Karren 's bookshelf: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge en-US Mon, 24 Mar 2025 20:59:05 -0700 60 Karren 's bookshelf: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Second First Impressions 45553600 Distraction (n): an extreme agitation of the mind or emotions.

Ruthie Midona has worked the front desk at the Providence Luxury Retirement Villa for six years, dedicating her entire adult life to caring for the Villa’s residents, maintaining the property (with an assist from DIY YouTube tutorials), and guarding the endangered tortoises that live in the Villa’s gardens. Somewhere along the way, she’s forgotten that she’s young and beautiful, and that there’s a world outside of work—until she meets the son of the property developer who just acquired the retirement center.

Teddy Prescott has spent the last few years partying, sleeping in late, tattooing himself when bored, and generally not taking life too seriously—something his father, who dreams of grooming Teddy into his successor, can’t understand. When Teddy needs a place to crash, his father seizes the chance to get him to grow up. He’ll let Teddy stay in one of the on-site cottages at the retirement home, but only if he works to earn his keep. Teddy agrees—he can change a few lightbulbs and clip some hedges, no sweat. But Ruthie has plans for Teddy too.

Her two wealthiest and most eccentric residents have just placed an ad (yet another!) seeking a new personal assistant to torment. The women are ninety-year-old, four-foot-tall menaces, and not one of their assistants has lasted a full week. Offering up Teddy seems like a surefire way to get rid of the tall, handsome, unnerving man who won’t stop getting under her skin.

Ruthie doesn’t count on the fact that in Teddy Prescott, the Biddies may have finally met their match. He’ll pick up Chanel gowns from the dry cleaner and cut Big Macs into bite-sized bits. He’ll do repairs around the property, make the residents laugh, and charm the entire villa. He might even remind Ruthie what it’s like to be young and fun again. But when she finds out Teddy’s father’s only fixing up the retirement home to sell it, putting everything she cares about in jeopardy, she’s left wondering if Teddy’s magic was all just a façade.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine comes the clever, funny, and unforgettable story of a muscular, tattooed man hired as an assistant to two old women—under the watchful eye of a beautiful retirement home manager.]]> 343 Sally Thorne 0063007134 Karren 5
Theodore is the son of Jerry Prescott the owner of Providence and he’s very different to his successful businessman father. Teddy’s a bit of a rebel, he rides a motorbike, he has no fixed address, has long hair and lot of tattoos. He’s a tattoo artist, he needs to earn some cash and starts working as a personal assistant for a couple of rich quirky ladies living at the retirement village. Ruthie doesn’t think Teddy stands a chance and Renata and Aggie have had as many personal assistants as Teddy has had addresses in the last year.

Much to her horror, Teddy moves in next door to Ruthie and sets about proving her wrong. He picks up dry cleaning, cuts up burgers into bite size pieces, wears silly costumes and does it all with a dazzling smile. Teddy’s rather good looking, he’s charming and he starts to get under Ruthie’s perfect skin. When she discovers that Jerry is considering selling Providence, Ruthie is horrified and is Teddy as nice as she thought?

Second First Impressions is a wonderful entertaining story, I was hooked from the start and I loved all the characters. Ruthie is so sweet, she became more confident, less uptight and she blossomed. Teddy’s totally an inked spunk, he’s funny, kind and the perfect person to ruffle Miss. Ruthie’s feathers. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it’s the first book I have read by Sally Thorne, it wont be my last and five stars from me.
]]> 3.49 2021 Second First Impressions
author: Sally Thorne
name: Karren
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/24
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Ruthie Midona is in her mid-twenties, she’s worked as an office assistant at the Providence Luxury Retirement Villas for six years and she lives in a cottage on the property. Dedicated to her job, Ruthie is efficient and extremely hard working. But, she’s living a life of a much older person, she dresses like an old lady and a very frugal one. Melanie Sasaki starts working with Ruthie as a temp, she’s determined to change Ruthie’s single status and the way she dresses.

Theodore is the son of Jerry Prescott the owner of Providence and he’s very different to his successful businessman father. Teddy’s a bit of a rebel, he rides a motorbike, he has no fixed address, has long hair and lot of tattoos. He’s a tattoo artist, he needs to earn some cash and starts working as a personal assistant for a couple of rich quirky ladies living at the retirement village. Ruthie doesn’t think Teddy stands a chance and Renata and Aggie have had as many personal assistants as Teddy has had addresses in the last year.

Much to her horror, Teddy moves in next door to Ruthie and sets about proving her wrong. He picks up dry cleaning, cuts up burgers into bite size pieces, wears silly costumes and does it all with a dazzling smile. Teddy’s rather good looking, he’s charming and he starts to get under Ruthie’s perfect skin. When she discovers that Jerry is considering selling Providence, Ruthie is horrified and is Teddy as nice as she thought?

Second First Impressions is a wonderful entertaining story, I was hooked from the start and I loved all the characters. Ruthie is so sweet, she became more confident, less uptight and she blossomed. Teddy’s totally an inked spunk, he’s funny, kind and the perfect person to ruffle Miss. Ruthie’s feathers. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it’s the first book I have read by Sally Thorne, it wont be my last and five stars from me.

]]> The Cinema at Starlight Creek 43212033 How far would you go to follow your dream?

Queensland, 1994: When location manager Claire Montgomery arrives in rural Queensland to work on a TV mini-series, she's captivated by the beauty of Starlight Creek and the surrounding sugarcane fields. Working in a male-dominated industry is challenging, but Claire has never let that stop her pursuing her dreams-until now. She must gain permission to film at Australia's most historically significant art deco cinema, located at Starlight Creek. But there is trouble ahead. The community is fractured and the cinema's reclusive owner, Hattie Fitzpatrick, and her enigmatic great nephew, Luke Jackson, stand in her way, putting Claire's career-launching project-and her heart-at risk.

Hollywood, 1950: Lena Lee has struggled to find the break that will catapult her into a star with influence. She longs for roles about strong, independent women but with Hollywood engulfed in politics and a censorship battle, Lena's timing is wrong. Forced to keep her love affair with actor Reeves Garrity a secret, Lena puts her career on the line to fight for equality for women in an industry ruled by men. Her generous and caring nature steers her onto a treacherous path, leaving Lena questioning what she is willing to endure to get what she desires.

Can two women-decades apart-uncover lies and secrets to live the life they've dared to dream?

]]> 384 Alli Sinclair 1489256628 Karren 4
Hollywood, 1950. Lena Lee’s a struggling actress, she knows in the cut throat industry time is not on her side, she’s desperate to keep her movie contract and to be cast as a leading lady. She falls madly in love with Reeves Garrity, they have to keep their relationship a secret and he needs to be seen with a popular starlet on his arm. The film industry is ruled by powerful men, women work long days, in skimpy costumes, and are paid less. Should Lena fight for fair pay, it will end her dreams of stardom, or settle down with Reeves and unfortunately she can’t have it all.

The Cinema at Starlight Creek is a story about two strong women, they have a lot in common, both wanted to be successful in their chosen careers, to be treated as equals and fairly. They find the small community of Starlight Creek to be supportive, when time get tough they all help each other and make Claire feel right at home.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, I found the story a little slow at times and four stars from me.

Merged review:

Queensland, 1994. Claire Montgomery arrives in Starlight Creek, sugarcane country in Queensland, she’s desperately looking for a new location to shoot a TV mini-series and she’s found the perfect building. A gorgeous art deco movie cinema, she needs to find the owner and surely it shouldn’t be too hard in a small country town? Hattie Fitzpatrick’s the owner, her great nephew Luke Jackson’s extremely protective of his great aunt and he can’t believe it when she gives Claire permission to use the cinema. Under very strict conditions the film crew can use the cinema, it has to be left in perfect condition and exactly how they found it. Claire's responsibility, she works in a male dominated field, she’s contently under pressure, works long days and doesn’t get a lot of sleep.

Hollywood, 1950. Lena Lee’s a struggling actress, she knows in the cut throat industry time is not on her side, she’s desperate to keep her movie contract and to be cast as a leading lady. She falls madly in love with Reeves Garrity, they have to keep their relationship a secret and he needs to be seen with a popular starlet on his arm. The film industry is ruled by powerful men, women work long days, in skimpy costumes, and are paid less. Should Lena fight for fair pay, it will end her dreams of stardom, or settle down with Reeves and unfortunately she can’t have it all.

The Cinema at Starlight Creek is a story about two strong women, they have a lot in common, both wanted to be successful in their chosen careers, to be treated as equals and fairly. They find the small community of Starlight Creek to be supportive, when time get tough they all help each other and make Claire feel right at home.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, I found the story a little slow at times and four stars from me.]]> 3.98 2019 The Cinema at Starlight Creek
author: Alli Sinclair
name: Karren
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/31
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Queensland, 1994. Claire Montgomery arrives in Starlight Creek, sugarcane country in Queensland, she’s desperately looking for a new location to shoot a TV mini-series and she’s found the perfect building. A gorgeous art deco movie cinema, she needs to find the owner and surely it shouldn’t be too hard in a small country town? Hattie Fitzpatrick’s the owner, her great nephew Luke Jackson’s extremely protective of his great aunt and he can’t believe it when she gives Claire permission to use the cinema. Under very strict conditions the film crew can use the cinema, it has to be left in perfect condition and exactly how they found it. Claire's responsibility, she works in a male dominated field, she’s contently under pressure, works long days and doesn’t get a lot of sleep.

Hollywood, 1950. Lena Lee’s a struggling actress, she knows in the cut throat industry time is not on her side, she’s desperate to keep her movie contract and to be cast as a leading lady. She falls madly in love with Reeves Garrity, they have to keep their relationship a secret and he needs to be seen with a popular starlet on his arm. The film industry is ruled by powerful men, women work long days, in skimpy costumes, and are paid less. Should Lena fight for fair pay, it will end her dreams of stardom, or settle down with Reeves and unfortunately she can’t have it all.

The Cinema at Starlight Creek is a story about two strong women, they have a lot in common, both wanted to be successful in their chosen careers, to be treated as equals and fairly. They find the small community of Starlight Creek to be supportive, when time get tough they all help each other and make Claire feel right at home.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, I found the story a little slow at times and four stars from me.

Merged review:

Queensland, 1994. Claire Montgomery arrives in Starlight Creek, sugarcane country in Queensland, she’s desperately looking for a new location to shoot a TV mini-series and she’s found the perfect building. A gorgeous art deco movie cinema, she needs to find the owner and surely it shouldn’t be too hard in a small country town? Hattie Fitzpatrick’s the owner, her great nephew Luke Jackson’s extremely protective of his great aunt and he can’t believe it when she gives Claire permission to use the cinema. Under very strict conditions the film crew can use the cinema, it has to be left in perfect condition and exactly how they found it. Claire's responsibility, she works in a male dominated field, she’s contently under pressure, works long days and doesn’t get a lot of sleep.

Hollywood, 1950. Lena Lee’s a struggling actress, she knows in the cut throat industry time is not on her side, she’s desperate to keep her movie contract and to be cast as a leading lady. She falls madly in love with Reeves Garrity, they have to keep their relationship a secret and he needs to be seen with a popular starlet on his arm. The film industry is ruled by powerful men, women work long days, in skimpy costumes, and are paid less. Should Lena fight for fair pay, it will end her dreams of stardom, or settle down with Reeves and unfortunately she can’t have it all.

The Cinema at Starlight Creek is a story about two strong women, they have a lot in common, both wanted to be successful in their chosen careers, to be treated as equals and fairly. They find the small community of Starlight Creek to be supportive, when time get tough they all help each other and make Claire feel right at home.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, I found the story a little slow at times and four stars from me.
]]> All That We Have Lost 58989237 It just means you can move forwards in spite of that fear.

2019. When Imogen Wren's husband dies, she must realise their dream of moving to France on her own. She finds a beautiful abandoned chateau and starts to rebuild her life among its ruins. But she soon notices that the locals won't come near. A dark web of secrets surrounds the house, and it all seems to centre on the war...

1944. Since the moment German troops stepped foot in her village, the sole aim of Simone Varon's life has been to avoid them. Until one soldier begins leaving medicine bottles for her sick brother, and she gets to know the man behind the uniform. Then the Resistance comes calling, and she must choose between love and duty � with devastating consequences that will echo through the decades.

As Imogen restores the chateau, she's determined to uncover the truth � and set to rest the ghosts of the past.

A beautiful and devastating dual timeline novel that spans from occupied France in World War Two, to the war-ravaged chateau in 2019. Perfect for fans of Gill Paul, Lucinda Riley and Lorna Cook.]]> 416 Suzanne Fortin 1800243774 Karren 5
Imogen discovers the locals don’t want to have anything to do with the chateau, none of the contractors she calls will even consider working for her and the chateau needs major structural repairs. During the Second World War, the chateau was taken over by the German’s, used as accommodation for officers and they think it's cursed. Like most towns in France, the Germans treated the residents terribly, punished anyone who was involved in the resistance and helped them.

1944: Simone Varon lives in the village of Tredion with her mother Marianne and her younger brother Pierre. Her mother runs a grocery shop, food is strictly rationed by the Germans and one officer in particular makes Simone feel very uncomfortable. Pierre’s a sickly child, he has asthma, his health is getting worse and medicine is in short supply. Not much gets past the Germans, they know Pierre’s very ill, they have medicine and can use this to force Simone do what they want. Simone plays the flute, a German officer demands she plays at the chateau, she tries to keep her distance from him and it gives her a chance to pass on information to the resistance.

Not all Germans are the same, Simone meets Max Becker, he’s kind and Simone has to be very careful that no one in the village sees her talking to a German soldier and they hate people who collaborate with the Germans. Simone has no idea, the events she's caught up in during the war, will have devastating consequences, and the descendants of people living in the village will continue to carry a grudge against her family decades later.

As Imogen restores the fire damaged chateau, she’s determined to uncover the truth of what happened in Tredion during the war, she has no idea a vital clue has been left behind in a section of the chateau, and it will prove that Simone Varon wasn’t a collaborator. All That We Have Lost is a brilliant dual timeline historical fiction story, the characters of Imogen and Simone are both strong and brave women and I admired their resilience and courage. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it's well written, hard to put down and five stars from me. I highly recommend reading both, All That We Have Lost and Suzanne Fortin's previous book The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger.

Merged review:

2019: Imogen Wren’s a young widow, her husband passed away four years ago, and she’s still working for the same company as a house designer. In her spare time she visits her mother-in-law Denise, her sister Meg and reads. Imogen’s still morning James, all she lost when he died and how long can she continue doing this for? James and Imogen had plans to move to France, she decides she needs a change of pace, she moves to France and buys an abandoned chateau in Brittany.

Imogen discovers the locals don’t want to have anything to do with the chateau, none of the contractors she calls will even consider working for her and the chateau needs major structural repairs. During the Second World War, the chateau was taken over by the German’s, used as accommodation for officers and they think it's cursed. Like most towns in France, the Germans treated the residents terribly, punished anyone who was involved in the resistance and helped them.

1944: Simone Varon lives in the village of Tredion with her mother Marianne and her younger brother Pierre. Her mother runs a grocery shop, food is strictly rationed by the Germans and one officer in particular makes Simone feel very uncomfortable. Pierre’s a sickly child, he has asthma, his health is getting worse and medicine is in short supply. Not much gets past the Germans, they know Pierre’s very ill, they have medicine and can use this to force Simone do what they want. Simone plays the flute, a German officer demands she plays at the chateau, she tries to keep her distance from him and it gives her a chance to pass on information to the resistance.

Not all Germans are the same, Simone meets Max Becker, he’s kind and Simone has to be very careful that no one in the village sees her talking to a German soldier and they hate people who collaborate with the Germans. Simone has no idea, the events she's caught up in during the war, will have devastating consequences, and the descendants of people living in the village will continue to carry a grudge against her family decades later.

As Imogen restores the fire damaged chateau, she’s determined to uncover the truth of what happened in Tredion during the war, she has no idea a vital clue has been left behind in a section of the chateau, and it will prove that Simone Varon wasn’t a collaborator. All That We Have Lost is a brilliant dual timeline historical fiction story, the characters of Imogen and Simone are both strong and brave women and I admired their resilience and courage. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it's well written, hard to put down and five stars from me. I highly recommend reading both, All That We Have Lost and Suzanne Fortin's previous book The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger.]]> 4.27 2021 All That We Have Lost
author: Suzanne Fortin
name: Karren
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/10
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
2019: Imogen Wren’s a young widow, her husband passed away four years ago, and she’s still working for the same company as a house designer. In her spare time she visits her mother-in-law Denise, her sister Meg and reads. Imogen’s still morning James, all she lost when he died and how long can she continue doing this for? James and Imogen had plans to move to France, she decides she needs a change of pace, she moves to France and buys an abandoned chateau in Brittany.

Imogen discovers the locals don’t want to have anything to do with the chateau, none of the contractors she calls will even consider working for her and the chateau needs major structural repairs. During the Second World War, the chateau was taken over by the German’s, used as accommodation for officers and they think it's cursed. Like most towns in France, the Germans treated the residents terribly, punished anyone who was involved in the resistance and helped them.

1944: Simone Varon lives in the village of Tredion with her mother Marianne and her younger brother Pierre. Her mother runs a grocery shop, food is strictly rationed by the Germans and one officer in particular makes Simone feel very uncomfortable. Pierre’s a sickly child, he has asthma, his health is getting worse and medicine is in short supply. Not much gets past the Germans, they know Pierre’s very ill, they have medicine and can use this to force Simone do what they want. Simone plays the flute, a German officer demands she plays at the chateau, she tries to keep her distance from him and it gives her a chance to pass on information to the resistance.

Not all Germans are the same, Simone meets Max Becker, he’s kind and Simone has to be very careful that no one in the village sees her talking to a German soldier and they hate people who collaborate with the Germans. Simone has no idea, the events she's caught up in during the war, will have devastating consequences, and the descendants of people living in the village will continue to carry a grudge against her family decades later.

As Imogen restores the fire damaged chateau, she’s determined to uncover the truth of what happened in Tredion during the war, she has no idea a vital clue has been left behind in a section of the chateau, and it will prove that Simone Varon wasn’t a collaborator. All That We Have Lost is a brilliant dual timeline historical fiction story, the characters of Imogen and Simone are both strong and brave women and I admired their resilience and courage. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it's well written, hard to put down and five stars from me. I highly recommend reading both, All That We Have Lost and Suzanne Fortin's previous book The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger.

Merged review:

2019: Imogen Wren’s a young widow, her husband passed away four years ago, and she’s still working for the same company as a house designer. In her spare time she visits her mother-in-law Denise, her sister Meg and reads. Imogen’s still morning James, all she lost when he died and how long can she continue doing this for? James and Imogen had plans to move to France, she decides she needs a change of pace, she moves to France and buys an abandoned chateau in Brittany.

Imogen discovers the locals don’t want to have anything to do with the chateau, none of the contractors she calls will even consider working for her and the chateau needs major structural repairs. During the Second World War, the chateau was taken over by the German’s, used as accommodation for officers and they think it's cursed. Like most towns in France, the Germans treated the residents terribly, punished anyone who was involved in the resistance and helped them.

1944: Simone Varon lives in the village of Tredion with her mother Marianne and her younger brother Pierre. Her mother runs a grocery shop, food is strictly rationed by the Germans and one officer in particular makes Simone feel very uncomfortable. Pierre’s a sickly child, he has asthma, his health is getting worse and medicine is in short supply. Not much gets past the Germans, they know Pierre’s very ill, they have medicine and can use this to force Simone do what they want. Simone plays the flute, a German officer demands she plays at the chateau, she tries to keep her distance from him and it gives her a chance to pass on information to the resistance.

Not all Germans are the same, Simone meets Max Becker, he’s kind and Simone has to be very careful that no one in the village sees her talking to a German soldier and they hate people who collaborate with the Germans. Simone has no idea, the events she's caught up in during the war, will have devastating consequences, and the descendants of people living in the village will continue to carry a grudge against her family decades later.

As Imogen restores the fire damaged chateau, she’s determined to uncover the truth of what happened in Tredion during the war, she has no idea a vital clue has been left behind in a section of the chateau, and it will prove that Simone Varon wasn’t a collaborator. All That We Have Lost is a brilliant dual timeline historical fiction story, the characters of Imogen and Simone are both strong and brave women and I admired their resilience and courage. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it's well written, hard to put down and five stars from me. I highly recommend reading both, All That We Have Lost and Suzanne Fortin's previous book The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger.
]]> The Orphan House 49119061 Baby born September 5th 1934 approximately. Place of birth, unknown; father, unknown; mother unknown.

Present day. Sarah Jennings knows there’s one place she can go to find some peace and quiet during her difficult divorce. But arriving at her beloved father’s home in the countryside, she finds him unwell and hunched over boxes of files, studying the records from Cedar Hall, the crumbling orphanage in town. He says that hidden behind the wrought iron gates and overgrown ivy are secrets about their family, and he asks for her help.

Sarah goes to speak to Connie Burroughs, the only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall. Her questions take Connie from the comfort of her nursing home right back to a chilly night in 1934, when as a little girl she saw her own father carrying a newborn baby, bundled in rags, that he said he’d found near the broken front gate. The day Connie began to protect his secrets.

But just as Sarah begins to convince Connie that the truth can set her free, she realises that unlocking the past might have heartbreaking consequences�

An emotional and uplifting reminder that incredible acts of courage can change the course of history, Ann Bennett’s powerful tale is inspired by the lives of the children who lived at her great-grandfather’s orphanage. Fans of Before We Were Yours, The Orphan’s Tale and The Orphan Train will be hooked.

What readers are saying about The Orphan House:
�Oh my goodness. What an amazing story of life, love, loss and finding yourself� awe inspiring. I honestly am left reeling. This is my first book from this author, although it definitely will not be my last. Thank you for a journey that I will not soon forget.� ŷ reviewer, 5 stars

�An amazing and spellbinding read. Exceptionally well done. I hated when it ended.� ŷ reviewer, 5 stars

‘Wonderful storytelling! I have just finished reading this book and I’m bereft! I was able, for a few days, to lose myself completely in the story� I highly recommend this book to anyone.� ŷ reviewer, 5 stars

‘True to life and totally believable. The plot was intriguing, and the delivery was perfect.� ŷ reviewer, 5 stars

‘Loved this book� captures so many emotions� couldn’t put it down.� ŷ reviewer, 5 stars

‘This was a fantastic read� it lured me in and I ended up hooked. By about the halfway point, I was completely captivated by the story and the mystery kept me guessing as I tried to figure it out� beautifully written.� ŷ reviewer, 5 stars

This book was previously published as The Foundling’s Daughter.]]> 332 Ann Bennett 1838881557 Karren 5
Sarah Jennings is devastated when she’s questioned by the police about her husband Alex, they run a successful restaurant together and she has no idea her husband's involved in illegal activities. She leaves London, to say with her father William at his cottage at Weirfield and she needs time to decide what’s she’s going to do. She notices Cedar Hall is up for sale, the old house has always fascinated her and her father William was abandoned at the orphanage as a baby and he’s trying to find out about his birth family. Her father isn’t well, so Sarah decides to try and solve the mystery herself and she visits Connie Burroughs in her nursing home.

Connie promised her father, she would keep his papers private, she questions if she has done the right thing, she did notice some sinister things happening at the orphanage and maybe it’s time for her to expose her father’s past and free herself from the burden she’s been carrying for all these years. The Dual timeline narrative goes between the 1930’s in England and India and present time England and it’s fascinating to read. A story about secrets, family, duty, mystery, adoption, and illegal activities being hidden and covered up in the past and the present.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it’s well written, hard to put down, and I highly recommend The Orphan House by Ann Bennett and five stars from me.

Merged review:

Sisters Connie and Evie live at Cedar Hall a house on the grounds of the orphanage run by her their father Ezra Burroughs at Weirfield in England. In 1934, the orphanage is home to a hundred abandoned children and babies. Connie and Evie help look after the children, their father provides a safe place for the orphans to live and he's a respected member of the community. Newborn babies are found on the doorstep, they stay in the nursery and when they leave and Connie assumes they had been legally adopted. Ezra Burroughs is a complicated man, he’s extremely religious, he can be very nice, and he has a secretive and dangerous side. He converted the upstairs of the old coach house into a room for himself, and sometimes Connie thought she heard crying coming from the building?

Sarah Jennings is devastated when she’s questioned by the police about her husband Alex, they run a successful restaurant together and she has no idea her husband's involved in illegal activities. She leaves London, to say with her father William at his cottage at Weirfield and she needs time to decide what’s she’s going to do. She notices Cedar Hall is up for sale, the old house has always fascinated her and her father William was abandoned at the orphanage as a baby and he’s trying to find out about his birth family. Her father isn’t well, so Sarah decides to try and solve the mystery herself and she visits Connie Burroughs in her nursing home.

Connie promised her father, she would keep his papers private, she questions if she has done the right thing, she did notice some sinister things happening at the orphanage and maybe it’s time for her to expose her father’s past and free herself from the burden she’s been carrying for all these years. The Dual timeline narrative goes between the 1930’s in England and India and present time England and it’s fascinating to read. A story about secrets, family, duty, mystery, adoption, and illegal activities being hidden and covered up in the past and the present.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it’s well written, hard to put down, and I highly recommend The Orphan House by Ann Bennett and five stars from me.]]> 4.06 2018 The Orphan House
author: Ann Bennett
name: Karren
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2021/08/20
date added: 2024/09/23
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Sisters Connie and Evie live at Cedar Hall a house on the grounds of the orphanage run by her their father Ezra Burroughs at Weirfield in England. In 1934, the orphanage is home to a hundred abandoned children and babies. Connie and Evie help look after the children, their father provides a safe place for the orphans to live and he's a respected member of the community. Newborn babies are found on the doorstep, they stay in the nursery and when they leave and Connie assumes they had been legally adopted. Ezra Burroughs is a complicated man, he’s extremely religious, he can be very nice, and he has a secretive and dangerous side. He converted the upstairs of the old coach house into a room for himself, and sometimes Connie thought she heard crying coming from the building?

Sarah Jennings is devastated when she’s questioned by the police about her husband Alex, they run a successful restaurant together and she has no idea her husband's involved in illegal activities. She leaves London, to say with her father William at his cottage at Weirfield and she needs time to decide what’s she’s going to do. She notices Cedar Hall is up for sale, the old house has always fascinated her and her father William was abandoned at the orphanage as a baby and he’s trying to find out about his birth family. Her father isn’t well, so Sarah decides to try and solve the mystery herself and she visits Connie Burroughs in her nursing home.

Connie promised her father, she would keep his papers private, she questions if she has done the right thing, she did notice some sinister things happening at the orphanage and maybe it’s time for her to expose her father’s past and free herself from the burden she’s been carrying for all these years. The Dual timeline narrative goes between the 1930’s in England and India and present time England and it’s fascinating to read. A story about secrets, family, duty, mystery, adoption, and illegal activities being hidden and covered up in the past and the present.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it’s well written, hard to put down, and I highly recommend The Orphan House by Ann Bennett and five stars from me.

Merged review:

Sisters Connie and Evie live at Cedar Hall a house on the grounds of the orphanage run by her their father Ezra Burroughs at Weirfield in England. In 1934, the orphanage is home to a hundred abandoned children and babies. Connie and Evie help look after the children, their father provides a safe place for the orphans to live and he's a respected member of the community. Newborn babies are found on the doorstep, they stay in the nursery and when they leave and Connie assumes they had been legally adopted. Ezra Burroughs is a complicated man, he’s extremely religious, he can be very nice, and he has a secretive and dangerous side. He converted the upstairs of the old coach house into a room for himself, and sometimes Connie thought she heard crying coming from the building?

Sarah Jennings is devastated when she’s questioned by the police about her husband Alex, they run a successful restaurant together and she has no idea her husband's involved in illegal activities. She leaves London, to say with her father William at his cottage at Weirfield and she needs time to decide what’s she’s going to do. She notices Cedar Hall is up for sale, the old house has always fascinated her and her father William was abandoned at the orphanage as a baby and he’s trying to find out about his birth family. Her father isn’t well, so Sarah decides to try and solve the mystery herself and she visits Connie Burroughs in her nursing home.

Connie promised her father, she would keep his papers private, she questions if she has done the right thing, she did notice some sinister things happening at the orphanage and maybe it’s time for her to expose her father’s past and free herself from the burden she’s been carrying for all these years. The Dual timeline narrative goes between the 1930’s in England and India and present time England and it’s fascinating to read. A story about secrets, family, duty, mystery, adoption, and illegal activities being hidden and covered up in the past and the present.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it’s well written, hard to put down, and I highly recommend The Orphan House by Ann Bennett and five stars from me.
]]> Song of the Nile 57217460
Eight years have passed since her father, Ayoub, was framed for a crime he did not commit, and died as a tragic result. Yet Aida has not forgotten, and now she wants revenge against the man she believes betrayed her father � his best friend, Kamel Pharaony.

Then Aida is reunited with Kamel's son, the captivating surgeon Phares, who offers her marriage. In spite of herself, the secret passion Aida harboured for him as a young girl reignites. Still, how can she marry the son of the man who destroyed her father and brought shame on her family? Will coming home bring her love, or only danger and heartache?

Set in the exotic and bygone world of Upper Egypt, Song of the Nile follows Aida's journey of rediscovery � of the homeland she loves, with its white-sailed feluccas on the Nile, old-world charms of Cairo and the ancient secrets of its burning desert sands � and of the man she has never forgotten.

A compelling story of passion and intrigue � a novel that lays open the beating heart of Egypt.]]> 640 Hannah Fielding 8366798038 Karren 3
Aida has always known her was father innocent, but she couldn’t do anything at the time and she believes her father’s best friend Kamel Pharaony is the real thief. Aida was best friends with his daughter Camelia and had a crush on his handsome son Phares. Phares is now a respected doctor and general surgeon, he owns his own hospital, and he wants to marry Aida, combine the two family’s estates and fortunes.

Aida isn’t ready to get married, even though she finds Phares extremely attractive and how can she marry the son of the man that caused her father’s down fall and death. Aida enjoys being in Egypt again, unlike England it hasn’t been damaged by the war, the food is delicious, and she buys herself beautiful new designer clothes and visits all the places she loved as teenager. She meets a Price, his name is Shams Sakr Eldin, he’s very attentive, and he makes Aida feel uncomfortable. Egypt is a dangerous place, Aida isn’t sure who she can trust and she desperately wants to prove her father’s innocence.

Song Of The Nile is a story about a daughter wanting justice for her father, you’re also taken on a journey down the Nile, into the desert, to the Polo and experience how affluent Egyptian’s lived at the time. While I enjoyed the story, I found it too much of a steamy romance for me and I can only give is three stars. Thanks to Hannah Fielding and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Merged review:

Aida El Masri returns home to Luxor in Egypt in 1946, after spending eight years in England and where she trained to be a nurse at the Royal London Hospital during the Second World War. Her beloved father Ayoub an archaeologist, was framed for stealing a precious statue, he passed away after he was found guilty of the crime and Aida left for England.

Aida has always known her was father innocent, but she couldn’t do anything at the time and she believes her father’s best friend Kamel Pharaony is the real thief. Aida was best friends with his daughter Camelia and had a crush on his handsome son Phares. Phares is now a respected doctor and general surgeon, he owns his own hospital, and he wants to marry Aida, combine the two family’s estates and fortunes.

Aida isn’t ready to get married, even though she finds Phares extremely attractive and how can she marry the son of the man that caused her father’s down fall and death. Aida enjoys being in Egypt again, unlike England it hasn’t been damaged by the war, the food is delicious, and she buys herself beautiful new designer clothes and visits all the places she loved as teenager. She meets a Price, his name is Shams Sakr Eldin, he’s very attentive, and he makes Aida feel uncomfortable. Egypt is a dangerous place, Aida isn’t sure who she can trust and she desperately wants to prove her father’s innocence.

Song Of The Nile is a story about a daughter wanting justice for her father, you’re also taken on a journey down the Nile, into the desert, to the Polo and experience how affluent Egyptian’s lived at the time. While I enjoyed the story, I found it too much of a steamy romance for me and I can only give is three stars. Thanks to Hannah Fielding and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review. ]]> 3.85 Song of the Nile
author: Hannah Fielding
name: Karren
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2021/08/07
date added: 2024/09/22
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Aida El Masri returns home to Luxor in Egypt in 1946, after spending eight years in England and where she trained to be a nurse at the Royal London Hospital during the Second World War. Her beloved father Ayoub an archaeologist, was framed for stealing a precious statue, he passed away after he was found guilty of the crime and Aida left for England.

Aida has always known her was father innocent, but she couldn’t do anything at the time and she believes her father’s best friend Kamel Pharaony is the real thief. Aida was best friends with his daughter Camelia and had a crush on his handsome son Phares. Phares is now a respected doctor and general surgeon, he owns his own hospital, and he wants to marry Aida, combine the two family’s estates and fortunes.

Aida isn’t ready to get married, even though she finds Phares extremely attractive and how can she marry the son of the man that caused her father’s down fall and death. Aida enjoys being in Egypt again, unlike England it hasn’t been damaged by the war, the food is delicious, and she buys herself beautiful new designer clothes and visits all the places she loved as teenager. She meets a Price, his name is Shams Sakr Eldin, he’s very attentive, and he makes Aida feel uncomfortable. Egypt is a dangerous place, Aida isn’t sure who she can trust and she desperately wants to prove her father’s innocence.

Song Of The Nile is a story about a daughter wanting justice for her father, you’re also taken on a journey down the Nile, into the desert, to the Polo and experience how affluent Egyptian’s lived at the time. While I enjoyed the story, I found it too much of a steamy romance for me and I can only give is three stars. Thanks to Hannah Fielding and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Merged review:

Aida El Masri returns home to Luxor in Egypt in 1946, after spending eight years in England and where she trained to be a nurse at the Royal London Hospital during the Second World War. Her beloved father Ayoub an archaeologist, was framed for stealing a precious statue, he passed away after he was found guilty of the crime and Aida left for England.

Aida has always known her was father innocent, but she couldn’t do anything at the time and she believes her father’s best friend Kamel Pharaony is the real thief. Aida was best friends with his daughter Camelia and had a crush on his handsome son Phares. Phares is now a respected doctor and general surgeon, he owns his own hospital, and he wants to marry Aida, combine the two family’s estates and fortunes.

Aida isn’t ready to get married, even though she finds Phares extremely attractive and how can she marry the son of the man that caused her father’s down fall and death. Aida enjoys being in Egypt again, unlike England it hasn’t been damaged by the war, the food is delicious, and she buys herself beautiful new designer clothes and visits all the places she loved as teenager. She meets a Price, his name is Shams Sakr Eldin, he’s very attentive, and he makes Aida feel uncomfortable. Egypt is a dangerous place, Aida isn’t sure who she can trust and she desperately wants to prove her father’s innocence.

Song Of The Nile is a story about a daughter wanting justice for her father, you’re also taken on a journey down the Nile, into the desert, to the Polo and experience how affluent Egyptian’s lived at the time. While I enjoyed the story, I found it too much of a steamy romance for me and I can only give is three stars. Thanks to Hannah Fielding and NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
]]> <![CDATA[Outback Secrets (Bunyip Bay #5)]]> 58358768 Keeping secrets comes naturally to him ... but will it ruin his chance at love?


Liam Castle knows the secrets of everyone in Bunyip Bay. As the owner of the pub, he's heard it all - from marriage proposals and farming disasters to family rifts and everything in between. The locals love to confide in him, but no one knows he's hiding a tragic past.

And he wants to keep it that way.

Agricultural pilot Henrietta Forward lives for her job, choosing work over romance. But when an incident in the air brings Henri home to Bunyip Bay earlier than planned, she finds herself questioning everything she believes about herself.

But Henri's secret isn't her only problem.

Her mother will stop at nothing to have her settled down back in the Bay, and while Henri had always known domesticity wasn't the life for her, now she wonders what her future holds. So when Liam - always the first to lend a hand to those in need - agrees to play along with Henri's scheme to ward off her mother, she has mixed feelings. What happens when a pretend romance starts to feel like the real thing?

Will Henri's demons and Liam's traumatic past prove too great a barrier to love?]]> 380 Rachael Johns 1867220237 Karren 5
Liam Castle owns and runs the pub in Bunyip Bay, not much happens in town that he doesn’t know about, and he doesn’t mention his own past. He’s from America, single, very good looking and a bit of a mystery man. Henri’s mum’s wants her daughter to settle down, stop gallivanting around, get married and start having babies. The last thing that Henri wants, she likes her freedom, she’s not all that keen on having children and maybe Liam and Henri would make the perfect couple?

They decided to play along with the idea, it will solve Henri’s problems, and the town’s matchmakers will leave them both alone. What they didn’t take into consideration, is that they have fun together, the chemistry between them is electric, the sparks fly, and can they keep their relationship platonic?

Outback Secrets is a story full of small town drama, slightly dysfunctional families, dealing with the loss of loved ones, keeping of secrets, facing fears, life's challenges and a hot romance. Rachael Johns has done it again, I always love the characters in her books, the use of Aussie language, being set in Australia, and it made me laugh out loud. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for my copy, and five big stars from me. ]]> 4.29 Outback Secrets (Bunyip Bay #5)
author: Rachael Johns
name: Karren
average rating: 4.29
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/11
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Henrietta Forward loves her job as a light plane pilot, she musters cattle and works as a crop duster. Henri grew up on a farm, she likes her independence, and not being in the same place for long. With a knowledge of animals, crops and flying, her job suits her perfectly and Henri has the best of both worlds. After an alarming indecent she returns home to Bunyip Bay, to the family property called Bungara Springs, and she's staying with her mum.

Liam Castle owns and runs the pub in Bunyip Bay, not much happens in town that he doesn’t know about, and he doesn’t mention his own past. He’s from America, single, very good looking and a bit of a mystery man. Henri’s mum’s wants her daughter to settle down, stop gallivanting around, get married and start having babies. The last thing that Henri wants, she likes her freedom, she’s not all that keen on having children and maybe Liam and Henri would make the perfect couple?

They decided to play along with the idea, it will solve Henri’s problems, and the town’s matchmakers will leave them both alone. What they didn’t take into consideration, is that they have fun together, the chemistry between them is electric, the sparks fly, and can they keep their relationship platonic?

Outback Secrets is a story full of small town drama, slightly dysfunctional families, dealing with the loss of loved ones, keeping of secrets, facing fears, life's challenges and a hot romance. Rachael Johns has done it again, I always love the characters in her books, the use of Aussie language, being set in Australia, and it made me laugh out loud. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for my copy, and five big stars from me.
]]> The Last of the Moon Girls 49343950
Lizzy discovers a Book of Remembrances meant to help Lizzy embrace her own special gifts. When she reconnects with Andrew Greyson, one of the few in town who believed in Althea’s innocence, she resolves to clear her Grandmother’s name.]]> 397 Barbara Davis 1542006481 Karren 5
Lizzy has to face the tragic past, two young girls Heather and Darcy Gilman were murdered eight years ago, her beloved grandmother was one of the suspects and ever since the people of Salem Creek have shunned the Moon’s. Elzibeth knows her sweet, kind and loving grandmother didn’t kill the girls, the investigation has gone cold, Lizzy wants to find the killer and clear her family’s name.

Lizzy stirs trouble in Salem Creek, she has issues with disturbing things happening on the property and this doesn’t put her off trying to find the girls killer. Althea left behind a Book of Remembrances for Lizzy, all of the Moon women have a special gift, or a light and in Lizzy’s case it’s a heightened sense of smell. She realizes it's impossible for her to move back to New York, the farm wouldn’t sell in it's present condition and her neighbor Andrew Greyson is helping her with the repairs.

