s troubled marriage.
The dual time line story looks at the relationship and bond between sisters, how they would do anything for each other, in Susannah’s case she put her life on hold and she doesn’t want Emer to do the same.
I received a copy of The Island Girls from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. The narrative written by Noelle Harrison is thought provoking and tackles difficult subjects. A story about sisters, love, loss, guilt, grief, cancer, domestic violence, secrets, justice and four stars from me. I have read, The Boatman’s Wife by Ms. Harrison, both books have Irish characters, links to lobster fishing and the remote islands off the coast of Maine, and four stars from me....more
Carl Smith lives in Berry, New South Wales, he’s studying to be a doctor and he's almost finished his degree. Carl’s parents immigrated to Australia fCarl Smith lives in Berry, New South Wales, he’s studying to be a doctor and he's almost finished his degree. Carl’s parents immigrated to Australia from Germany after WW I, his father Louis Schmidt is a professor and a pacifist. Australia is fighting in another war, Carl’s best friend Joe is going to sign up and Carl is considering what he should do? He’s worried about the Australian enemy alien’s policy and would Carl joining the army save his German born father from being sent to a detention camp?
After facing action in Africa, Carl and Joe and what’s left of their infantry battalion make it to Crete. The last stand, here the Australian and New Zealand troops have to defend the island, with no reinforcements, limited ammunition, artillery and aerial support.
Anthea Papadakis lives in Rethymno a small fishing village in Crete, situated between Chania and Heraklion and where her father owns a Taverna. When a group of battle weary Australian solders arrive, she’s instantly drawn to Carl Smith and she shows him the ancient Palace ruins at Knossos. Carl’s determined to stop the Germans from harming Anthea, destroying the precious relics and because they have important links to Greek Mythology.
The young couple don’t have long before the Germans launch what’s to be their last airborne invasion and the brutal fight for the island of Crete begins. What’s left of the allied army and the locals are caught up in guerrilla style fighting against the German’s and the brave Maori soldiers have to engage in ferocious hand to hand combat.
I received a copy of Never to Surrender from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Mary-Anne O’Connor has a way of writing a historical fiction saga that’s earnest, endearing and full of the Anzac spirit. Ms. O'Connor's latest narrative includes many interesting facts about ancient Crete and what happened during the Second World War, how thankful we should be for the sacrifices made by the Cretans and Anzac soldiers. Carl and Anthea were strong and resilient characters, I admired them both, especially Anthea who fought for her country and family. I highly recommend reading Never to Surrender and it has the most stunning and nostalgic cover, and five stars from me....more
Kitty Wheeler didn’t know what she wanted to do when she left school, she studied nursing, went to secretarial school and even tried teachers college.Kitty Wheeler didn’t know what she wanted to do when she left school, she studied nursing, went to secretarial school and even tried teachers college. Kitty joins the South Australian Police Force and it's one of the few occupations where women earned equal pay to men. Kitty and her fellow female officers are mainly called out to domestic altercations, child neglect cases, runaways and dealing with ladies of the night.
After a long day on her feet, Kitty and her partner Fiona are patrolling the beach at Somerton and they notice a man and they assume he’s just another drunk. The following day, Kitty is shocked to discover a mans body has been found at Somerton Beach and it's front page news in, The Adelaide Advertiser. The deceased man was slumped up against a seawall, with no signs of foul play and any forms of identification on his person.
Policing was very different in the 1940’s, it was very time consuming, often a missing person case didn’t have a photo included and a copy of dental records in their file. He was middle aged, neatly and well dressed, oddly all the tags had been removed from his clothing and the coroner couldn’t find a cause of death. People came forward, many hoping it was their son or husband who have been listed as missing in action since the Second World War, and they had all sorts of leads and all ended in disappointment.
I received a copy of The Woman Who Knew Too Little by Olivia Wearne from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. I have always found the story about the unidentified man who was found at the Somerton Beach fascinating and it was interesting to read about how the case was handled in 1948. There were so many theories about who he could be and was he poisoned, perhaps he was a spy or a German soldier who had committed war crimes and was hiding in South Australia?
You get an in-depth look at life in Australia at the time, very few women would have considered joining the police force, Kitty enjoyed her job, she worked long hours and she was constantly put under pressure by her family and others to get married and have a family. Kitty’s character's a real trailblazer, she paved the way for Australian women to be able to have a career and be independent. Four stars from me, a well written historical fiction mystery based around decades of theories and real facts....more
Margo Garnett was a teenager when she married Richard O’Leary and her parents were very disappointed with her. When Richard left her, Margo struggled Margo Garnett was a teenager when she married Richard O’Leary and her parents were very disappointed with her. When Richard left her, Margo struggled to cope, her sister Alice helped out when she could and her eldest daughter Rachel took care of her younger sisters Imogen and Sasha.