Living again at Moon Girl Farm, Lizzy remembers the good times she had with her grandmother as a child, Evvie becomes a friend, her estranged mother Rhanna returns, and Lizzy embraces her gift, and it changes her plans for the future. The Last of The Moon Girls by Barbara Davis is a really captivating story, full of mystery, secrets and magick, five stars from me, and I can’t wait to read Keeper of Happy Endings. ]]> 4.20 2020 The Last of the Moon Girls
author: Barbara Davis
name: Karren
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/25
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Eight years ago Elzibeth Moon left Salem Creek in rural New Hampshire, she wanted to study and she’s now the creative director of Chenier Fragrances in New York. Her grandmother Alethea passes away, Lizzy had no idea she was sick and she has to return to Salem Creek to deal with the deceased estate. Moon Girl Farm has been in her family for nine generations, they grow herbs, apples and run an apothecary shop. Lizzy meets her grandmother’s friend Evangeline Broussard, she took care of her when she was ill, and the farm looks very different. The buildings haven’t been maintained, the gardens are over grown, the apothecary shop is closed and of course Evvie’s main priority was looking after Alethea.

Lizzy has to face the tragic past, two young girls Heather and Darcy Gilman were murdered eight years ago, her beloved grandmother was one of the suspects and ever since the people of Salem Creek have shunned the Moon’s. Elzibeth knows her sweet, kind and loving grandmother didn’t kill the girls, the investigation has gone cold, Lizzy wants to find the killer and clear her family’s name.

Lizzy stirs trouble in Salem Creek, she has issues with disturbing things happening on the property and this doesn’t put her off trying to find the girls killer. Althea left behind a Book of Remembrances for Lizzy, all of the Moon women have a special gift, or a light and in Lizzy’s case it’s a heightened sense of smell. She realizes it's impossible for her to move back to New York, the farm wouldn’t sell in it's present condition and her neighbor Andrew Greyson is helping her with the repairs.

Living again at Moon Girl Farm, Lizzy remembers the good times she had with her grandmother as a child, Evvie becomes a friend, her estranged mother Rhanna returns, and Lizzy embraces her gift, and it changes her plans for the future. The Last of The Moon Girls by Barbara Davis is a really captivating story, full of mystery, secrets and magick, five stars from me, and I can’t wait to read Keeper of Happy Endings.
]]> All About Ella 57960126
At 70, Ella's world is upended, leaving her at odds with her three adult children, whose attention is fixed more firmly on her money than her ongoing welfare. After an argument with her son Anthony, she flees his Adelaide home for Cutlers Bay, a seaside town on the Yorke Peninsula. There she befriends Angie, a 40-year-old drifter, and becomes an irritant to local cop Zach. He's keen to shift Ella off his turf, because Anthony phones daily, demanding his mother be sent home. And besides, Zach just doesn't trust Angie.

Ella warms to Cutlers Bay, and it warms to her. In a defiant act of self-determination, she buys an entirely unsuitable house on the outskirts of town, and Angie agrees to help make it habitable. Zach is drawn to the house on the clifftop, and finds himself revising his earlier opinions of Ella, and Angie.

A keenly observed story about aging and its inherent vulnerability, about community and chosen family, about how family stressors shape us all, about trust and loyalty, and about standing up for yourself.]]> 384 Meredith Appleyard 1867230844 Karren 5
Zach Cooper is Cutlers Bay's policeman, he receives a call about a missing older lady and he locates Ella. She assure him she’s perfectly fine, having a break from her family, and taking a short holiday. Anthony isn’t happy, he demands Ella returns home, he thinks the local policeman should make her and he forgets she’s an adult.

Angie Daniels is forty, she moves around a lot and doesn’t stay in one place for long. While driving through South Australia, she decides to visit the Yorke Peninsula, the beaches are beautiful and it has lots of places to explore. She arrives in Cutlers Bay, she meets Ella and they become friends.

Ella notices a rundown house on Clifftop Drive in Cutlers Bay and she decides to buy it. The house has been empty for a couple of years, it needs to be cleaned and Angie offers to help Ella make it livable. Zach's worried about Ella living in a remote area, she's only known Angie for a few weeks and is she too trusting?

All About Ella is a story about growing older, having older parents and control. For the first time in years Ella’s independent, she’s tired of being a doormat, she wants to make her own decisions and Ella should be able to. Ella rediscovers herself, she makes friends in the seaside community and she has a purpose for getting up in the morning. I love Meredith Appleyard’s books, included in her stories are so many interesting little details, the topics she chooses are relevant and set in familiar South Australia places.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review and five big stars from me. ]]> 4.19 All About Ella
author: Meredith Appleyard
name: Karren
average rating: 4.19
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/06/22
date added: 2024/07/16
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Ella Sinclair is seventy, her husband has recently passed way and she has three adult children Anthony, Julian and Olivia. When Sam died, Ella was exhausted and upset and her children decided she should sell the family home. Ella wasn’t thinking clearly, her family pushed her into selling her house and now she’s having doubts about signing the paperwork for the granny flat Anthony has planned to build in his backyard. Losing your spouse after fifty years is extremely traumatic, Anthony isn’t very sympathetic towards his mum’s feelings and wants to keep his wife happy. Ella’s upset, she leaves Adelaide, travels to the Yorke Peninsula and to a little coastal town called Cutlers Bay.

Zach Cooper is Cutlers Bay's policeman, he receives a call about a missing older lady and he locates Ella. She assure him she’s perfectly fine, having a break from her family, and taking a short holiday. Anthony isn’t happy, he demands Ella returns home, he thinks the local policeman should make her and he forgets she’s an adult.

Angie Daniels is forty, she moves around a lot and doesn’t stay in one place for long. While driving through South Australia, she decides to visit the Yorke Peninsula, the beaches are beautiful and it has lots of places to explore. She arrives in Cutlers Bay, she meets Ella and they become friends.

Ella notices a rundown house on Clifftop Drive in Cutlers Bay and she decides to buy it. The house has been empty for a couple of years, it needs to be cleaned and Angie offers to help Ella make it livable. Zach's worried about Ella living in a remote area, she's only known Angie for a few weeks and is she too trusting?

All About Ella is a story about growing older, having older parents and control. For the first time in years Ella’s independent, she’s tired of being a doormat, she wants to make her own decisions and Ella should be able to. Ella rediscovers herself, she makes friends in the seaside community and she has a purpose for getting up in the morning. I love Meredith Appleyard’s books, included in her stories are so many interesting little details, the topics she chooses are relevant and set in familiar South Australia places.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review and five big stars from me.
]]> A Woman of Intelligence 54860377
A born and bred New Yorker, Katharina is the daughter of immigrants, Ivy-League-educated, and speaks four languages. As a single girl in 1940s Manhattan, she is a translator at the newly formed United Nations, devoting her days to her work and the promise of world peace—and her nights to cocktails and the promise of a good time.

Now the wife of a beloved pediatric surgeon and heir to a shipping fortune, Katharina is trapped in a gilded cage, desperate to escape the constraints of domesticity. So when she is approached by the FBI and asked to join their ranks as an informant, Katharina seizes the opportunity. A man from her past has become a high-level Soviet spy, but no one has been able to infiltrate his circle. Enter Katharina, the perfect woman for the job.

Navigating the demands of the FBI and the secrets of the KGB, she becomes a courier, carrying stolen government documents from D.C. to Manhattan. But as those closest to her lose their covers, and their lives, Katharina’s secret soon threatens to ruin her.]]> 384 Karin Tanabe 1250231507 Karren 4
When Tom wanted to have children, Rina assumed he would be home sometimes to see her and the children, he’s too busy working and raising money for the hospital. In 1954, Tom’s role was to provide for his family, its Rina’s to look after the children and not complain about it. She loves her boys, being a mother isn’t easy and her eldest son Gerrit is a real handful.

After an extremely bad day Katharina loses the plot, Tom isn’t happy with her behavior, sends her off for a short holiday and it’s a disaster. When she’s approached by the FBI and asked to join them as informant and she grabs the opportunity. Of course she can’t tell anyone what she’s doing, how will Rina juggle full time motherhood, snoopy neighbors and hide what she’s doing from Tom?

Katharina is the perfect for the role, as a past boyfriend Jacob Gornev is now a communist and a Soviet spy. Rina becomes Hanna Graf, she attends communist meetings, carries stolen government documents and film from Washington D.C. to Manhattan. Soon Rina’s life is extremely complicated, things begin to unravel, and Tom thinks she’s either hitting the bottle or having an affair?

Most mothers would understand how Rina felt, she lost herself and her husband Tom is a complete tosser. The story at times was a bit over the top, thanks to NetGalley for my copy of A Woman of Intelligence and three and a half stars from me.]]> 3.53 2021 A Woman of Intelligence
author: Karin Tanabe
name: Karren
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/05/28
date added: 2024/05/14
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Katharina looks to have the perfect life, she’s married to Tom Edgeworth a successful pediatric surgeon, and she lives in a beautiful apartment in Manhattan and has two healthy little boys. The woman who can speak four languages, worked as a translator for the United Nation’s, had a busy social life and is now struggling under the pressure of motherhood. Katharina's the daughter of immigrants, her family moved back to Switzerland, she’s on her own and has no support.

When Tom wanted to have children, Rina assumed he would be home sometimes to see her and the children, he’s too busy working and raising money for the hospital. In 1954, Tom’s role was to provide for his family, its Rina’s to look after the children and not complain about it. She loves her boys, being a mother isn’t easy and her eldest son Gerrit is a real handful.

After an extremely bad day Katharina loses the plot, Tom isn’t happy with her behavior, sends her off for a short holiday and it’s a disaster. When she’s approached by the FBI and asked to join them as informant and she grabs the opportunity. Of course she can’t tell anyone what she’s doing, how will Rina juggle full time motherhood, snoopy neighbors and hide what she’s doing from Tom?

Katharina is the perfect for the role, as a past boyfriend Jacob Gornev is now a communist and a Soviet spy. Rina becomes Hanna Graf, she attends communist meetings, carries stolen government documents and film from Washington D.C. to Manhattan. Soon Rina’s life is extremely complicated, things begin to unravel, and Tom thinks she’s either hitting the bottle or having an affair?

Most mothers would understand how Rina felt, she lost herself and her husband Tom is a complete tosser. The story at times was a bit over the top, thanks to NetGalley for my copy of A Woman of Intelligence and three and a half stars from me.
]]> Daughter of the Hunter Valley 57967478 Alone. Near destitute. But brave and determined. Can Maddy beat the odds to create a new home in the Hunter Valley? An exciting Australian historical debut, perfect for readers of Darry Fraser.

1831, New South Wales

Reeling from her mother's death, Madeleine Barker-Trent arrives in the newly colonised Hunter River to find her father's promises are nothing more than a halcyon dream. A day later, after a dubious accident, she becomes the sole owner of a thousand acres of bushland, with only three convicts and handsome overseer Daniel Coulter for company.

Determined to fulfil her family's aspirations, Maddy refuses to return to England and braves everything the beautiful but wild Australian country can throw at her - violence, danger, the forces of nature and loneliness. But when a scandalous secret and a new arrival threaten to destroy all she's worked for, her future looks bleak ... Can Maddy persevere or should she simply admit defeat?

A captivating historical tale of one young woman's grit and determination to carve out her place on the riverbank.]]> 384 Paula J. Beavan 1867221446 Karren 5
The next day her father tragically passes away, Madeleine’s only eighteen, she’s now the owner of Shelby, a thousand acres of scrubby bushland, with three convicts and an overseer Daniel Coulter to help her run the property. Maddy doesn’t want to return to England, she’s determined to stay and the kind Garrick family help her. The other settlers assume she should marry, she needs a man’s guidance and it’s the best option for a woman on her own. The wonder of a new land amazes Maddy, the vegetation, vibrant birds and native animals are all fascinating.

Maddy needs a maid, her only choice is to go to Parramatta Goal and employ a convict. Jane's a hard worker, good company and Maddy doesn’t feel so lonely. Shelby’s a hive of activity, their busy planting crops, caring for sheep, milking dairy cows and growing potatoes. Life in Australia is hard, the weather is extremely unpredictable, it’s either too hot, pouring with raining and the never by river floods. It's a dangerous place, a bushranger targets Shelby and Maddy’s exposed to the violent side of the new colony. A young boy called Luke is left in her care, his mother disappears, people start to talk about her strange ideas and she discovers her father’s secret.

Daughter of the Hunter Valley narrative is about Madeleine making a life for herself in a new, remote and wild land. Despite all the obstacles, she perseveres with incredible strength, bravery and determination. Paula J. Beavan’s debut novel is full of details about life in the new Colony of Australia, it’s interesting, well written and I highly recommend reading the book. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review and five stars from me.]]> 3.99 Daughter of the Hunter Valley
author: Paula J. Beavan
name: Karren
average rating: 3.99
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/07/09
date added: 2024/05/02
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Madeleine Barker-Trent makes the long sea journey from England to the new settlement of Australia in 1831, she finally arrives in New South Wales and she hasn’t seen her Papa in six years. He owns property in the Hunter Valley, he’s been busy building a house and establishing his farm. She discovers her father’s living in a hut, in his letters he made it sound like he had made far more progress and it’s not what she was expecting at all.

The next day her father tragically passes away, Madeleine’s only eighteen, she’s now the owner of Shelby, a thousand acres of scrubby bushland, with three convicts and an overseer Daniel Coulter to help her run the property. Maddy doesn’t want to return to England, she’s determined to stay and the kind Garrick family help her. The other settlers assume she should marry, she needs a man’s guidance and it’s the best option for a woman on her own. The wonder of a new land amazes Maddy, the vegetation, vibrant birds and native animals are all fascinating.

Maddy needs a maid, her only choice is to go to Parramatta Goal and employ a convict. Jane's a hard worker, good company and Maddy doesn’t feel so lonely. Shelby’s a hive of activity, their busy planting crops, caring for sheep, milking dairy cows and growing potatoes. Life in Australia is hard, the weather is extremely unpredictable, it’s either too hot, pouring with raining and the never by river floods. It's a dangerous place, a bushranger targets Shelby and Maddy’s exposed to the violent side of the new colony. A young boy called Luke is left in her care, his mother disappears, people start to talk about her strange ideas and she discovers her father’s secret.

Daughter of the Hunter Valley narrative is about Madeleine making a life for herself in a new, remote and wild land. Despite all the obstacles, she perseveres with incredible strength, bravery and determination. Paula J. Beavan’s debut novel is full of details about life in the new Colony of Australia, it’s interesting, well written and I highly recommend reading the book. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review and five stars from me.
]]> The Venice Sketchbook 54645984 Love and secrets collide in Venice during WWII in an enthralling novel of brief encounters and lasting romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child and Above the Bay of Angels.

Caroline Grant is struggling to accept the end of her marriage when she receives an unexpected bequest. Her beloved great-aunt Lettie leaves her a sketchbook, three keys, and a final whisper�Venice. Caroline’s quest: to scatter Juliet “Lettie� Browning’s ashes in the city she loved and to unlock the mysteries stored away for more than sixty years.

It’s 1938 when art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in romantic Venice. For her students, it’s a wealth of history, art, and beauty. For Juliet, it’s poignant memories and a chance to reconnect with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves whose future is already determined by his noble family. However star-crossed, nothing can come between them. Until the threat of war closes in on Venice and they’re forced to fight, survive, and protect a secret that will bind them forever.

Key by key, Lettie’s life of impossible love, loss, and courage unfolds. It’s one that Caroline can now make right again as her own journey of self-discovery begins.]]> 412 Rhys Bowen 1542027128 Karren 5
Caroline's close to her grandmother Winnie and her great-aunt Lettie, she visits them in Surrey and she’s in need of some moral support. Aunt Lettie lost her sight years ago, she’s getting very frail and she passes away. She leaves Caroline her sketchbook, three keys and with her last breath whispers the word Venice. Juliet Browning wants Caroline to scatter her ashes in Venice, the city she first visited as a teenager in the 1920’s and she will discover her great-aunts shocking secrets that have been kept hidden for over sixty years.

In 1938, Juliet Browning is an art teacher, she arrives in Venice with twelve students, for them to experience the cities, art, history, culture and food. A beautiful city built on water, getting around Venice is a challenge, lots of bridges, canals and boats are needed. For Juliet it brings back memories of her trip as a teenager, she visited Venice with her aunt Hortensia and she met the handsome Leonardo Da Rossi. He comes from one of the oldest, wealthiest and most powerful families in Venice.

Juliet returns to Venice in 1939, she’s studying art at the academia and Leonardo is now married. The outbreak of another war is looming, her fellow art students start leaving Venice and Juliet decides to stay. Juliet has friends in Venice, she can help the British government with vital information and eventually she can’t leave due to a change in her circumstances.

Caroline arrives in Venice, with three keys and her beloved great-aunts ashes. Once she solves the mystery of the first key, key by key she unlocks her aunt’s wartime secrets, she discovers the sacrifices Juliet made, and her undercover work for British intelligence.

The Venice Sketchbook is a story about love, loss, courage, friendship, secrets and self-discovery. For Caroline her time in Venice is valuable in so many ways, she comes to terms with the end of her marriage, she can see things from a different perspective, she has great admiration for her great-aunt Juliet and the lasting legacy she left behind. I received a copy of The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, I was totally engrossed by Juliet’s story, I highly recommend the book and five stars from me. ]]> 4.01 2021 The Venice Sketchbook
author: Rhys Bowen
name: Karren
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/07/26
date added: 2024/04/09
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-unlimited, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Caroline Grant’s married to Josh, they have a little boy Teddy and she works as an editorial assistant at a women’s magazine. Josh is offered his dream job in New York, she and Teddy stay behind in England and it doesn’t take long for Josh to meet another women, Caroline’s marriage is in tatters and he wants Teddy to spend the summer in New York.

Caroline's close to her grandmother Winnie and her great-aunt Lettie, she visits them in Surrey and she’s in need of some moral support. Aunt Lettie lost her sight years ago, she’s getting very frail and she passes away. She leaves Caroline her sketchbook, three keys and with her last breath whispers the word Venice. Juliet Browning wants Caroline to scatter her ashes in Venice, the city she first visited as a teenager in the 1920’s and she will discover her great-aunts shocking secrets that have been kept hidden for over sixty years.

In 1938, Juliet Browning is an art teacher, she arrives in Venice with twelve students, for them to experience the cities, art, history, culture and food. A beautiful city built on water, getting around Venice is a challenge, lots of bridges, canals and boats are needed. For Juliet it brings back memories of her trip as a teenager, she visited Venice with her aunt Hortensia and she met the handsome Leonardo Da Rossi. He comes from one of the oldest, wealthiest and most powerful families in Venice.

Juliet returns to Venice in 1939, she’s studying art at the academia and Leonardo is now married. The outbreak of another war is looming, her fellow art students start leaving Venice and Juliet decides to stay. Juliet has friends in Venice, she can help the British government with vital information and eventually she can’t leave due to a change in her circumstances.

Caroline arrives in Venice, with three keys and her beloved great-aunts ashes. Once she solves the mystery of the first key, key by key she unlocks her aunt’s wartime secrets, she discovers the sacrifices Juliet made, and her undercover work for British intelligence.

The Venice Sketchbook is a story about love, loss, courage, friendship, secrets and self-discovery. For Caroline her time in Venice is valuable in so many ways, she comes to terms with the end of her marriage, she can see things from a different perspective, she has great admiration for her great-aunt Juliet and the lasting legacy she left behind. I received a copy of The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, I was totally engrossed by Juliet’s story, I highly recommend the book and five stars from me.
]]> The Magnolia Palace 57099323 The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City’s most impressive Gilded Age mansions.

Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter’s life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists� models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.

Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City’s most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from theVogueshoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica’s financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.]]> 340 Fiona Davis 0593184017 Karren 5
Her mother wanted her daughter’s identity to remain a secret, Lillian uses a stage name and everyone in the art world knows her as Angelica. She flees her apartment, the opportunity to become Helen Frick’s secretary lands in her lap, and it gives Lilly a place to stay and time to work out what she’s doing to do? One of her statues is located at the front of the Frick mansion, no one recognizes her, and Miss. Helen’s a rather demanding person, eccentric, and Lilly can’t wait to leave.

Henry Clay Frick, made a fortune from producing steel, his grand home is a showcase for his huge and expensive art collection. Behind the expensive facade, there’s a lot of tension in the house, his wife locks herself away in her room, his two remaining children don’t get along, he desperately wants Helen to marry, and he finds her a suitor.

The Magnolia Palace, has a dual timeline, both characters are models and find themselves in the Frick mansion and a half a century apart.

In 1966, Veronica Weber’s in New York, doing a fashion shoot for Vogue and at the Frick museum, she feels very out of her depth and she’s only done smaller modelling jobs in the past. Veronica's worried about leaving her mum and sister Polly behind in England, and she wants to make enough money to take care of Polly who has special needs. Veronica finds herself locked inside the Frick museum, the power has gone out and New York’s been hit by a snow storm. College intern and budding art curator Joshua Lawrence has also been locked inside with Veronica and to pass the time they start a scavenger hunt. Looking for clues about the Frick family and they try to solve the mystery of what happened to the rare and expensive Magnolia diamond, it went missing in 1919 and hasn't been seen since.

The Magnolia Palace is a historical fiction story about the wealthy Frick family, it highlights the tension between the siblings, Helen and her mother’s odd behavior and Mr. Frick’s obsession with buying and collecting art. Based on true facts and you do wonder if Henry Frick felt any guilt about the flooding in Johnstown, Pennsylvania when a dam collapsed in 1889 and he was one of the investors. Fiona Davis has written another fascinating dual time masterpiece, thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Publishing for my copy in exchange for an honest review and five big stars from me.
]]> 3.82 2022 The Magnolia Palace
author: Fiona Davis
name: Karren
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/11
date added: 2024/01/21
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
In 1919, after eight months Lillian Carter’s still grieving and her mother died during the Spanish flu epidemic. Lilly owes her landlord Mr. Watkins rent money, she's been unable to work, and when his wife is found murdered, and the police consider her a suspect? Supervised by her mother Kitty, Lillian started working as an artists muse when she was fifteen and many of her statues are on public display around New York City.

Her mother wanted her daughter’s identity to remain a secret, Lillian uses a stage name and everyone in the art world knows her as Angelica. She flees her apartment, the opportunity to become Helen Frick’s secretary lands in her lap, and it gives Lilly a place to stay and time to work out what she’s doing to do? One of her statues is located at the front of the Frick mansion, no one recognizes her, and Miss. Helen’s a rather demanding person, eccentric, and Lilly can’t wait to leave.

Henry Clay Frick, made a fortune from producing steel, his grand home is a showcase for his huge and expensive art collection. Behind the expensive facade, there’s a lot of tension in the house, his wife locks herself away in her room, his two remaining children don’t get along, he desperately wants Helen to marry, and he finds her a suitor.

The Magnolia Palace, has a dual timeline, both characters are models and find themselves in the Frick mansion and a half a century apart.

In 1966, Veronica Weber’s in New York, doing a fashion shoot for Vogue and at the Frick museum, she feels very out of her depth and she’s only done smaller modelling jobs in the past. Veronica's worried about leaving her mum and sister Polly behind in England, and she wants to make enough money to take care of Polly who has special needs. Veronica finds herself locked inside the Frick museum, the power has gone out and New York’s been hit by a snow storm. College intern and budding art curator Joshua Lawrence has also been locked inside with Veronica and to pass the time they start a scavenger hunt. Looking for clues about the Frick family and they try to solve the mystery of what happened to the rare and expensive Magnolia diamond, it went missing in 1919 and hasn't been seen since.

The Magnolia Palace is a historical fiction story about the wealthy Frick family, it highlights the tension between the siblings, Helen and her mother’s odd behavior and Mr. Frick’s obsession with buying and collecting art. Based on true facts and you do wonder if Henry Frick felt any guilt about the flooding in Johnstown, Pennsylvania when a dam collapsed in 1889 and he was one of the investors. Fiona Davis has written another fascinating dual time masterpiece, thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Publishing for my copy in exchange for an honest review and five big stars from me.

]]> <![CDATA[The Paris Dressmaker: A Novel of WWII]]> 54287705 Based on true accounts of how Parisiennes resisted the Nazi occupation in World War II—from fashion houses to the city streets—comes a story of two courageous women who risked everything to fight an evil they couldn’t abide.

Paris, 1939. Maison Chanel has closed, thrusting haute couture dressmaker Lila de Laurent out of the world of high fashion as Nazi soldiers invade the streets and the City of Lights slips into darkness. Lila’s life is now a series of rations, brutal restrictions, and carefully controlled propaganda while Paris is cut off from the rest of the world. Yet in hidden corners of the city, the faithful pledge to resist. Lila is drawn to La Resistance and is soon using her skills as a dressmaker to infiltrate the Nazi elite. She takes their measurements and designs masterpieces, all while collecting secrets in the glamorous Hôtel Ritz—the heart of the Nazis� Parisian headquarters. But when dashing René Touliard suddenly reenters her world, Lila finds her heart tangled between determination to help save his Jewish family and bolstering the fight for liberation.

Paris, 1943. Sandrine Paquet’s job is to catalog the priceless works of art bound for the Führer’s Berlin, masterpieces stolen from prominent Jewish families. But behind closed doors, she secretly forages for information from the underground resistance. Beneath her compliant façade lies a woman bent on uncovering the fate of her missing husband . . . but at what cost? As Hitler’s regime crumbles, Sandrine is drawn in deeper when she uncrates an exquisite blush Chanel gown concealing a cryptic message that may reveal the fate of a dressmaker who vanished from within the fashion elite.

Told across the span of the Nazi occupation, The Paris Dressmaker highlights the brave women who used everything in their power to resist darkness and restore light to their world.]]> 379 Kristy Cambron 0785232168 Karren 4 Lila de Laurent and her friend Amelie work for Coco Chanel as dressmakers and one day they arrive at work to find the salon closed. Lila begins working for another fashion designer Nina Ricci and she dresses the German officer’s mistresses living at the Ritz hotel. Life in France during the Second World War is hard, the city has been completely over run by German soldiers and they take everything. Lila joins the La Resistance, her job at the Ritz provides perfect cover, the soldiers girlfriends like to chat while being measured for their new gowns and it gives Lila access to high ranking German officer’s rooms. When pastry chef René Touliard saves her from being captured, she’s drawn deeper into the resistance and she’s really worried the Germans will see through her disguise.

Paris, 1943.
Sandrine Paquet’s husband Christian is missing in action, she’s hopeful he’s still alive and she has a six year old son Henri. Captain Von Hiller notices her; she’s requisitioned by him to catalog priceless art stolen by the Nazi’s and it’s being shipped to Germany. Sandrine is considered a collaborator, of course she can’t tell anyone the truth and she actually passes on information to the resistance. When she’s asked by Captain Von Hiller to unbox a beautiful blush colored Chanel gown, she’s shocked to find a piece of stock card sewn into a seam and it has a message written on it.

The German's in Paris know the end of the war is near, for Lila and Sandrine it makes life harder. Lila and René are fighting with the La Resistance in the streets of Paris and Sandrine is desperately trying to dodge Captain Von Hiller’s advances. The Paris Dressmaker is a story about two strong French women risking their lives to free France, to end the Germans reign of terror in the city of lights and both have a link to that beautiful blush gown. I received a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me. ]]> 3.91 2021 The Paris Dressmaker: A Novel of WWII
author: Kristy Cambron
name: Karren
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/05
date added: 2023/12/10
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Paris, 1939.
Lila de Laurent and her friend Amelie work for Coco Chanel as dressmakers and one day they arrive at work to find the salon closed. Lila begins working for another fashion designer Nina Ricci and she dresses the German officer’s mistresses living at the Ritz hotel. Life in France during the Second World War is hard, the city has been completely over run by German soldiers and they take everything. Lila joins the La Resistance, her job at the Ritz provides perfect cover, the soldiers girlfriends like to chat while being measured for their new gowns and it gives Lila access to high ranking German officer’s rooms. When pastry chef René Touliard saves her from being captured, she’s drawn deeper into the resistance and she’s really worried the Germans will see through her disguise.

Paris, 1943.
Sandrine Paquet’s husband Christian is missing in action, she’s hopeful he’s still alive and she has a six year old son Henri. Captain Von Hiller notices her; she’s requisitioned by him to catalog priceless art stolen by the Nazi’s and it’s being shipped to Germany. Sandrine is considered a collaborator, of course she can’t tell anyone the truth and she actually passes on information to the resistance. When she’s asked by Captain Von Hiller to unbox a beautiful blush colored Chanel gown, she’s shocked to find a piece of stock card sewn into a seam and it has a message written on it.

The German's in Paris know the end of the war is near, for Lila and Sandrine it makes life harder. Lila and René are fighting with the La Resistance in the streets of Paris and Sandrine is desperately trying to dodge Captain Von Hiller’s advances. The Paris Dressmaker is a story about two strong French women risking their lives to free France, to end the Germans reign of terror in the city of lights and both have a link to that beautiful blush gown. I received a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me.
]]> The Girl from Bletchley Park 58977519
1942. Three years into the war, Pam turns down her hard-won place at Oxford University to become a codebreaker at Bletchley Park. There, she meets two young men, both keen to impress her, and Pam finds herself falling hard for one of them. But as the country’s future becomes more uncertain by the day, a tragic turn of events casts doubt on her choice � and Pam’s loyalty is pushed to its limits�

Present day. Julia is struggling to juggle her career, two children and a husband increasingly jealous of her success. Her brother presents her with the perfect forgotten photos of their grandmother as a young woman at Bletchley Park. Why did her grandmother never speak of her time there? The search for answers leads Julia to an incredible tale of betrayal and bravery � one that inspires some huge decisions of her own�

Gripping historical fiction perfect for fans of The Girl from Berlin, The Rose Code and When We Were Brave.]]> 326 Kathleen McGurl 0008480826 Karren 5
Julia has been married to Marc for fifteen years, they have two sons and she runs her own IT company. Julia’s busy juggling her work, two children, and their after school actives. Her husband Marc has always been negative about her career, he doesn’t help her with daily tasks at home, and he’s become very distant. Her brother Bob is cleaning out his house, he gives Julia photos of their grandmother and she worked at the English country house called Bletchley Park. Julia’s grandmother never spoke about what she did during the war years, with her being good a math and languages, and it makes sense to Julia why her grandmother was given the opportunity.

Julia discovers what her grandmother did at Bletchley Park, from having to sign the official secrets act, not being able to speak to anyone about her work, using the huge digital electronic computer called Colossus, and how being able to decipher the German messages, reduced the length of the war by several years. Julia gains strength from her grandmother’s experiences, it helps her deal with the problems in her own life, to keep going during the tough times, and she defiantly takes after her grandmother.

The Girl from Bletchley Park is a dual timeline story about two intelligent women, and I found reading about Bletchley Park fascinating, I liked the two main female characters of Pamela and Julia, and I despised Marc's character. A slightly different writing style and story line to Kathleen McGurl's previous books, a nice change, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and five stars from me.
]]> 4.03 2021 The Girl from Bletchley Park
author: Kathleen McGurl
name: Karren
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/23
date added: 2023/08/22
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Pamela Jackson is about to finish school in 1942, she’s extremely smart and she receives an offer to attend Oxford University. She puts this on hold due to the war and Pamela’s interviewed to be a codebreaker at Bletchley Park and she joins the Wrens. Here she meets Clarissa Morton, Norah Clarke, Edwin Denham and Frank Miller. One of the men is extremely friendly and charming to Pamela, and then she begins to have second thoughts about him, his loyalty to England and has he been lying to her?

Julia has been married to Marc for fifteen years, they have two sons and she runs her own IT company. Julia’s busy juggling her work, two children, and their after school actives. Her husband Marc has always been negative about her career, he doesn’t help her with daily tasks at home, and he’s become very distant. Her brother Bob is cleaning out his house, he gives Julia photos of their grandmother and she worked at the English country house called Bletchley Park. Julia’s grandmother never spoke about what she did during the war years, with her being good a math and languages, and it makes sense to Julia why her grandmother was given the opportunity.

Julia discovers what her grandmother did at Bletchley Park, from having to sign the official secrets act, not being able to speak to anyone about her work, using the huge digital electronic computer called Colossus, and how being able to decipher the German messages, reduced the length of the war by several years. Julia gains strength from her grandmother’s experiences, it helps her deal with the problems in her own life, to keep going during the tough times, and she defiantly takes after her grandmother.

The Girl from Bletchley Park is a dual timeline story about two intelligent women, and I found reading about Bletchley Park fascinating, I liked the two main female characters of Pamela and Julia, and I despised Marc's character. A slightly different writing style and story line to Kathleen McGurl's previous books, a nice change, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and five stars from me.

]]> Edie's Home for Orphans 55886208 **Published in North America as Edie’s Home for Orphans and in the UK as Edie’s Home for Strays**

On the Home Front, one girl is determined to make a difference.

Edie’s hopes of serving overseas are dashed when she’s sent to be a Land Girl in a sleepy Cumbrian village.

Prue has shut the world out since her son went away to fight. Yet when asked to take in a Land Girl and two little evacuees from London, she has no choice.

Edie’s heart breaks seeing the children’s cold welcome. But when the evacuees take in a stray puppy, even Prue can’t say no.

Edie realises Applefield Manor could become a sanctuary. But can she persuade Prue to open her heart, and her home?

A moving, uplifting wartime story that fans of Dilly Court will love.]]> 0 Gracie Taylor Karren 5 Edie Cartwright had consumption as a child, it’s scarred her lungs and she’s very disappointed when Dr Grant declares her unfit for active service. Edie lost her job as a teacher at Brick Street School, it was closed due to the war and like everyone in her age group she wants to serve her country. Dr Grant suggests again about Edie moving to the countryside, her lungs would benefit from the clean air, they desperately need Land Girls, she completes the training course and she finds herself on the way to Cumberland.

The owner of Applefield Manor Mrs. Prudence Hewitt is waiting for her, she’s rather stern and not very welcoming. Edie will be helping the gardener Jack Graham around the estate and she will also be working for Sam Nicholson, caring for his sheep at nearby Larkstone farm. Matilda Liddell is the cook at the manor, she’s friendly and the others take one look at Edie’s slight build and they don’t think she will last two weeks. Edie proves them all wrong, yes she’s sore and tired to start off with and soon she’s feeling the best she’s ever felt and the horrible tight feeling in her chest has gone away.

Prudence isn’t happy when she informed two evacuees are going to being billeted with her and the children are from Bethnal Green. Agnes and James Cawthra arrive, the children are extremely underweight, small for their ages and James is mute. Edie and Matilda make the children feel welcome, it’s not long before Prue and Jack both find a new lease of life and really enjoy having the children around. When the children save a tiny puppy, they keep Coco hidden in the barn, he’s the first of many animals that join Pepper the black crow at Applefield Manor and the atmosphere around the place changes.

Edie’s Home for Orphans is a delightful story about Edie and her discovering how much she enjoys living in the country, looking after animals and being land girl. Her joy is infectious, her kindness thaws the coolest of hearts, including Mrs. Hewitt's and the slightly reserved sheep farmer Sam Nicholson's. I really enjoyed reading about the relationships and friendships in the story, the menagerie of animals and the kindness shown to the Italian POW’s.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review, a lovely wartime story by Gracie Taylor and five stars from me. ]]> 4.33 Edie's Home for Orphans
author: Gracie Taylor
name: Karren
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/03/23
date added: 2023/05/25
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
London, 1941.
Edie Cartwright had consumption as a child, it’s scarred her lungs and she’s very disappointed when Dr Grant declares her unfit for active service. Edie lost her job as a teacher at Brick Street School, it was closed due to the war and like everyone in her age group she wants to serve her country. Dr Grant suggests again about Edie moving to the countryside, her lungs would benefit from the clean air, they desperately need Land Girls, she completes the training course and she finds herself on the way to Cumberland.

The owner of Applefield Manor Mrs. Prudence Hewitt is waiting for her, she’s rather stern and not very welcoming. Edie will be helping the gardener Jack Graham around the estate and she will also be working for Sam Nicholson, caring for his sheep at nearby Larkstone farm. Matilda Liddell is the cook at the manor, she’s friendly and the others take one look at Edie’s slight build and they don’t think she will last two weeks. Edie proves them all wrong, yes she’s sore and tired to start off with and soon she’s feeling the best she’s ever felt and the horrible tight feeling in her chest has gone away.

Prudence isn’t happy when she informed two evacuees are going to being billeted with her and the children are from Bethnal Green. Agnes and James Cawthra arrive, the children are extremely underweight, small for their ages and James is mute. Edie and Matilda make the children feel welcome, it’s not long before Prue and Jack both find a new lease of life and really enjoy having the children around. When the children save a tiny puppy, they keep Coco hidden in the barn, he’s the first of many animals that join Pepper the black crow at Applefield Manor and the atmosphere around the place changes.

Edie’s Home for Orphans is a delightful story about Edie and her discovering how much she enjoys living in the country, looking after animals and being land girl. Her joy is infectious, her kindness thaws the coolest of hearts, including Mrs. Hewitt's and the slightly reserved sheep farmer Sam Nicholson's. I really enjoyed reading about the relationships and friendships in the story, the menagerie of animals and the kindness shown to the Italian POW’s.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review, a lovely wartime story by Gracie Taylor and five stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[Yours Cheerfully (The Emmy Lake Chronicles, #2)]]> 55710565 Woman’s Friend magazine, things are looking up for Emmeline Lake as she takes on the challenge of becoming a young wartime advice columnist. Her relationship with boyfriend Charles (now stationed back in the UK) is blossoming, while Emmy’s best friend Bunty, still reeling from the very worst of the Blitz, is bravely looking to the future. Together, the friends are determined to Make a Go of It.

When the Ministry of Information calls on Britain’s women’s magazines to help recruit desperately needed female workers to the war effort, Emmy is thrilled to be asked to step up and help. But when she and Bunty meet a young woman who shows them the very real challenges that women war workers face, Emmy must tackle a life-changing dilemma between doing her duty and standing by her friends.]]> 304 A.J. Pearce 1501170090 Karren 5 Woman’s Friend, Henrietta Bird has left the magazine and Emmeline Lake is excited to be once again involved with the advice column. Her dear friend Bunty is slowly getting over her injuries, she’s mourning the loss of her beloved William and she’s still Emmy’s number one supporter. Emmy’s boyfriend Charles Mayhew is stationed back in the UK, they don’t get to spend a lot of time together and are madly in love.

The Ministry of Information needs help to recruit women workers for the war effort and they want magazines to run government funded articles. Emmy comes up with the idea to interview women who have just started working at a munitions factory and she receives permission to visit Chandlers. Emmy's new friend Anne works at the facility, she’s a war widow and has two young children. She discovers the challenges women workers face, they work extremely long hours, and juggling shift work and motherhood during a war isn’t easy. Most married women needed to work, many struggled financially and they had no access to funded childcare. The managers at Chandlers considered child minding not their problem, workers families should help out and many women didn’t have relatives living close by.

British women had a personal interest in the war, they all had family members fighting and wanted to do their bit! In, Yours Cheerfully Emmy’s doing what she does best, writing heart felt stories for Woman’s Friend magazine and supporting the women of England. I absolutely loved Dear Mrs. Bird and A.J. Pearce has done it again and Yours Cheerfully will have you cheering for Emmy, Bunty, Charles and her friends. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, an absolute delightful story to read and five stars from me.]]> 3.87 2021 Yours Cheerfully (The Emmy Lake Chronicles, #2)
author: A.J. Pearce
name: Karren
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/18
date added: 2023/05/19
shelves: netgalley, edelweiss-above-the-tree-line, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
London, November 1941.
Woman’s Friend, Henrietta Bird has left the magazine and Emmeline Lake is excited to be once again involved with the advice column. Her dear friend Bunty is slowly getting over her injuries, she’s mourning the loss of her beloved William and she’s still Emmy’s number one supporter. Emmy’s boyfriend Charles Mayhew is stationed back in the UK, they don’t get to spend a lot of time together and are madly in love.

The Ministry of Information needs help to recruit women workers for the war effort and they want magazines to run government funded articles. Emmy comes up with the idea to interview women who have just started working at a munitions factory and she receives permission to visit Chandlers. Emmy's new friend Anne works at the facility, she’s a war widow and has two young children. She discovers the challenges women workers face, they work extremely long hours, and juggling shift work and motherhood during a war isn’t easy. Most married women needed to work, many struggled financially and they had no access to funded childcare. The managers at Chandlers considered child minding not their problem, workers families should help out and many women didn’t have relatives living close by.

British women had a personal interest in the war, they all had family members fighting and wanted to do their bit! In, Yours Cheerfully Emmy’s doing what she does best, writing heart felt stories for Woman’s Friend magazine and supporting the women of England. I absolutely loved Dear Mrs. Bird and A.J. Pearce has done it again and Yours Cheerfully will have you cheering for Emmy, Bunty, Charles and her friends. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, an absolute delightful story to read and five stars from me.
]]> The Last Green Valley 54362408 Beneath a Scarlet Sky comes a new historical novel inspired by one family’s incredible story of daring, survival, and triumph.

In late March 1944, as Stalin’s forces push into Ukraine, young Emil and Adeline Martel must make a terrible decision: Do they wait for the Soviet bear’s intrusion and risk being sent to Siberia? Or do they reluctantly follow the wolves—murderous Nazi officers who have pledged to protect “pure-blood� Germans?

The Martels are one of many families of German heritage whose ancestors have farmed in Ukraine for more than a century. But after already living under Stalin’s horrifying regime, Emil and Adeline decide they must run in retreat from their land with the wolves they despise to escape the Soviets and go in search of freedom.

Caught between two warring forces and overcoming horrific trials to pursue their hope of immigrating to the West, the Martels� story is a brutal, complex, and ultimately triumphant tale that illuminates the extraordinary power of love, faith, and one family’s incredible will to survive and see their dreams realized.]]> 458 Mark T. Sullivan 1503958760 Karren 5
The trip is a nightmare, they can hear gun shots, bombs exploding, and both Russian and German planes are flying overhead, and they go through endless German check points and hold ups. They keep traveling for days, the strength and courage that Emil and Adeline show is remarkable, and their determination is truly inspiring. Things get worse, eventually the couple are separated, and both still continue to fight to survive, hope they will be together again and one day live in peace.

The Last Green Valley is based on a true story, Mark Sullivan has written an epic novel, it's a testimony to the love Adeline and Emil had for each other and their children. At such a horrific time, they showed incredible fortitude, persistence, faith, bravery, courage and it’s inspiring. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it was amazing and five stars from me. ]]> 4.34 2021 The Last Green Valley
author: Mark T. Sullivan
name: Karren
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/29
date added: 2023/04/28
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-unlimited, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Emil and Adeline Martel are of German heritage, forced to make the difficult decision to either stay in the Ukraine and it’s about to be invaded by the Russian army or leave and flee West with the Germany army? The Martel’s have lived under Russian rule before, they decide to leave, they have two young sons Walt and Will, and they pack their wagon with, food, water, clothing, bedding and tools. They begin the journey into the unknown, with horses Thor & Oden pulling the wagon, the roads are busy, full of other refugees and retreating German soldiers. Adeline’s mother Lydia and her sister Malia, have a wagon and leave with the Martel’s. On the road, they catch up with Emil’s parents Johann, Karoline and his sister Rese.

The trip is a nightmare, they can hear gun shots, bombs exploding, and both Russian and German planes are flying overhead, and they go through endless German check points and hold ups. They keep traveling for days, the strength and courage that Emil and Adeline show is remarkable, and their determination is truly inspiring. Things get worse, eventually the couple are separated, and both still continue to fight to survive, hope they will be together again and one day live in peace.

The Last Green Valley is based on a true story, Mark Sullivan has written an epic novel, it's a testimony to the love Adeline and Emil had for each other and their children. At such a horrific time, they showed incredible fortitude, persistence, faith, bravery, courage and it’s inspiring. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it was amazing and five stars from me.
]]> These Tangled Vines 55929774 From the USA Today bestselling author of A Curve in the Road comes a sweeping and captivating tale of one woman’s journey to the lush vineyards of Tuscany—and into the mysteries of a tragic family secret.

If Fiona has learned anything in life, it’s how to keep a secret—even from the father who raised her. She is the only person who knows about her late mother’s affair in Tuscany thirty years earlier, and she intends to keep it that way…until a lawyer calls with shocking her biological father has died and left her an incredible inheritance—along with two half siblings.

Fiona travels to Italy, where the family is shocked to learn of her existence and desperate to contest her share of the will. While the mystery of her mother’s affair is slowly unraveled, Fiona must navigate through tricky family relationships and tense sibling rivalries. Fiona both fears and embraces her new destiny as she searches for the truth about the fateful summer her mother spent in Italy and the father she never knew.

Spilling over with the sumptuous flavors and romance of Tuscany, These Tangled Vines takes readers on a breathtaking journey of love, secrets, sacrifice, courage—and most importantly, the true meaning of family.]]> 302 Julianne MacLean 1542025389 Karren 5
A jet lagged Fiona arrives in Italy, she has no idea what sort of reception she will receive and the size of her fathers estate. She discovers she has a half-brother Connor, a half-sister Sloane, and they had no idea she existed. When her fathers will is read, Fiona has been left Maurizio Wines and Connor and Sloane are furious. They want to dispute Fiona’s parentage, contest the will and start looking everywhere for any evidence.

Fiona discovers her parents traveled to Italy in 1986, her mother Lillian worked at Maurizio Wines as a tour guide and while her father Freddie was busy writing his first book. Slowly Fiona uncovers what really happened in Tuscany thirty years ago, it's a complicated story and it has three sides and she’s defiantly Anton's daughter.

These Tangled Vines, is a story about lost love, secrets, sacrifice, courage, revenge, family ties, greed and most of all regret. Fiona regrets she wasn’t given the chance to meet her biological father Anton, Sloane also regrets not spending time with her father when she had the chance, and the two sisters are happy to have found each other. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it’s absolutely brilliant narrative, I read it in a day and five stars from me.]]> 4.27 2021 These Tangled Vines
author: Julianne MacLean
name: Karren
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/06/04
date added: 2023/04/06
shelves: kindle-reads, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-unlimited, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Fiona Bell’s mother Lillian told her a life changing secret on deathbed, made her promise she would never tell her father Freddie and she hasn’t. Years later, Fiona receives an unexpected call from Tuscany, her biological father Anton Clark has passed away and has included her in his will.

A jet lagged Fiona arrives in Italy, she has no idea what sort of reception she will receive and the size of her fathers estate. She discovers she has a half-brother Connor, a half-sister Sloane, and they had no idea she existed. When her fathers will is read, Fiona has been left Maurizio Wines and Connor and Sloane are furious. They want to dispute Fiona’s parentage, contest the will and start looking everywhere for any evidence.

Fiona discovers her parents traveled to Italy in 1986, her mother Lillian worked at Maurizio Wines as a tour guide and while her father Freddie was busy writing his first book. Slowly Fiona uncovers what really happened in Tuscany thirty years ago, it's a complicated story and it has three sides and she’s defiantly Anton's daughter.

These Tangled Vines, is a story about lost love, secrets, sacrifice, courage, revenge, family ties, greed and most of all regret. Fiona regrets she wasn’t given the chance to meet her biological father Anton, Sloane also regrets not spending time with her father when she had the chance, and the two sisters are happy to have found each other. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it’s absolutely brilliant narrative, I read it in a day and five stars from me.
]]> Under a Sky of Memories 57845241
Sicily, 1943. Three American women, all nurses in the Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron, are determined to do all they can for their country. Vita is fun-loving, Dot shy and sweet-natured, and Evelyn practical and determined, but for all their differences, a life of military service pulls the three together as firm friends.

When they’re selected for a daring mission, the women are proud to play their part. But disaster strikes when their plane crash-lands behind enemy lines in occupied Albania. Together with twenty-three other medics, they find themselves trapped, cut off from all communication with the squadron, and in terrifying and unimaginable danger.

As days and nights pass without hope of rescue, the group must travel on foot across unfamiliar terrain thick with Nazis and their violent local allies. Can Evelyn, Vita, and Dot survive the perilous journey through enemy territory—and finally find their way home?]]> 351 Soraya M. Lane 1542031982 Karren 5
The nurses leave for their first overseas posting, the destination is all very hush hush, and everyone’s feeling nervous. Dot, Evelyn and Vita become best friends, and they come from different walks of life. Evelyn’s mature of her age and sensible, her mother passed away when she was a teenager, she looked after her father and three younger sisters. Dot was orphaned at a young age, she was raised by her elderly grandparents, and she’s quiet and rather shy. Vita comes from a wealthy background, she’s confident and looks like a movie star.

They arrive in Sicily in 1943, a group of twenty six people are selected for a special mission, flying in a big Skytrooper and they come under enemy fire. The plane’s pilot Bobby Redfern, manages to preform an amazing crash landing, and they have no idea where they are? The crew’s behind enemy lines in Albania, with no form of communication and completely stranded. Local partisans come to their aid, not knowing if they can trust them, still in extreme danger and the nurses are scared.

Constantly on the move, having to stay one step ahead of the Germans, with few supplies, sleeping rough, and it doesn’t take long for everyone to struggle physically and mentally. Evelyn, Vita and Dot have all experienced tragedy in their lives, they’re much stronger than they think, it takes every ounce of courage, determination and effort for them to keep going, continue to believe they have a chance of being rescued and despite the terrible odds.

Under a Sky of Memories is a brilliant wartime story about three brave nurses, a handsome American pilot, a British agent and a local man called Stefa. I was totally hooked by the narrative after the first chapter, with a cast of gutsy characters, it’s a story about survival, in a brutal and remote place. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK in exchange for an honest review, Soraya M. Lane at her best, a perfectly balance story, and five stars from me.
]]> 4.38 2022 Under a Sky of Memories
author: Soraya M. Lane
name: Karren
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/21
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Evelyn, Vita and Dot are American nurses who have completed a specialist flight training program, and are now qualified members of the Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron. After being wounded in action, to increase the soldiers chances of survival, they needed to get to a hospital for treatment and quickly. The solution, planes specially fitted out to carry around twenty six wounded patients, with one nurse, a medic, and a surgeon aboard to look after them during the flight.

The nurses leave for their first overseas posting, the destination is all very hush hush, and everyone’s feeling nervous. Dot, Evelyn and Vita become best friends, and they come from different walks of life. Evelyn’s mature of her age and sensible, her mother passed away when she was a teenager, she looked after her father and three younger sisters. Dot was orphaned at a young age, she was raised by her elderly grandparents, and she’s quiet and rather shy. Vita comes from a wealthy background, she’s confident and looks like a movie star.

They arrive in Sicily in 1943, a group of twenty six people are selected for a special mission, flying in a big Skytrooper and they come under enemy fire. The plane’s pilot Bobby Redfern, manages to preform an amazing crash landing, and they have no idea where they are? The crew’s behind enemy lines in Albania, with no form of communication and completely stranded. Local partisans come to their aid, not knowing if they can trust them, still in extreme danger and the nurses are scared.

Constantly on the move, having to stay one step ahead of the Germans, with few supplies, sleeping rough, and it doesn’t take long for everyone to struggle physically and mentally. Evelyn, Vita and Dot have all experienced tragedy in their lives, they’re much stronger than they think, it takes every ounce of courage, determination and effort for them to keep going, continue to believe they have a chance of being rescued and despite the terrible odds.

Under a Sky of Memories is a brilliant wartime story about three brave nurses, a handsome American pilot, a British agent and a local man called Stefa. I was totally hooked by the narrative after the first chapter, with a cast of gutsy characters, it’s a story about survival, in a brutal and remote place. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK in exchange for an honest review, Soraya M. Lane at her best, a perfectly balance story, and five stars from me.

]]> Savannah's Secret 57124584
Set in the heart of the Australian countryside comes a compelling romance with a touch of suspense from bestselling author Mandy Magro.

Savannah Garret remains resolute in testifying as the sole eyewitness in Brisbane's most dangerous criminal case. For safety, the police have furnished her with a new identity and instructions to keep to herself. With a shiny new driver's licence in hand and job as a barmaid lined up, this die-hard city girl finds herself stepping off a bus and into the desolate street of the small country town she's now to call home.

Ash Sullivan has it all, money at his fingertips, his own property, and a successful chopper mustering business. But when it comes to love, he's failed miserably. Bitter experience has taught him that if he is ever lucky enough to meet a special woman he can fall for again, she has to be upfront from the get-go, no matter what.

These are two people, as different as chalk and cheese, who were never meant to meet until fate intervened. Will they grow to be the person each other needs? Or will their differences drive them apart?]]> 244 Mandy Magro 1489298835 Karren 4
Ash Sullivan has worked hard, he owns his own property Silverton Station and runs a chopper mustering business. He’s been very unlucky in love, years ago he had his heart shattered and he has no one to share his beautiful property with. All the single ladies in Blackwater have been trying to get his attention since he arrived and have had absolutely no luck. The accommodation at the pub is pretty basic and Ash has an empty renovated cottage on his property; he offers Savannah a place to live, here can she truly relax and feel safe? Ash and Savannah are very attracted to each other, she can’t tell anyone about her true identity and not even the man she falls head over heels in love with.

Savannah’s Secret is a story set in a small Australian country town, the local characters are likeable and extremely funny, and it has elements of romance, suspense and danger. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me.
]]> 3.99 Savannah's Secret
author: Mandy Magro
name: Karren
average rating: 3.99
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/10
date added: 2022/12/17
shelves: kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Savannah Garret is determined to see her best friend’s killer go to jail, Jimmy Biloti is a dangerous man and despite him being locked up and she may never feel safe. The detectives working on the case assure her with her new look, identity, and moving to a country town and she will be perfectly fine. After a long bus trip she arrives in Blackwater QLD and makes her way to the pub. Here she meets her new boss Jacko, his daughter Jessie and Savannah's the pubs new barmaid.

Ash Sullivan has worked hard, he owns his own property Silverton Station and runs a chopper mustering business. He’s been very unlucky in love, years ago he had his heart shattered and he has no one to share his beautiful property with. All the single ladies in Blackwater have been trying to get his attention since he arrived and have had absolutely no luck. The accommodation at the pub is pretty basic and Ash has an empty renovated cottage on his property; he offers Savannah a place to live, here can she truly relax and feel safe? Ash and Savannah are very attracted to each other, she can’t tell anyone about her true identity and not even the man she falls head over heels in love with.

Savannah’s Secret is a story set in a small Australian country town, the local characters are likeable and extremely funny, and it has elements of romance, suspense and danger. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me.

]]> When Grace Went Away 49169332 She's gone ... will her family pull together, or fall further apart?

Classic, women-centred fiction, a complex, multi-layered story about family and community, from the author of the warmly received Home at Last.

'Functionally dysfunctional.' That's how financial analyst Grace Fairley describes her family in the small South Australian farming community of Miners Ridge - a family fractured by tragedy and kept that way by anger, resentment and petty jealousies. As the eldest sibling, Grace tries to keep the family in touch, but now she's accepted a promotion to the London office. Time-zones and an enormous workload mean she's forced to take a step back, although she finds time to stay in contact with Miners Ridge landscape gardener Aaron Halliday.

Sarah Fairley, Grace's mother, fled Miners Ridge and her embittered husband eight years ago. Now, in the absence of Grace, she finds herself pulled back to the small town where her estranged children and grandchildren live. Drawn into the local community, and trying to rebuild family relationships, she uncovers a long-kept secret that could change her world ...

Can Grace, Sarah and their family find a way to heal? Who will have the courage to make the first move?

]]> 381 Meredith Appleyard 1489254609 Karren 5
Grace, helped her mother out by buying her a unit to live in, supported her through her cancer battle and she’s been offered a new job. Grace works as a financial analyst, she accepts the opportunity to work in London and her mum assures her she will be fine. Sarah left Miners Ridge eight years ago, she’d had enough of her husband behavior and she couldn’t take it anymore. The farm has been in his family for generations, like most farmers Doug loves his land and it’s always been his main propriety.

Sarah is lonely in Adelaide after her mother passes away, she decides to visit Miners Ridge and a place where she spent thirty five year of her life. Sarah has ties to the town, after her first trip, she rents a house for six months, makes friends with Carol the cleaner and volunteers at the local art gallery. She wants the repair the relationship with her son Tim, her rather stubborn daughter Faith, see her grandchildren and she’s the one to make the first move.

Grace is busy in London, she misses her mum and is feeling down and tired. On her last visit to Miners Ridge she met landscape gardener Aaron Halliday, he’s a friend of her brother Tim’s and they keep in contact. Grace and Aaron live in very different worlds, he makes Grace feel like she has never done before, now she’s stuck across the other side of the world from him and her mum.

When Grace Went Away is a brilliant story set in my home state of South Australia and I really enjoyed reading about familiar places. Strong women, Grace and Sarah had to decide what they really wanted out of life and achieved it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, brilliant and five stars from me. ]]> 4.17 When Grace Went Away
author: Meredith Appleyard
name: Karren
average rating: 4.17
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/12
date added: 2022/08/29
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge
review:
It’s been over a decade since Grace Fairley’s youngest brother tragically passed away in a car accident and within her family relationships are very strained. Her parents Sarah and Doug’s marriage ended, her sister Faith and brother Tim don’t speak to their mother and it’s broken her heart. Her family own a farm at Miners Ridge in South Australia, her brother and sister still live in the small country town and they could easily visit Sarah in Adelaide.

Grace, helped her mother out by buying her a unit to live in, supported her through her cancer battle and she’s been offered a new job. Grace works as a financial analyst, she accepts the opportunity to work in London and her mum assures her she will be fine. Sarah left Miners Ridge eight years ago, she’d had enough of her husband behavior and she couldn’t take it anymore. The farm has been in his family for generations, like most farmers Doug loves his land and it’s always been his main propriety.

Sarah is lonely in Adelaide after her mother passes away, she decides to visit Miners Ridge and a place where she spent thirty five year of her life. Sarah has ties to the town, after her first trip, she rents a house for six months, makes friends with Carol the cleaner and volunteers at the local art gallery. She wants the repair the relationship with her son Tim, her rather stubborn daughter Faith, see her grandchildren and she’s the one to make the first move.

Grace is busy in London, she misses her mum and is feeling down and tired. On her last visit to Miners Ridge she met landscape gardener Aaron Halliday, he’s a friend of her brother Tim’s and they keep in contact. Grace and Aaron live in very different worlds, he makes Grace feel like she has never done before, now she’s stuck across the other side of the world from him and her mum.

When Grace Went Away is a brilliant story set in my home state of South Australia and I really enjoyed reading about familiar places. Strong women, Grace and Sarah had to decide what they really wanted out of life and achieved it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, brilliant and five stars from me.
]]> The Library 58657331 An unlikely friendship forms between a sixteen-year-old boy and a seventy-two-year-old woman as they rally the community to save their local library.

Tom is invisible. He happily blends into the background of life. But Farah Shah changes everything. Farah makes Tom want to stand up and be seen � at least by her. So Tom quickly decides the best way to learn about women is to delve into romance novels, and he finds himself at the village library where he befriends 72-year-old Maggie.

Maggie has been happily alone for ten years, at least this is what she tells herself. When Tom comes to her rescue after a library meeting, never did she imagine a friendship that could change her life. As Maggie helps Tom navigate the best way to ask out Farrah, Tom helps Maggie realize the mistakes of her past won't define her future.

But when the library comes under threat of closure, it's up to Tom and Maggie to rally the community and save the library!

Will these two unlikely friends be able to bring everyone together and save their library? ]]> 374 Bella Osborne 1801100489 Karren 5
Despite the age difference Tom and Maggie become friends and he starts helping her around her farm. Maggie has twenty acres, she runs sheep, keeps chickens and grows her own vegetables. Maggie takes Tom under her wing, he appreciates her home cooked meals and she senses Tom isn’t happy at home and she leaves it up to him to tell her what’s going on.

Tom discovers the joy of reading, he gains confidence, he starts to apply himself to his studies, he wants to pass high school and go to university. When they threaten to close the library, Maggie, Tom, Farah, Christine and the members of Maggie’s book group start a petition and come up with ideas to save the library. An emotional story about an unlikely friendship, Maggie gives Tom the love and attention he desperately needs and she has a new lease on life. Tom learns valuable life skills from Maggie, and also people do make mistakes and you can’t hold their past against them.

I recived a copy of The Library from NetGalley and Aria & Aries in exchange for an honest review, Bella Osborne's book is beautifully written, it made me cry in a good way, my heart feels full of hope, and five big stars from me.

]]> 4.22 2021 The Library
author: Bella Osborne
name: Karren
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/28
date added: 2022/04/05
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021, kindle-reads
review:
Tom Harris lives with his father Paul, he’s only sixteen and he has the weight of the world on his young shoulders. His mum passed away when he was eight, his dad works nights, and Tom's left home alone. He has a crush on Farah Shah at school, he blushes every time he sees her, and loses the ability to speak. He hasn’t a clue about girls, he starts borrowing romance novels from the local library, and to get some ideas on how to be less awkward around girls. Here he meets Maggie Mann, she’s seventy two, a widow and Tom comes to her rescue.

Despite the age difference Tom and Maggie become friends and he starts helping her around her farm. Maggie has twenty acres, she runs sheep, keeps chickens and grows her own vegetables. Maggie takes Tom under her wing, he appreciates her home cooked meals and she senses Tom isn’t happy at home and she leaves it up to him to tell her what’s going on.

Tom discovers the joy of reading, he gains confidence, he starts to apply himself to his studies, he wants to pass high school and go to university. When they threaten to close the library, Maggie, Tom, Farah, Christine and the members of Maggie’s book group start a petition and come up with ideas to save the library. An emotional story about an unlikely friendship, Maggie gives Tom the love and attention he desperately needs and she has a new lease on life. Tom learns valuable life skills from Maggie, and also people do make mistakes and you can’t hold their past against them.

I recived a copy of The Library from NetGalley and Aria & Aries in exchange for an honest review, Bella Osborne's book is beautifully written, it made me cry in a good way, my heart feels full of hope, and five big stars from me.


]]> <![CDATA[The Post Office Girls (The Post Girls #1)]]> 57176347 353 Poppy Cooper 152931027X Karren 4
Beth secretly applies to join the Army Post Office’s new Home Depot on the Regent’s Park, and she can’t believe it when she’s offered a job. The postal service was of great significance during WW I and it handled over twelve million letters a week. Beth works in the damaged parcel department, she repacks and readdresses damaged parcels being sent to soldiers, it’s an important job and a very busy one.

Despite traveling and long work days, Beth enjoys her new job, she makes friends with two girls employed in the same department, Milly Woods and Nora Benhams. By working and staying at her new friends houses overnight; Beth discovers life is very different in London, Nora comes from a well to do family and Milly is involved with the suffragette movement. At the Home Depot she also meets the attractive James Blackford, he’s of age and yet he’s not fighting in the war?

The Post Office Girls takes you back to 1915 and when women’s roles changed during WW I and it gives you an insight into life in England at the time. I enjoyed reading about the friendship formed between the three young women, they faced many challenges together and the important work they did. The mail service was extremely vital during WW I, receiving a letter boosted morale in the trenches and at home.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me. ]]> 4.39 The Post Office Girls (The Post Girls #1)
author: Poppy Cooper
name: Karren
average rating: 4.39
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/09
date added: 2022/03/01
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Beth Healey works in her parent’s village shop in Woodhampstead, getting orders ready and serving customers. Beth and her twin brother Ned have just turned eighteen, like all young men Ned signs up to fight for his king and country. Beth also wants to contribute to the war, others are doing their bit and her parents have very old fashioned ideas about what young ladies can do.

Beth secretly applies to join the Army Post Office’s new Home Depot on the Regent’s Park, and she can’t believe it when she’s offered a job. The postal service was of great significance during WW I and it handled over twelve million letters a week. Beth works in the damaged parcel department, she repacks and readdresses damaged parcels being sent to soldiers, it’s an important job and a very busy one.

Despite traveling and long work days, Beth enjoys her new job, she makes friends with two girls employed in the same department, Milly Woods and Nora Benhams. By working and staying at her new friends houses overnight; Beth discovers life is very different in London, Nora comes from a well to do family and Milly is involved with the suffragette movement. At the Home Depot she also meets the attractive James Blackford, he’s of age and yet he’s not fighting in the war?

The Post Office Girls takes you back to 1915 and when women’s roles changed during WW I and it gives you an insight into life in England at the time. I enjoyed reading about the friendship formed between the three young women, they faced many challenges together and the important work they did. The mail service was extremely vital during WW I, receiving a letter boosted morale in the trenches and at home.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me.
]]> Goodbye Again (Wyndham Beach) 57597224
In the wake of her daughter’s unexplained suicide and her husband Jim’s sudden abandonment, Liddy Bryant is determined to move on and make some positive changes in her life. In her hometown of Wyndham Beach, the neglected and shuttered bookstore is also in need of renewal, and Liddy recognizes an opportunity to get herself and the bookshop back on track. With a little help from her friends, she’s well on her way.

Local contractor Tuck Shelby has been a friend of Liddy’s forever. He’s made himself indispensable in the rehab of her shop—and in her life—but now he wants out of the friend zone. Then Jim returns with a long-overdue apology, hoping for forgiveness and a chance to start over, and Liddy has a life-changing choice to make.

Into a year when Liddy’s faced changes and the shocking truth of a well-kept secret comes not only a second chance at love, but a second chance at life.]]> 379 Mariah Stewart 1542033071 Karren 5
Liddy’s rather nervous the day Wyndham Beach Reads opens, she has so many things she wants to try and other plans for her bookshop. She’s still unsure if she has done the right thing financially, Liddy’s worried the novelty of a new business will wear off and her shop will fail. Tuck has been very supportive, he’s a really nice man and Liddy wonders if they could ever be more than just friends. When Jim returns, Liddy's not overjoyed to see her ex-husband, he does say he’s sorry about hurting her and wants Liddy to forgive him and start over?

A long kept secret is finally revealed, Liddy feels Jessica can finally rest in peace, she loves running her own business, she’s accomplished more than she ever thought she could, she helps a young man in need, and decides who she wants to spend her future with.

I received a copy of Goodbye Again from NetGalley and Montlake in exchange for an honest review, and I have also read the first book in the Wyndham Beach Series, An Invincible Summer and I absolutely adored both books. Mariah Stewart writes with real tenderness and is sensitive to people’s feelings regarding difficult subjects and she’s an extremely talented author. Liddy’s story will make you feel really emotional, I can’t wait for the next book in the wonderful series and five stars from me.

]]> 4.05 2022 Goodbye Again (Wyndham Beach)
author: Mariah Stewart
name: Karren
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/26
date added: 2022/02/06
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Liddy Bryant was devastated when her daughter Jessica unexpectedly committed suicide, and a year later her husband of forty years leaves her. Without the support of her best friends Maggie and Emma, Liddy doubts she would have found the strength to keep going and now she’s ready to start a new chapter in her life. Liddy’s decided to buy the rundown bookstore in her hometown of Wyndham Beach, and it needs a lot of work. Liddy completely transforms the shop from top to bottom, with help from her friends Maggie, Emma, Grace and builder Tuck Shelby.

Liddy’s rather nervous the day Wyndham Beach Reads opens, she has so many things she wants to try and other plans for her bookshop. She’s still unsure if she has done the right thing financially, Liddy’s worried the novelty of a new business will wear off and her shop will fail. Tuck has been very supportive, he’s a really nice man and Liddy wonders if they could ever be more than just friends. When Jim returns, Liddy's not overjoyed to see her ex-husband, he does say he’s sorry about hurting her and wants Liddy to forgive him and start over?

A long kept secret is finally revealed, Liddy feels Jessica can finally rest in peace, she loves running her own business, she’s accomplished more than she ever thought she could, she helps a young man in need, and decides who she wants to spend her future with.

I received a copy of Goodbye Again from NetGalley and Montlake in exchange for an honest review, and I have also read the first book in the Wyndham Beach Series, An Invincible Summer and I absolutely adored both books. Mariah Stewart writes with real tenderness and is sensitive to people’s feelings regarding difficult subjects and she’s an extremely talented author. Liddy’s story will make you feel really emotional, I can’t wait for the next book in the wonderful series and five stars from me.


]]> Velocity of a Secret 58034043 An intrepid heroine confronts the dark underworld of espionage and war in this daring historical romance by Violet Marsh, the award-winning author of The Aviatrix.

It’s spring 1919, and the Great War has ended. New life flourishes on the red cliffs of the Northern Isles of Scotland―sea pinks and primrose, puffins and guillemots. But this windswept corner of the world harbors a dark secret.

Rose Van Etten has always reveled in danger and defiance. When the war started, she went from racing cars to driving ambulances and learned of an insidious spy ring from a dying soldier. Now that the war is over, she ventures to Scotland in search of the truth.

The isles� stark beauty quickly captivates her, but so does one of the locals. Unlike most men, the rugged, Viking-esque Thorfinn Sinclair respects Rose’s independent spirit. It seems she’s met her equal.

But Thorfinn has secrets of his own. Fiercely loyal to home and family, he will do whatever it takes to protect the land he loves. As the spies close in, Rose must decide for herself: Is Thorfinn friend or foe?

]]> 448 Violet Marsh 1542027632 Karren 5
Rose returns home to Florida, to recuperate from being gassed and catching the Spanish flu and she’s also suffering from flashback from the war. In 1919, Rose is well enough to travel to the Northern Isle of Scotland to the Orkney’s, her friend Myrtle Morningstar is accompanying her, and Rose believes the mysterious British officer is from here?

Rose sees the natural beauty in Frest and the crumbling mansion Muckle Skaill, she buys it from its unscrupulous owner and want's to renovate the property. She employees Thorfinn Sinclair to be her land agent, he’s a local and he knows the area and the people who live the crofts. While the men were away fighting in the war, Sinclair kept the community going, and he’s the perfect person for the job. The islanders main source of income’s from sheep, they sell the meat and hides to the navy, spin the wool and knit beautiful jumpers. Rose is aware of the natural beauty in the remote area, she doesn’t want to change the local’s way of life, she wants to promote their cottage industries and increase their incomes.

Of course, Rose has another reason for going to Scotland, that’s to pass on the dying man’s message, he gave her a key, and who can she trust with her secret. Nearby, the old German imperial fleet is being guarded by the English Navy and Rose and Myrtle start doing some after hours surveillance.

I loved reading about the Scottish customs and traditions, and especially celebrating the Ceilidh and Rose's relationship with the Flett children. Violet Marsh has written a story that honors the brave women who served in WW I, the price they paid and the strength they needed to adjust to living in civilian life afterwards and many suffered from shell shock and Rose's characters one of these women.

I received a copy of Velocity of a Secret from NetGalley and Montlake in exchange for an honest review, my mum’s Scottish, and I love reading Historical Fiction set in her home country and about The Great War. I highly recommend reading this wonderful book, due to be released on the 8th of February and five stars from me.

]]> 3.92 2022 Velocity of a Secret
author: Violet Marsh
name: Karren
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/29
date added: 2022/02/06
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, paperback
review:
American socialite Rose Van Etten likes to live life at a fast pace, she races cars and she wants to use her ability to drive to help her country. She becomes an ambulance driver in WW I, and when Tin Lizzie's staffed by a German plane she knows she’s in big trouble. She’s transporting a seriously injured British officer, he whispers with his last breath that he want's tell someone he's sorry and gives Rose a key.

Rose returns home to Florida, to recuperate from being gassed and catching the Spanish flu and she’s also suffering from flashback from the war. In 1919, Rose is well enough to travel to the Northern Isle of Scotland to the Orkney’s, her friend Myrtle Morningstar is accompanying her, and Rose believes the mysterious British officer is from here?

Rose sees the natural beauty in Frest and the crumbling mansion Muckle Skaill, she buys it from its unscrupulous owner and want's to renovate the property. She employees Thorfinn Sinclair to be her land agent, he’s a local and he knows the area and the people who live the crofts. While the men were away fighting in the war, Sinclair kept the community going, and he’s the perfect person for the job. The islanders main source of income’s from sheep, they sell the meat and hides to the navy, spin the wool and knit beautiful jumpers. Rose is aware of the natural beauty in the remote area, she doesn’t want to change the local’s way of life, she wants to promote their cottage industries and increase their incomes.

Of course, Rose has another reason for going to Scotland, that’s to pass on the dying man’s message, he gave her a key, and who can she trust with her secret. Nearby, the old German imperial fleet is being guarded by the English Navy and Rose and Myrtle start doing some after hours surveillance.

I loved reading about the Scottish customs and traditions, and especially celebrating the Ceilidh and Rose's relationship with the Flett children. Violet Marsh has written a story that honors the brave women who served in WW I, the price they paid and the strength they needed to adjust to living in civilian life afterwards and many suffered from shell shock and Rose's characters one of these women.

I received a copy of Velocity of a Secret from NetGalley and Montlake in exchange for an honest review, my mum’s Scottish, and I love reading Historical Fiction set in her home country and about The Great War. I highly recommend reading this wonderful book, due to be released on the 8th of February and five stars from me.


]]> My Heart Went Walking 58362918 The only man she’s ever loved is seeing her sister.
And now they have to save her together.

Sally Hanan’s sublime debut mixes the prose of Sue Monk Kidd with the dialogue of Maeve Binchy. With captivating warmth, she pulls us in to how it felt to live in Ireland’s changing culture of the �80s, and how it often made a woman’s decisions for her.

“I can’t bear to keep walking. But you can’t keep a secret in this town unless you leave with it.�

Kept apart by their love for one man, two sisters embark on their own paths towards survival, love, and understanding, until they finally meet again in the worst of circumstances. And the reality might break them all.

My Heart Went Walking is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that sweeps from the small Irish town of Donegal to the “big smoke� of Dublin City; a book that celebrates the pull of family and the chance of redemption. It is a novel for everyone who feels connected to the Irish approach to life—that of grit and laughter—and also for everyone who loves an overriding message of hope and restoration in all things.]]> 352 Sally Hanan 1733333045 Karren 3
Una’s mum’s not very happy with her daughter, she wants to send her to stay with the nuns, and put her baby up for adoption. Una wants to keep her baby, despite not have a lot of money and a proper plan, and she runs away to Dublin. By leaving home in such a rush you do question Una’s decision making and of course she’s very young and scared. Una turns to the Protestant church for help, father John finds a couple Des and Catherine who offer her a place to stay. Una misses her family, but she feels like she can’t return home due to her pregnancy and her mother’s beliefs about unwed mothers. I was a teenager myself in the 1980’s, people did think very differently then, about single mothers and unplanned pregnancies, and fortunately times have changed.

Ellie’s now sixteen and dating Cullen and Una discovers her sister is sick with Leukemia. Una loves Ellie, she wants to help her beat the terrible disease, and Una’s shocked when she visits Ellie the first time in hospital. Una made a mistake, she’s forced to grow up very quickly, accept the consequences of her actions, and she’s a wonderful mother and helps Ellie in her time of need.

I received a copy of My Heart Went Walking from NetGalley and Fire Drinkers Publishing in exchange for an honest review, the stories about family ties and the bond between sisters, second chances, and the past doesn’t define a teenage girl’s future and her being able to move forward. A great debut novel by author Sally Hanan, and I loved the references to 80’s music, fashion and makeup trends, and three and a half stars from me.

]]> 3.86 My Heart Went Walking
author: Sally Hanan
name: Karren
average rating: 3.86
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2021/12/01
date added: 2022/02/05
shelves: netgalley, edelweiss-above-the-tree-line, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Una Gallagher lives in Donegal, Ireland, with her parents and younger siblings. Una shares a room with her sister Ellie and her best friends at high school are Tanya and Cullen. Growing up in a small village, everyone knows your business, and it’s hard to keep anything a secret. After one youthful night of drunken passion, and Una’s pregnant and Cullen’s the father.

Una’s mum’s not very happy with her daughter, she wants to send her to stay with the nuns, and put her baby up for adoption. Una wants to keep her baby, despite not have a lot of money and a proper plan, and she runs away to Dublin. By leaving home in such a rush you do question Una’s decision making and of course she’s very young and scared. Una turns to the Protestant church for help, father John finds a couple Des and Catherine who offer her a place to stay. Una misses her family, but she feels like she can’t return home due to her pregnancy and her mother’s beliefs about unwed mothers. I was a teenager myself in the 1980’s, people did think very differently then, about single mothers and unplanned pregnancies, and fortunately times have changed.

Ellie’s now sixteen and dating Cullen and Una discovers her sister is sick with Leukemia. Una loves Ellie, she wants to help her beat the terrible disease, and Una’s shocked when she visits Ellie the first time in hospital. Una made a mistake, she’s forced to grow up very quickly, accept the consequences of her actions, and she’s a wonderful mother and helps Ellie in her time of need.

I received a copy of My Heart Went Walking from NetGalley and Fire Drinkers Publishing in exchange for an honest review, the stories about family ties and the bond between sisters, second chances, and the past doesn’t define a teenage girl’s future and her being able to move forward. A great debut novel by author Sally Hanan, and I loved the references to 80’s music, fashion and makeup trends, and three and a half stars from me.


]]> Lily Harford's Last Request 59575038 Lily Harford is nearing the end of her once joyful life - and for her, it can't come soon enough. Who will have the courage, kindness and love to grant her last request? A compassionate and heart-felt story for readers of Jodi Picoult, Tricia Stringer and Fiona Lowe.

Knowing she is sliding into dementia, Lily Harford is ready to give up her life ... but can she persuade someone to commit the illegal act of taking it from her?

Lily has lived a joyful, independent life in a seaside town in Queensland, running her own business and raising a daughter as a single mother at a time when few women did so. Now health and circumstance have pushed her into a nursing home, and her memory is failing, although events of the past remain fresh. Like pulling back the layers of a Russian doll, Lily recalls the former selves - mother, professional woman, lover, daughter - who still exist inside her.

Lily's daughter, Pauline, has been pushed to her limits by her demanding job, as well as the needs of her mother, husband, daughter and grandchildren. And now her mother is begging to die. Nurse aide Donna, still recovering from a dysfunctional childhood and the demise of her marriage, finds comfort in Lily's kindness and down to earth wisdom. As Lily fades, she asks Donna, too, to help her end her life.

A thought-provoking, vivid and moving exploration of how we value a life well lived, and the decisions we make when that life is coming to an end.]]> 256 Joanna Buckley 1867232464 Karren 5
Lily noticed she’s starting to forget things, at first she puts it down to getting older, it gets worse and she’s diagnosed with Dementia. Pauline’s wants her mother to be safe, she finds a lovely nursing home in Finn Bay, convinces Lily to sell her house and move into room eighteen. Both Lily and Pauline underestimate the impact this will have on their lives, Pauline feels terribly guilty and Lily feels trapped in a body that’s slowly failing her.