It was a lot of responsibility for a ten year old girl, Rachel hates her father and has never tried to find him. Rachel is a lawyer, she and her husband Gabriel and two daughters live at Sandcove on the Isle of Wight and it's the family home by the seaside. The three Garnett girls are close, they love their mother Margo and at times they have found her behavior embarrassing. Margo likes chase younger men, throw wild parties at Sandcove, she’s rather lively and exuberant person.
All three of the Garnett sisters are struggling with personal issues, Rachel want’s to live in London, the responsibly of Sandcove an old crumbling house with it's dodgy heating is a big financial burden and one she doesn’t need. Imogen is engaged to William, everyone is pressuring them to set a wedding date, and she’s not sure if William is the one? Sasha is the youngest sister, she’s married to Phil, he’s controlling, he hates visiting Sandgrove and dislikes her family.
I received a copy of The Garnett Girls from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. It’s the author Georgina Moore’s debut novel, the narrative explores the dynamics of a mother's relationship with her three daughters and how it evolved over the years. In what ways their past and dysfunctional childhood has affected them, the choices they have made and their futures. A big secrets is revealed and this certainly throws a cat amongst the pigeons, the story highlights the damage caused by consuming too much alcohol and how hard it is to live with an alcoholic. Four stars from me, it was difficult to be a wife, mother and work in the 1990’s, not a lot of support, many women struggled, and they couldn’t complain and simply had to soldier on....more
The 1920’s is a time of social change in England, the war is finally over and people have different expectations. Workers demand to be paid a fair wagThe 1920’s is a time of social change in England, the war is finally over and people have different expectations. Workers demand to be paid a fair wage and women want to be able to vote and be treated as equals. The Irish aren’t happy being ruled by the British, they want to be independent and Will’s brother Jack finds himself involved in the civil unrest.
Will and Grace return to England after the end of The Great War, the couple are newly married and expecting their first baby. Will’s worried about Grace, due to the abdominal injuries she sustained during the war and his own mother passing away from child-bed fever.
Will and Grace both want to pursue careers in medicine, they have their families support and Aunt Clara offers to babysit. Will and Grace help returned servicemen, many have lost limbs, they need corrective surgery and require usable prosthetics, and Will’s own father Robbie is suffering from shell-shock.
Will wants to study a bachelor of medicine and surgery and he has the support of Dr. Forrester. Standing in his way is his old enemy Dr. Clifford, he also doesn’t come from the right background and Will has to prove he has what it takes? Grace is interested in developing vaccines, stopping the spread of diseases and post-operative infections and she wants to be a microbiologist. At a time when most married women didn’t work outside the home, have access to childcare and she has to overcome many hurdles to achieve her goals.
Grace’s family have to come to terms with the loss of Charles and her sister Amy is rather high spirited and she embraces everything the roaring twenties has to offer. Aunt Clara is getting older, Kitty has an aptitude for languages, and she’s growing up quickly and dreams of traveling.
I received a digital copy of Eye of The Storm by Hilary Jones from NetGalley and Welbeck Publishing UK in exchange for an honest review. A fitting sequel to Frontline, I really admired Will and Grace’s characters in both narratives, they got on with the task in hand, striving against convention and overcoming the odds and terrible discrimination. A gripping historical saga, about two people achieve their goals, helping others and with the threat of another war looming and five stars from me....more
Gráinne MacDowd attends Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa’s funeral at the Glasnevin Cemetery, she listens to Patrick Pearse give what's to be one of the most Gráinne MacDowd attends Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa’s funeral at the Glasnevin Cemetery, she listens to Patrick Pearse give what's to be one of the most know and stirring speeches for the Irish independence movement. At the cemetery she bumps into Emmett O’Sheridan, her brother Sean’s best friend and he’s off fighting the Germans on the Western Front.
Gráinne is a proud member of the Cumann na mBan or The Irishwomen’s Council and she’s honored when Countess Constance Markiewicz asks her to work for her. Gráinne does a bit of everything leading up to and during the Easter Rising and the British newspapers referred to it as a riot. For a week the streets of Dublin are a battle ground, people fighting for what they believe in and some make the ultimate sacrifice for Irish independence.
The Girl with the Emerald Flag has a dual timeline and it's set in 1916 and in 1998. Told from the points of view of the two main female characters, Gráinne and her great-granddaughter Nicola.