Mother and daughter have always been very close, both are high achievers and have similar personalities. Pauline’s struggling with a heavy work load, she’s a school principal, a wife to Sam, mother to Rachel and has two grandchildren. With her beloved mother fading fast, her rock, Pauline is having trouble coping and she knows it's only going to get worse.

The staff at Blue Vista are lovely, one carer in particular is kind, thoughtful and Lily becomes close to her. Donna’s struggled in her personal life, her family put her down, her marriage failed, she likes working in aged care and Lily thinks she would make a wonderful nurse. Lily Harford’s Last Request is about Lily facing her own mortality, she would like to make the choice to end her life and before she gets any worse. She asks both Donna and Pauline to help her, they point out to her that it’s illegal and they can’t do it.

The narrative is about aging, friendship, courage, dignity, and the worry of having older parents and how much you fear losing them. I received a copy of this book kindly from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia, in exchange for on honest review, it’s a very emotional story, Joanna Buckley writes with feeling, sensitivity, tact, and five stars from me.

]]> 3.86 Lily Harford's Last Request
author: Joanna Buckley
name: Karren
average rating: 3.86
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/17
date added: 2022/02/03
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Lily Harford lives in Finn Bay, she grew up in the small seaside town in Queensland and she’s in her mid-eighties. She has had a full active life, running her own accounting business and with the support of her parents, she raised her daughter Pauline. At a time when very few women went to university, had a career and were single mothers.

Lily noticed she’s starting to forget things, at first she puts it down to getting older, it gets worse and she’s diagnosed with Dementia. Pauline’s wants her mother to be safe, she finds a lovely nursing home in Finn Bay, convinces Lily to sell her house and move into room eighteen. Both Lily and Pauline underestimate the impact this will have on their lives, Pauline feels terribly guilty and Lily feels trapped in a body that’s slowly failing her.

Mother and daughter have always been very close, both are high achievers and have similar personalities. Pauline’s struggling with a heavy work load, she’s a school principal, a wife to Sam, mother to Rachel and has two grandchildren. With her beloved mother fading fast, her rock, Pauline is having trouble coping and she knows it's only going to get worse.

The staff at Blue Vista are lovely, one carer in particular is kind, thoughtful and Lily becomes close to her. Donna’s struggled in her personal life, her family put her down, her marriage failed, she likes working in aged care and Lily thinks she would make a wonderful nurse. Lily Harford’s Last Request is about Lily facing her own mortality, she would like to make the choice to end her life and before she gets any worse. She asks both Donna and Pauline to help her, they point out to her that it’s illegal and they can’t do it.

The narrative is about aging, friendship, courage, dignity, and the worry of having older parents and how much you fear losing them. I received a copy of this book kindly from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia, in exchange for on honest review, it’s a very emotional story, Joanna Buckley writes with feeling, sensitivity, tact, and five stars from me.


]]> The Dressmaker’s Secret 58577735 Paris, 1941: As Coco Chanel’s assistant, Adèle lives side by side with German officers in the splendor of The Ritz hotel. But Adèle has a secret. She is working for the resistance, right under the German’s noses.

As occupied Paris becomes more and more dangerous, Adèle will have to decide if she can risk everything to save innocent lives and protect the man she loves�

Present day: Chloé’s grandmother has never spoken about the war and avoids questions about the legendary designer she once worked for. Now Chloé has come to Paris, to uncover the truth about Adèle’s life. But is she prepared for what she will find? And for the power of her grandmother’s secrets to change her family forever…]]> 378 Lorna Cook 0008379106 Karren 5
Adele feels guilty, so many French people are going hungry, and she has a safe place to stay and plenty of food. Adele decides to donate blood, on the way to the hospital she witnesses a Jewish woman being arrested and she’s shocked. Dr Theo Dixon is working for the American Red Cross, he draws Adele’s blood, and he’s an inspiration to Adele. They become friends, Theo's involved in the resistance and Adele decides she can no longer watch from the sidelines.

The Dressmaker’s Secret has a dual timeline is goes between Adele’s story in wartime Paris and her granddaughter Chloe moving to Paris in the present time and she’s having her version of a gap year.

Chloe’s marriage has ended after five years, she decides to rent a little apartment in Paris, and help out her friend who owns a vintage clothes shop. Chloe’s interested in Coco Chanel, her grandmother worked for her during the 1940’s and Adele attends an auction of antique items from The Ritz. Here she meets Etienne, he’s an art dealer and interested in war history. He and Chloe start talking, she had no idea that Coco was friendly with the Nazi’s, and information was recently released confirmed she was a sympathizer, and she visited Berlin several times during the war. Chloe’s grandmother hasn’t spoken about the war years, with help from Etienne she starts looking at old archives, she’s very concerned about what she will find and could her sweet grandmother have been a collaborator?

I received a copy of The Dressmaker’s Secret from NetGalley and Avon Books in exchange for an honest review, the story is full of mystery, intrigue, wartime secrets and romance. For Chloe’s character it’s about moving forward from her divorce, feeling free and discovering how brave her beloved grandmother was during the war. Lorna Cook decided to write her book based on what Coco Chanel really did during the war, she combines the truth about the famous collaborator and with a narrative about two strong and courageous women and five stars from me.

]]> 4.38 2022 The Dressmaker’s Secret
author: Lorna Cook
name: Karren
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/23
date added: 2022/02/02
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Adele travels to Paris to find work, she’s an orphan and was raised by nuns in a convent at St. Nazaire, and by chance she becomes Coco Chanel’s private secretary. Due to the threat of another war, Coco closes her fashion house, she sacks all of her seamstresses and Adele’s very lucky to keep her job. Coco moves into The Ritz, Adele’s given a small room and is in charge of her employers; correspondence, meetings, her belongings and packs Madame’s suitcases when she travels. Adele finds living at The Ritz rather intimidating, especially when high ranking German officers move in, Coco begins socializing with them and dating a much younger man.

Adele feels guilty, so many French people are going hungry, and she has a safe place to stay and plenty of food. Adele decides to donate blood, on the way to the hospital she witnesses a Jewish woman being arrested and she’s shocked. Dr Theo Dixon is working for the American Red Cross, he draws Adele’s blood, and he’s an inspiration to Adele. They become friends, Theo's involved in the resistance and Adele decides she can no longer watch from the sidelines.

The Dressmaker’s Secret has a dual timeline is goes between Adele’s story in wartime Paris and her granddaughter Chloe moving to Paris in the present time and she’s having her version of a gap year.

Chloe’s marriage has ended after five years, she decides to rent a little apartment in Paris, and help out her friend who owns a vintage clothes shop. Chloe’s interested in Coco Chanel, her grandmother worked for her during the 1940’s and Adele attends an auction of antique items from The Ritz. Here she meets Etienne, he’s an art dealer and interested in war history. He and Chloe start talking, she had no idea that Coco was friendly with the Nazi’s, and information was recently released confirmed she was a sympathizer, and she visited Berlin several times during the war. Chloe’s grandmother hasn’t spoken about the war years, with help from Etienne she starts looking at old archives, she’s very concerned about what she will find and could her sweet grandmother have been a collaborator?

I received a copy of The Dressmaker’s Secret from NetGalley and Avon Books in exchange for an honest review, the story is full of mystery, intrigue, wartime secrets and romance. For Chloe’s character it’s about moving forward from her divorce, feeling free and discovering how brave her beloved grandmother was during the war. Lorna Cook decided to write her book based on what Coco Chanel really did during the war, she combines the truth about the famous collaborator and with a narrative about two strong and courageous women and five stars from me.


]]> Dressed by Iris 58897049 A vivid, romantic story of Sydney in the 1930s Depression - the heartbreak, the glamour, the dark underbelly, the struggle towards a better day - and one young woman's dream of designing her way from rags to riches. For readers of Natasha Lester and Victoria Purman.

1930: Seventeen-year-old Iris Mitchell dreams of designing clothes, but there's little spare cash for fashion in their shanty-town home. The gift of a single purple ribbon from would-be boyfriend John Tucker, however, creates an unexpected opportunity ... and when Iris's brother Jim joins the Sydney Harbour Bridge construction, the large, dirt-poor but loving Mitchell family can move to the city. Iris will be torn away from John, but he's Protestant and she's Catholic, taboo in their world, so perhaps it wasn't meant to be ...

1932: By day, Iris scrubs the floors at Caron's, an upmarket department store. By night, she designs and sews in her family's tiny, crowded house. Friendship with gorgeous, livewire Natasha, one of Caron's models, allows Iris to show her skills, but will her talent be acknowledged ... or exploited?

When John reappears, passions are reignited, and Iris must face not only their religious divide, but the apparent impossibility of having both marriage and a career. Meanwhile, the Mitchells must navigate life in a city riven by corruption, dirty politics and gambling. Will their faith, determination and deep family bond save them when tragedy and adversity strike? In 1930s Sydney, the stakes have never been higher ...]]> 480 Mary-Anne O'Connor 1867225441 Karren 5
John Tucker’s a protestant, he’s extremely fond of Iris and he gives her a purple ribbon for her birthday. Iris loves fashion, sewing, and she makes a stunning cloche hat and decorates it with John’s gift. When Jim’s offered a job building the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the whole family move, and it might be for the best that Iris can no longer see John, and her parents wouldn’t let her date a protestant man.

Iris starts working at a department store as cleaner, and her earnings go straight into the family’s money tin. The family live in a small cottage and to Agnes's delight it has a wooden floor, and they make room for Iris's sewing machine. At work Iris meets Natasha Jones, she’s a model at Caron’s, and despite coming from different backgrounds, and they become the best of friends. Iris takes Natasha home, she worries what she will think of her families humble living arrangements, and I don’t why she's concerned? Natasha has no idea how talented and unique Iris's creations are and she has a remarkable gift. Australians love to gamble, horse racing is popular in the 1930's and Phar Lap is a national treasure, and Jim becomes a bookie. The underworld of Sydney is full of nasty characters, corruption is rife and Jim's parents worry about his safety?

Dressed by Iris is a story about grabbing every opportunity that comes your way, a family staying united through the good times and the bad, and working hard to be free from the burden of poverty. Iris realizing she has a gift, nothing is going to hold her back from creating her own line of beautiful clothes and she can defiantly achieve this with John, Natasha and her family by her side.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia, in exchange for an honest review, Mary-Anne O'Connor is an amazing and talented Australian Historical Fiction author, I was totally engrossed in her latest book, it made me laugh, cry and cheer. I really enjoyed reading about the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, how it created jobs and the excitement around its grand opening and five big stars from me.

]]> 4.06 Dressed by Iris
author: Mary-Anne O'Connor
name: Karren
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/04
date added: 2022/02/02
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
In 1930, Iris Mitchell is seventeen and living in a tiny shack with her catholic family in Newcastle. Her dad Bob's a carpenter and he's still struggles with the terrible memories from the Great War. His wife Agnes is a wonderful mother to her six children, Jim, Iris, Helena, Tom, Billy and Rosie, and she’s an expert at making a meal out of a few ham bones and vegetables.

John Tucker’s a protestant, he’s extremely fond of Iris and he gives her a purple ribbon for her birthday. Iris loves fashion, sewing, and she makes a stunning cloche hat and decorates it with John’s gift. When Jim’s offered a job building the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the whole family move, and it might be for the best that Iris can no longer see John, and her parents wouldn’t let her date a protestant man.

Iris starts working at a department store as cleaner, and her earnings go straight into the family’s money tin. The family live in a small cottage and to Agnes's delight it has a wooden floor, and they make room for Iris's sewing machine. At work Iris meets Natasha Jones, she’s a model at Caron’s, and despite coming from different backgrounds, and they become the best of friends. Iris takes Natasha home, she worries what she will think of her families humble living arrangements, and I don’t why she's concerned? Natasha has no idea how talented and unique Iris's creations are and she has a remarkable gift. Australians love to gamble, horse racing is popular in the 1930's and Phar Lap is a national treasure, and Jim becomes a bookie. The underworld of Sydney is full of nasty characters, corruption is rife and Jim's parents worry about his safety?

Dressed by Iris is a story about grabbing every opportunity that comes your way, a family staying united through the good times and the bad, and working hard to be free from the burden of poverty. Iris realizing she has a gift, nothing is going to hold her back from creating her own line of beautiful clothes and she can defiantly achieve this with John, Natasha and her family by her side.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia, in exchange for an honest review, Mary-Anne O'Connor is an amazing and talented Australian Historical Fiction author, I was totally engrossed in her latest book, it made me laugh, cry and cheer. I really enjoyed reading about the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, how it created jobs and the excitement around its grand opening and five big stars from me.


]]> Where the Grass Is Green 52017404
The brand new novel from the global bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada

Peyton Marcus is the woman New York wakes up to, anchor of the most-watched morning show in the city. With a husband who adores her and a daughter who’s headed to one of the best Ivy League schools, Peyton Marcus is that woman, and she’s damn good at it�

Skye, her sister, is a stay-at-home mom in Paradise, the idyllic NY suburb that’s home to designer boutiques and people who fly private. She has a knack for helicopter-parenting with the best of them. But she’s not like them. She’s looking for something real and it’s within touching distance�

Max, Peyton’s bright and quirky seventeen-year-old daughter, is poised to kiss the fancy private school she hates goodbye � and all of its spoiled rich kids � and head off to pursue her dreams in film. She’s waited her entire life for this opportunity�

But suddenly the grass isn’t looking so green. One little lie. That was all it took. Will any of them survive the truth?]]> 407 Lauren Weisberger Karren 5
Skye Lee is Peyton’s sister, she lives in Paradise an outer suburb of New York, she’s married to Gabe and they have a six year old daughter Aurora. She’s much more down to earth than her famous sister, they look nothing a like and people are shocked when they find out their related. Skye want’s to open a house for underprivileged teens, she’s found a rundown five bedroom building and the girls would be able to attend Paradise’s award winning public school. Despite not having the funds secured yet, Skye can’t help herself, she starts buying items to furnish the girls rooms and turns into a compulsive shopper.

Then everything goes pear-shaped, Isaac’s arrested for paying a bribe for Max to get into Princeton, and it’s illegal. Peyton’s sent home from work in disgrace, Max receives a letter saying she’s no longer welcome at the prestigious college, while waiting for his day in court, and Isaak’s been told to distance himself from his wife

So Peyton and Max move to Paradise for the summer, the entire families relationships are put under the microscope, both sisters learn they need to tell their spouses the truth, face up to the mistakes they have made, and Max discovers her life isn’t over because she didn’t get into Princeton and other opportunities are just around the corner.

I received a copy of Where the Grass is Green from NetGalley and Harper Collins UK in exchange for an honest review, the first book I have read by Lauren Weisberger, I loved all the drama and it won't be my last and five stars from me.

]]> 3.76 2021 Where the Grass Is Green
author: Lauren Weisberger
name: Karren
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/31
date added: 2022/01/01
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Peyton Marcus is the co-host of a top rating New York morning television program, she’s married to Isaak and they have a seventeen year old daughter Max. Peyton lives in the limelight, she gets driven to work in the early hours of the morning and only wears designer clothes. Her husband works part-time selling real estate and Max has just finished high school and this will be her last summer at home and then she’s off to college.

Skye Lee is Peyton’s sister, she lives in Paradise an outer suburb of New York, she’s married to Gabe and they have a six year old daughter Aurora. She’s much more down to earth than her famous sister, they look nothing a like and people are shocked when they find out their related. Skye want’s to open a house for underprivileged teens, she’s found a rundown five bedroom building and the girls would be able to attend Paradise’s award winning public school. Despite not having the funds secured yet, Skye can’t help herself, she starts buying items to furnish the girls rooms and turns into a compulsive shopper.

Then everything goes pear-shaped, Isaac’s arrested for paying a bribe for Max to get into Princeton, and it’s illegal. Peyton’s sent home from work in disgrace, Max receives a letter saying she’s no longer welcome at the prestigious college, while waiting for his day in court, and Isaak’s been told to distance himself from his wife

So Peyton and Max move to Paradise for the summer, the entire families relationships are put under the microscope, both sisters learn they need to tell their spouses the truth, face up to the mistakes they have made, and Max discovers her life isn’t over because she didn’t get into Princeton and other opportunities are just around the corner.

I received a copy of Where the Grass is Green from NetGalley and Harper Collins UK in exchange for an honest review, the first book I have read by Lauren Weisberger, I loved all the drama and it won't be my last and five stars from me.


]]> 99 Days with You 44571806 Sometimes the end is the start of forever�

Emma and Nathan couldn’t be more different. But when they meet in a hospital waiting room, to the sound of a beating clock and surrounded by faded magazines, they are both terrified, nervous and alone. And they have one fatal thing in common�

Emma lives a quiet life. She works in a library. She looks after her disabled mother. She lives vicariously through the well-thumbed pages and cracked spines of her beloved books.

Nathan spends his days fifteen thousand feet above the ground, soaring through the air, stomach somersaulting, as a sky diving instructor. He lives hard and fast, treating every day like it’s his last.

As fate throws Emma and Nathan together, everything is about to change.

Emma has never been kissed, or tasted champagne, or travelled abroad. Nathan has never fallen in love, worn odd socks, or grown a sunflower from a seed.

Emma and Nathan vow never to waste an hour, knowing that goodbye could come all too soon. But as they lose their hearts to one another against all the odds, have they found each other too late?

An utterly heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting novel about the redemptive power of love and how the end isn’t the end at all... ]]> 300 Catherine Miller 1786818884 Karren 5
Emma’s a librarian, she looks after her disabled mother Carole and has never had a boyfriend. She has a best friend Alice, together they run a support group for young people who are caring for sick loved one's and missing out on their teenage years.

Nathan’s a sky diving instructor, he does tandem jumps from fifteen thousand feet, he lives his life at a fast pace and he’s a bit of a maverick. Nathan's mother passed away when he was a baby, he was raised by his grandparents and he doesn’t get on with his half-brother Marcus.

While waiting for their results, Nathan takes Emma to see the Puffins and Emma introduces him to her mother Carole. Emma and Nathan are the complete opposites, they vow to not waste an hour of whatever time they have and they fall in love. Nathan senses he doesn’t have long in this world, and together they create a foundation called Everlasting Acts and unfortunately Nathan's right.

I received a copy of 99 Days With You from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, I haven’t cried so much since I read A Walk To Remember, Catherine Miller’s book is beautifully written, poignant, I highly recommend reading it and you will need a big box of tissues, and five stars from me.
]]> 4.34 2019 99 Days with You
author: Catherine Miller
name: Karren
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/30
date added: 2021/12/30
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Emma Wood and Nathan Foxdale meet in a hospital waiting room, Emma’s rather shy, and she shocked when a handsome stranger starts talking to her. Both are really nervous, attending their medical appointments alone and Nathan asks Emma if she would like some moral support and she can return the favor.

Emma’s a librarian, she looks after her disabled mother Carole and has never had a boyfriend. She has a best friend Alice, together they run a support group for young people who are caring for sick loved one's and missing out on their teenage years.

Nathan’s a sky diving instructor, he does tandem jumps from fifteen thousand feet, he lives his life at a fast pace and he’s a bit of a maverick. Nathan's mother passed away when he was a baby, he was raised by his grandparents and he doesn’t get on with his half-brother Marcus.

While waiting for their results, Nathan takes Emma to see the Puffins and Emma introduces him to her mother Carole. Emma and Nathan are the complete opposites, they vow to not waste an hour of whatever time they have and they fall in love. Nathan senses he doesn’t have long in this world, and together they create a foundation called Everlasting Acts and unfortunately Nathan's right.

I received a copy of 99 Days With You from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, I haven’t cried so much since I read A Walk To Remember, Catherine Miller’s book is beautifully written, poignant, I highly recommend reading it and you will need a big box of tissues, and five stars from me.

]]> Hold on Edna! 50653547
Hold On, Edna! is a nostalgic tale of community spirit, hardship and family
ties, culminating in the greatest change to ordinary working families in modern
history.

The birth of the National Health Service � the UK’s greatest asset � coincided
with the birth of one little girl in South Wales, Aneira ‘Nye� Thomas, the first baby to be delivered by the NHS. Born one minute past midnight, the midwives told Nye’s mother to ‘Hold on, Edna!� � aware Nye’s mother would have to pay for the birth if it happened before the clock hit the hour mark.

Nye’s story follows generations of her family who battled to survive before
the NHS was launched, through to those who went on to dedicate their
lives to working for the NHS � and also, ultimately, to be saved by it.

An extraordinary, heart-breaking, and yet uplifting testament to a time not so
long ago when the value of your life came down to how much you had in your
pocket.

A timely tribute to the NHS and ordinary British working-class families.
Perfect for fans of Call the Midwife and the Lovely Lane series (Sunday
Times bestseller).

Aneira has given numerous interviews, several coinciding with the 70th
birthday of the NHS in 2018, with the BBC, Lorraine Kelly, and the
Guardian.]]> 300 Aneira Thomas 1912624834 Karren 3
Hold on Edna is written by Aneira ‘Nye� Thomas, the baby who made history, seventy years later in 2018, and she’s interviewed by the media to celebrate the NHS’s special birthday. Her biography is about the generations of her Welsh family, you follow their stories and daily struggles. From the workhouse, some own small farm holdings and her male relatives worked deep underground in the dangerous coal mines.

Over the years, women died in childbirth, from child-bed fever, and the mortality rate of infants was high. People didn’t have a decent quality of life, they put up with aliments because they were poor and they couldn’t afford to see a doctor. Welsh miners didn’t live long lives, they suffered from miners lung and its official name is Pneumoconiosis. They didn’t receive palliative care, dying at home and with no pain relief.

I received a copy of Hold on Edna from NetGalley and Mirror Books in exchange for an honest review, it was interesting reading about Nye’s family, how she was the first baby delivered by the National Health Service and it's a lasting testimony to her relatives. I live in Australia so I have very little knowledge about the NHS, I can certainly see how it changed healthcare in the United Kingdom, and it provided a much needed free service to everyone and three and a half stars from me.

]]> 4.07 Hold on Edna!
author: Aneira Thomas
name: Karren
average rating: 4.07
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2021/12/26
date added: 2021/12/26
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
On the fifth of July 1948, a baby girl called Aneira is born just after midnight at the Autman Valley Village Hospital in South Wales, and she’s the first baby to be delivered via the new National Health Service. Her mother, Edna May has had her previous six children at home, delivered by the local midwife and she and her husband Willie find it difficult to comprehend the new free system.

Hold on Edna is written by Aneira ‘Nye� Thomas, the baby who made history, seventy years later in 2018, and she’s interviewed by the media to celebrate the NHS’s special birthday. Her biography is about the generations of her Welsh family, you follow their stories and daily struggles. From the workhouse, some own small farm holdings and her male relatives worked deep underground in the dangerous coal mines.

Over the years, women died in childbirth, from child-bed fever, and the mortality rate of infants was high. People didn’t have a decent quality of life, they put up with aliments because they were poor and they couldn’t afford to see a doctor. Welsh miners didn’t live long lives, they suffered from miners lung and its official name is Pneumoconiosis. They didn’t receive palliative care, dying at home and with no pain relief.

I received a copy of Hold on Edna from NetGalley and Mirror Books in exchange for an honest review, it was interesting reading about Nye’s family, how she was the first baby delivered by the National Health Service and it's a lasting testimony to her relatives. I live in Australia so I have very little knowledge about the NHS, I can certainly see how it changed healthcare in the United Kingdom, and it provided a much needed free service to everyone and three and a half stars from me.


]]> Invisible Girl 44286366
I know you. I know you in a way you can’t even imagine. I have been searching for you in the years since you wrote that letter � the letter that told me you were looking for me too. But now that I’ve found you, I don’t know if I can say the terrible truth of what I am. It would ruin your perfect life. It would hurt your beautiful daughter.

So, I hesitate � bide my time, for now. This morning, you’re running late and your little girl, tugged by the hand, scurries to keep up with you. She’s clean but a little scrawny. Maybe that’s because you struggle with the bills; maybe she’s just made that way.

I know what it is to have lost a child. I pray you never learn how that feels. But I can’t wait forever� and when I finally tell you my secret, will it break you like it did me all those years ago?]]> 296 Jill Childs 1786819600 Karren 5
Rosie doesn’t notice, she’s five and wants her mother Becca to help her new friend. Her teenage brother Alex finds the idea of helping a homeless person revolting, so does Becca’s neighbor and friend Sarah. How could Becca trust a woman who’s being living on the streets, she could be a drug addict or a serial killer?

Maddy's a person who’s made mistakes in her life, things happened that she had no control over and like everyone she has secrets. As the story unfolds, you discover that Becca chose to end her marriage, Sarah became pregnant as a teenager and theirs defiantly serious tension between Maddy and Sarah.

Invisible Girl is a story that slowly reveals information about Madeline’s past, and about not judging someone who’s homeless and everyone's invisible in different ways. When Madeline’s main secret is finally uncovered, it’s a big shock, and I certainly didn't see it coming.

I received a copy of Invisible Girl from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, Jill Childs books really makes you think, the stories plot was a pleasant surprise, not what I was expecting at all and five stars from me.

]]> 4.28 2019 Invisible Girl
author: Jill Childs
name: Karren
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/20
date added: 2021/12/20
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Madeline Crosby, is a homeless woman and a little girl called Rosie notices her and can’t understand why no one will help her. People either give Maddy a look of pity, some might give her a small amount of money and others simply look away. It’s very hard to be clean living on the streets and sleeping rough and Maddy’s quite aware of the fact she smells.

Rosie doesn’t notice, she’s five and wants her mother Becca to help her new friend. Her teenage brother Alex finds the idea of helping a homeless person revolting, so does Becca’s neighbor and friend Sarah. How could Becca trust a woman who’s being living on the streets, she could be a drug addict or a serial killer?

Maddy's a person who’s made mistakes in her life, things happened that she had no control over and like everyone she has secrets. As the story unfolds, you discover that Becca chose to end her marriage, Sarah became pregnant as a teenager and theirs defiantly serious tension between Maddy and Sarah.

Invisible Girl is a story that slowly reveals information about Madeline’s past, and about not judging someone who’s homeless and everyone's invisible in different ways. When Madeline’s main secret is finally uncovered, it’s a big shock, and I certainly didn't see it coming.

I received a copy of Invisible Girl from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, Jill Childs books really makes you think, the stories plot was a pleasant surprise, not what I was expecting at all and five stars from me.


]]> A Fair Trade 40934108 Raised by his fur trapper father and uncles, Jack Briggs has always made do with little more than a knife and flask. Alone now, he searches for a place to call home. And refined and beautiful Penelope Findley may be the person who can help him find itas he leads the Findleys' wagon to Oregon.

Honor-bound by her marriage vows,Penelope snubs the rugged wagon leader whenever he shows an interest in her. But when she is widowed during the journey, Jack tempts her with the means to remain protection in a temporary marriage andpayment once he receives the free acreage allotted to married settlers in Oregon.

Penelope doesn't realize all Jack really wants is her. All she wants is the freedom he promised. After all, could he ever love her if he knew about her past?]]> 194 Laylah Abrams 1509220852 Karren 3
Penelope Findley’s married to Oliver and like many people traveling the Oregon Trail they’re not prepared for the hardship, danger and have overloaded their wagon. Disaster strikes when they cross a river, one of the oxen slips, the wagon and Oliver are taken by the fast moving current.

Penelope’s suddenly a widow, she lost most of her belongings and the Long family take her in. The Longs have six children, two hired hands and Penelope tries not to be a burden. They managed to save a box of her supplies, she sells the three remaining oxen and gives the money to the Long’s. Jack notices that Penelope's losing weight, she’s struggling with walking to Oregon and he asks her to marry him. As a married man he’s entitled to twice the amount of land, he makes it sound like it will be a marriage of convenience and the couple develop feelings for each other.

Penelope has kept her past from Jack, she’s worried that if he knew her history, he wouldn’t have married her and now it’s too late to tell him. When her husband's cousin arrives at her new home, he threatens her, and will Penelope lose Jack and the future they have planned together? Penelope learns that you can't escape the past, the importance of telling the truth and Jack discovers the peace found in forgiveness.

I received a copy of A Fair Trade from NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press in exchange for an honest review, a dramatic historical romance written by Laylah Abrams, and three stars from me.

]]> 4.30 2018 A Fair Trade
author: Laylah Abrams
name: Karren
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2021/12/19
date added: 2021/12/19
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Jack Briggs has been a scout for the army, made the trip to Oregon in three months with his pack mule and he’s decided it’s where he wants to live and this will be his final trip west. Going by wagon train is much slower, it will take six months, and they need to cross the mountains before it starts snowing.

Penelope Findley’s married to Oliver and like many people traveling the Oregon Trail they’re not prepared for the hardship, danger and have overloaded their wagon. Disaster strikes when they cross a river, one of the oxen slips, the wagon and Oliver are taken by the fast moving current.

Penelope’s suddenly a widow, she lost most of her belongings and the Long family take her in. The Longs have six children, two hired hands and Penelope tries not to be a burden. They managed to save a box of her supplies, she sells the three remaining oxen and gives the money to the Long’s. Jack notices that Penelope's losing weight, she’s struggling with walking to Oregon and he asks her to marry him. As a married man he’s entitled to twice the amount of land, he makes it sound like it will be a marriage of convenience and the couple develop feelings for each other.

Penelope has kept her past from Jack, she’s worried that if he knew her history, he wouldn’t have married her and now it’s too late to tell him. When her husband's cousin arrives at her new home, he threatens her, and will Penelope lose Jack and the future they have planned together? Penelope learns that you can't escape the past, the importance of telling the truth and Jack discovers the peace found in forgiveness.

I received a copy of A Fair Trade from NetGalley and The Wild Rose Press in exchange for an honest review, a dramatic historical romance written by Laylah Abrams, and three stars from me.


]]> The Saints of Swallow Hill 57973844 It takes courage to save yourself...

In the dense pine forests of North Carolina, turpentiners labor, hacking into tree trunks to draw out the sticky sap that gives the Tar Heel State its nickname, and hauling the resin to stills to be refined. Among them is Rae Lynn Cobb and her husband, Warren, who run a small turpentine farm together.

Though the work is hard and often dangerous, Rae Lynn, who spent her childhood in an orphanage, is thankful for it—and for her kind if careless husband. When Warren falls victim to his own negligence, Rae Lynn undertakes a desperate act of mercy. To keep herself from jail, she disguises herself as a man named "Ray" and heads to the only place she can think of that might offer anonymity—a turpentine camp in Georgia named Swallow Hill.

Swallow Hill is no easy haven. The camp is isolated and squalid, and commissary owner Otis Riddle takes out his frustrations on his browbeaten wife, Cornelia. Although Rae Lynn works tirelessly, she becomes a target for Crow, the ever-watchful woods rider who checks each laborer’s tally. Delwood Reese, who’s come to Swallow Hill hoping for his own redemption, offers “Ray� a small measure of protection, and is determined to improve their conditions. As Rae Lynn forges a deeper friendship with both Del and Cornelia, she begins to envision a path out of the camp. But she will have to come to terms with her past, with all its pain and beauty, before she can open herself to a new life and seize the chance to begin again.]]> 372 Donna Everhart 1496733320 Karren 5
Rae Lynn’s left to deal with the repercussions of her husband’s actions, she flees the farm, disguised as a man, she changes her name to Ray, driving her husbands truck and heads for Georgia. A turpentine camp called Swallow Hill is located there, Rae Lynn hopes to get work and find somewhere to live. Ray's shocked by the squalid conditions in the camp, the flimsy shack's filthy, her fellow workers are colored people, and everyone has to buy their provisions from the commissary shop, and are quickly in debt.

The workers days are long, chipping, dipping, scraping and tacking tin and Ray struggles to meet the daily tally. Some of her fellow co-workers complain, it also makes her a target of Crow Sweeney, he’s one of three foreman, he rides around on a horse all day and he’s a bully. He’s extremely racists, he treats the colored workers like their still slaves, and he has a whip and uses a punishment box. Otis Riddle owns the commissary shop, he’s a miserable man, he abuses his young wife Cornelia and he’s almost as mean as Crow.

Delwood Reese, is a drifter, he's been on his own since he was a teenager and is a bit of a ladies man. He started working at Swallow Hill just before Ray, he can’t abide anyone being abused, he's spent time in the punishment box himself, Crow hates him and Del wants to change the conditions in the camp. He sense that Ray is hiding something, a unlikely friendship forms between Ray, Del and Cornelia.

Del’s given the opportunity to be a one of the overseers, you can imagine what Crow thinks, Del gets to know his workers by name, treats them fairly and they reach their daily tally with time to spare. This causes tension, when it escalates Ray's hurt, they discover she’s a woman and Rae Lynn decides to leave, so does Cornelia and Del.

Set during the great depression, The Saints of Swallow Hill is a story about how it takes courage to save yourself, and Del and Rae Lynn do this by facing their pasts and returning home to North Carolina and Cornelia leaving her abusive husband. Written by Donna Everhart as a tribute to the original tar heels who lived and worked deep in the piney woods of the South, it’s a story full of interesting information about the turpentine industry, types of trees used, the workers and how they were treated.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books, Rae Lynn, Del and Cornelia were my favorite characters, they didn't tolerate racism, the friendship and dynamics between them, added an emotion and feeling to the narrative, and five stars from me.

]]> 3.88 2022 The Saints of Swallow Hill
author: Donna Everhart
name: Karren
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/18
date added: 2021/12/19
shelves: edelweiss-above-the-tree-line, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Left at an orphanage as a baby, Rae Lynn marries older widower Warren Cobb and for security. He owns a small run down turpentine farm in Harnett County, North Carolina, Warren’s not keen on changing his ways and he harvests his trees the old fashioned way. He’s rather frugal and a stubborn man and unfortunately this leads to his downfall.

Rae Lynn’s left to deal with the repercussions of her husband’s actions, she flees the farm, disguised as a man, she changes her name to Ray, driving her husbands truck and heads for Georgia. A turpentine camp called Swallow Hill is located there, Rae Lynn hopes to get work and find somewhere to live. Ray's shocked by the squalid conditions in the camp, the flimsy shack's filthy, her fellow workers are colored people, and everyone has to buy their provisions from the commissary shop, and are quickly in debt.

The workers days are long, chipping, dipping, scraping and tacking tin and Ray struggles to meet the daily tally. Some of her fellow co-workers complain, it also makes her a target of Crow Sweeney, he’s one of three foreman, he rides around on a horse all day and he’s a bully. He’s extremely racists, he treats the colored workers like their still slaves, and he has a whip and uses a punishment box. Otis Riddle owns the commissary shop, he’s a miserable man, he abuses his young wife Cornelia and he’s almost as mean as Crow.

Delwood Reese, is a drifter, he's been on his own since he was a teenager and is a bit of a ladies man. He started working at Swallow Hill just before Ray, he can’t abide anyone being abused, he's spent time in the punishment box himself, Crow hates him and Del wants to change the conditions in the camp. He sense that Ray is hiding something, a unlikely friendship forms between Ray, Del and Cornelia.

Del’s given the opportunity to be a one of the overseers, you can imagine what Crow thinks, Del gets to know his workers by name, treats them fairly and they reach their daily tally with time to spare. This causes tension, when it escalates Ray's hurt, they discover she’s a woman and Rae Lynn decides to leave, so does Cornelia and Del.

Set during the great depression, The Saints of Swallow Hill is a story about how it takes courage to save yourself, and Del and Rae Lynn do this by facing their pasts and returning home to North Carolina and Cornelia leaving her abusive husband. Written by Donna Everhart as a tribute to the original tar heels who lived and worked deep in the piney woods of the South, it’s a story full of interesting information about the turpentine industry, types of trees used, the workers and how they were treated.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books, Rae Lynn, Del and Cornelia were my favorite characters, they didn't tolerate racism, the friendship and dynamics between them, added an emotion and feeling to the narrative, and five stars from me.


]]> Nancy Wake 49379080
At the outbreak of World War Two, Nancy Wake’s glamorous life in the South of France seemed far removed from the fighting. But when her husband was called up for military service, Nancy felt she had just as much of a duty to fight for freedom. By 1943, her fearless undercover work even in the face of personal tragedy had earned her a place on the Gestapo’s ‘most wanted� list.

Mixing armed combat with a taste for high living, Nancy frustrated the Nazis at every turn—whether she was smuggling food and messages as part of the underground Resistance or being parachuted into the heart of the war to lead a 7,000-strong band of Resistance fighters.

The extraordinary courage of this unequalled woman changed the course of the war, and Russell Braddon’s vividly realised biography brings her incredible story to life.

Revised edition: This edition of Nancy Wake includes editorial revisions.]]> 281 Russell Braddon 1542021650 Karren 5
France 1930’s, she met steel industrialist Henri Fiocca, and despite the threat of another war, the couple marry on the 30th of November 1939. Henri wanted Nancy to be a lady of leisure, they owned a beautiful house in Marseilles, Nancy wanted to learn to drive and a skill she used during the war.

Nancy worked as an ambulance driver, she took special train journeys from Marseilles to Cannes and back again. This was the start of Nancy living a double life, when Henri was called up to fight and she wanted to do more. Nancy made her way to England, here she was trained and became a Special Operations Executive. Nancy was dropped in to France, she used the name Madame Andree Joubert and her code name was Helene. Nancy soon gained a reputation for being fearless, she remained cool under pressure, was a natural leader, she liked to have fun, had a wicked sense of humor and she was only twenty seven.

Despite the bounty on her head, Nancy managed to invade being captured, and towards the end of the war, she and over seven thousand resistance fighters made life extremely difficult for the Germans. In the Auvergne area of France, they planned their successful raids, blew up railway lines and buildings, attacked convoys, and their job was to keep the Germans busy and as the allies slowly advanced towards Paris.

Nancy Wake’s biography by Russell Braddon was originally written in 1956, with her permission and input. Nancy was an extremely brave, courageous and selfless woman and she received many accolades and medals after the war. Looking back at what she'd achieved, Nancy was proud of feeding hundreds of hungry people during the war, the lifelong friends that she made with her fellow resistance fighters, the lady they called Gert and she did what she felt she had to do!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK in exchange for an honest review, the most inspiring and interesting biography I have the pleasure of reading and five stars from me.

]]> 4.37 1956 Nancy Wake
author: Russell Braddon
name: Karren
average rating: 4.37
book published: 1956
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/17
date added: 2021/12/17
shelves: kindle-unlimited, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Nancy Wake moved to Sydney as a young child from New Zealand, she was a brilliant student at school and hated having to help at home. Once she was an adult, Nancy decided to go on a world tour and she worked as a freelance journalist.

France 1930’s, she met steel industrialist Henri Fiocca, and despite the threat of another war, the couple marry on the 30th of November 1939. Henri wanted Nancy to be a lady of leisure, they owned a beautiful house in Marseilles, Nancy wanted to learn to drive and a skill she used during the war.

Nancy worked as an ambulance driver, she took special train journeys from Marseilles to Cannes and back again. This was the start of Nancy living a double life, when Henri was called up to fight and she wanted to do more. Nancy made her way to England, here she was trained and became a Special Operations Executive. Nancy was dropped in to France, she used the name Madame Andree Joubert and her code name was Helene. Nancy soon gained a reputation for being fearless, she remained cool under pressure, was a natural leader, she liked to have fun, had a wicked sense of humor and she was only twenty seven.

Despite the bounty on her head, Nancy managed to invade being captured, and towards the end of the war, she and over seven thousand resistance fighters made life extremely difficult for the Germans. In the Auvergne area of France, they planned their successful raids, blew up railway lines and buildings, attacked convoys, and their job was to keep the Germans busy and as the allies slowly advanced towards Paris.

Nancy Wake’s biography by Russell Braddon was originally written in 1956, with her permission and input. Nancy was an extremely brave, courageous and selfless woman and she received many accolades and medals after the war. Looking back at what she'd achieved, Nancy was proud of feeding hundreds of hungry people during the war, the lifelong friends that she made with her fellow resistance fighters, the lady they called Gert and she did what she felt she had to do!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK in exchange for an honest review, the most inspiring and interesting biography I have the pleasure of reading and five stars from me.


]]> <![CDATA[A Dangerous Goodbye (Fen Churche #1)]]> 54579496
I fear this may be my last letter to you, my darling, Arthur writes. Fen won’t give up hope and calls the war office, wanting to know if Arthur is still alive; they refuse to tell her anything. Searching for answers, she returns to his letter, but parts of it just don’t make sense. Through her tears Fen realises that her darling Arthur is giving her all the clues she needs to find out what happened to him.

1945. With the war behind them and nothing left for her in England, Fen travels to the deceptively pretty French village where she thinks Arthur might be, but there’s no sign of him. She’s close to giving up when she finds his silver cigarette case and another letter full of clues. But when the local priest is killed, it’s clear someone wants to keep wartime secrets buried. If Arthur, a brilliant spy, was outwitted and betrayed, can Fen stay alive long enough to find out what happened to the man she loves?]]> 278 Fliss Chester 1838886435 Karren 4
Fen met Arthur Melville-Hare at The Spread Eagle, after a whirlwind wartime courtship and they get engaged. She assumes he was sent to France as an undercover agent, Arthur never spoke about his war work, the letter is his last goodbye and Fen’s sure it contains hidden clues.

In 1945, Fen boards a Red Cross ship bound for France, she wants to visit Morey-Fontane, a small village in Burgundy and Arthur's letter links him to the area. Fen speaks fluent French, she goes to a nearby chateau, the Bernard family are looking for workers at their winery and vineyard.

Pierre and Sophie Bernard own the winery, they have two young sons and Pierre’s father lives with them. Not long after Fen arrives, three people die, just a coincidence, and she doesn't think so? A priest is poisoned, another man dies of carbon dioxide inhalation and a man is stabbed. Fen believes they were all murdered, Arthur was defiantly a secret agent, was it to stop them from talking to her and she’s determined to uncover the truth.

A Dangerous Goodbye is the first book in the Fen Churche Mystery series by Fliss Chester, set during the Second World War, it’s a story about secret agents, hidden church artifacts, a petty thief, and an evil traitor and collaborator. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, it kept me guessing until the end, four stars from me, and I can’t wait to read Night Train To Paris.

]]> 4.04 2020 A Dangerous Goodbye (Fen Churche #1)
author: Fliss Chester
name: Karren
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/15
date added: 2021/12/15
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
In 1944, a letter is waiting for Fenella Churche on the farmhouse table, she knows its bad news and about her fiancé Arthur. Fen has been working as a land girl in West Sussex with her friends Kitty, Dilys, Edith and Mrs B. the housekeeper and she supports a devastated Fen.

Fen met Arthur Melville-Hare at The Spread Eagle, after a whirlwind wartime courtship and they get engaged. She assumes he was sent to France as an undercover agent, Arthur never spoke about his war work, the letter is his last goodbye and Fen’s sure it contains hidden clues.

In 1945, Fen boards a Red Cross ship bound for France, she wants to visit Morey-Fontane, a small village in Burgundy and Arthur's letter links him to the area. Fen speaks fluent French, she goes to a nearby chateau, the Bernard family are looking for workers at their winery and vineyard.

Pierre and Sophie Bernard own the winery, they have two young sons and Pierre’s father lives with them. Not long after Fen arrives, three people die, just a coincidence, and she doesn't think so? A priest is poisoned, another man dies of carbon dioxide inhalation and a man is stabbed. Fen believes they were all murdered, Arthur was defiantly a secret agent, was it to stop them from talking to her and she’s determined to uncover the truth.

A Dangerous Goodbye is the first book in the Fen Churche Mystery series by Fliss Chester, set during the Second World War, it’s a story about secret agents, hidden church artifacts, a petty thief, and an evil traitor and collaborator. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review, it kept me guessing until the end, four stars from me, and I can’t wait to read Night Train To Paris.


]]> The Royal Correspondent 56940630
Success would depend on taking a dangerous risk.

When Blaise Hill, a feisty young journalist from one of Sydney's toughest neighbourhoods, is dispatched to London at the dawn of the swinging sixties to report on Princess Margaret's controversial marriage to an unconventional photographer, she is drawn into an elite realm of glamour and intrigue.

As the nation faces an explosive upheaval, Blaise must grapple with a series of shocking scandals at the pinnacle of British society. Yet, haunted by a threat from her past and torn between two very different men, who can she trust in a world of hidden motives and shifting alliances? If she makes the wrong choice, she will lose everything.

Inspired by real events, The Royal Correspondent is a compelling story of love and betrayal, family secrets and conspiracy that takes you from the gritty life of a daily newspaper to the opulent splendour of Buckingham Palace.

Praise for The Royal

'Combines romance, a splash of espionage and lots of glamour, inspired by real events' Australian Women's Weekly

'It will sweep you up with its winning combination of historical facts and fabulous fiction' Herald Sun

'Vividly brings the swinging '60s to life' Who Weekly

'This engaging read has it all - glamour, intrigue, gossip, espionage, romance and fashion ... it's a gripping read with well-drawn characters ... a well woven tale set on the cusp of changing times' Weekly Times

'A fabulous story, with an extremely compelling protagonist at its heart ... Joel has hit her stride here' Better Reading

'A world of glamour, intrigue and scandal' Woman's Day

'Engaging characters and a well-paced story line brimming with social history, romance, and mystery will captivate readers across genres' Booklist

'An engrossing story [which] will keep readers turning the pages' Publishers Weekly]]> 398 Alexandra Joel 1460711890 Karren 5
Dressed in her op shop clothes, Blaise is employed as copy boy at The Clarion, she’s the butt of many jokes in the male dominated workforce and is sent off to find mystery objects! Blaise works hard, she earns a cadet ship and then she's transferred to the dreaded fifth floor. At first Blaise isn’t impressed by being moved to the women’s pages, she really underestimates the importance of wearing the right clothes, having a sound knowledge of fashion, and the opportunities it brings.

Blaise is sent to London, to write and send articles back to Australia about Princess Margaret’s wedding to a commoner Antony Armstrong Jones, held on the 6th of May 1960, and it was the first royal wedding to be televised and London hotels were booked out. With her Australian press pass, Blaise attends Buckingham Place and Westminster Abbey, and she can’t believe how lucky she is. But, espionage is rife in England's capital, politicians could be involved, and soviet spies. Blaise is drawn into the sinister side of London, not knowing who she can really trust, it’s a dangerous place and she’s extremely concerned.

Inspired by real events, Alexandra Joel used her newspaper journalist father’s stories and experiences and considered what it would have been like for a woman working in the same field during the 1950’s and early 1960’s? The Royal Correspondent is the amazing result, the story highlights the discrimination women faced in the workforce at the time, they were paid less and had to stop working when they married. The 1960's was a time of major change, fashion, dancing, music and morals. Shout by Johnny O'Keefe is a classic Australian song from the era, I loved how it was included in the narrative and all the residents of Fotheringham Street dancing to it's beat and Blaise is a character that you will never forget.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia in exchange for an honest review, every page was perfect, and five big stars from me.

]]> 4.03 2021 The Royal Correspondent
author: Alexandra Joel
name: Karren
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/14
date added: 2021/12/14
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Blaise Hill might be a girl from the poor Sydney suburbs, but she has big dreams, and she wants to be a newspaper journalist. In the late 1950’s, the women journalists working at The Clarion, write articles for the women’s pages and Blaise wants to be an investigative reporter.

Dressed in her op shop clothes, Blaise is employed as copy boy at The Clarion, she’s the butt of many jokes in the male dominated workforce and is sent off to find mystery objects! Blaise works hard, she earns a cadet ship and then she's transferred to the dreaded fifth floor. At first Blaise isn’t impressed by being moved to the women’s pages, she really underestimates the importance of wearing the right clothes, having a sound knowledge of fashion, and the opportunities it brings.

Blaise is sent to London, to write and send articles back to Australia about Princess Margaret’s wedding to a commoner Antony Armstrong Jones, held on the 6th of May 1960, and it was the first royal wedding to be televised and London hotels were booked out. With her Australian press pass, Blaise attends Buckingham Place and Westminster Abbey, and she can’t believe how lucky she is. But, espionage is rife in England's capital, politicians could be involved, and soviet spies. Blaise is drawn into the sinister side of London, not knowing who she can really trust, it’s a dangerous place and she’s extremely concerned.

Inspired by real events, Alexandra Joel used her newspaper journalist father’s stories and experiences and considered what it would have been like for a woman working in the same field during the 1950’s and early 1960’s? The Royal Correspondent is the amazing result, the story highlights the discrimination women faced in the workforce at the time, they were paid less and had to stop working when they married. The 1960's was a time of major change, fashion, dancing, music and morals. Shout by Johnny O'Keefe is a classic Australian song from the era, I loved how it was included in the narrative and all the residents of Fotheringham Street dancing to it's beat and Blaise is a character that you will never forget.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia in exchange for an honest review, every page was perfect, and five big stars from me.


]]> Glimmer As You Can: A Novel 51653438 Welcome to the Starlite. Let your true self shine.

1962. In the middle of Brooklyn Heights sits the Starlite: boutique dress shop by day, underground women's club by night. Started by the shop's proprietor after her marriage crumbled, Madeline's social club soon becomes a safe haven for women from all walks of life looking for a respite from their troubled relationships and professional frustrations. These after-hour soirées soon bring two very different women into Madeline's life--Elaine, a British ex-pat struggling to save her relationship, and Lisa, a young stewardess whose plans for the future are suddenly upended--irrevocably changing all three women's lives in ways no one could have predicted.

But when Madeline's ne'er-do-well ex-husband shows up again, the luster of Starlite quickly dampens. As the sisterhood rallies around Madeline, tension begins to eat at the club. When an unspeakable tragedy befalls their sorority, one woman must decide whether to hide the truth from the group or jeopardize her own hopes and dreams. Sure to appeal to readers of Kathleen Tessaro and Suzanne Rindell, Glimmer As You Can captures the heartbeat of an era and the ambitions of a generation of women living in a man's world--a world threatened by a wave of change.]]> 304 Danielle Martin 1643855239 Karren 4
Elaine Huxley joins the club, she’s English, and living with her fiancée Tommy. Elaine's unhappy in her relationship, Tommy’s drinking too much and he doesn’t work. If she leaves him and gets a job, she worries Tommy’s life will spiral completely out of control and she will be to blame.

Lisa O’Malley works as an air hostess, and is madly in love with Billy. Out of the blue, Billy fails to pick her up from the airport, he stops calling and Lisa doesn’t know why? She starts to visit the Starlite, she realizes her whole life revolved around what Billy wanted to do, keeping him happy and worrying about the dreaded weigh ins to keep her job.

When Fred Abbott starts lurking around, Madeline doesn’t trust him, she worries about her own and her friend’s safety at Starlite? The women rally around Madeline, determined to keep Starlite open and do what every it takes to keep Madeline safe.

Glimmer As You Can is a story set in the 1960’s, it’s about how women’s roles and expectations changed at the time and they felt empowered. However, societies and most men’s attitudes hadn’t changed, they saw women’s liberation as a threat, why would women need to meet at night and it has dire consequences for one member of the Starlite club.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review, Danielle Martin handled difficult subjects in her book with sensitivity, and four stars from me.

]]> 3.47 2020 Glimmer As You Can: A Novel
author: Danielle Martin
name: Karren
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/12
date added: 2021/12/12
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Starlite boutique is a dress shop owned by Madeline Abbott in Brooklyn Heights, she a talented dressmaker and clothes designer. After Madeline’s marriage ended, she starts a social club at night in her shop, a safe place for women to meet and forget about their troubles. Some of the ladies like to chat, others listen to music, dance, and sing, read poetry, have a drink and sleepover.

Elaine Huxley joins the club, she’s English, and living with her fiancée Tommy. Elaine's unhappy in her relationship, Tommy’s drinking too much and he doesn’t work. If she leaves him and gets a job, she worries Tommy’s life will spiral completely out of control and she will be to blame.

Lisa O’Malley works as an air hostess, and is madly in love with Billy. Out of the blue, Billy fails to pick her up from the airport, he stops calling and Lisa doesn’t know why? She starts to visit the Starlite, she realizes her whole life revolved around what Billy wanted to do, keeping him happy and worrying about the dreaded weigh ins to keep her job.

When Fred Abbott starts lurking around, Madeline doesn’t trust him, she worries about her own and her friend’s safety at Starlite? The women rally around Madeline, determined to keep Starlite open and do what every it takes to keep Madeline safe.

Glimmer As You Can is a story set in the 1960’s, it’s about how women’s roles and expectations changed at the time and they felt empowered. However, societies and most men’s attitudes hadn’t changed, they saw women’s liberation as a threat, why would women need to meet at night and it has dire consequences for one member of the Starlite club.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review, Danielle Martin handled difficult subjects in her book with sensitivity, and four stars from me.


]]> Task Force Baum 44543991 In the tradition of Saving Private Ryan and Bridge Over the River Kwai, bestselling author James D. Shipman delivers a powerful, action-packed novel that illustrates the long-buried secrets and unending costs of war--based on the true story of General Patton's clandestine unauthorized raid on a World War II POW camp.

March, 1945. Allied forces are battle-worn but wearily optimistic. Russia's Red Army is advancing hard on Germany from the east, bolstering Allied troops moving in from the west and north. Soon, surely, Axis forces must accept defeat. Yet for Captain Jim Curtis, each day is a reminder of how unpredictable and uncertain warfare can be.

Captured during the Battle of the Bulge after the Germans launched a devastating surprise attack, Curtis is imprisoned at a POW camp in Hammelburg, Bavaria. Conditions are grim. Inmates and guards alike are freezing and starving, with rations dwindling day by day. But whispers say General Patton's troops are on the way, and the camp may soon be liberated.

Indeed, fifty miles away, a task force of three hundred men is preparing to cross into Germany. With camps up and down the line, what makes Hammelburg so special they don't know, but orders are orders. Yet their hopes of evading the enemy quickly evaporate. Wracked by poor judgment, insufficient arms, and bad luck, the raid unravels with shattering losses. The liberation inmates hoped for becomes a struggle for survival marked by a stark choice: stay, or risk escaping into danger--while leaving some behind.

For Curtis, the decision is an even more personal test of loyalty, friendship, and the values for which one will die or kill. It will be another twenty years before the unsanctioned mission's secret motivation becomes public knowledge, creating a controversy that will forever color Patton's legacy and linger on in the lives of those who made it home at last--and the loved ones of those who did not.]]> 336 James D. Shipman 1496723864 Karren 4
Fifty miles away a task force has been quickly formed for a special mission, Captain Abe Baum is in charge, and the battle hardened veteran always follows orders. Supported by ten Sherman tanks and five light tanks, he sets off with three hundred poorly armed soldiers, and it doesn’t take long for things to start going wrong.

After seeing action in Russia and being in the German army for six years, and Hauptmann Richard Koehl is putting his entire and depleted force in danger. He wants to avenge the death of his sister Gerta, he’s disobeying orders by continuing to pursue to the American task force and he desperately wants to find them!

Task Force Baum is based on a true story, and real reason for the mission being kept secret for twenty years, was because Commander George S. Patton wanted his son-in-law Colonel John Waters rescued from the prisoner of war and it was hushed up.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review, it’s a fast paced story, full of military action, brutal battles, and tactical movements. I’m looking forward to reading James D. Shipman’s next book, Beyond the Wire, and I gave Task Force Baum four stars.

]]> 3.78 2019 Task Force Baum
author: James D. Shipman
name: Karren
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/09
date added: 2021/12/09
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Captain Jim Curtis was captured by the German army the day he landed in the Ardennes forest, and in March 1945, he’s in a prisoner of war camp near Hammelburg, in Bavaria. Coming from different directions, the Russian and American armies are advancing into German held territory, and will they arrive in time to liberate the desperate POW’s?

Fifty miles away a task force has been quickly formed for a special mission, Captain Abe Baum is in charge, and the battle hardened veteran always follows orders. Supported by ten Sherman tanks and five light tanks, he sets off with three hundred poorly armed soldiers, and it doesn’t take long for things to start going wrong.

After seeing action in Russia and being in the German army for six years, and Hauptmann Richard Koehl is putting his entire and depleted force in danger. He wants to avenge the death of his sister Gerta, he’s disobeying orders by continuing to pursue to the American task force and he desperately wants to find them!

Task Force Baum is based on a true story, and real reason for the mission being kept secret for twenty years, was because Commander George S. Patton wanted his son-in-law Colonel John Waters rescued from the prisoner of war and it was hushed up.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review, it’s a fast paced story, full of military action, brutal battles, and tactical movements. I’m looking forward to reading James D. Shipman’s next book, Beyond the Wire, and I gave Task Force Baum four stars.


]]> The Prodigal Sister 58263138 Headstrong Prudence North faces a dangerous blackmailer who threatens her family and her dreams of escaping domestic drudgery. An enthralling historical mystery from a bestselling Australian author.


1900, Melbourne, Victoria

Miss Prudence North is freshly returned from university in Scotland and determined to find her place among the male-dominated world of the new forensic sciences when a high-ranking policeman waylays her. He threatens to charge her father for illegal medical practices unless she helps him build a case against local landowner Jasper Darke by spying on him.

With her sister's illness worsening, if their income disappears, Prudence will have to take on nursing and domestic duties and she'll never have the freedom she craves. Prudence has no choice but to agree.

Immediately taken with the handsome Mr Darke, a seemingly good and honest man, Prudence can't see what nefarious activities she's meant to be reporting on. She'll have to get closer...

But when a body turns up at her father's surgery, the forensics reveal to Prudence there's more going on about all this than meets the eye. It's clear it's up to her to uncover the truth - of this murder, of whatever's going on at the surgery after hours and, especially, of the intriguing Jasper Darke. Her life, her family and her future rely on it.


PRAISE FOR DARRY

'Darry Fraser has proven yet again that she is a master at writing Australian historical fiction ... The Last Truehart is an enjoyable and well written tale - a great yarn, a dashing hero and a real sense of place in the evolution of Australian society of the time.' - Great Reads & Tea Leaves

'Darry Fraser effortlessly weaves historical events throughout... a must read for historical fiction fans.' - The Burgeoning Bookshelf

'A fabulous storyteller who underlies this compelling plot with strong female characters who challenge the status quo...Fast paced historical fiction, first-hand experience of the South Australian landscape, and the added bonus of a plot line that has been drawn from Darry Fraser's very own family history make this an authentic, seamless and riveting tale.' - Better Reading]]> 398 Darry Fraser 1489294570 Karren 5
She has another reason for returning home, her mother’s suffering from Huntington’s chorea, her younger sister Valerie is showing signs of the awful disease and her father needs her support. An acquaintance of her father's and a police officer Everard Bankston corners Prudence three weeks after she arrives home, and he threatens her. He believes her father’s involved in illegal medical practices, to keep him silent, he wants Prudence to gather information about a Mr. Jasper Darke, a wealthy landowner and qualified architect.

She locates Mr. Darke's house in Kew, the only person present at the property is a gardener, she feels uncomfortable driving past his house and snooping. Prudence is carrying a heavy burden, she’s trying to juggle a major family crisis, her sister’s rapidly declining health, and she’s worried her father will lose his medical license and income.

Prudence meets Jasper at a party, he’s a handsome man, she’s expecting him to be nasty, and he’s not the villain he's been portrayed to be. Prudence’s family home’s being watched, a man’s found dead in her father’s surgery, she starts to question what her father’s up to, with her knowledge of science she’s determined to solve the crime, and prove her father is innocent of any wrong doing.

I love Darry Fraser’s books and I feel she’s taken her writing and research to a higher level with The Prodigal Sister. The story highlights the limited education and work opportunities women had at the time, most were expected to marry and be happy with carrying out domestic duties and bearing children. Including the new science of forensics, how it could be used to solve crimes and how hereditary diseases were being discovered, the lack of treatment for suffers, and this information made the narrative really interesting.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, a brilliant Australian historical mystery, and five stars from me.

]]> 3.95 2021 The Prodigal Sister
author: Darry Fraser
name: Karren
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/09
date added: 2021/12/04
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Prudence North has just returned to Melbourne, she’s been studying at St Andrews University in Scotland and she has an interest in forensic science. In 1900, it’s an exciting new discovery, and everyone’s fingerprints have a unique pattern and she would love to find work in this field and be able to develop her knowledge.

She has another reason for returning home, her mother’s suffering from Huntington’s chorea, her younger sister Valerie is showing signs of the awful disease and her father needs her support. An acquaintance of her father's and a police officer Everard Bankston corners Prudence three weeks after she arrives home, and he threatens her. He believes her father’s involved in illegal medical practices, to keep him silent, he wants Prudence to gather information about a Mr. Jasper Darke, a wealthy landowner and qualified architect.

She locates Mr. Darke's house in Kew, the only person present at the property is a gardener, she feels uncomfortable driving past his house and snooping. Prudence is carrying a heavy burden, she’s trying to juggle a major family crisis, her sister’s rapidly declining health, and she’s worried her father will lose his medical license and income.

Prudence meets Jasper at a party, he’s a handsome man, she’s expecting him to be nasty, and he’s not the villain he's been portrayed to be. Prudence’s family home’s being watched, a man’s found dead in her father’s surgery, she starts to question what her father’s up to, with her knowledge of science she’s determined to solve the crime, and prove her father is innocent of any wrong doing.

I love Darry Fraser’s books and I feel she’s taken her writing and research to a higher level with The Prodigal Sister. The story highlights the limited education and work opportunities women had at the time, most were expected to marry and be happy with carrying out domestic duties and bearing children. Including the new science of forensics, how it could be used to solve crimes and how hereditary diseases were being discovered, the lack of treatment for suffers, and this information made the narrative really interesting.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, a brilliant Australian historical mystery, and five stars from me.


]]> The Light We Left Behind 59418074 England: 1944

³⳦DZDz Maddie Greshamis sent a mysterious message telling her to report to Trent Park mansion, she wonders how she will be helping the war effort from a stately home.

She soon finds captured Nazi generals are being detained at the house. Bugged with listening devices in every room, it’s up to Maddie to gain the Nazis� trust and coax them into giving up information.

WhenMax Weitzler, a Jewish refugee, also arrives at Trent Park with the same mission, Maddie finds herself trapped in a dangerous game of chess.

The two met in Germany before the war, and Maddie’s heart was his from the moment they locked eyes.

But Maddie has finally gained the trust of the Nazi officers at the house, and her love for Max must remain a secret.

When the walls have ears, who can you trust?

Based on the true events that took place at Trent Park during WWII, this is an emotionally gripping, and heart-breaking novel about love, sacrifice, and betrayal, perfect for fans of The Rose Code and The Lost Girls of Paris.]]> 384 Tessa Harris 0008523843 Karren 5
Maddie’s interviewed by Colonel McKie, her new job is all very hush hush and she has to sign the official secrets act. Captured high ranking German officers are staying at Trent Park, and in a building bugged with listening devices, Maddie’s to give a profile on each officer, look for any weaknesses, if needed meet them and she finds this daunting.

Maddie stayed in Germany as an exchange student in 1936, she was forced to leave the country and her past experience with the Nazi’s was terrifying. Her German penfriend Greta’s mother Mrs Weitzler is Jewish, and she worried about their safety and hasn’t heard from them in years. At Trent Park they have what they call “stool pigeons� cleared German speaking prisoners, who serve as batman for the German officers and they gather and interpret information for the British. Maddie’s shocked to discover Max Weitzler, Greta’s older brother is serving as one, she fell in love with him eight years ago while staying at his parent’s house and it needs to remain a secret.

As Hitler’s doodlebugs start landing in London, the pressure's on the people working at Trent Park escalates and Maddie’s worried they have a traitor in the ranks. Maddie’s highly suspicious, she’s being followed, and she doesn’t believe Dr Baskin died of natural causes, some things simply don't add up and she has no idea who she can trust?

I received a copy of The Light We Left Behind from NetGalley and HQ Digital in exchange for an honest review, I find it fascinating how everyday people signed the secret services act, suddenly they were involved in espionage, they went extraordinary lengths to help England win the war, defeat Germany and Maddie’s character is one of these brave and selfless individuals. I really enjoyed Tessa Harris's previous book Beneath a Starless Sky and her latest wartime mystery is absolutely brilliant, and five stars from me.

]]> 3.79 2021 The Light We Left Behind
author: Tessa Harris
name: Karren
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/15
date added: 2021/12/03
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Maddie Gresham receives a message asking her to report to Trent Park in Middlesex, a grand country house that was once owned by Sir Philip Sassoon and it’s now being used by the British army. Maddie’s a psychologist, she works with Dr Tobias Baskin, she spends her time, trying to read her mentors terrible handwriting and typing up his notes. In 1944, England’s desperate to end the war, and very concerned by reports the German’s are working on a secret weapon and British intelligence is busy trying to stop them.

Maddie’s interviewed by Colonel McKie, her new job is all very hush hush and she has to sign the official secrets act. Captured high ranking German officers are staying at Trent Park, and in a building bugged with listening devices, Maddie’s to give a profile on each officer, look for any weaknesses, if needed meet them and she finds this daunting.

Maddie stayed in Germany as an exchange student in 1936, she was forced to leave the country and her past experience with the Nazi’s was terrifying. Her German penfriend Greta’s mother Mrs Weitzler is Jewish, and she worried about their safety and hasn’t heard from them in years. At Trent Park they have what they call “stool pigeons� cleared German speaking prisoners, who serve as batman for the German officers and they gather and interpret information for the British. Maddie’s shocked to discover Max Weitzler, Greta’s older brother is serving as one, she fell in love with him eight years ago while staying at his parent’s house and it needs to remain a secret.

As Hitler’s doodlebugs start landing in London, the pressure's on the people working at Trent Park escalates and Maddie’s worried they have a traitor in the ranks. Maddie’s highly suspicious, she’s being followed, and she doesn’t believe Dr Baskin died of natural causes, some things simply don't add up and she has no idea who she can trust?

I received a copy of The Light We Left Behind from NetGalley and HQ Digital in exchange for an honest review, I find it fascinating how everyday people signed the secret services act, suddenly they were involved in espionage, they went extraordinary lengths to help England win the war, defeat Germany and Maddie’s character is one of these brave and selfless individuals. I really enjoyed Tessa Harris's previous book Beneath a Starless Sky and her latest wartime mystery is absolutely brilliant, and five stars from me.


]]> <![CDATA[Where the Forest Meets the Stars]]> 41818297
After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.

The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay—just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.

Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?

Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.]]> 333 Glendy Vanderah 1503959910 Karren 5
Joanna hasn’t had a lot of experience with children, when a young girl arrives at her cabin and she’s extremely concerned. The little girl looks to be around eight or nine, she’s dirty, covered in bruises and doesn’t have any shoes. When Joanna asks her questions, she gives her answers that make no sense and when Jo calls the police she runs away.

Ursa claims she has been sent from the stars to earth, in another girl’s body and she’s here to preform five miracles? Ursa seems very intelligent, and Jo agrees to let her stay for now and looks on the internet for any missing children. Her neighbor Gabriel Nash, lives next door and knows most people in the area, and Jo asks him if he knows anything about a girl being missing or any local families with a history of domestic violence? Jo discovers Ursa reading some of her Ornithologist books, she can follow Shakespeare, remembers all the characters names and Jo thinks she's gifted. Ursa love’s animals, she informs them she’s getting closer to finding her fifth miracle and still runs off when she feels anxious. Jo and Gabe feel a connection to each other, they’re extremely protective of Ursa and they would do anything to keep her safe, and they discover her tragic and shocking past.

I received a copy of Where the Forest Meets the Stars from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, it’s not a book I would typically read, however I thoroughly enjoyed it and I now understand why so many people have highly recommended Glendy Vanderah’s debut novel to me, I can’t wait to read The Light Through the Leaves and five stars from me.
]]> 4.29 2019 Where the Forest Meets the Stars
author: Glendy Vanderah
name: Karren
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/29
date added: 2021/11/29
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Joanna Teale has had a rough couple of years, she lost her mum Eleanor to breast cancer and discovered she inherited the deadly gene. Joanna’s cancer was caught early, she had a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and her ovaries removed. She’s started working in Southern Illinois, researching nesting birds, and wants to finish her PHD in bird ecology and conservation.

Joanna hasn’t had a lot of experience with children, when a young girl arrives at her cabin and she’s extremely concerned. The little girl looks to be around eight or nine, she’s dirty, covered in bruises and doesn’t have any shoes. When Joanna asks her questions, she gives her answers that make no sense and when Jo calls the police she runs away.

Ursa claims she has been sent from the stars to earth, in another girl’s body and she’s here to preform five miracles? Ursa seems very intelligent, and Jo agrees to let her stay for now and looks on the internet for any missing children. Her neighbor Gabriel Nash, lives next door and knows most people in the area, and Jo asks him if he knows anything about a girl being missing or any local families with a history of domestic violence? Jo discovers Ursa reading some of her Ornithologist books, she can follow Shakespeare, remembers all the characters names and Jo thinks she's gifted. Ursa love’s animals, she informs them she’s getting closer to finding her fifth miracle and still runs off when she feels anxious. Jo and Gabe feel a connection to each other, they’re extremely protective of Ursa and they would do anything to keep her safe, and they discover her tragic and shocking past.

I received a copy of Where the Forest Meets the Stars from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, it’s not a book I would typically read, however I thoroughly enjoyed it and I now understand why so many people have highly recommended Glendy Vanderah’s debut novel to me, I can’t wait to read The Light Through the Leaves and five stars from me.

]]> A Cold Wind Down the Grey 44006041 Greymouth, New Zealand, 1866: The Burgess gang is heading towards town, and a young surveyor from one of the country's leading families has vanished into the bush. Inspector James is preparing for trouble.In the gold-mining town of Greymouth, where drunks fall asleep smoking and burn down their houses, the town is constantly inundated with floods, and fifty-seven hotels have sprung up in a year to accommodate the hordes of miners and gold thieves, Inspector William Henry James is tasked with keeping the town safe with a small force of troopers.In 1888, forced into retirement by government cuts, James walks home beside the Whanganui River remembering his association with a series of murders by the notorious Burgess back in 1866 he had forced the gang to leave Greymouth. The gang took a steamer up to Nelson and within days killed five men on the Maungatapu Track. Soon after, Inspector James discovered the body of a young surveyor, George Dobson, murdered by Burgess and his crew. The gang was gone, but one guilty man remained, and James was determined to bring him to trial and to find justice for the young surveyor.The events that transpired haunted him for the rest of his life.BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF THE FIRST VICTIM OF THE BURGESS GANG, WHO COMMITTEDAN INFAMOUS NINETEENTH CENTURY MASSACRE"Wendy Wilson writes beautifully and subtly about bad men who did bad things, as well as those who struggled to bring them to justice. In A Cold Wind Down the Grey, the past, in all its complicated allure and nasty intrigue, seems to appear on the page fully-formed, so that we can live inside it for a while -- for good or for naught."Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, author, One Man's Quest for the CureWendy Wilson's passion for her subject shines through in this well-researched, immensely readable novel.Linda Burgess, author, Historic A Visitors Guide to 65 Early New Zealand Homes]]> 264 Wendy M. Wilson 1775220699 Karren 3
In 1866, the Burgess gang killed five innocent men on the Maungatapu track and soon after another body was discovered. George Dobson was from one of New Zealand’s most affluent families, he was a nice young man, his future was bright and he worked as a surveyor. He’d been missing for six weeks, when detective James found his body in a shallow grave, the case still haunts him and all these years later.

A Cold Wind Down the Grey is based on a true story and the author Wendy M. Wilson is distantly related to George Dobson by marriage. William Henry James did his best to keep crime in the area under control, it was impossible in the gold fields, and unfortunately for poor George Dobson he was a tragic victim. You’re given an idea of what it was like in New Zealand at the time, it was a wild place to live and even ex Australian convicts had moved there. The personal toll being in the police force took on the James’s marriage, they moved around a lot, lived in very remote and unsanitary places, the couple lost five young children and the infant mortality rate at the time was shocking.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley/Kindle Unlimited in exchange for an honest review, an interesting read and about an infamous criminal case in New Zealand in the 1860’s, and three and a half stars from me.
]]> 3.45 A Cold Wind Down the Grey
author: Wendy M. Wilson
name: Karren
average rating: 3.45
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2021/11/25
date added: 2021/11/25
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
In 1888, William Henry James has worked his way up the ranks, in both the Australian and New Zealand police forces. He lives in Greymouth, in New Zealand, with his wife Elizabeth, he’s shocked when he’s forced to retire due to funding cuts and he looks back at his thirty seven year police career.

In 1866, the Burgess gang killed five innocent men on the Maungatapu track and soon after another body was discovered. George Dobson was from one of New Zealand’s most affluent families, he was a nice young man, his future was bright and he worked as a surveyor. He’d been missing for six weeks, when detective James found his body in a shallow grave, the case still haunts him and all these years later.

A Cold Wind Down the Grey is based on a true story and the author Wendy M. Wilson is distantly related to George Dobson by marriage. William Henry James did his best to keep crime in the area under control, it was impossible in the gold fields, and unfortunately for poor George Dobson he was a tragic victim. You’re given an idea of what it was like in New Zealand at the time, it was a wild place to live and even ex Australian convicts had moved there. The personal toll being in the police force took on the James’s marriage, they moved around a lot, lived in very remote and unsanitary places, the couple lost five young children and the infant mortality rate at the time was shocking.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley/Kindle Unlimited in exchange for an honest review, an interesting read and about an infamous criminal case in New Zealand in the 1860’s, and three and a half stars from me.

]]> In Darkest Days May Blossom 44300315 A GRITTY TALE OF ADVERSITY AND THE SHEER POWER OF LOVE �

Bruised but not broken, she stood in the mud of the street, wearing nothing but a tattered shift the day Jonathan first saw her. He had watched in mesmerized fascination as the girl swiped a filthy arm across her split lip, squared her shoulders, and raised her chin in defiance of her assailants. But when, by random happenstance she turned her head and her piercing, blue eyes met his regard, Jonathan knew his entire world had tipped on end.

Charlotte had known nothing but adversity and hardship the entirety of her life. Orphaned at a young age and condemned to fend for herself, she learned to trust no one and rely solely upon her own strength. Yet, when she’s cut down in the street for a crime she didn’t commit and Jonathan comes to her rescue, Charlotte is begrudgingly compelled to the realization that perhaps hope and love do exist in this miserable world.

England, at the end of the 18thcentury, is a land exemplified by firm divisions between the social classes. What is a life of ease and prosperity for some, is an arduous existence for others. Nevertheless, ’tis true that love can bloom in the unlikeliest of places. But when a grievously injured Charlotte is falsely accused of a crime and sent to one of the most infamous prisons in the land, the tender bud of Jonathan and Charlotte’s love is threatened. Jonathan is forced to defy family in a desperate bid to save her from the hangman, whilst conspiracies and betrayal are afoot in a cruel effort to keep them apart.

“Better far thou art, a piece
Of God’s own heaven-born beauty,
Smiling in this wintry time.
Doubtless ’tis thy duty,

Us to teach that love and grace
In darkest days may blossom,
And that a tender bloom of hope
May shine in sorrow’s bosom.�
-J.J. Britton]]> 255 Leila Snow Karren 3
Jonathon rescues a severely beaten Charlotte, she’s taken to Worcester Goal, and unfortunately his father is the town magistrate. He’s furious with his youngest son, he does everything in his power to stop Jonathon from seeing Charlotte, when he continues to defy him and he's forced to take drastic action. England in the 18th century is clearly divided into social classes, they don’t associate with each other and certainly don't fall in love!

In Darkest Days May Blossom by Leila Snow, Jonathon falls madly in love with Charlotte, despite his father’s interference, his brother manages to save her from the hangman’s noose and she flees. The couple spend months trying to find each other, Jonathon gets rather despondent and Charlotte has to change her name to stay one step ahead of the law and try to find work when she doesn’t have a reference. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a story about forbidden love and not set in the most romantic of places, a quick read and three stars from me.
]]> 4.31 2019 In Darkest Days May Blossom
author: Leila Snow
name: Karren
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/11/22
date added: 2021/11/22
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Jonathon Hawthorne notices an altercation in the street, a young woman is being assaulted by the Bromsgrove Constabulary and he steps in to help. Charlotte Bausand is an apprentice nailer, she works for Mr. Higgs and he accuses her of theft. Charlotte has had a hard life, her parents and younger sister were sent to the workhouse and she was forced to work. Ten years later, she’s tired of the way Mr. Higgs has been treating her, since his wife passed away he’s been making unwanted advances towards her and she didn’t steal anything from him.

Jonathon rescues a severely beaten Charlotte, she’s taken to Worcester Goal, and unfortunately his father is the town magistrate. He’s furious with his youngest son, he does everything in his power to stop Jonathon from seeing Charlotte, when he continues to defy him and he's forced to take drastic action. England in the 18th century is clearly divided into social classes, they don’t associate with each other and certainly don't fall in love!

In Darkest Days May Blossom by Leila Snow, Jonathon falls madly in love with Charlotte, despite his father’s interference, his brother manages to save her from the hangman’s noose and she flees. The couple spend months trying to find each other, Jonathon gets rather despondent and Charlotte has to change her name to stay one step ahead of the law and try to find work when she doesn’t have a reference. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a story about forbidden love and not set in the most romantic of places, a quick read and three stars from me.

]]> On the Wings of Hope 54132736 As World War II draws to a close, can two young people find love, hope—and freedom?

February 1942: Terrifying reports of the Wehrmacht’s advance across the Soviet Union spread like wildfire, striking new fear into the already oppressed German families living there.

Harri Pfeiffer, now sixteen, is summoned to the forced labour camp in Chelyabinsk. With men around him dying by the hundreds, every day is a fight for survival in a world plagued with despair.

Three years later, with the war finally over, Yvo Scholz arrives in Chelyabinsk, desperate for news of her brother, who was also last seen being dispatched to the labour camp. Still uncertain of the fate of her father, it takes all Yvo’s unshakeable courage to build a new life for herself while she waits for hope to return.

When their paths intersect, Harri and Yvo find a connection they never thought possible. But faced with hostility and discrimination, do they dare to dream they will one day be free—together?]]> 363 Ella Zeiss 1542018730 Karren 4
Harri Pfeiffer is sixteen, he’s living with his mother Hilde and sister Emma in Kazakhstan. He’s receives a days notice and he’s to be sent to Chelyabinsk, and nothing could prepare him for life in the camp. Every day he has to unload trains by hand, with a crew of teenage boys, and it’s physically brutal. They live on two small meals of watery soup and bread, and he’s always hungry. Harri tries to harden his heart, people die daily from exhaustion, starvation and disease. He meets Erich Scholz, they become friends, Erich’s most treasured possession is a picture of his fiancé Rita and his sister Anna and Harri doesn’t remember his link to the Scholz family.

Anna and her daughter Yvonne Scholz have managed to stay together, first Anna's husband Wilhelm was sent to a camp and then her son Erich was summoned to join the labour army. The women haven’t had an easy time, forced to leave Komi, Anna the ex-school teacher, cuts wood in a forest, clears debris with Yvo from a factory, and after three years they haven’t heard from Erich. When the war ends, they travel to Chelyabinsk desperate to find him, they register for work and rent a room.