Nicky Waters is studying modern history at Sussex University, she’s the only child of Karen and David. Nicola needs a subject for her main research project, and she decides to interview her wise great-grandmother and she visits her in Ireland. Nicky’s still trying to work out her place in the world, hovering over her shoulder and always telling her what to do is her interfering mother.
Nicky’s trips to Ireland are a real revelation, her supergran tells her a remarkable story and she knew the major leaders of the Easter Rising. It’s a story about fighting for what you believe in, learning from the mistakes you make, being independent and taking risks, remaining close and appreciating the people you love. Nicky has a light bulb moment, she grows up and she sees things from a very different perspective.
I received a digital copy of The Girl with the Emerald Flag from NetGalley and HQ Digital in exchange for an honest review. Kathleen McGurl has written an inspiring coming of age story, combined with a fascinating Irish history lesson and five stars from me....more
Patience Cartwright is an officer in the Australian navy, she’s had issues with a superior and how she handled the situation has her career on the linPatience Cartwright is an officer in the Australian navy, she’s had issues with a superior and how she handled the situation has her career on the line. Patience is sent to work for a different organization, an environmental team, their studying the biodiversity and habitat of amphibians and it’s near her home town. One of the scientist is Dr. Hugo Halstead, her childhood friend and he’s the person who broke her heart years ago. Patience’s boss wants her to look into some suspicious activity within the research team and she has to do this without anyone noticing.
Hugo is extremely confident, dedicated to his job and has recently purchased an old property near his parents farm. Patience is a loner and lives on base, she loves her sisters Phoebe and Primrose and they have their own busy lives. Patience joined the navy to get away from Horseshoe Hill, her father’s a troubled man, when her first crush ended badly and she vowed never to return.
Patience falls ill, she has to recuperate from a potentially fatal infection, and she stays with Greta and Derek Halstead at Horseshoe Hill. Patience has to overcome her ill health and deal with experiences and memories from the past, they make her feel extremely uncomfortable and scared. Greta is the best cook in the world and a real mother hen, as Patience slowly regains her strength, she can relax and she starts to notice the beautiful scenery surrounding her and becomes reacquainted with people in the township that she trusted as a child. Patience has her future all mapped out, having the time to reflect on her career and choices she’s made, has her questioning if she’s on the right path, the feelings she still has for Hugo and should she follow her heart?
I received a digital copy of Shelter from the Storm from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book I have read by Penelope Janu, it won’t be my last and the story had me hooked from the first page. A well written and extensively researched narrative about being a woman in the Australian Navy, a smart one with a gift for numbers, math and finding out who’s been committing a crime. It's also an interesting story about the environment, biology, herpetology, frogs and how important they are to the ecosystem. The chemistry between the two main characters of Hugo and Patience is rather steamy (hotter than Greta’s bathing room) and Greta’s character is so kind, funny, her antics made me laugh and five stars from me....more
Marguerite Segal is an artist, she lives in a remote farmhouse with her friend Simone and near Cote d’Azur. First the Italians occupy the French RiverMarguerite Segal is an artist, she lives in a remote farmhouse with her friend Simone and near Cote d’Azur. First the Italians occupy the French Rivera, they leave and the Germans arrive. Marguerite is recruited by the British Intelligence, they want as much information as they can obtain about German defenses and the officer in charge Otto Schmidt and evidence of the war crimes he’s committed.
The plan is for her to meet a catholic priest Etienne Valade, he’s said to be collaborating with the Germans and Marguerite takes part in a church service. The only people present are German soldiers, the locals refuse to attend and hate anyone who they think is on the Germans side. Father Etienne isn’t what Marguerite is expecting, he’s younger and rather handsome. His family were art dealers before the war in Paris and they share a mutual interest, when Marguerite is seen visiting the priest, the citizens of Cote d’Azur question her loyalty and it puts her life in danger.
Marguerite is not only working for the British, she’s uses her skills as an artist to forge fake documents and she’s the only one able to do this. She and a network of others are protecting Jewish people, enemy aliens who haven’t been able to escape and helping the French resistance.
As the allies get closer, the Germans decide that if they can't keep the Riviera then no one else would have it, they start building anti-tank walls, and digging defense pits around the town and cover the coast in landmines and barbed wire. The people of Cote d’Azur are terrified, they stay off the streets and hide in their cellars.
I received a copy of The Secrets We Keep by Theresa Howes from HQ Digital and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story about the challenges and reprisals the people faced in the French Rivera during the Second World War, a place once known for it’s beauty, culture and high life. The narrative is about the cruelties of war, hardship, sacrifice, the risks the main characters took and the secrets they kept to protect their friends and loved ones. Four and a half stars from me and I highly recommend reading this book....more
Anna Dankova's husband Joseph joined the Czech resistance three years ago and the former accountant felt it was his duty and he told his wife “war comAnna Dankova's husband Joseph joined the Czech resistance three years ago and the former accountant felt it was his duty and he told his wife “war comes to all of us.� The newlyweds fled Prague to hide in the countryside and they purchased a farm near the village of Tabor. Anna lives next door to her sister Dasa and her mother Matka.