Both Harri and Yvonne were excellent students before the war, Anna could sew, and this is the reason they managed to survive the Russian work camps. On the Wings of Hope by Ella Zeiss is a story about courage, hardship, determination, friendship, family, fate, never giving up, and a treasured photograph.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, I have read the previous book in the series In the Shadow of the Storm, it made it easier for me to follow the English translation, and I remember the familiar characters, the secret link between the families and four stars from me.

]]> 4.40 2018 On the Wings of Hope
author: Ella Zeiss
name: Karren
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/20
date added: 2021/11/20
shelves: kindle-unlimited, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
The German’s army is advancing across the Soviet Union in 1942, and the German citizens living there are scared, and those who haven’t been sent to a work for the labour army are worried their name will be next on the list.

Harri Pfeiffer is sixteen, he’s living with his mother Hilde and sister Emma in Kazakhstan. He’s receives a days notice and he’s to be sent to Chelyabinsk, and nothing could prepare him for life in the camp. Every day he has to unload trains by hand, with a crew of teenage boys, and it’s physically brutal. They live on two small meals of watery soup and bread, and he’s always hungry. Harri tries to harden his heart, people die daily from exhaustion, starvation and disease. He meets Erich Scholz, they become friends, Erich’s most treasured possession is a picture of his fiancé Rita and his sister Anna and Harri doesn’t remember his link to the Scholz family.

Anna and her daughter Yvonne Scholz have managed to stay together, first Anna's husband Wilhelm was sent to a camp and then her son Erich was summoned to join the labour army. The women haven’t had an easy time, forced to leave Komi, Anna the ex-school teacher, cuts wood in a forest, clears debris with Yvo from a factory, and after three years they haven’t heard from Erich. When the war ends, they travel to Chelyabinsk desperate to find him, they register for work and rent a room.

Both Harri and Yvonne were excellent students before the war, Anna could sew, and this is the reason they managed to survive the Russian work camps. On the Wings of Hope by Ella Zeiss is a story about courage, hardship, determination, friendship, family, fate, never giving up, and a treasured photograph.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, I have read the previous book in the series In the Shadow of the Storm, it made it easier for me to follow the English translation, and I remember the familiar characters, the secret link between the families and four stars from me.


]]> The Cobbler's Wife 39323682
For years Seren James has yearned for a child of her own. Married to a man who has little care for her, she longs for something to fill the emptiness within - and fears that she is almost out of time.

When Seren meets a woman who says she can help, she thinks her dreams have come true. But the locals suspect Anwen of witchcraft, and any association with her may taint Seren too.

And as Seren finds herself growing closer to Elwyn Evans, the local minister, who has made no secret of his attraction to her, she must ask herself what it will take to find happiness - and whether she is willing to pay the price . . .]]> 248 Lynette Rees 1787472914 Karren 3
A new minister has taken over the parish, Elwyn Evans is kind and caring man and Seren regrets marrying Morgan. When the situation for Seren escalates, Mr. Watkins the owner of The House of Blazes, a notorious place of ill repute and he finds her a safe place to stay. Living in a boarding house with Jim and Marged, she hears of a terrible Cholera outbreak in Lewis square where her aunt lives and it spreads further throughout Abercanaid, Seren’s worried about her mother Mabel and sister Gwen.

The Cobbler’s Wife by Lynette Rees is set in 1866, it’s a historical saga, and it portrays life at the time, in a small Welsh village and a coal mining town. Many women suffered terrible abuse by their husbands, they had no rights, lived in poverty, with poor sanitation and infectious diseases spread very quickly due to overcrowding. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, Seren is a resilient character and a strong woman, I look forward to reading The Workhouse Waif and three stars from me.
]]> 4.49 The Cobbler's Wife
author: Lynette Rees
name: Karren
average rating: 4.49
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2021/11/17
date added: 2021/11/19
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Seren Edwards marries the village cobbler, Morgan James and he’s tall, charming and handsome. Seren wants to have children, Morgan accuses her of being barren and despite only being married for a few months. A desperate Seren visits Anewn Llewellyn, a herbalist and some of the locals accuse her of being a witch. Due to Morgan’s excessive drinking, he stops opening his shop, she tells Seren it’s only going to get worse, and she should leave him.

A new minister has taken over the parish, Elwyn Evans is kind and caring man and Seren regrets marrying Morgan. When the situation for Seren escalates, Mr. Watkins the owner of The House of Blazes, a notorious place of ill repute and he finds her a safe place to stay. Living in a boarding house with Jim and Marged, she hears of a terrible Cholera outbreak in Lewis square where her aunt lives and it spreads further throughout Abercanaid, Seren’s worried about her mother Mabel and sister Gwen.

The Cobbler’s Wife by Lynette Rees is set in 1866, it’s a historical saga, and it portrays life at the time, in a small Welsh village and a coal mining town. Many women suffered terrible abuse by their husbands, they had no rights, lived in poverty, with poor sanitation and infectious diseases spread very quickly due to overcrowding. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, Seren is a resilient character and a strong woman, I look forward to reading The Workhouse Waif and three stars from me.

]]> <![CDATA[Christmas with the Shipyard Girls (Shipyard Girls #7)]]> 43348917 THE SEVENTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING SHIPYARD GIRLS SERIES.

‘Nancy Revell knows how to stir the passions and soothe the heart!� Northern Echo
____________________________________________________________
Sunderland, 1942: Christmas is fast approaching and with it comes a flurry of snow and surprises�

Against all odds, ʴDZ’s fiancé has finally returned home from the front line. If they can keep things on an even keel, she might get the winter wedding she’s always dreamed of.

Meanwhile shipyard manager Helen is determined to move on after a turbulent year. Her sights are set on breaking the yard’s production record and no one, not even the handsome Dr Parker, is going to get in her way.

And head welder Dz’s little sister Charlotte has turned up unannounced. Why is she back and so set on staying?

Join the shipyard girls as they navigate through life, love and war this Christmas.

Praise for the Shipyard Girls

'the author is one to watch' Sun

‘A brilliant read� Take a Break

‘Well-drawn, believable characters combined with a storyline to keep you turning the pages� Woman ]]> 511 Nancy Revell 1473558468 Karren 4
Polly Elliot is engaged to Petty Officer Tommy Watts, he’s seriously injured in Gibraltar, and being treated on a Red Cross ship, when it's torpedoed, he almost drowns and he's lucky to survive. Tommy’s slowly recovering from surgery in Ryhope hospital, Dr. Parker is sure he will be fit enough to be discharged and ʴDZ’s dreaming of a winter wonderland wedding.

Helen Crawford’s the manager at the shipyard, she’s had a terrible year and only Dr. Parker and her mother know about her tragic loss. She has her sights on breaking the yards production record and getting Brutus off the slips. Helen wants Polly to marry Tommy, has no time for romance herself and she's oblivious to the fact that John Parker admires her from afar.

Rosie Miller lives a double life, she works as welder at the shipyard and she’s part owner in a business. When her younger sister Charlotte Thornton runs away from her Harrogate boarding school, she arrives on Dz’s doorstep unannounced, she needs Charlie to return to school and before she discovers how Rosie's managed to pay for her expensive education.

I really enjoyed reading Christmas with the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell, it’s the seventh book in the popular series, full of familiar characters, secrets, drama, two weddings are planned and only one couple manages to walk down the aisle. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I look forward to reading the eighth book in the series and four stars from me.
]]> 4.68 Christmas with the Shipyard Girls (Shipyard Girls #7)
author: Nancy Revell
name: Karren
average rating: 4.68
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/13
date added: 2021/11/14
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
1942, has been another year of challenges, for Polly, Gloria, Helen, Rosie and their loved ones. All the workers at Thompson’s Shipyard in Sunderland, are busy trying to get SS Brutus finished on time and the last couple of months before Christmas are frantic.

Polly Elliot is engaged to Petty Officer Tommy Watts, he’s seriously injured in Gibraltar, and being treated on a Red Cross ship, when it's torpedoed, he almost drowns and he's lucky to survive. Tommy’s slowly recovering from surgery in Ryhope hospital, Dr. Parker is sure he will be fit enough to be discharged and ʴDZ’s dreaming of a winter wonderland wedding.

Helen Crawford’s the manager at the shipyard, she’s had a terrible year and only Dr. Parker and her mother know about her tragic loss. She has her sights on breaking the yards production record and getting Brutus off the slips. Helen wants Polly to marry Tommy, has no time for romance herself and she's oblivious to the fact that John Parker admires her from afar.

Rosie Miller lives a double life, she works as welder at the shipyard and she’s part owner in a business. When her younger sister Charlotte Thornton runs away from her Harrogate boarding school, she arrives on Dz’s doorstep unannounced, she needs Charlie to return to school and before she discovers how Rosie's managed to pay for her expensive education.

I really enjoyed reading Christmas with the Shipyard Girls by Nancy Revell, it’s the seventh book in the popular series, full of familiar characters, secrets, drama, two weddings are planned and only one couple manages to walk down the aisle. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I look forward to reading the eighth book in the series and four stars from me.

]]> The Visitors 57695933 From the highly acclaimed author ofThe Photographer of the Lost, a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick, comes a tale of a young war widow and one life-changing, sun-drenched visit to Cornwall in the summer of 1923...

Esme Nicholls is to spend the summer in Cornwall. Her late husband Alec, who died fighting in the war, grew up in Penzance, and she’s hoping to learn more about the man she loved and lost.

While there, she will stay with Gilbert, in his rambling seaside house, where he lives with his former brothers in arms. Esme is fascinated by this community of eccentric artists and former soldiers,and as she gets to know the men and their stories, she begins to feel this summer might be exactly what she needs.

But everything is not as idyllic as it seems –a mysterious new arrival later in the summer will turn Esme’s world upside down, and make her question everything she thought she knew about her life, and the people in it.

Full of light, laughter and larger-than-life characters,The Visitorsis a novel of one woman finally finding her voice and choosing her own path forwards.]]> 445 Caroline Scott 1398508187 Karren 5
Her employer and friend Mrs. Fernlea Pickering notices Esme's looking rather peaked, she suggests spending the summer with her in Cornwall and where her brother Mr. Gilbert Edgerton owns a house called Esperance. Alec grew up in nearby Penzance, she hopes to be able to visit the cottage where he lived as a child, and it might make her feel closer to her deceased husband?

Esme works in Mrs. Pickering’s garden, it saved her from succumbing to her grief, and she enjoys looking at the beautiful scenery as she travels by train from Devon to Cornwall. Gilbert’s newly renovated garden and house is lovely, and he shares it with members of his regiment, former soldiers, Sebastian, Rory, Hal and Clarence. A group of artists, writers and misfits, and all have suffered terribly during the war and Esme hears men crying out during the night.

Esme finds solace in Cornwall, she and Rory become friends, they share the love of gardening and she doesn't feel so old and downtrodden. Another member of the regiment visits Esperance house, it causes Esme to question what really happened during the war to Alec, and she feels betrayed.

The Visitors is a story set five years after the end of The Great War, it's about the lasting impact it had on the men who fought so bravely, many struggled mentally, and they couldn’t to return to work, and their marriages failed. Caroline Scott has a way of writing about WW I, that immediately grabs your attention and through her narrative, you feel and experience the burden of the war to end all wars. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK, brilliant, and five stars from me.

]]> 3.93 The Visitors
author: Caroline Scott
name: Karren
average rating: 3.93
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/13
date added: 2021/11/13
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Esme Nicholls like so many women of her generation, lost her husband Alec in The Great War and she’s being mourning him for years. As time goes by, she tries to hold on to the precious memories she shared with Alec, and they only had seven months together when he marched off to war.

Her employer and friend Mrs. Fernlea Pickering notices Esme's looking rather peaked, she suggests spending the summer with her in Cornwall and where her brother Mr. Gilbert Edgerton owns a house called Esperance. Alec grew up in nearby Penzance, she hopes to be able to visit the cottage where he lived as a child, and it might make her feel closer to her deceased husband?

Esme works in Mrs. Pickering’s garden, it saved her from succumbing to her grief, and she enjoys looking at the beautiful scenery as she travels by train from Devon to Cornwall. Gilbert’s newly renovated garden and house is lovely, and he shares it with members of his regiment, former soldiers, Sebastian, Rory, Hal and Clarence. A group of artists, writers and misfits, and all have suffered terribly during the war and Esme hears men crying out during the night.

Esme finds solace in Cornwall, she and Rory become friends, they share the love of gardening and she doesn't feel so old and downtrodden. Another member of the regiment visits Esperance house, it causes Esme to question what really happened during the war to Alec, and she feels betrayed.

The Visitors is a story set five years after the end of The Great War, it's about the lasting impact it had on the men who fought so bravely, many struggled mentally, and they couldn’t to return to work, and their marriages failed. Caroline Scott has a way of writing about WW I, that immediately grabs your attention and through her narrative, you feel and experience the burden of the war to end all wars. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK, brilliant, and five stars from me.


]]> <![CDATA[This Fragile Heart (Far Horizons #3)]]> 55121486 ***Previously published as A Distant Shore.***

“Isobel, you are not thinking clearly. You are not considering all you would be sacrificing, all you would endure! And to be the wife of a stranger…�


1838, Boston: Once upon a time Isobel Moore was thought to be one of Boston’s most eligible young women. But, after a marriage proposal gone wrong, she is now at threat of being labelled a spinster. And, though her work at a small school for impoverished immigrants brings her great joy, she can’t help but wish for more in life.

When her dream of finding love fails to come true, she knows—if she’s to have the family she dreams of—it will take desperate measures.

Her parents wish for nothing more than Isobel to find happiness too. But when she announces she’s traveling to Burma to meet and marry a missionary she’s never met, they think she must have taken leave of her senses.

Isobel believes fate will guide her to a man she could one day love. But the paths we take do not always lead us where we expect� And Isobel’s dream of true love may be more fragile than she had ever imagined.

An incredible story about bravery, broken hearts and the powerful forces of fate, perhaps for fans of Colleen McCullough, Laura Frantz and Colleen Coble.]]> 294 Kate Hewitt 1800191138 Karren 4
Isobel’s willing to take a risk, she discovers single missionaries are looking for wives, in India and Burma, and she puts her name down on the list. Her parents are horrified, when a godly man in Burma sends a letter looking for a wife, Isobel seizes her chance and packs her trunks. Her brother Henry has sailed to China aboard his ship the Charlotte Rose, his wife Margaret will be on her own for a year, her niece Maggie MacDougall is visiting from Canada and she’s willing to help teach at the school in Boston.

After a four month long journey, Isobel arrives in Burma, she’s nervous and it’s so humid. Her path to find true love doesn’t go as planned, and she decides to stay in Moulmein Burma for a few months. Isobel’s introduced to recent widower, Mr. Jack Braeburn, and young Maggie meets Seamus Flanagan a young Irish immigrant in Boston.

This Fragile Heart by Kate Hewitt, is a story about Isobel and Maggie both finding love, it's not easy, and they have to leave home and fight for their independence. I really liked the characters of Isobel and Maggie, despite the age difference, they both stood up for what they wanted and at a time when women didn’t have the freedom they now have. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it's the last book in the Far Horizons series, my favorite out of the three, and four stars from me.
]]> 4.39 2014 This Fragile Heart (Far Horizons #3)
author: Kate Hewitt
name: Karren
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/12
date added: 2021/11/12
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021, kindle-reads
review:
Isobel Moore comes from one of Boston’s finest families, yet she finds herself almost thirty and unmarried. The man she loved, married another and she's left heartbroken. Isobel keeps busy by teaching at Boston’s Poor First School, for immigrant children, and her sister-in-law Margaret Moore started the school. She desperately wants to find love, have children, a home of her own and she’s stuck living with her parents.

Isobel’s willing to take a risk, she discovers single missionaries are looking for wives, in India and Burma, and she puts her name down on the list. Her parents are horrified, when a godly man in Burma sends a letter looking for a wife, Isobel seizes her chance and packs her trunks. Her brother Henry has sailed to China aboard his ship the Charlotte Rose, his wife Margaret will be on her own for a year, her niece Maggie MacDougall is visiting from Canada and she’s willing to help teach at the school in Boston.

After a four month long journey, Isobel arrives in Burma, she’s nervous and it’s so humid. Her path to find true love doesn’t go as planned, and she decides to stay in Moulmein Burma for a few months. Isobel’s introduced to recent widower, Mr. Jack Braeburn, and young Maggie meets Seamus Flanagan a young Irish immigrant in Boston.

This Fragile Heart by Kate Hewitt, is a story about Isobel and Maggie both finding love, it's not easy, and they have to leave home and fight for their independence. I really liked the characters of Isobel and Maggie, despite the age difference, they both stood up for what they wanted and at a time when women didn’t have the freedom they now have. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it's the last book in the Far Horizons series, my favorite out of the three, and four stars from me.

]]> <![CDATA[Her Rebel Heart (Far Horizons #2)]]> 54975520 Caroline sighed. She longed to be away from here, from the rain and barren hills and bitter winds, with nothing ever happening. It was as if she’d spent her whole life waiting for something truly exciting�


1832, Scotland: When Caroline Reid is offered the chance to travel to America to live with her estranged uncle, she has only two things on her mind: to become the belle of Boston society and to make an enviable—and financially advantageous—match.

But from the moment her journey begins, things do not go as she expects. From the seasickness on her Atlantic crossing, to the unexpected friendship she strikes up with a young widow named Eleanor, the Caroline who set sail for the New World isn’t quite the same person who arrives there�

Then she meets Eleanor’s brother, Ian Campbell, and her rebel heart cannot help but beat faster. Even though he doesn’t have a fortune, Caroline’s feelings overwhelm her earlier ambitions. However, her uncle—who had so gallantly invited her to live in his house—has other plans. And he will stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wants�

An unmissable story about friendship, courage and impossible choices for fans of Diana Gabaldon, Tamera Alexander and Poldark.]]> 385 Katharine Swartz 1800191154 Karren 4
Caroline sets sail for America, accompanied by her chaperone and things don’t go as planned. The Atlantic crossing is rough, when a storm hits, Caroline and widow Eleanor McCardell are the only two ladies unaffected by seasickness. Caroline’s a rather shallow and selfish young woman, and Eleanor points out it’s their duty to help the sick women aboard the ship, and she reluctantly agrees.

Arriving in Boston, Caroline’s uncle isn’t at the docks to meet her, Eleanor’s brother Dr. Ian Campbell is waiting for her and they drop a nervous Caroline at her uncle’s house. Eleanor hasn’t seen her brother Ian and sister Harriet MacDougall in over ten years. Harriet’s married to Allan MacDougall, they have two children and live in a farm in Canada.

Caroline develops feelings for Ian Campbell, he’s had dealings with her uncle in Scotland, he blames him for the loss of Achlic Farm and he hates Sir. James Riddell. Caroline discovers her uncle’s plan is to marry her off to his unsavory business partner, she feels trapped and doesn’t know what she will do? Isobel Moore has been patiently waiting for Ian Campbell to propose marriage, so when Caroline arrives, she feels threatened, Ian Campbell is torn between two women and he must follow his heart.

Her Rebel Heart is the second book in the Far Horizons series, is a story about Caroline moving across the other side of the world, old rivals meeting again, Ian having to make peace with his past, and choose the women he wants to make his bride. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, nice to catch up with familiar characters, I look forward to reading the next book in the series This Fragile Heart by Kare Hewitt, and fours stars from me.
]]> 4.37 2007 Her Rebel Heart (Far Horizons #2)
author: Katharine Swartz
name: Karren
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/11
date added: 2021/11/11
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge
review:
Caroline Reid lives in Scotland, and her uncle Sir. James Riddell is always away on business and she’s left alone with his grumpy housekeeper. When her uncle finally returns to Scotland and he informs Caroline, she will be traveling to America and living with him in Boston. Caroline was hoping for a season in London, she will have to make the most of Boston’s society and find a suitable husband. Her uncle business dealings are with a Mr. Matthew Dearborn, he’s an older man, lives in Boston and Caroline's concerned her uncle wants her to marry him?

Caroline sets sail for America, accompanied by her chaperone and things don’t go as planned. The Atlantic crossing is rough, when a storm hits, Caroline and widow Eleanor McCardell are the only two ladies unaffected by seasickness. Caroline’s a rather shallow and selfish young woman, and Eleanor points out it’s their duty to help the sick women aboard the ship, and she reluctantly agrees.

Arriving in Boston, Caroline’s uncle isn’t at the docks to meet her, Eleanor’s brother Dr. Ian Campbell is waiting for her and they drop a nervous Caroline at her uncle’s house. Eleanor hasn’t seen her brother Ian and sister Harriet MacDougall in over ten years. Harriet’s married to Allan MacDougall, they have two children and live in a farm in Canada.

Caroline develops feelings for Ian Campbell, he’s had dealings with her uncle in Scotland, he blames him for the loss of Achlic Farm and he hates Sir. James Riddell. Caroline discovers her uncle’s plan is to marry her off to his unsavory business partner, she feels trapped and doesn’t know what she will do? Isobel Moore has been patiently waiting for Ian Campbell to propose marriage, so when Caroline arrives, she feels threatened, Ian Campbell is torn between two women and he must follow his heart.

Her Rebel Heart is the second book in the Far Horizons series, is a story about Caroline moving across the other side of the world, old rivals meeting again, Ian having to make peace with his past, and choose the women he wants to make his bride. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, nice to catch up with familiar characters, I look forward to reading the next book in the series This Fragile Heart by Kare Hewitt, and fours stars from me.

]]> Boy Underground 56225718 During WWII, a teenage boy finds his voice, the courage of his convictions, and friends for life in an emotional and uplifting novel by the New York Times and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author.

1941. Steven Katz is the son of prosperous landowners in rural California. Although his parents don’t approve, he’s found true friends in Nick, Suki, and Ollie, sons of field workers. The group is inseparable. But Steven is in turmoil. He’s beginning to acknowledge that his feelings for Nick amount to more than friendship.

When the bombing of Pearl Harbor draws the US into World War II, Suki and his family are forced to leave their home for the internment camp at Manzanar. Ollie enlists in the army and ships out. And Nick must flee. Betrayed by his own father and accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he turns to Steven for help. Hiding Nick in a root cellar on his family’s farm, Steven acts as Nick’s protector and lifeline to the outside world.

As the war escalates, bonds deepen and the fear of being different falls away. But after Nick unexpectedly disappears one day, Steven’s life focus is to find him. On the way, Steven finds a place he belongs and a lesson about love that will last him his lifetime.]]> 353 Catherine Ryan Hyde 1542021561 Karren 5
Steven returns to school, nothing is said about all the empty desks and everyone acts like nothing has changed in town. This makes Steven mad, his friend Nick’s accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Steven’s the only person who can help him and he hides him in his parent’s root cellar. Nick and Steven are teenagers, and are very confused by their feelings towards each other. Nick leaves, Steven waits to hear from his friend and his relationship with his parents continues to deteriorate.

Steven leaves the farm when he turns eighteen, he sets off to find Nick and he does. Steven discovers that life doesn’t always go as planned, he takes a big risk leaving home, he has to find his own place in the world, and work out his true feelings. The one thing that never changes is the bond between the friends, they continue to keep in touch over the years and as the decades go by.

Boy Underground is a story about friendship, social injustice, growing up during a war, young men going off to fight, making the ultimate sacrifice, and it’s a coming of age story. Catherine Ryan Hyde has a way of making you connect emotionally with the characters in her books, and she has done this once again. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it's very moving and five stars from me.

]]> 4.48 2021 Boy Underground
author: Catherine Ryan Hyde
name: Karren
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/10
date added: 2021/11/10
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021, kindle-unlimited
review:
Steven Katz has just started high school in 1941, he meets three teenage boys Suki, Ollie and Nick and they become best friends. Steven’s father owns a large farm, he feels the odd one out in his family and his older brother Terrence is his mother’s favorite. The boys go on a camping trip, when they return the Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbour and his parents are unhappy his friendship choices. American enters the war, and the Yamanto family are sent to an internment camp in California called Manzanar and older Ollie joins up.

Steven returns to school, nothing is said about all the empty desks and everyone acts like nothing has changed in town. This makes Steven mad, his friend Nick’s accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Steven’s the only person who can help him and he hides him in his parent’s root cellar. Nick and Steven are teenagers, and are very confused by their feelings towards each other. Nick leaves, Steven waits to hear from his friend and his relationship with his parents continues to deteriorate.

Steven leaves the farm when he turns eighteen, he sets off to find Nick and he does. Steven discovers that life doesn’t always go as planned, he takes a big risk leaving home, he has to find his own place in the world, and work out his true feelings. The one thing that never changes is the bond between the friends, they continue to keep in touch over the years and as the decades go by.

Boy Underground is a story about friendship, social injustice, growing up during a war, young men going off to fight, making the ultimate sacrifice, and it’s a coming of age story. Catherine Ryan Hyde has a way of making you connect emotionally with the characters in her books, and she has done this once again. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it's very moving and five stars from me.


]]> <![CDATA[Saving Mrs. Roosevelt (Heroines of WWII)]]> 57136299
Shirley Davenport is as much a patriot as her four brothers. She, too, wants to aid her country in the war efforts, but opportunities for women are limited. When her best friend Joan informs her that the Coast Guard has opened a new branch for single women, they both enlist in the SPARs, ready to help protect the home front.

Training is rigorous, and Shirley is disappointed that she and Joan are sent to separate training camps. At the end of basic training, Captain Webber commends her efforts and commissions her home to Maine under the ruse of a dishonorable discharge to help uncover a plot against the First Lady.

Shirley soon discovers nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust? Why do the people she loves want to harm the First Lady? With the help of Captain Webber, it’s a race against time to save Mrs. Roosevelt and remain alive.]]> 256 Candice Sue Patterson 1636090893 Karren 5
Eleanor Roosevelt has asked American women to help their country in its time of need, they have lived through hard things, survived and are strong resilient women. Shirley’s not confident she has the right skills, to her surprise she’s accepted and starts six weeks of training. Her mother Helen supports her decision, her father’s very old fashioned, he thinks she should stay home and continue helping him.

At training she meets Captain Leonard Webber, he needs to post recruits at Maine and Shirley‘s the obvious choice. She’s going to be doing secret surveillance work, the German American Bund, is using Lubec as a drop off point for German spies, and their target is the First Lady. Her cover story is, she's been dishonorably discharged from the SPARs, her parents are horrified by her behavior and the people in Lubec no longer want to associate with her.

Saving Mrs. Roosevelt is a story about Shirley putting her country first, despite it ruining her reputation, she proud to be helping America and she follows the Coast Guards motto. Shirley notices some odd things happening on her fishing trips in her dads boat, she has no idea her own life will be in danger, the traitors are the last people she expects and are extremely dangerous.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for an honest review, the first book I have read by Candice Sue Patterson and it won’t be my last. Shirley’s character is wonderful, she’s completely devoted to doing what she thinks is right, her faith never wavers, she believes everyone is equal, her friendship with Alma Evan’s was one of the many highlights in the narrative. I highly recommend Saving Mrs. Roosevelt and five stars from me.

]]> 4.38 2021 Saving Mrs. Roosevelt (Heroines of WWII)
author: Candice Sue Patterson
name: Karren
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/10
date added: 2021/11/10
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Shirley Davenport lives in a small coastal town in Maine, she has four older brothers and two are serving in the American military. Shirley wants to help the war effort, and she stuck working on a fishing boat with her father Winston. Her best friend Joan Fischer lives next door, she informs Shirley the Coast Guard are recruiting single women, over the age of twenty two and they both apply to join the SPARs.

Eleanor Roosevelt has asked American women to help their country in its time of need, they have lived through hard things, survived and are strong resilient women. Shirley’s not confident she has the right skills, to her surprise she’s accepted and starts six weeks of training. Her mother Helen supports her decision, her father’s very old fashioned, he thinks she should stay home and continue helping him.

At training she meets Captain Leonard Webber, he needs to post recruits at Maine and Shirley‘s the obvious choice. She’s going to be doing secret surveillance work, the German American Bund, is using Lubec as a drop off point for German spies, and their target is the First Lady. Her cover story is, she's been dishonorably discharged from the SPARs, her parents are horrified by her behavior and the people in Lubec no longer want to associate with her.

Saving Mrs. Roosevelt is a story about Shirley putting her country first, despite it ruining her reputation, she proud to be helping America and she follows the Coast Guards motto. Shirley notices some odd things happening on her fishing trips in her dads boat, she has no idea her own life will be in danger, the traitors are the last people she expects and are extremely dangerous.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for an honest review, the first book I have read by Candice Sue Patterson and it won’t be my last. Shirley’s character is wonderful, she’s completely devoted to doing what she thinks is right, her faith never wavers, she believes everyone is equal, her friendship with Alma Evan’s was one of the many highlights in the narrative. I highly recommend Saving Mrs. Roosevelt and five stars from me.


]]> <![CDATA[Christmas on the Home Front (Land Girls #3)]]> 49481283 It’s the last Christmas of the war but will things ever be the same again?

Christmas 1944

Despite the food rationing and the bitterly cold weather, the land girls of Pasture Farm, Connie Carter, Joyce Fisher and Esther Reeves, are determined to celebrate this Christmas in style. The fighting might still be raging, but they all hope this could be the last Christmas of this dreaded war.

But as the day approaches, word spreads in sleepy Helmstead that two German Airmen are on the run. With everyone on high alert, the mood is tense and the women take no chances. Until the German airmen find them�

Trapped at Pasture Farm with the enemy, the women are determined to find a way to freedom and overpower the airmen. But it means risking everything…including their lives.

]]> 352 Roland Moore 000820442X Karren 4
The villagers living in Helmstead notice a German plane crash after a dog fight, despite bursting into flames, their concerned two German airmen escaped and everyone in the area are worried. Siegfried Weber and Emory Moyer did survive the crash, are hiding in the woods and sleeping in an abandoned car. The two Germans think Joyce is alone at Pasture Farm, and don’t realize Esther Reeves is also there. They capture the two women, hold them hostage, they make a radio, send out Morse code messages and hope a local traitor might be able to help them? Connie decides to visit Joyce, she has no idea that she will become the Germans third hostage, the women are determined to overcome the airmen and alert the authorities. Connie has her suspicions who’s the spy, she’s right and she wants all three to be arrested.

Christmas on the Home Front by Roland Moore, is the final book in the popular Land Girls Series, it’s nice to catch up with the characters from the previous two books, the preparations for Christmas don’t go quite as planned and the three brave women take down two German pilots and a spy. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, not your typical Christmas story, and four stars from me.
]]> 4.30 2019 Christmas on the Home Front (Land Girls #3)
author: Roland Moore
name: Karren
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/06
date added: 2021/11/06
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
The land girls working at Pasture Farm are determined to celebrate Christmas in 1944 and despite the hardships they have all faced over the last four years. Joyce, Connie and Esther have all suffered due to the war, Joyce lost her mum and sister Gwen when a bomb landed on their house in Coventry and she misses them.

The villagers living in Helmstead notice a German plane crash after a dog fight, despite bursting into flames, their concerned two German airmen escaped and everyone in the area are worried. Siegfried Weber and Emory Moyer did survive the crash, are hiding in the woods and sleeping in an abandoned car. The two Germans think Joyce is alone at Pasture Farm, and don’t realize Esther Reeves is also there. They capture the two women, hold them hostage, they make a radio, send out Morse code messages and hope a local traitor might be able to help them? Connie decides to visit Joyce, she has no idea that she will become the Germans third hostage, the women are determined to overcome the airmen and alert the authorities. Connie has her suspicions who’s the spy, she’s right and she wants all three to be arrested.

Christmas on the Home Front by Roland Moore, is the final book in the popular Land Girls Series, it’s nice to catch up with the characters from the previous two books, the preparations for Christmas don’t go quite as planned and the three brave women take down two German pilots and a spy. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, not your typical Christmas story, and four stars from me.

]]> The Restless Wave 43833136
Immensely empathetic, The Restless Wave contrasts the perspectives of Edward, born in Colonial India and later to serve as a military chaplain in the D Day Landings; Hope, a misfit who relinquishes Swinging London for the hippy trail, and Nell, a talented teacher in a deprived area of Oxford.]]> 240 Sarah Meyrick 1910674540 Karren 3
Edward attends Oxford University and theological college and becomes a vicar. He marries Edith Taylor, they have six children, Prudence, Hope, Faith, Grace, William and Richard. Edward joins the army as a chaplain during WW II, he serves in Egypt, Italy and Normandy. He lands with the troops on D-Day, assigned to the 15th field dressing station, he and Hillman work tirelessly as stretcher-bearers, and he’s severely wounded. Edward's in hospital for weeks, for the rest of his life he suffers from terrible headaches and mood swings.

His granddaughter Nell, is a teacher in Oxford, her marriage ended a year ago and she makes a mistake at work. This causes her to suffer from depression and anxiety, and on sick leave she visits her Aunty Grace in Cotswold's. While cleaning out a shed on the farm, she finds a desk that belonged to her grandfather, hidden in a draw are two old photos and a letter.

Nell decides to find out who the people in the photo's are, she travels to France, and visits the beach at Normandy, various war museums, grave sites and a cafe in Lion-Sur-Mer. Nell’s grandfather died the year she was born, she never met him, she uncovers the secret he kept from his wife and it’s not what you assume.

The Restless Wave by Sarah Meyrick is a dual timeline story, about Edward, Hope and her daughter Nell. The Meadow's family are rather dysfunctional, the story jumps around a lot and at times it hard to follow. The information about D-Day was thoroughly researched by the author, for me it was the highlight of the story and three stars from me.]]> 3.68 2019 The Restless Wave
author: Sarah Meyrick
name: Karren
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/11/06
date added: 2021/11/06
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-reads, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Edward Meadow’s was born in Colonial India, his father Randolph is in the British army and he’s eight when he’s sent to boarding school in England. He hates school, he’s tormented by a teacher, and it’s freezing cold and suffers from chilblains. Edward loves going to stay with his Uncle Hubert and Aunt Florence in Exeter and he counts down the days until the school holidays.

Edward attends Oxford University and theological college and becomes a vicar. He marries Edith Taylor, they have six children, Prudence, Hope, Faith, Grace, William and Richard. Edward joins the army as a chaplain during WW II, he serves in Egypt, Italy and Normandy. He lands with the troops on D-Day, assigned to the 15th field dressing station, he and Hillman work tirelessly as stretcher-bearers, and he’s severely wounded. Edward's in hospital for weeks, for the rest of his life he suffers from terrible headaches and mood swings.

His granddaughter Nell, is a teacher in Oxford, her marriage ended a year ago and she makes a mistake at work. This causes her to suffer from depression and anxiety, and on sick leave she visits her Aunty Grace in Cotswold's. While cleaning out a shed on the farm, she finds a desk that belonged to her grandfather, hidden in a draw are two old photos and a letter.

Nell decides to find out who the people in the photo's are, she travels to France, and visits the beach at Normandy, various war museums, grave sites and a cafe in Lion-Sur-Mer. Nell’s grandfather died the year she was born, she never met him, she uncovers the secret he kept from his wife and it’s not what you assume.

The Restless Wave by Sarah Meyrick is a dual timeline story, about Edward, Hope and her daughter Nell. The Meadow's family are rather dysfunctional, the story jumps around a lot and at times it hard to follow. The information about D-Day was thoroughly researched by the author, for me it was the highlight of the story and three stars from me.
]]> The Jasmine Wife 44021602 Sarah Archer’s future as the dutiful wife of a British official in India seems assured, until a chance meeting with the gorgeous and powerful French-Indian, Ravi Sabran, changes the course of her destiny.

As the veneer of polite society wears off in the heat of the Indian sun, Sarah soon realises that nothing is as it appears to be, especially her husband Charles…�

In the beautiful jasmine gardens of the palace of the Maharajah, Sarah follows a forbidden path� towards Ravi and the long-buried secrets of her own birth.

]]> 434 Jane Coverdale 0008336296 Karren 4
After being apart from her new husband for months, Sara arrives in India, eager to see Charles and looking forward to living in her new home. Sara meets Charles’s friends, their snobby English society people, she doesn’t like them, their very racist and treat their Indian servants terribly. Sara’s disappointed and unhappy in her marriage, Charles is controlling, ruthless, and she feels trapped.

Sara starts to feel like a Jasmine Wife, a term used for an English woman living in colonial India, they wilt like a picked jasmine flower, they fade fast, often become ill, their marriages fail and they return home to England. Sara meets French-Indian Ravi Sabran, he’s the kind of person Sara should have married and they feel an instant connection to each other.

Charles is greedy, he encourages Sara to visit The Maharajah and his wife The Maharani, both are known for giving extravagant gifts of precious stones, and Sara’s given so much more. The Maharani knew her parents, and she tells Sara about her family and her secret heritage.

The Jasmine Wife by Jane Coverdale, is a wonderful historical story set in beautiful colonial India, Sara’s a lovely character, she’s reunited with her beloved ayah Malika, finds her childhood home, and discovers her true identity. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I love stories set in India and four stars from me.

]]> 4.12 The Jasmine Wife
author: Jane Coverdale
name: Karren
average rating: 4.12
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/05
date added: 2021/11/05
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Sara Archer was born in India, as a small child her parents died and she went to live with her aunt in England. Her memories of India are rather fuzzy, she remembers feeling warm, her ayah and she’s not a fan of the English weather. Charles Fitzroy works for the Department of Justice in India, he’s visiting England, after a quick courtship he proposes to Sara and she accepts.

After being apart from her new husband for months, Sara arrives in India, eager to see Charles and looking forward to living in her new home. Sara meets Charles’s friends, their snobby English society people, she doesn’t like them, their very racist and treat their Indian servants terribly. Sara’s disappointed and unhappy in her marriage, Charles is controlling, ruthless, and she feels trapped.

Sara starts to feel like a Jasmine Wife, a term used for an English woman living in colonial India, they wilt like a picked jasmine flower, they fade fast, often become ill, their marriages fail and they return home to England. Sara meets French-Indian Ravi Sabran, he’s the kind of person Sara should have married and they feel an instant connection to each other.

Charles is greedy, he encourages Sara to visit The Maharajah and his wife The Maharani, both are known for giving extravagant gifts of precious stones, and Sara’s given so much more. The Maharani knew her parents, and she tells Sara about her family and her secret heritage.

The Jasmine Wife by Jane Coverdale, is a wonderful historical story set in beautiful colonial India, Sara’s a lovely character, she’s reunited with her beloved ayah Malika, finds her childhood home, and discovers her true identity. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I love stories set in India and four stars from me.


]]> The Young Survivors 54641493
PRAISE FORTHE YOUNG SURVIVORS'Ahaunting account... adevastating story of twins separated, of grandparents, parents and cousins, entire families, disappeared � a story that had to be told.'Elizabeth Fremantle'A story that will make you weep, wonder and remember.'Tatiana de Rosnay, author ofSarah’s Key 'Apoignant and gripping debut. Set against the darkest days of WWII, thenovel reminds us that the bonds of family and the power of love can never be extinguished.'Alyson Richman, bestselling author ofThe Lost Wife'A heartbreaking yet uplifting story of loss and love told through the eyes of children... gripping and deeply moving.'James MacManus 'A hugely impressive debut.'Michael Newman, CEO of The Association of Jewish Refugees 'A novel that is arrestingly sincere, full of touching moments and informed by careful research.The beating heart ofThe Young Survivorsis the author’s emotional connection to her characters, which is unmistakably based on longstanding and deep engagement with her own family’s past.'Dr Toby Simpson,Director ofThe Wiener Holocaust Library]]> 216 Debra Barnes 0715653563 Karren 5
The Jewish agency does it’s best to keep the children safe, by hiding them on isolated farms, using various remote youth camps, the twin girls are looked after at orphanages and the catholic church also hides Jewish children. The five siblings desperately try to stay together, it’s difficult due to the age difference and girls being housed separately from boys. The situation in France gets worse, decisions have to be made quickly to move vulnerable children, it’s impossible to keep track of five siblings, after the war they try and reunite families, and it's utter chaos.


After reading The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman, discovering her own mother’s shocking childhood, and Debra Barnes wrote her book to pay tribute to the French Jewish children who suffered during the holocaust. The Young Survivors is a moving and inspiring true story, about surviving despite the terrible odds, and a generation of Jewish children losing the innocence of childhood and their parents. I recived a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it made a lasting impression and five stars from me.

]]> 4.56 The Young Survivors
author: Debra Barnes
name: Karren
average rating: 4.56
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/04
date added: 2021/11/04
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
The Laskowski family live in Metz, they have three boys Pierre, Samuel and Claude and they have just celebrated the birth of twin girls Henriette and Georgette. They have no idea that before the girls turn one, the family would have to leave Metz, to put some distant between them and the rapidly advancing German army. The Germans easily invade France, Jewish adults start being arrested in the middle of the night, they disappear and never to be seen again.

The Jewish agency does it’s best to keep the children safe, by hiding them on isolated farms, using various remote youth camps, the twin girls are looked after at orphanages and the catholic church also hides Jewish children. The five siblings desperately try to stay together, it’s difficult due to the age difference and girls being housed separately from boys. The situation in France gets worse, decisions have to be made quickly to move vulnerable children, it’s impossible to keep track of five siblings, after the war they try and reunite families, and it's utter chaos.


After reading The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman, discovering her own mother’s shocking childhood, and Debra Barnes wrote her book to pay tribute to the French Jewish children who suffered during the holocaust. The Young Survivors is a moving and inspiring true story, about surviving despite the terrible odds, and a generation of Jewish children losing the innocence of childhood and their parents. I recived a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it made a lasting impression and five stars from me.


]]> By the Light of Embers 44000953 382 Shaylin Gandhi 1733586407 Karren 4
Kip expects her to marry him, not have a career and raise his children. She travels home with her best friend Gretchen, she has never been to the South and Lucia’s still deciding what she’s going to do about Kip and his ultimatum? Gretchen notices on the train how people of color are treated differently in the South, they still have segregation and some people are extremely racist.

Lucia and Gretchen are invited to a masquerade ball at Inverness plantation, and Gretchen has fun creating their costumes and taking photo's. The Moore family own Inverness, father Richard and son Robbie are both racist, dangerous and Robbie takes a shine to Gretchen. Lucia meets Nicholas Fletcher, he’s a dark skinned scholar, poet and works for the Moore’s.

Lucia and Nick share a love of reading, they both admire Oscar Wilde and his literary masterpieces. It’s extremely risky for Nicholas to be seen with a white woman, he could be killed and they meet in secret. Tension is rife in Louisiana, Lucia realizes how dangerous it is for Nicholas, she wants them to both leave and has she left it too late?

By the Light of Embers by Shaylin Ganghi is a story about living in the American South during the 1950’s, attitudes haven't changed towards colored people since the Civil War, and Lucia discovers the pain of forbidden love, and it can either destroy you or make you stronger. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, Lucia’s a feisty character and she has a positive influence on Dr. Banner, and four stars from me.]]> 4.47 2019 By the Light of Embers
author: Shaylin Gandhi
name: Karren
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/03
date added: 2021/11/03
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Lucia Lafleur is working as a candy striper at a hospital while studying at Penn College, she has a few run arguments with Sebastian Banner, her father’s a well known doctor in Louisiana and she’s always wanted to follow in his footsteps. She’s engaged to Kip O’Neill, their getting married in October and Lucia hasn’t told him she’s been accepted into the Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Kip expects her to marry him, not have a career and raise his children. She travels home with her best friend Gretchen, she has never been to the South and Lucia’s still deciding what she’s going to do about Kip and his ultimatum? Gretchen notices on the train how people of color are treated differently in the South, they still have segregation and some people are extremely racist.

Lucia and Gretchen are invited to a masquerade ball at Inverness plantation, and Gretchen has fun creating their costumes and taking photo's. The Moore family own Inverness, father Richard and son Robbie are both racist, dangerous and Robbie takes a shine to Gretchen. Lucia meets Nicholas Fletcher, he’s a dark skinned scholar, poet and works for the Moore’s.

Lucia and Nick share a love of reading, they both admire Oscar Wilde and his literary masterpieces. It’s extremely risky for Nicholas to be seen with a white woman, he could be killed and they meet in secret. Tension is rife in Louisiana, Lucia realizes how dangerous it is for Nicholas, she wants them to both leave and has she left it too late?

By the Light of Embers by Shaylin Ganghi is a story about living in the American South during the 1950’s, attitudes haven't changed towards colored people since the Civil War, and Lucia discovers the pain of forbidden love, and it can either destroy you or make you stronger. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, Lucia’s a feisty character and she has a positive influence on Dr. Banner, and four stars from me.
]]> A Little Bird 56534293 An Accusation.

Running from a bad relationship, journalist Jo Sharpe heads home to Arthurville, the drought-stricken town she turned her back on years earlier. While some things have changed—her relationship with her ailing, crotchety father, her new job at the community newspaper—Jo finds that her return has rekindled the grief and uncertainty she experienced during her childhood following the inexplicable disappearance of her mother and baby sister.

Returning to Arthurville has its unexpected pleasures, though, as Jo happily reconnects with old friends and makes a few new ones. But she can’t let go of her search for answers to that long-ago mystery. And as she keeps investigating, the splash she’s making begins to ripple outward—far beyond the disappearance of her mother and sister.

Jo is determined to dig as deep as it takes to get answers. But it’s not long before she realises that someone among the familiar faces doesn’t want her picking through the debris of the past. And they’ll go to any lengths to silence the little bird before she sings the truth.]]> 319 Wendy James 1542026482 Karren 5
You can understand why Mick Sharpe struggles, his wife Miranda and baby daughter Amy disappeared in 1994, and haven’t been seen since. Merry went missing just before Jo turned eight, it was the talk of the town and it still is twenty four years later. Was Merry unhappy being married to Mick, wanted to make a fresh start and she sent a letter a few months after she disappeared from Queensland?

Returning to Arthurville for Jo’s bittersweet, she meets up with old friends and the small town hasn't changed. She want's answers to her questions about her mum’s troubled relationship with her family, why she didn’t speak to her mother Ruth and brother Roland Beaufort. They live at Pembroke, a grand house and property, they disowned her mother when she married Mick and they didn’t worry about Jo’s welfare after her mother left.

Jo’s starts looking into her mother’s disappearance, and she remembers small things that happened around the time she left, and somethings don’t make any sense. Jo focuses on the facts and little details; her parent’s marriage, was her mother keeping secrets, her mum's friends, family, work colleagues and people she knew in Arthurville. Merry's job, she uncovers her mother wrote articles for the Chronicle and she wasn’t just a secretary.

The Little Bird by Wendy James, is a small town thriller, about family rifts and grudges, shocking secrets, stunning revelations, and Merry's not the first person to have gone missing in the small town and with so many hidden clues! I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley, I found the story fascinating and it wasn't at all predictable and five stars from me.
]]> 4.03 2021 A Little Bird
author: Wendy James
name: Karren
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/11/01
date added: 2021/11/01
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Josephine Sharpe returns home to Arthurville, her dad Michael still lives there, and she’s been offered a job working as a journalist for the local community newspaper. Her father Mick still drinks too much, sits around the house all day and Jo’s living with her dad. The newsletter's really small, with a tight budget, and Jo's to concentrate on covering happy events. Things like grandparent’s day at the primary school, what’s happening at the local cricket club and town meetings.

You can understand why Mick Sharpe struggles, his wife Miranda and baby daughter Amy disappeared in 1994, and haven’t been seen since. Merry went missing just before Jo turned eight, it was the talk of the town and it still is twenty four years later. Was Merry unhappy being married to Mick, wanted to make a fresh start and she sent a letter a few months after she disappeared from Queensland?

Returning to Arthurville for Jo’s bittersweet, she meets up with old friends and the small town hasn't changed. She want's answers to her questions about her mum’s troubled relationship with her family, why she didn’t speak to her mother Ruth and brother Roland Beaufort. They live at Pembroke, a grand house and property, they disowned her mother when she married Mick and they didn’t worry about Jo’s welfare after her mother left.

Jo’s starts looking into her mother’s disappearance, and she remembers small things that happened around the time she left, and somethings don’t make any sense. Jo focuses on the facts and little details; her parent’s marriage, was her mother keeping secrets, her mum's friends, family, work colleagues and people she knew in Arthurville. Merry's job, she uncovers her mother wrote articles for the Chronicle and she wasn’t just a secretary.

The Little Bird by Wendy James, is a small town thriller, about family rifts and grudges, shocking secrets, stunning revelations, and Merry's not the first person to have gone missing in the small town and with so many hidden clues! I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley, I found the story fascinating and it wasn't at all predictable and five stars from me.

]]> The London House 57468144 Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain�s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family’s reputation, Caroline flies to her family’s ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the “Waite sisters.� Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. The buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

Each letter brings more questions. Was Caroline’s great-aunt actually a traitor and Nazi collaborator, or is there a more complex truth buried in the past? Together, Caroline and Mat uncover stories of spies and secrets, love and heartbreak, and the events of one fateful evening in 1941 that changed everything.

In this rich historical novel from award-winning author Katherine Reay, a young woman is tasked with writing the next chapter of her family’s story. But Caroline must choose whether to embrace a love of her own and proceed with caution if her family’s decades-old wounds are to heal without tearing them even further apart.

A stand-alone split-time novel
Partially epistolary: the historical storyline is told through letters and journals
Book length: approximately 102,000 words
Includes discussion questions for book clubs]]> 368 Katherine Reay 0785290206 Karren 5
Caroline travels to England to visit her mum, despite being divorced from her husband, her mother-in-law Margaret left her The London House to Caroline’s mum and she's been renovating it. Mat joins her in London and they find old diaries, letters, photographs, and discover Margaret and Caroline Waite were actually twins. The girl’s father John was the Earl of Eriska, he served in the navy with distinction during WW I, and they owned a property in the country called Parkley and of course the town residence in London.

The once close sisters slowly drifted apart, it started when Margaret was sick with scarlet fever and Caroline moved to France after she left finishing school. Caro started working for Elsa Schiaparelli as a modernist dressmaker, she ignored the rumors about another war breaking out and Caro left it too late to return home. Was, Caro possibly a German sympathizer, a traitor to her country, and that’s why she was disowned by her family and they told the next generation she died as a child?

Caroline and Mat, slowly piece together what Caro did during the war, they check national archives in England, France and Germany, she also left behind hidden clues, and they discover what really happened on October 1941 and it wasn’t what the Earl thought. Mat opens up old painful wounds for Caroline junior’s family, Mat had no idea about Caroline’s tragic childhood, and her feelings towards Mat change and could they be more than friends?

Caroline Waite was extremely brave, courageous, loyal, and dedicated to her country, she didn’t run off with a German officer, and she certainly wasn’t a traitor. The London House by Katherine Reay, is a brilliant dual timeline historical fiction story about family secrets, misperception, and misunderstanding, war, lost love, jealousy, resilience, hope, discovering the truth and changing the injustice from the past.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and Harper Muse, one of the best books I have read this year, absolutely brilliant and five stars from me.

]]> 3.91 2021 The London House
author: Katherine Reay
name: Karren
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/31
date added: 2021/10/31
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Caroline Payne, was friends with Mat Hammond in collage, he has an interest in History and he contacts her out of the blue. While doing research for a client, Mat uncovers some interesting information about Caroline’s English great-aunt and Caroline thought she died as a child? Caroline was named after her great-aunt, how could she have possibly been in France during the 1930’s and Mat must have his wires crossed. Her father isn’t happy about Caroline or Mat delving into his families past, he believes his aunt Caroline died as a child and Mat shouldn’t publish any of his crazy theories.

Caroline travels to England to visit her mum, despite being divorced from her husband, her mother-in-law Margaret left her The London House to Caroline’s mum and she's been renovating it. Mat joins her in London and they find old diaries, letters, photographs, and discover Margaret and Caroline Waite were actually twins. The girl’s father John was the Earl of Eriska, he served in the navy with distinction during WW I, and they owned a property in the country called Parkley and of course the town residence in London.

The once close sisters slowly drifted apart, it started when Margaret was sick with scarlet fever and Caroline moved to France after she left finishing school. Caro started working for Elsa Schiaparelli as a modernist dressmaker, she ignored the rumors about another war breaking out and Caro left it too late to return home. Was, Caro possibly a German sympathizer, a traitor to her country, and that’s why she was disowned by her family and they told the next generation she died as a child?

Caroline and Mat, slowly piece together what Caro did during the war, they check national archives in England, France and Germany, she also left behind hidden clues, and they discover what really happened on October 1941 and it wasn’t what the Earl thought. Mat opens up old painful wounds for Caroline junior’s family, Mat had no idea about Caroline’s tragic childhood, and her feelings towards Mat change and could they be more than friends?

Caroline Waite was extremely brave, courageous, loyal, and dedicated to her country, she didn’t run off with a German officer, and she certainly wasn’t a traitor. The London House by Katherine Reay, is a brilliant dual timeline historical fiction story about family secrets, misperception, and misunderstanding, war, lost love, jealousy, resilience, hope, discovering the truth and changing the injustice from the past.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and Harper Muse, one of the best books I have read this year, absolutely brilliant and five stars from me.


]]> <![CDATA[Christmas with the Cornish Girls (The Cornish Girls, #2)]]> 58562889 384 Betty Walker 0008400318 Karren 5
Eva Ryder is a nurse at the convalescent home, her father’s in charge of Eastern House in Cornwall and she’s knows Lily’s entire family. Eva recommended Lily to Sister Gray, Lily’s a sensible girl and she needs a change from cleaning at Porthcurno. Eva’s always getting into trouble with Sister Gray, she’s often running late and gets caught chatting to the patients. Flight Lieutenant Max Carmichael, saved Eva from serious harm in London and he’s recovering at the home. He’s rather dejected, he doesn’t think his condition will improve, Eva’s madly in love with Max, she’s sure he will get better and she’s used to getting her own way.

Sister Rose Gray is in charge of the wards at Symmonds Hall, she works closely with Dr Edmund Layons, Dr Lewis Layons and she has a secret crush on the younger doctor. Rose is concerned about the safety of the children living at the orphanage next door, they look thin, are forced to play outside in the cold weather, and she hears crying at night.

Christmas with the Cornish Girls is a delightful story about the nurses and doctors caring for the injured soldiers at the convalescent home during WW II, you get to know the staff and owner Lady Babs Symmonds, discover what’s happening at the orphanage, how Lily plans the Christmas party with the help from cook, Eva, the children are invited and it's a huge success. Characters from the first book in series Wartime with the Cornish Girls are included in the uplifting narrative, I loved both books by Betty Walker and five stars from me. ]]> 4.25 2021 Christmas with the Cornish Girls (The Cornish Girls, #2)
author: Betty Walker
name: Karren
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/29
date added: 2021/10/29
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Lily Fisher is living in Porthcurno, West Cornwall in 1941, her family’s home in London was destroyed during an air raid, and Lily, her gran Sheila, Aunty Violet and younger sister Alice are all living in a small cottage, and working as cleaners at Eastern House. Lily’s given the opportunity to work as a trainee nurse at Symmonds Hall Convalescent Home near St. Ives, and she’s nervous about leaving her family. She enjoys helping the soldiers, working with her friend Eva, and they want her to organize the Christmas party.

Eva Ryder is a nurse at the convalescent home, her father’s in charge of Eastern House in Cornwall and she’s knows Lily’s entire family. Eva recommended Lily to Sister Gray, Lily’s a sensible girl and she needs a change from cleaning at Porthcurno. Eva’s always getting into trouble with Sister Gray, she’s often running late and gets caught chatting to the patients. Flight Lieutenant Max Carmichael, saved Eva from serious harm in London and he’s recovering at the home. He’s rather dejected, he doesn’t think his condition will improve, Eva’s madly in love with Max, she’s sure he will get better and she’s used to getting her own way.

Sister Rose Gray is in charge of the wards at Symmonds Hall, she works closely with Dr Edmund Layons, Dr Lewis Layons and she has a secret crush on the younger doctor. Rose is concerned about the safety of the children living at the orphanage next door, they look thin, are forced to play outside in the cold weather, and she hears crying at night.

Christmas with the Cornish Girls is a delightful story about the nurses and doctors caring for the injured soldiers at the convalescent home during WW II, you get to know the staff and owner Lady Babs Symmonds, discover what’s happening at the orphanage, how Lily plans the Christmas party with the help from cook, Eva, the children are invited and it's a huge success. Characters from the first book in series Wartime with the Cornish Girls are included in the uplifting narrative, I loved both books by Betty Walker and five stars from me.
]]> The Secret in the Attic 58694526
WhenMatilda’s childhood sweetheartHansis in danger, she doesn’t hesitate to hide him in her attic. Protecting him from her parents and the soldiers downstairs, she smuggles him food and communicates in whispers. For months, they exist by candlelight. But how long can they survive?

America, 2018: Graceopens a mustard-yellow envelope, and her world unravels. She has inherited a bookstore in the small town of Dachau from the grandmother she had no idea existed.

Grace visits her legacy––a bookshop on a cobbled lane filled with lost memories. She combs through faded photographs and handwritten letters, unearthing the story of a young woman who devoted her life to returning the keepsakes of Dachau prisoners to their families. A woman who was torn from her one true love––who never gave up hope�

As Grace pieces together her family’s heartbreaking past, she discovers the long-buried secret of her own identity. But when she learns the truth, will she ever be the same again?

This heart-wrenching yet hopeful tale will restore your faith in humanity, and in the power of love to triumph over evil. Fans ofThe Tattooist of Auschwitz,Orphan Trainand Kristin Hannah will be blown away by this breathtakingly gripping page-turner.]]> 329 Shari J. Ryan Karren 5
Grace Laurent, lives in Boston and she’s an architect. One day she receives an envelope in the mail, from a solicitor in Germany and she’s inherited a book shop in Dachau and from a grandmother she didn’t know existed. Grace’s mum died in 2015, as a baby she was sent to America during the 1930’s from Germany, and she tried her whole life to find her birth parents. Grace travels to Germany, hopefully to get some answers about her mother’s origins and solve the mystery. The bookshop’s called Runa’s Wunderbare, it’s a beautiful old building, and she’s given letters and photographs that belonged to her grandmother Matilda. Grace is taken on a tour of Dachau, she’s horrified by what happened to Jewish people in the nearby camp, and it’s very confronting.

Grace discovers the secret to her identity, she’s taken on an moving and life changing journey. The dual timeline book is about young love, never giving up, friendship, the power of believing in what’s right, it’s an uplifting and hopeful story. The Bookseller of Dachau by Shari J. Ryan is one of the best books I have read this year, I was so emotionally connected to the characters, I was a crying, and five stars from me. ]]> 4.56 2021 The Secret in the Attic
author: Shari J. Ryan
name: Karren
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/06
date added: 2021/10/29
shelves: kindle-unlimited, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Matilda Ellman lives in Augsburg Germany, in a small apartment complex and near her best friend Hans Brauer. Life is becoming extremely hard for Jewish people living in Germany in 1939, Matilda’s close to Han’s entire family, she’s known them her whole life and their Jewish. When the Brauer's are forced to move, and seventeen year old Matilda creates a place for Han's to live in the attic of her parent’s house, and hides him. German soldiers move in downstairs, for months Hans tries not to make any noise, he writes by candle light, Matilda smuggles him food and she loves him.

Grace Laurent, lives in Boston and she’s an architect. One day she receives an envelope in the mail, from a solicitor in Germany and she’s inherited a book shop in Dachau and from a grandmother she didn’t know existed. Grace’s mum died in 2015, as a baby she was sent to America during the 1930’s from Germany, and she tried her whole life to find her birth parents. Grace travels to Germany, hopefully to get some answers about her mother’s origins and solve the mystery. The bookshop’s called Runa’s Wunderbare, it’s a beautiful old building, and she’s given letters and photographs that belonged to her grandmother Matilda. Grace is taken on a tour of Dachau, she’s horrified by what happened to Jewish people in the nearby camp, and it’s very confronting.

Grace discovers the secret to her identity, she’s taken on an moving and life changing journey. The dual timeline book is about young love, never giving up, friendship, the power of believing in what’s right, it’s an uplifting and hopeful story. The Bookseller of Dachau by Shari J. Ryan is one of the best books I have read this year, I was so emotionally connected to the characters, I was a crying, and five stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[Wild Irish Rose (The Merriams, #1)]]> 42738040
Worse: the owner of the land he needs to buy doesn’t want him there. In fact, Becca O’Neill loathes him so much that she won’t even serve him the award-winning scones her famed Wild Irish Rose Bed and Breakfast is known for.

Even worse than that (and not getting scones is bad in Trevor’s book): Becca has an ornery cat, a mischievous Irish setter, and a famous ghost all intent on making sure he fails. Then there’s the woman herself. If she weren’t so indignant about his business offer, they might have a good romance budding.

Worst of all: his Uncle Arthur and Aunt Clara Hale show up from Dare Valley hoping to help him get hitched—not exactly the help he was looking for.

How in the world is he going to make this deal with his heart—and his dignity—staying intact?]]> 366 Ava Miles 1949092062 Karren 4
Becca’s family has owned the land in County Cork for over four hundred years, they have used the large house for a B&B since 1920 and she refuses to sell Wild Irish Rose. Trevor underestimates how difficult his task will be, Becca sends him packing, she has the support of the locals and they don't want the area disturbed. Becca has plans to expand her business, she wants to dye her own wool, sell the yarn and knitted garments. Working by her side is Aileen and Cian O’Shea, Aileen bakes the best scones in Ireland and Cian has known Becca since she was a child.

Trevor’s Aunt Clara and Uncle Arthur are on their honeymoon, they book into Wild Irish Rose and Becca reluctantly lets Trevor stay. Becca has a menagerie of animals, a dog, a cat, sheep, rabbits and an alpaca called Buttercup. To everyone’s amusement Buttercup is rather taken with Trevor, she follows him around and Becca understands why! Trevor's a handsome man, the chemistry between him and Becca is intense, and they find themselves falling in love. But, Becca has a secret from her past, she struggles to do certain things, how can she tell Trevor, and Connor can’t understand why his brother is letting his heart get in the way of closing a lucrative deal.

Wild Irish Rose by Ava Miles, is a story set in beautiful Ireland, the characters in the narrative are wonderful, I really liked Becca, Trevor, Aunt Clara, Uncle Arthur, Cian, Aileen, Hargreaves the butler and of course Buttercup! Wild Irish Rose has the perfect amount of humor, banter, family dynamics, romance, and four stars from me.]]> 4.34 2019 Wild Irish Rose (The Merriams, #1)
author: Ava Miles
name: Karren
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/28
date added: 2021/10/28
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Trevor works for his families company Merriam Oil & Gas and his older brother Connor is his boss. Trevor lives in Ireland, Connor sends him to try and convince Becca O’Neill to sell her land and so they can access a large oil deposit on shore.

Becca’s family has owned the land in County Cork for over four hundred years, they have used the large house for a B&B since 1920 and she refuses to sell Wild Irish Rose. Trevor underestimates how difficult his task will be, Becca sends him packing, she has the support of the locals and they don't want the area disturbed. Becca has plans to expand her business, she wants to dye her own wool, sell the yarn and knitted garments. Working by her side is Aileen and Cian O’Shea, Aileen bakes the best scones in Ireland and Cian has known Becca since she was a child.

Trevor’s Aunt Clara and Uncle Arthur are on their honeymoon, they book into Wild Irish Rose and Becca reluctantly lets Trevor stay. Becca has a menagerie of animals, a dog, a cat, sheep, rabbits and an alpaca called Buttercup. To everyone’s amusement Buttercup is rather taken with Trevor, she follows him around and Becca understands why! Trevor's a handsome man, the chemistry between him and Becca is intense, and they find themselves falling in love. But, Becca has a secret from her past, she struggles to do certain things, how can she tell Trevor, and Connor can’t understand why his brother is letting his heart get in the way of closing a lucrative deal.

Wild Irish Rose by Ava Miles, is a story set in beautiful Ireland, the characters in the narrative are wonderful, I really liked Becca, Trevor, Aunt Clara, Uncle Arthur, Cian, Aileen, Hargreaves the butler and of course Buttercup! Wild Irish Rose has the perfect amount of humor, banter, family dynamics, romance, and four stars from me.
]]> The Fossil Hunter 58910321 Buried secrets. An ancient fossil. And one woman's determination to unravel a nineteenth-century mystery.

Australia, 1847. The last thing Mellie Vale remembers before the fever takes her is sprinting through the bush with a monster at her heels—but no one believes her. In a bid to curb Mellie's overactive imagination, her benefactors send her to visit a family friend, Anthea Winstanley. Anthea is an amateur paleontologist who is convinced she will one day find proof that great sea dragons swam in the vast inland sea that covered her property millions of years ago. Mellie is instantly swept up in the dream.

Australia, 1919. Penelope Jane "PJ" Martindale arrives home from the battlefields of World War I intent on making peace with her father and commemorating the deaths of her two younger brothers in the trenches. Her reception is disappointing. Desperate for a distraction, she finds a connection between a fossil at London's Natural History Museum and her brothers' favorite camping spot. But the gorge has a sinister reputation: seventy years ago, several girls disappeared from the area. When PJ uncovers some unexpected remains, she's determined to find answers about what happened all those years ago...and perhaps some closure on the loss of her brothers.

Weaving together these two timelines, The Fossil Hunter offers everything you love: history, mystery, suspense, romance, and startling discoveries that will keep the pages turning.]]> 384 Tea Cooper 1489299599 Karren 5
When Lydia and Bea, Ella and Grace Ketteringham, and Millie are given and oppituinty to stay with Anthea Winstanley, a family friend of the Pearson's, Mellie’s nervous, and Anthea's an amateur paleontologist. Anthea’s interested in fossils, and convinced she will find proof of the ancient sea dragons, and the ichthyosaur and the plesiosaur. The Hunter Valley was once a vast in land sea, full of prehistorical marine life, with the right conditions they eventually turned into fossils, and Anthea’s property at Bow Bow Gorge is the ideal location.

Penelope Jane Martindale is an Australian ambulance driver, she served in France during WW I, and she’s waiting for a ship to taker her home and she visits the Natural History museum in London. Her brothers Dan and Riley died in the war, as young boys they collected fossils and Penelope also finds them interesting. She travels to Lyme Regis, to visit the graves of three famous women paleontologists and speaks to a Mr. Wood.

Returning to Australia with her fiancé Samuel Groves, her father isn’t happy to see her and he blames her for her brother’s deaths. Penelope discovers a connection between a fossil at the museum in London, her brother’s fossil collections and where they were found. Determined to discover the truth she travels to Bow Wow Gorge, locals don’t like talking about the place, it has a sinister past, and she meets two influential women Dr. Mavis Elliot and Ms. Amelia Baldwin.

The Fossil Hunter is a dual timeline historical mystery, set in 1847 and 1919, its full of scientific information, interesting characters, long kept secrets, startling discoveries, and complicated family relationships. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, Tea Cooper at her very best, I highly recommend reading this book, and five stars from me. ]]> 3.90 2021 The Fossil Hunter
author: Tea Cooper
name: Karren
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/16
date added: 2021/10/27
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Mellie Vale, lives in Wollombi, with her father and he mixes with some rough characters. With a high fever, Mellie remembers running through the Australian bush, with a bunyip chasing her, and everyone thinks she has an overactive imagination. Bunyips are mystical creatures that live in the bush and near lagoons, they make a roaring noise and Aboriginal people believe they exist. The Pearson family give her a place to stay, she has no idea what happened to her dad, and their two daughters Lydia and Bea, bully Mellie.

When Lydia and Bea, Ella and Grace Ketteringham, and Millie are given and oppituinty to stay with Anthea Winstanley, a family friend of the Pearson's, Mellie’s nervous, and Anthea's an amateur paleontologist. Anthea’s interested in fossils, and convinced she will find proof of the ancient sea dragons, and the ichthyosaur and the plesiosaur. The Hunter Valley was once a vast in land sea, full of prehistorical marine life, with the right conditions they eventually turned into fossils, and Anthea’s property at Bow Bow Gorge is the ideal location.

Penelope Jane Martindale is an Australian ambulance driver, she served in France during WW I, and she’s waiting for a ship to taker her home and she visits the Natural History museum in London. Her brothers Dan and Riley died in the war, as young boys they collected fossils and Penelope also finds them interesting. She travels to Lyme Regis, to visit the graves of three famous women paleontologists and speaks to a Mr. Wood.

Returning to Australia with her fiancé Samuel Groves, her father isn’t happy to see her and he blames her for her brother’s deaths. Penelope discovers a connection between a fossil at the museum in London, her brother’s fossil collections and where they were found. Determined to discover the truth she travels to Bow Wow Gorge, locals don’t like talking about the place, it has a sinister past, and she meets two influential women Dr. Mavis Elliot and Ms. Amelia Baldwin.

The Fossil Hunter is a dual timeline historical mystery, set in 1847 and 1919, its full of scientific information, interesting characters, long kept secrets, startling discoveries, and complicated family relationships. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, Tea Cooper at her very best, I highly recommend reading this book, and five stars from me.
]]> Before and After 44908411
The incredible, poignant true stories of victims of a notorious adoption scandal--some of whom learned the truth from Lisa Wingate's bestselling novel Before We Were Yours and were reunited with birth family members as a result of its wide reach

From the 1920s to 1950, Georgia Tann ran a black-market baby business at the Tennessee Children's Home Society in Memphis. She offered up more than 5,000 orphans tailored to the wish lists of eager parents--hiding the fact that many weren't orphans at all, but stolen sons and daughters of poor families, desperate single mothers, and women told in maternity wards that their babies had died.

The publication of Lisa Wingate's novel Before We Were Yours brought new awareness of Tann's lucrative career in child trafficking. Adoptees who knew little about their pasts gained insight into the startling facts behind their family histories. Encouraged by their contact with Wingate and award-winning journalist Judy Christie, who documented the stories of fifteen adoptees in this book, many determined Tann survivors set out to trace their roots and find their birth families.

Before and After includes moving and sometimes shocking accounts of the ways in which adoptees were separated from their first families. Often raised as only children, many have joyfully reunited with siblings in the final decades of their lives. In Before and After, Wingate and Christie tell of first meetings that are all the sweeter and more intense for time missed and of families from very different social backgrounds reaching out to embrace better-late-than-never brothers, sisters, and cousins. In a poignant culmination of art meeting life, long-silent victims of the tragically corrupt system return to Memphis with Wingate and Christie to reclaim their stories at a Tennessee Children's Home Society reunion . . . with extraordinary results.]]> 320 Judy Christie 0593130146 Karren 5
Georgia Tann used three events to her advantage, the stock market crash, the great depression, and the Second World War, people were vulnerable and desperate. Living in poverty, families were struggling to feed hungry children, unwed mothers were shunned by society, people moved around a lot to find work, and Miss. Tann had a corrupt mayor on her side.

There was a huge demand for babies, older couples who couldn’t adopt due to their age, parents who had suffered the loss of an infant and others who couldn’t conceive. Georgia Tann took advantage of poor families, young single mothers, she removed babies from maternity wards and told new parents their baby had passed away overnight. She forged paperwork, didn’t issue adoption and birth certificates on time, she lied about children being orphans and about birth mothers backgrounds, and religious beliefs.

Before and After shares the personal stories of fifteen people who were adopted as babies from the infamous home, some had happy childhoods and others didn’t, from different social back grounds, and all shared the common feeling of loss. They lost their birth parents and real name, knew nothing about their heritage and medical history, and if they had siblings, cousins and extended family? The reunion held by Lisa Wingate and Judy Christie, brought survivors together, to share their stories and feelings, information and photo’s they had collected over the years, and they felt united and not unwanted.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate was released in 2017, and she had no idea the impact her novel would have, and I highly recommend reading it first and then Before and After. A well written and heartbreaking story, and it’s a tribute to the thousands of babies, children and their families who were effected by the inhumane actions of Georgia Tann, and five stars from me.
]]> 3.93 2019 Before and After
author: Judy Christie
name: Karren
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/26
date added: 2021/10/27
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Before and After by Judy Christie gives the reader an in-depth look at what happened in the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in Memphis, information about Georgia Tann the women who owned the orphanage and the terrible acts of cruelty she committed.

Georgia Tann used three events to her advantage, the stock market crash, the great depression, and the Second World War, people were vulnerable and desperate. Living in poverty, families were struggling to feed hungry children, unwed mothers were shunned by society, people moved around a lot to find work, and Miss. Tann had a corrupt mayor on her side.

There was a huge demand for babies, older couples who couldn’t adopt due to their age, parents who had suffered the loss of an infant and others who couldn’t conceive. Georgia Tann took advantage of poor families, young single mothers, she removed babies from maternity wards and told new parents their baby had passed away overnight. She forged paperwork, didn’t issue adoption and birth certificates on time, she lied about children being orphans and about birth mothers backgrounds, and religious beliefs.

Before and After shares the personal stories of fifteen people who were adopted as babies from the infamous home, some had happy childhoods and others didn’t, from different social back grounds, and all shared the common feeling of loss. They lost their birth parents and real name, knew nothing about their heritage and medical history, and if they had siblings, cousins and extended family? The reunion held by Lisa Wingate and Judy Christie, brought survivors together, to share their stories and feelings, information and photo’s they had collected over the years, and they felt united and not unwanted.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate was released in 2017, and she had no idea the impact her novel would have, and I highly recommend reading it first and then Before and After. A well written and heartbreaking story, and it’s a tribute to the thousands of babies, children and their families who were effected by the inhumane actions of Georgia Tann, and five stars from me.

]]> <![CDATA[Love, Theodosia: A Novel of Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton]]> 56897954
In post-American Revolution New York City, Theodosia Burr, a scholar with the skills of a socialite, is all about charming the right people on behalf of her father—Senator Aaron Burr, who is determined to win the office of president in the pivotal election of 1800. Meanwhile,Philip Hamilton, the rakish son ofAlexander Hamilton, is all about being charming on behalf of his libido.
When the two first meet, it seems the ongoing feud between their politically opposed fathers may be hereditary. But soon, Theodosia and Philip must choose between love and family, desire and loyalty, and preserving the legacy their flawed fathers fought for or creating their own.

Love, Theodosia is a smart, funny, swoony take on a fiercely intelligent woman with feminist ideas ahead of her time who has long-deserved center stage.Arefreshing spin on the Hamiltonian era and the characters we have grown to know and love. It’s also a heartbreaking romance of two star-crossed lovers, an achingly bittersweet “what if.� Despite their fathers� bitter rivalry, Theodosia and Philip are drawn to each other and, in what unrolls like a Jane Austen novelof manners, we find ourselves entangled in the world of Hamilton and Burr once again as these heirs of famous enemies are driven together despite every reason not to be.]]> 384 Lori Goldstein 1950994090 Karren 4
Philip Hamilton is the charming, handsome and eldest son of Alexander Hamilton. Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton are political opposites and bitter enemies. Theodosia and Philip fall in love, having to choose between loyalties to their families, preserving the legacy their fathers have created, and changing their destiny.

Love, Theodosia, is a “what if story� about the possible romance between Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton, attracted to each other, do they succumb to desire, or do they walk away and do what’s expected of them? Being Australian I didn’t know a lot about the Hamilton era, I read the book, authors notes and she did extensive research, with help from my friend Google, I worked it all out, and I now know a little more about America's first families. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it’s a tastefully written romance, and four stars from me.
]]> 3.77 2021 Love, Theodosia: A Novel of Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton
author: Lori Goldstein
name: Karren
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/19
date added: 2021/10/24
shelves: edelweiss-above-the-tree-line, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
What would happen if Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton fell in love, and author Lori Anne Goldstein explores this scenario in her first novel? Unlike most women of the time, Theodosia Burr is well educated, fluent in four languages, and has a mind of her own. Her father Senator Aaron Burr, is running for office in the 1800 presidential election, possibly in debt, and desperate to keep the family home Richmond Hill.

Philip Hamilton is the charming, handsome and eldest son of Alexander Hamilton. Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton are political opposites and bitter enemies. Theodosia and Philip fall in love, having to choose between loyalties to their families, preserving the legacy their fathers have created, and changing their destiny.

Love, Theodosia, is a “what if story� about the possible romance between Theodosia Burr and Philip Hamilton, attracted to each other, do they succumb to desire, or do they walk away and do what’s expected of them? Being Australian I didn’t know a lot about the Hamilton era, I read the book, authors notes and she did extensive research, with help from my friend Google, I worked it all out, and I now know a little more about America's first families. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, it’s a tastefully written romance, and four stars from me.

]]> <![CDATA[The Work of Art (Somerset Stories, #1)]]> 46133134 An Uncommon Beauty...
Hidden away in rural Devonshire, Phyllida Satterthwaite has always been considered more odd than beautiful. But in London, her oddity has made her a sensation. Far worse, it's caught the eye of the sinister Duke of Moreland � a notorious art collector obsessed with acquiring one-of-a-kind treasures. To escape the duke's clutches, she's going to need a little help.

An Unlikely Hero...
Captain Arthur Heywood's days of heroism are long past. Grievously injured in the Peninsular War, he can no longer walk unaided, let alone shoot a pistol. What use can he possibly be to a damsel in distress? He has nothing left to offer except his good name.

Can a marriage of convenience save Philly from the vengeful duke? Or will life with Arthur put her � and her heart � in more danger than ever?]]> 392 Mimi Matthews 1733056904 Karren 5
Philly's concerned by the Duke's cold behavior, she has two different colored eyes and she's sure it’s the reason why he wants to marry her. Captain Arthur Heywood is the only person she knows in London, she contacts him and he offers to help her, and they quickly marry. Injured during the Peninsular War, he’s been left with a severely damaged leg and hand and uses a cane walk. Arthur lives a quiet life in Somersetshire, he’s withdrawn from society due to his injuries and he doesn’t think his condition will improve. Philly is the sweetest person, kind, compassionate, and she's sure she can help him recover.

Arthur and Philly settle into a marriage of convenience, he’s still concerned about the vengeful Duke of Moreland, he has a tendency towards seeking revenge and he's not sure if he will be able to protect his wife. The Work Of Art is a regency romance by Mimi Matthews, I haven't read one in years and I highly recommend this book. The handsome war hero, meets a beautiful woman in danger, he doesn't think he can offer her more than his name and he gives her everything she has ever wanted and more! I recived a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it's delightful, and five stars from me. ]]> 4.19 2019 The Work of Art (Somerset Stories, #1)
author: Mimi Matthews
name: Karren
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/23
date added: 2021/10/24
shelves: netgalley, kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
When Phyllida Satterthwaite’s grandfather dies, she has to leave her peaceful life at Fox Cross in country Devonshire behind, and move to noisy London. Her male cousin inherited her grandfather’s estate Satterthwaite Court, he lives in London, and he wants her to marry. He allowed her to bring her four dogs, Basil, Jasper, Dash and Fox with her, they annoy him and he’s keen to marry her off to an older man, the Duke of Moreland, and he has a sinister reputation and likes to collect things out of the ordinary.