Anna has a daughter Ema, and Dasa has three daughters and a newborn baby boy. Rumors are rife in the area, the Third Reich are stealing children with Aryan features from nearby villages, they send out the Brown Sisters to seize them and the children are taken to secret nurseries. Anna sells her produce and herbs at the local market, when Ema is taken by a Brown Sister, and Anna is determined to find her daughter and nothing is going to stop her. Anna contacts in the resistance help her travel to Dresden and she uses her acting skills to gain employment at the nursery where Ema is living
Anna’s shocked by what she witnesses here, the nurses use methods from the book written by Johnna Haarer, to care for the children, raising them to serve the Fuhrer and the adoptive parents are given a copy. The children are told all sorts of lies, Ema thinks Anna stole her from her real parents and she’s confused and traumatized by what’s happened to her.
I received a digital copy of A Child for the Reich by Andie Newton from NetGalley and HarperCollins UK in exchange for an honest review. Children were stolen from Poland and other ethnic countries as part of the Lebensborn program and they estimate over 200,000 children were taken between 1939 to 1945. Any child with blond hair and blue eyes was a target and could possibly be Germanised, Ms. Newton narrative gives you a firsthand account of mother’s anguish when this happens to her daughter, the lengths she will go and the risks she will take to get her back. A heartbreaking and informative story about a terrible time history and four stars from me....more
Lou Taylor lives in Sydney with her mum Fiona and dad Richard. Lou was adopted as a toddler and her parents are loving and supportive. Lou receives a Lou Taylor lives in Sydney with her mum Fiona and dad Richard. Lou was adopted as a toddler and her parents are loving and supportive. Lou receives a letter from a solicitor, she’s inherited her birth mothers estate and it’s in a small country town called Wagtail Ridge. Fiona encourages Lou to visit Wagtail Ridge, she thinks it will answer her questions and give her closure.
Lou discovers she’s inherited a quaint cottage, a small amount of money and a mobile library full of books. Lou’s birth mother Luca lived in Wattle Ridge her whole life, everyone in town knew her, she was well liked and some people remember Lou as a baby. Lou doesn’t know how to deal with the emotions and feelings this creates, and it’s a very unusual situation to be in. Lou planned to sell the cottage, return to Sydney and get a job.
Lou meets Jake Barnes, he's been taking care of Luca’s cottage since she passed away and he shows her the library truck kept in an old shed in the backyard. Luca left her a series of letters, they explain why she made the choices she did, to find them, Lou has to travel the mobile libraries route and Jake offers to drive the truck for her. Lou and Jake set off for their first library run, a tiny town and Lou quickly discovers how much the residents look forward to the bus arriving, everyone loved Luca and the service she provided.
At each town Lou is given a book, inside is a letter from Luca and she tells her daughter about her life and why she put her up for adoption. Lou didn’t know what to expect when she first started the journey into finding her birth mother, what she would uncover and how it would make her feel. At times Lou is really angry and frustrated, and she starts to understand her mother did love her and she had to make a very difficult decision. Lou develops feelings for Jake, she starts to enjoy living in Wagtail Ridge, does she want to move back to Sydney and she hasn’t found out the identity of her birth-father?
I received a digital copy of The Library at Wagtail Ridge from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Janet Grover has written a though provoking and sensitive narrative about adoption, and how there's always two sides to the story. I highly recommend this book, it made me feel really emotional and the characters are wonderful, please write a sequel and five stars from me....more
A baby boy is discovered by a man floating in a basket along the canals of Venice and he decides not to take him to the nearby orphanage. Instead he’sA baby boy is discovered by a man floating in a basket along the canals of Venice and he decides not to take him to the nearby orphanage. Instead he’s raised by a guild of five artisans, Pietro a glass blower, Valentina a lace maker, Giuseppe a gondolier, Dante a printer and Elena a gardener. Sebastian Trovato thinks he will never discover who he is and until he finds Mariana Fedele unconscious on Elena’s island.
All the Lost Places has a dual timeline, it’s set in Venice in the early 1800's and in 1900's.
Daniel Goodman has made mistakes in his life, a way of redeeming himself is by traveling to Venice for Mr. Wharton, to procure an original book and it's sketches. Here he meets Vittoria Bellini, she works in a bookshop and her uncle Antonio repairs rare and antique books. With Vittoria’s help, he navigates the streets and canals of Venice, he discovers who Sebastian Trovato is and why he didn’t finish his story.
I received a digital copy of All the Lost Place from NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. Amanda Dykes skilfully writes a story about a man who is foundling, and him trying to find out who his parents are and another trying to right the wrongs of his past. An amazing story that combines faith, mystery, secrets, hope and the history of Venice to weave a narrative that will hold you captivated by it’s brilliance and use of words. Four and a half stars from me and I had to really concentrate reading this complicated novel....more
Marcella Ross is a widow, and she lives with her brother Adam Phillips and his wife Hilda in Port Pirie. Marcella finds a torn note in her deceased moMarcella Ross is a widow, and she lives with her brother Adam Phillips and his wife Hilda in Port Pirie. Marcella finds a torn note in her deceased mother’s possessions, it’s about her great uncle Luca and his prospecting partner Ewen Wheeler who vanished forty years ago and Marcella desperately want’s to solve the mystery.
Marcella visits the place where Italian migrant Luca started his new life in Australia, Kanyaka Station near Quorn, South Australia and she hopes to find some clues and maybe his grave among the haphazard headstones! When tragedy strikes the trio, Marcella needs help and Proby Cutler comes to her rescue. The dusty man on the big horse, who told her off for wandering around the isolated Kanyaka ruins and once it was a flourishing sheep and cattle station. Marcella is a widow and her marriage was arranged, she’s tired of everyone telling her what to do and she want’s to be an independent woman.
The Forthright Woman has a dual timeline, it’s set in 1898 and in 1955 in South Australia. The story is told from the two main women’s characters points of view and they have links to each other.
Frances and Joe MacDonald are childless, Joe buys a caravan and the couple are traveling around the Australian outback. They stop at Kanyaka Station, Fran feels a connection to the old place and maybe it’s because one of her ancestors died here? Joe has no interest in Fran’s family history, he’s a selfish man and she can’t believe how he treats her when she desperately needs his assistance and support.
Ms. Fraser skilfully gains your interest with her collective cast of characters in her latest book, you’re taken on quite a journey, one full of suspense and secrets, with vivid descriptions of the South Australian landscape and towns, flies, dust and all! I love Darry Fraser writing style and the narrative grabbed my attention from the start and I didn’t want the book to end. My favourite characters were Marcella and Proby and Mrs. Costa’s antics made me laugh out loud.
I received a digital copy of The Forthright Woman from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. The chemistry and interaction between Marcella and Proby was absolutely sizzling, and I always enjoy reading stories about strong, brave and courageous female characters. Another superb Australian historical mystery by the accomplished and one of my favourite Aussie author's Darry Fraser, I highly recommend this book and five big stars from me....more
Beth returns home to Miners Ridge when her husband informs her he’s met someone else, around the same time her mum Marian suffers a series of strokes,Beth returns home to Miners Ridge when her husband informs her he’s met someone else, around the same time her mum Marian suffers a series of strokes, and she stays to help her dad Alan look after her mum. Sadly Marian passes away, Beth remains living with her dad, and he’s in his eighties and needs her support. At fifty-eight Beth has lost her mother, husband, house, job and confidence.
Marian was a member of the town hall committee, Beth decides to attend the meetings in her place and see if she can help. Like most country towns, the hall was the venue for school concerts, Christmas parties and wedding receptions. Unfortunately the hall isn’t used as much as it once was, it needs major repairs and the roof is leaking. Beth knows some of the members of the committee, others are new people to the area and it’s a real mixed group of personalities. Everybody has ideas of what needs to be done to bring the hall back to it’s former glory and how to raise the money, and they don’t always agree and the meetings can get rather tense. Beth becomes friends and is reacquainted with members, Mrs. Shirley Schubert, the new hairdresser in town Lucy Colac and the school principal Mr. Ashton Tiller.
With her father’s permission, Beth starts going through her mother’s possessions, she’s looking for information about the history of the town hall, she’s shocked when she discovers her mother has been keeping secrets, and it triggers memories of a really traumatic time in Beth’s life.
I received a copy of Becoming Beth from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. I always enjoy reading Meredith Appleyards’s books, she has the gift of making you care about the characters in the narrative and I certainly felt this way about Beth.
The story revolves around the main character Beth, her complicated relationships, the outcome of her mother making poor decisions and how it effects her loved ones years later, regret, and how important it is do deal with the pain of the past. Beth learns a lot about herself in the process, she changes her mind set and is open to the possibilities of what the future holds for her. Five stars from me, I love stories set in small country towns, and this one is a real beauty....more
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