Philly's concerned by the Duke's cold behavior, she has two different colored eyes and she's sure it’s the reason why he wants to marry her. Captain Arthur Heywood is the only person she knows in London, she contacts him and he offers to help her, and they quickly marry. Injured during the Peninsular War, he’s been left with a severely damaged leg and hand and uses a cane walk. Arthur lives a quiet life in Somersetshire, he’s withdrawn from society due to his injuries and he doesn’t think his condition will improve. Philly is the sweetest person, kind, compassionate, and she's sure she can help him recover.

Arthur and Philly settle into a marriage of convenience, he’s still concerned about the vengeful Duke of Moreland, he has a tendency towards seeking revenge and he's not sure if he will be able to protect his wife. The Work Of Art is a regency romance by Mimi Matthews, I haven't read one in years and I highly recommend this book. The handsome war hero, meets a beautiful woman in danger, he doesn't think he can offer her more than his name and he gives her everything she has ever wanted and more! I recived a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it's delightful, and five stars from me.
]]> Emily, Gone 43614756 A missing child sets the lives of three women on a collision course in this powerful and compelling novel by USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby.

1971.

When a music festival rolls through the sleepy town of Hesterville, Georgia, the Dixon family’s lives are forever changed. On the final night, a storm muffles the sound of the blaring music, and Rachel tucks her baby into bed before falling into a deep sleep. So deep, she doesn’t hear the kitchen door opening. When she and her husband wake up in the morning, the crib is empty. Emily is gone.

Vicki Robart is one of the thousands at the festival, but she’s not feeling the music. She’s feeling the emptiness over the loss of her own baby several months before. When she leaves the festival and is faced with an opportunity to fill that void, she is driven to an act of desperation that will forever bind the lives of three women.

When the truth of what actually happened that fateful night is finally exposed, shattering the lives they’ve built, will they be able to pick up the pieces to put their families back together again?

Winner of the Royal Palm Literary Award for Women’s Fiction; the Readers� Favorite Gold Medal for Southern Fiction; and the FAPA President’s Book Award for Women’s Fiction.]]> 400 Bette Lee Crosby 154204491X Karren 4
Rachel Dixon had a young six month old baby Emily, after two nights of blaring music, no sleep, a storm hit, and she and her husband George were exhausted. They didn’t hear the back door opening, a small woman entered the house, took Emily and in the morning her cot was empty. The local police immediately started investigating Emily’s disappearance, and they had very little to go on, a few smudged thumb prints and some dusty footprints. They had trouble solving the missing baby case, despite posters being distributed, a reward being offered and lots of media attention.

Vicki Robart, was at the festival with her boyfriend Russ Murphy, she’s depressed, she had a baby girl seven month before and she was stillborn. Not until later does Russ discover what Vicki had done, he’s shocked and he tries to convince her to return the baby. Vicki’s mentally unstable, she’s determined to keep Lara and Russ can’t get her to listen to him. Vicki had a sister called Angela, she hasn’t seen her in over three years and Russ doesn’t know anything about her. Angela and her husband Kenny are surprised to suddenly hear from Vicki, when she arrived with a baby and they have no reason to suspect the baby wasn't hers?

Emily, Gone by Bette Lee Crosby is a story about a family’s heartache of losing their baby daughter, for years they suffered every parent’s worst nightmare, they hoped Emily was alive and being cared for. Years later, what happened on that night is reveled, two mothers find out the truth about their daughter, and for one it’s a devastating revelation. I recived a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, you feel so sorry for the characters of Rachel and George Dixon, a heartbreaking story, and four stars from me. ]]> 4.33 2019 Emily, Gone
author: Bette Lee Crosby
name: Karren
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/22
date added: 2021/10/22
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
In 1971, the small town of Hesterville in Georgia, was invaded by hippies there for a music festival. The crowd was much larger than expected, despite tickets being sold, and many of the shops in the town had to close. The festival played continuous loud music, some of the crowd behaved badly, and caused problems.

Rachel Dixon had a young six month old baby Emily, after two nights of blaring music, no sleep, a storm hit, and she and her husband George were exhausted. They didn’t hear the back door opening, a small woman entered the house, took Emily and in the morning her cot was empty. The local police immediately started investigating Emily’s disappearance, and they had very little to go on, a few smudged thumb prints and some dusty footprints. They had trouble solving the missing baby case, despite posters being distributed, a reward being offered and lots of media attention.

Vicki Robart, was at the festival with her boyfriend Russ Murphy, she’s depressed, she had a baby girl seven month before and she was stillborn. Not until later does Russ discover what Vicki had done, he’s shocked and he tries to convince her to return the baby. Vicki’s mentally unstable, she’s determined to keep Lara and Russ can’t get her to listen to him. Vicki had a sister called Angela, she hasn’t seen her in over three years and Russ doesn’t know anything about her. Angela and her husband Kenny are surprised to suddenly hear from Vicki, when she arrived with a baby and they have no reason to suspect the baby wasn't hers?

Emily, Gone by Bette Lee Crosby is a story about a family’s heartache of losing their baby daughter, for years they suffered every parent’s worst nightmare, they hoped Emily was alive and being cared for. Years later, what happened on that night is reveled, two mothers find out the truth about their daughter, and for one it’s a devastating revelation. I recived a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, you feel so sorry for the characters of Rachel and George Dixon, a heartbreaking story, and four stars from me.
]]> God's Acre 44302077

A heartbreaking WW2 saga, perfect for all fans of Sheila Jeffries and Katie Flynn.

As the drums of war begin to beat louder on the continent, and life becomes more dangerous in cities, seventeen year-old Jeannie McIver leaves the comfort of her aunt's house in Glasgow, to head to the wilds of the Scottish Uplands to start life as a Land Girl.

Jeannie soon falls in love with life on the busy Scottish hill farm, despite all of its hardships and challenges. She feels welcomed by the Cunningham family who value and cherish her far more than her own rather remote and cold parents, and the work is rewarding. She even finds her interest piqued by the brooding, attractive Tam, the son of the neighbouring farmer, and a sweet romance between them slowly blossoms.

But even in the barren hills, they can't avoid the hell of war, and as local men start disappearing off to fight at the Front, Jeannie's idyllic life starts to crumble. Those left behind try desperately to keep the home fires burning, but then Jeannie makes one devastating decision which changes the course of her and Tam's lives forever.

]]> 400 Dee Yates Karren 4
Jeannie meets Tam McColl, his fathers a tenant farmer, and he as an older brother Alan. Tam and Alan are completely different, Alan's very outgoing and a real ladies man, and Tam's shy and hard to read. Tam and Jeannie start courting, Tam doesn’t express his feelings, he’s distant, and at times Jeannie isn’t sure their relationship will work.

When the war starts, the local men start joining up, and some are exempt due to working on farms. Evacuees arrive at the village, the Cunningham’s have Alice Campbell staying with them and her three young children. Jeannie helps look after the two boys Ian and Malcolm, and they soon adjust to living in country. When Glasgow starts being bombed, Jeannie’s concerned about her Aunt and Uncle's safety, and she makes a decision that will change her and Tam's future.

God's Acre by Dee Yates is a dual timeline story that’s set in Scotland during WW II, and years later when Tam’s cottage is sold. Elizabeth Deighton is the new owner, she finds a picture of her mother, receives a letter, and a shocking secret from the past is revealed. I recived a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I enjoyed reading about beautiful Scotland, and four stars from me.]]> 4.24 God's Acre
author: Dee Yates
name: Karren
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/18
date added: 2021/10/18
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Jeannie McIver is staying with her Aunt Christine and Uncle Cameron in Glasgow, she works at the library and she loves her job. With the threat of war looming, her father Duncan wants her to return home and she’s not keen. Her father's a difficult man, he’s extremely religious and very strict. Jeannie joins the Women’s Land Army, she’s sent to a farm near Lanark, to help the Cunningham family, its hard work digging turnips and herding sheep. Jeannie doesn’t mind at all, she likes working with animals, it’s a peaceful and beautiful place to live.

Jeannie meets Tam McColl, his fathers a tenant farmer, and he as an older brother Alan. Tam and Alan are completely different, Alan's very outgoing and a real ladies man, and Tam's shy and hard to read. Tam and Jeannie start courting, Tam doesn’t express his feelings, he’s distant, and at times Jeannie isn’t sure their relationship will work.

When the war starts, the local men start joining up, and some are exempt due to working on farms. Evacuees arrive at the village, the Cunningham’s have Alice Campbell staying with them and her three young children. Jeannie helps look after the two boys Ian and Malcolm, and they soon adjust to living in country. When Glasgow starts being bombed, Jeannie’s concerned about her Aunt and Uncle's safety, and she makes a decision that will change her and Tam's future.

God's Acre by Dee Yates is a dual timeline story that’s set in Scotland during WW II, and years later when Tam’s cottage is sold. Elizabeth Deighton is the new owner, she finds a picture of her mother, receives a letter, and a shocking secret from the past is revealed. I recived a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I enjoyed reading about beautiful Scotland, and four stars from me.
]]> Once Upon a Wardrobe 57099601 Megs Devonshire sets out to fulfill her younger brother George’s last wish by uncovering the truth behind his favorite story. The answer provides hope and healing and a magical journey for anyone whose life has ever been changed by a book.

1950:Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it’s just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: “Where did Narnia come from?�

Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C. S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers.

Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he slowly tells her the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life.

Lewis’s answers will reveal to Megs and her family many truths that science and math cannot, and the gift she thought she was giving to her brother—the story behind Narnia—turns out to be his gift to her, instead: hope.]]> 320 Patti Callahan Henry 0785251723 Karren 5
Megs is sitting on the fence of the famous author’s property called the Kilns in Oxford, and she wonders how can she approach him, and ask C. S. Lewis her brother’s question? She has no idea, that Jack and Warnie Lewis are the kindest of men, they invited Megs in for afternoon tea and she explains her situation. Jack Lewis shares with her stories about himself and his brother growing up as young boys in Ireland and she shares these with George.

Both Megs and George are given a gift, where a world of make believe, fairy tales, books and drawing, brings hope to a young boy, who's only months away from death, and peace to his sister who doesn’t know how she can go on without him. Once Upon a Wardrobe is a delightful story, about the love between siblings and you find wonder in the natural world, castles and in between the pages of a book. Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse for my copy, I sobbed at the end, and five big stars from me. ]]> 4.31 2021 Once Upon a Wardrobe
author: Patti Callahan Henry
name: Karren
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/21
date added: 2021/10/18
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Megs Devonshire is the best sister in the world, her little brother George is eight, seriously ill and enthralled by a new book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He begs Megs to find out where Narnia came from, and how can she refuse the request of her sweet brother and grant him his dying wish.

Megs is sitting on the fence of the famous author’s property called the Kilns in Oxford, and she wonders how can she approach him, and ask C. S. Lewis her brother’s question? She has no idea, that Jack and Warnie Lewis are the kindest of men, they invited Megs in for afternoon tea and she explains her situation. Jack Lewis shares with her stories about himself and his brother growing up as young boys in Ireland and she shares these with George.

Both Megs and George are given a gift, where a world of make believe, fairy tales, books and drawing, brings hope to a young boy, who's only months away from death, and peace to his sister who doesn’t know how she can go on without him. Once Upon a Wardrobe is a delightful story, about the love between siblings and you find wonder in the natural world, castles and in between the pages of a book. Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse for my copy, I sobbed at the end, and five big stars from me.
]]> A Life of Secrets 50631696 ‘A richly woven tapestry of secrets and passions� Clare Flynn, author of The Gamekeeper’s Wife

‘A vibrant heroine, a page turning story and an explosive secret twist� Charlotte Betts, author of The Apothecary’s Daughter

Deploring social injustice, Lady Deborah Claremont opens a staff agency, concealing the fact that she’s a member of the aristocracy. But Deborah has become accustomed to keeping secrets. It began eight years ago in 1918 when her dashing French lieutenant was tragically killed. Amid an undercurrent of social unrest and with the General Strike looming ahead, Deborah meets two very different men, handsome Theodore Field, MP and the charismatic union firebrand Evan Morgan. Deborah is torn between her feelings for Theo and the magnetism between herself and Evan. But then she is astounded by a mystery, one she is desperate to solve. And when its explosive secret is revealed she discovers that she has been both manipulated and betrayed...

]]> 364 Margaret Kaine 0749024992 Karren 5
Despite fighting for their country, lower class men are poorly paid, have no leave entitlements, work long hours, and their widows get little financial support. In 1926, it’s a time of social unrest in England, Deborah supports the cause, and she goes to a meeting at Battersea Town Hall. Theodore Field is a MP in the British parliament, he accompanies Deborah and they listen to union supporter Evan Morgan speak. If her controlling brother Gerard knew what she was doing, he would be furious, he’s an awful snob and has no sympathy for anyone.

Deborah finds Evan Morgan fascinating, they live in very different worlds, and she’s attracted to Theodore Field. Like Deborah, he also lost his first love, they have a lot in common and start courting. But, Deborah has a secret, she discovers she’s been manipulated for years and betrayed in a terrible way. Deborah trusts Theo, she tells him about her past, he’s really understanding, and he confronts the person responsible.

A Life of Secrets is a story about Lady Deborah Claremont, I loved her character in the narrative and she’s a strong female role model. Unlike many aristocrats, Deborah has empathy towards lower class people, she wants to help them, and change the social justice system in England.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, Margaret Kaine has written a interesting book, it makes you think about life in England at the time and how unfair it was, and five stars from me. ]]> 4.62 2020 A Life of Secrets
author: Margaret Kaine
name: Karren
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/18
date added: 2021/10/17
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-unlimited, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Lady Deborah Claremont like many women of her generation, lost her fiancé in the Great War, she’s now in her mid-twenties and unmarried. She secretly runs Bloomsbury Staff Agency, she finds work for people who are struggling to gain suitable employment, and no one knows she’s an aristocrat.

Despite fighting for their country, lower class men are poorly paid, have no leave entitlements, work long hours, and their widows get little financial support. In 1926, it’s a time of social unrest in England, Deborah supports the cause, and she goes to a meeting at Battersea Town Hall. Theodore Field is a MP in the British parliament, he accompanies Deborah and they listen to union supporter Evan Morgan speak. If her controlling brother Gerard knew what she was doing, he would be furious, he’s an awful snob and has no sympathy for anyone.

Deborah finds Evan Morgan fascinating, they live in very different worlds, and she’s attracted to Theodore Field. Like Deborah, he also lost his first love, they have a lot in common and start courting. But, Deborah has a secret, she discovers she’s been manipulated for years and betrayed in a terrible way. Deborah trusts Theo, she tells him about her past, he’s really understanding, and he confronts the person responsible.

A Life of Secrets is a story about Lady Deborah Claremont, I loved her character in the narrative and she’s a strong female role model. Unlike many aristocrats, Deborah has empathy towards lower class people, she wants to help them, and change the social justice system in England.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, Margaret Kaine has written a interesting book, it makes you think about life in England at the time and how unfair it was, and five stars from me.
]]> The Green Lace Corset 51231733 Jill G. Hall, bestselling author of The Black Velvet Coat and The Silver Shoes brings readers another dual tale of two vibrant women from different eras trying to discover their true identities.

Anne McFarland, a modern-day, thirty-something San Francisco artist in search of spiritual guidance, buys a corset in a Flagstaff resale boutique—a purchase that results in her having to make a decision that will change her life forever. One hundred and thirty-five years earlier, in 1885, naïve Sally Sue Sullivan, a young woman from the Midwest, is kidnapped on a train by a handsome but dangerous bank robber. Held prisoner on a homestead in Northern Arizona’s Wild West, Sally Sue discovers her own spunk and grit as she plots her escape.

Ultimately, both Anne and Sally Sue face their fears and find the strength to journey down their designated paths and learn the true meaning of love and family . . . with a little push from the same green lace corset.]]> 367 Jill G. Hall 1631527703 Karren 4
Anne McFarland’s an artist, while on holidays in Flagstaff, she buys the antique green corset from a second-hand shop, and it has a black lace trimmed bodice and a flouncy skirt. Anne lives in a small studio apartment in San Francisco, she’s getting over the loss of her beloved mentor Sylvia and break up from her fiancée Sergio. She applies for a new position teaching art, her idea is to create a woodland mosaic, and her life is turned upside down with an unexpected personal development.

Sally Sue Sullivan lives in Missouri, she’s on her way to stay with her sick Aunt Sarah, a man boards the train, she recognizes him, she was the only witness, when he robbed a bank, and the law are looking for him. With a bounty on his head, Cliff abducts Sally and takes her to a remote ranch in Arizona near Flagstaff. Once winter hits, Sally and Cliff are snowed in, at first she’s angry, hostile and recklessly tries to escape. Sally’s heart starts to warm towards the civil war veteran, wanted bank robber and a man who has taken good care of her, been a gentleman and she no longer feels like an unattractive spinster.

As owners of The Green Lace Corset, Sally and Anne have to face their fears, challenges, and insecurities. By doing this, they find happiness, love, and the joy of creating an unexpected family. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I can’t wait to read, The Black Velvet Coat and The Silver Shoes by Jill G. Hall. I own both books, they have been sitting on my kindle for a while, and four stars for my current read. ]]> 3.96 2020 The Green Lace Corset
author: Jill G. Hall
name: Karren
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/15
date added: 2021/10/15
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-reads, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
The Green Lace Corset is a dual timeline story set in the American West in 1885 and the present time in San Francisco.

Anne McFarland’s an artist, while on holidays in Flagstaff, she buys the antique green corset from a second-hand shop, and it has a black lace trimmed bodice and a flouncy skirt. Anne lives in a small studio apartment in San Francisco, she’s getting over the loss of her beloved mentor Sylvia and break up from her fiancée Sergio. She applies for a new position teaching art, her idea is to create a woodland mosaic, and her life is turned upside down with an unexpected personal development.

Sally Sue Sullivan lives in Missouri, she’s on her way to stay with her sick Aunt Sarah, a man boards the train, she recognizes him, she was the only witness, when he robbed a bank, and the law are looking for him. With a bounty on his head, Cliff abducts Sally and takes her to a remote ranch in Arizona near Flagstaff. Once winter hits, Sally and Cliff are snowed in, at first she’s angry, hostile and recklessly tries to escape. Sally’s heart starts to warm towards the civil war veteran, wanted bank robber and a man who has taken good care of her, been a gentleman and she no longer feels like an unattractive spinster.

As owners of The Green Lace Corset, Sally and Anne have to face their fears, challenges, and insecurities. By doing this, they find happiness, love, and the joy of creating an unexpected family. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I can’t wait to read, The Black Velvet Coat and The Silver Shoes by Jill G. Hall. I own both books, they have been sitting on my kindle for a while, and four stars for my current read.
]]> The Companion 46200886 They say she’s a murderess. She claims she’s innocent. But Lucy has been known to tell lies�

1855, New Hampshire. Lucy Blunt is set to hang for a double murder. Murderess or victim? Only Lucy knows the truth.

In the shadow of the gallows, Lucy reflects on the events that led to her bitter downfall—from the moment she arrived at the rambling Burton mansion looking for work and a better life to the grisly murders themselves.

In a mysterious household of locked doors and forbidden affections, Lucy slips comfortably into the shadows, where she believes the indiscretions of her past will remain hidden. But when Lucy’s rising status becomes a threat to the mistress’s current companion, the delicate balance of power and loyalty begins to shift, setting into motion a brewing storm of betrayal, suspicion, and rage.

Now, with her execution looming closer, Lucy’s allies fight to have her sentence overturned as the tale she’s spinning nears its conclusion. But how much of her story can we trust? After all, Lucy’s been known to bend the truth…]]> 268 Kim Taylor Blakemore 1542006384 Karren 3
Eugenie Burton’s blind, and I’m not sure if her husband Josiah knows she becomes romantically involved with her ladies maids? When Lucy’s status in the house changes, Rebecca becomes extremely jealous, and you start to question what really happened to poor Mary? Lucy no longer has any idea who she can trust, and that includes her mistress Mrs. Burton. Unfortunately Lucy has told so many lies, has used numerous names and it’s hard to workout fact from fiction. As the time for her execution draws closer, interest in her case increases, and how can she be not guilty, and when she’s lied from the start?

The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore is a story about a sinister killer, Lucy maybe innocent, a page turning mystery, and I'm looking forward to reading the authors new book, After Alice Fell. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy and three stars from me.]]> 3.70 2020 The Companion
author: Kim Taylor Blakemore
name: Karren
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/14
date added: 2021/10/14
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Lucy Blunt has been convicted of murdering two women, and she’s in jail in New Hampshire waiting for her date with the hangman’s noose. Lucy looks back at the mistakes she made, her life spiraled out of control when she fell pregnant to a married man, and her father threw her out on the streets. Lucy uses a false name and references to get a job as a maid, she’s working for the Burton’s, and it’s a house full of secrets, locked doors, and some very odd behavior. Mary the dish washer died and Lucy’s her replacement, when the ladies companion Rebecca becomes ill, and Lucy takes over her duties.

Eugenie Burton’s blind, and I’m not sure if her husband Josiah knows she becomes romantically involved with her ladies maids? When Lucy’s status in the house changes, Rebecca becomes extremely jealous, and you start to question what really happened to poor Mary? Lucy no longer has any idea who she can trust, and that includes her mistress Mrs. Burton. Unfortunately Lucy has told so many lies, has used numerous names and it’s hard to workout fact from fiction. As the time for her execution draws closer, interest in her case increases, and how can she be not guilty, and when she’s lied from the start?

The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore is a story about a sinister killer, Lucy maybe innocent, a page turning mystery, and I'm looking forward to reading the authors new book, After Alice Fell. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy and three stars from me.
]]> The Long Path Home 50258323 A young woman on the run finds a second chance in World War II Italy in a thrilling novel of love, intrigue, and redemption by the author of A Girl Divided.

1944, Chicago. From desperate small-town teen to star of the burlesque circuit, Violet Ernte has survived tough choices and more than one reinvention. Now, framed for an underworld murder, she has one way agree to keep Marcie, a reckless USO showgirl and mobster’s daughter, on the straight and narrow. Vi’s new play innocent ingenue and join the all-American song-and-dance troupe bound for overseas to a war-torn Italy.

When a USO headliner goes missing soon after landing, the disappearance has treacherous implications for the entire troupe. With Marcie’s safety in peril, Vi turns to battle-roughened army sergeant Ansel Danger for help. But getting closer to Ansel means exposing her past and her double life of scandal and deception. And in a heartbeat, she could lose everything.

Defiant and resilient, Vi is used to taking risks. This time it’s for redemption. To love, and to be loved. And for a second chance at a future she thought was lost forever.]]> 377 Ellen Lindseth 1542004772 Karren 4
Violet joins the USO, as a dancer and part of her job is to keep an eye on Marcie May. They wear a uniform, have to get through army boot camp, and pass the physical. Marcie's actually a mobster’s daughter, she’s rather naive, and spoilt. The USO group, board a military ship full of soldiers, have no idea where they’re going, and it’s defiantly somewhere near the action. They arrive in Italy, everyone's shocked by the damage the war and the German's have caused, and the suffering of the civilians. The troops deserve to be entertained, take their minds off the terrible war and it’s far from over.

Vi meets battle hardened sergeant Ansel Danger, they call him sergeant dangerous, he’s in charge of making sure the USO members are safe and abide by the long list of rules. When the main act Luciana hurts herself, suddenly goes missing, and Vi feels like something isn’t what it seems and she’s right! Violet’s willing to help her country, she has to tell them the truth about her identity, her past, and she’s embarrassed and ashamed.

The Long Path Home is a story about Violet being taken advantage of when she was a teenage girl, she blames herself, and not the perpetrator. By going to war torn Italy, she gains confidence, she realizes that she was an innocent victim, everyone deserves a second chance, and she can leave her past behind and look forward to the future. I recived a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, I felt compassion for Violet's character and the Italian civilians, and four stars from me. ]]> 3.92 2020 The Long Path Home
author: Ellen Lindseth
name: Karren
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/13
date added: 2021/10/13
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Violet Ernte ran away from home as a teenager, she lives in Chicago and works as a burlesque dancer. She’s made mistakes in her life, she’s her harshest critic and she thinks it’s her own fault. Due to her career, she meets ruthless men, one of them being Tony Vecchione, he has seedy plans for her, Violet’s life's in danger, and she needs to quickly leave Chicago.

Violet joins the USO, as a dancer and part of her job is to keep an eye on Marcie May. They wear a uniform, have to get through army boot camp, and pass the physical. Marcie's actually a mobster’s daughter, she’s rather naive, and spoilt. The USO group, board a military ship full of soldiers, have no idea where they’re going, and it’s defiantly somewhere near the action. They arrive in Italy, everyone's shocked by the damage the war and the German's have caused, and the suffering of the civilians. The troops deserve to be entertained, take their minds off the terrible war and it’s far from over.

Vi meets battle hardened sergeant Ansel Danger, they call him sergeant dangerous, he’s in charge of making sure the USO members are safe and abide by the long list of rules. When the main act Luciana hurts herself, suddenly goes missing, and Vi feels like something isn’t what it seems and she’s right! Violet’s willing to help her country, she has to tell them the truth about her identity, her past, and she’s embarrassed and ashamed.

The Long Path Home is a story about Violet being taken advantage of when she was a teenage girl, she blames herself, and not the perpetrator. By going to war torn Italy, she gains confidence, she realizes that she was an innocent victim, everyone deserves a second chance, and she can leave her past behind and look forward to the future. I recived a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, I felt compassion for Violet's character and the Italian civilians, and four stars from me.
]]> Glory Road 40606992
At thirty-eight, garden shop owner Jessie McBride thinks her chances for romance are years behind her and, after her failed marriage, she’s fine with that. She lives contentedly with her fiery mother and her quiet, headstrong daughter. But the unexpected arrival of two men on Glory Road make her question if she’s really happy with the status quo.

Handsome, wealthy Sumner Tate asks her to arrange flowers for his daughter’s wedding, and Jessie finds herself drawn to his continued attention. Ben Bradley, her lingering what-could-have-been from her high school days who’s known her better than anyone and whom she hasn’t seen in years, moves back to the red dirt road. Jessie finds her heart being pulled in directions she never expected.

Meanwhile, Jessie’s fourteen-year-old daughter, Evan, is approaching the start of high school and trying to navigate a new world of identity and emotions—particularly as they relate to the cute new guy who’s moved in just down the road. At the same time, Jessie’s mother, Gus, increasingly finds herself forgetful and faces a potentially frightening future.

For these three strong Southern women, the roots they’ve planted on Glory Road will give life to the adventures waiting just around the curve.

Praise for Glory

“Rich colorful characters capturing my heart, combined with a story that kept me up till the wee hours, Glory Road is a perfect read. Lauren Denton has done it again!� —Lisa Patton, bestselling author of Rush and Whistlin� Dixie in a Nor’easter

Stand-alone Southern women’s fiction novelBook approximately 95,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs]]> 368 Lauren K. Denton 0785219633 Karren 4
Jessie’s divorced, her marriage to dentist Chris didn’t work out, and ten years later she’s still single. Sumner Tate's a wealthy business man, he wants Jessie to organize his daughter Olivia’s wedding flowers, and she’s extremely flattered. He’s a handsome man, he would like to take things further, and something is holding Jessie back from starting a relationship with him.

Ben Bradley is back in town, he lives on Glory Road, her best friend and the boy she had conflicting feelings for in high school. She always wonders what might have happened, if she had kept in contact with Ben, told him how she felt and made different choices. Now they both have teenage children, attending the same school and Ben’s dating his ex.

Jessie’s a busy mother, she’s raising Evan on her own, with help from her mum Gus, and she’s concerned about her mother’s health. Her memory isn’t as sharp as it used to be, Gus wants Jessie to enjoy life, and you don’t know what might be waiting for you around the next bend in the road?

Glory Road is a wonderful story about three generations of McBride women, all three have their little quirky ways, I liked Jessie, Gus and Evan and how much they loved and supported each other. Lauren K. Denton writes amazing books set in the American South, I also have read The One You're With, I enjoyed them both, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and four stars from me.]]> 4.36 2019 Glory Road
author: Lauren K. Denton
name: Karren
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/10
date added: 2021/10/10
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Jessie McBride runs her own garden shop called Twig, it’s next door to her yellow house, and she has a teenage daughter Evan. She lives on Glory Road, near Perry a small town in South Alabama, and she's not a Southern belle. She’s casual, not a fancy person, she likes growing plants, walking bare foot, and eating Gus’s famous peach cobbler.

Jessie’s divorced, her marriage to dentist Chris didn’t work out, and ten years later she’s still single. Sumner Tate's a wealthy business man, he wants Jessie to organize his daughter Olivia’s wedding flowers, and she’s extremely flattered. He’s a handsome man, he would like to take things further, and something is holding Jessie back from starting a relationship with him.

Ben Bradley is back in town, he lives on Glory Road, her best friend and the boy she had conflicting feelings for in high school. She always wonders what might have happened, if she had kept in contact with Ben, told him how she felt and made different choices. Now they both have teenage children, attending the same school and Ben’s dating his ex.

Jessie’s a busy mother, she’s raising Evan on her own, with help from her mum Gus, and she’s concerned about her mother’s health. Her memory isn’t as sharp as it used to be, Gus wants Jessie to enjoy life, and you don’t know what might be waiting for you around the next bend in the road?

Glory Road is a wonderful story about three generations of McBride women, all three have their little quirky ways, I liked Jessie, Gus and Evan and how much they loved and supported each other. Lauren K. Denton writes amazing books set in the American South, I also have read The One You're With, I enjoyed them both, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and four stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[A Sister’s Song (The Victory Sisters #2)]]> 48495789
With the world at war, Suzanne helps build morale for her country’s troops. But she is also battling with her own demons, determined to find out the truth about a long-held family secret much closer to home…]]> 443 Molly Green 0008332487 Karren 5
She meets with Miss Elizabeth Foster, she’s accepted into the ENSA, and Suzy has no idea where they will be posted. Suzanne has made friends with Betty a saxophone player, soon their aboard the Orbita, and on the way to an unknown destination. Suzanne discovers she can sing, she enjoys entertaining the allied troops, she gains confidence and thrives being part of the gang of performers.

Just before she left home, Suzy met James Mortimer, he’s in the navy, they write to each other and she worries about his safety. She also discovered a family secret, her mother has been keeping from her, time away has given her a chance to think about the shocking discovery, and she hopes her mother will answer her questions when she returns home to England?

A Sister’s Song is a wonderful WW II Historical Fiction story, Suzanne’s character is lovely, and my favorite out of the three Linfoot sisters. I enjoyed reading about her discovering her voice, making friends with her fellow performers, her trip overseas, and boosting morale, her falling in love with James and how her relationship with her mother Simone changed. I received a copy of this book in exchange for on honest review, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series by Molly Green, and five stars from me. ]]> 4.42 2020 A Sister’s Song (The Victory Sisters #2)
author: Molly Green
name: Karren
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/09
date added: 2021/10/09
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Suzanne Linfoot lives in Bromley, she’s has an older sister Raine and a younger sister Ronnie. Raine’s a members of the Air Transport Auxiliary, and Suzy would like to do her bit for the war effort and convincing her stubborn French mother Simone isn’t going to be easy. Suzanne’s a talented musician, she can play the violin and the piano. Her mother’s plan is for her to study music in London, Suzy wants to join the Entertainment National Service Association and perform for the troops.

She meets with Miss Elizabeth Foster, she’s accepted into the ENSA, and Suzy has no idea where they will be posted. Suzanne has made friends with Betty a saxophone player, soon their aboard the Orbita, and on the way to an unknown destination. Suzanne discovers she can sing, she enjoys entertaining the allied troops, she gains confidence and thrives being part of the gang of performers.

Just before she left home, Suzy met James Mortimer, he’s in the navy, they write to each other and she worries about his safety. She also discovered a family secret, her mother has been keeping from her, time away has given her a chance to think about the shocking discovery, and she hopes her mother will answer her questions when she returns home to England?

A Sister’s Song is a wonderful WW II Historical Fiction story, Suzanne’s character is lovely, and my favorite out of the three Linfoot sisters. I enjoyed reading about her discovering her voice, making friends with her fellow performers, her trip overseas, and boosting morale, her falling in love with James and how her relationship with her mother Simone changed. I received a copy of this book in exchange for on honest review, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series by Molly Green, and five stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[A Sister’s Courage (The Victory Sisters, #1)]]> 49943622 It’s 1939 and the threat of war hangs over Britain�

A spirited young woman, Raine Linfoot has always had an overriding ambition to take to the skies. Her hero, Doug Williams, teaches her to fly when she is just 17. With her pilot’s license it seems as though the sky’s the limit for Raine � until war breaks out.

Raine knows that her place is not at home and she is determined to assist the war effort by doing what she loves, but the Air Transport Auxiliary aren’t taking women. Though at the height of the war, they need her help, and Raine is offered the opportunity to join the force and prove she is up to the task, risking her life daily ferrying aircraft to the men on the front line.

But when tragedy strikes and Doug is reported missing after being shot down in his Spitfire, Raine realises that this war could tear both the country she loves � and her heart � apart�



A brave and gripping story about women overcoming adversity whilst navigating love, loss, and the treacherous wartime skies.]]> 400 Molly Green 0008378428 Karren 5
When the war starts, like most young people Raine wants to do her bit, and knitting socks isn’t really an option for her. She joins the Air Transport Auxiliary, Pauline Gower is in charge, Raine passes her basic training and she’s to be member of the ferry pool. They need all male pilots to defend English skies and for bombing raids, and women pilots are used to transport planes around England and Scotland.

Raine's very upset when Doug's reported missing in action, its hard, and many of her friends have continue working despite losing loved ones in the war. Raine decides it’s best to not start any romantic relationships during the war, but she seems to bump into Alec Marshall everywhere, she finds him rather annoying, and handsome.

A Sister’s Courage by Molly Green is a wonderful historical fiction story, I really liked the character of Raine, and she's feisty. I also enjoyed reading about the friends she made in the ATA, where she was billeted, and of course what happened when she was flying. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, loved it, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series A Sister’s Song, and five stars from me. ]]> 3.91 2019 A Sister’s Courage (The Victory Sisters, #1)
author: Molly Green
name: Karren
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/05
date added: 2021/10/08
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Raine Linfoot is the eldest of three girls, her father Robert is English and her mother Simone is French. She's rather spirited, determined, smart, and she drives her mother crazy. She gets a job working as a clerk at a flying school when she’s seventeen, her mentor Doug Williams teaches her to fly, and her mother has no idea.

When the war starts, like most young people Raine wants to do her bit, and knitting socks isn’t really an option for her. She joins the Air Transport Auxiliary, Pauline Gower is in charge, Raine passes her basic training and she’s to be member of the ferry pool. They need all male pilots to defend English skies and for bombing raids, and women pilots are used to transport planes around England and Scotland.

Raine's very upset when Doug's reported missing in action, its hard, and many of her friends have continue working despite losing loved ones in the war. Raine decides it’s best to not start any romantic relationships during the war, but she seems to bump into Alec Marshall everywhere, she finds him rather annoying, and handsome.

A Sister’s Courage by Molly Green is a wonderful historical fiction story, I really liked the character of Raine, and she's feisty. I also enjoyed reading about the friends she made in the ATA, where she was billeted, and of course what happened when she was flying. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, loved it, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series A Sister’s Song, and five stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[The Farmer's Bride (Amish Brides of Birch Creek #2)]]> 42771919 Bestselling and award-winning author Kathleen Fuller returns to the Amish community of Birch Creek in this charming tale of falling in love while pursuing the dreams of your heart.

Having grown up in poverty, Seth Yoder refuses to be financially insecure again. His passion is woodcarving, but he’s vowed to work on his father’s successful farm, even though his heart is in his craft. Splitting his time between farming and his secret hobby keeps him busy—too busy for social activities.

Martha Detweiler has a different problem—she’s the only single woman in a community full of young men, and they’re all competing for her favor. All of them . . . except Seth Yoder. Overwhelmed by the unwanted attention, she finds herself constantly fleeing from them, and that isn’t the way she wants to live her life.

When Cevilla Schlabach, Birch Creek’s resident matchmaker, hears of Martha’s predicament, she believes she has the answer—convince Seth to give the impression that he and Martha are dating. Both Martha and Seth think this is a terrible idea, but Cevilla doesn’t let go of something once she gets it in her head. And when Delilah Stoll, a new resident of Birch Creek, eyes Seth as the perfect man for her granddaughter, Nina, Cevilla digs in her heels.

Can Seth and Martha convince their family and friends to leave them alone? Or will their struggles against a community that seems to have decided both their fates bring them closer together?]]> 290 Kathleen Fuller 0310355125 Karren 4
Martha Detweiler is the only single woman in the Amish town of Birch Creek and all the men are trying to court her. She actually feels under pressure to get married, she has been known to hide at social gatherings, and she enjoys working part time in her uncle’s optics shop.

Cevilla Schlabach is the local matchmaker, when she hears about Martha’s problem, she believes the solution would be for Martha and Seth to pretend their dating. They think it’s a terrible idea, Seth discovers Martha’s interested in woodwork, and they have a lot in common. Despite being perfect for each other Martha and Seth are both in denial, when a tragic accident happens, it makes them look at what they want out of life, Seth might be happy to be a farmer after all and with a wife by his side.

The Farmer's Bride is a sweet Amish romance by Kathleen Fuller, I love reading a nice story, with no shocks in the plot, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and four stars from me.]]> 4.23 2019 The Farmer's Bride (Amish Brides of Birch Creek #2)
author: Kathleen Fuller
name: Karren
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/08
date added: 2021/10/08
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Seth Yoder's family owns a farm in Wisconsin, he’s the eldest son and his responsibility is to work alongside his father. Seth likes to create items out of wood, he has a secret workshop and he’s not very social.

Martha Detweiler is the only single woman in the Amish town of Birch Creek and all the men are trying to court her. She actually feels under pressure to get married, she has been known to hide at social gatherings, and she enjoys working part time in her uncle’s optics shop.

Cevilla Schlabach is the local matchmaker, when she hears about Martha’s problem, she believes the solution would be for Martha and Seth to pretend their dating. They think it’s a terrible idea, Seth discovers Martha’s interested in woodwork, and they have a lot in common. Despite being perfect for each other Martha and Seth are both in denial, when a tragic accident happens, it makes them look at what they want out of life, Seth might be happy to be a farmer after all and with a wife by his side.

The Farmer's Bride is a sweet Amish romance by Kathleen Fuller, I love reading a nice story, with no shocks in the plot, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and four stars from me.
]]> Toward the Midnight Sun 52097245 From the bestselling author of White Rose, Black Forest comes a page-turning epic of adventure, suspense, and romance set against the rich and ruthless backdrop of the Klondike gold rush.

Seattle, 1897. Anna Denton is not like the other prospectors traveling to the Yukon on the promise of riches. It’s duty—not profit—that calls her into the wild unknown. With her family nearing financial ruin, Anna has agreed to marry Henry Bradwell, the wealthy King of the Klondike.

She meets Will and Silas, childhood friends, on the steamer north. After the ship docks in a lawless Alaska town, Anna’s chaperones run afoul of local criminals, leaving her stranded. Will and Silas agree to escort her the hundreds of treacherous miles to Dawson City—the gateway to the goldfields—and her betrothed, a man she doesn’t know.

Upon their arrival, Bradwell warmly welcomes them all. But as a brutal winter sets in, relations sour, and Anna is caught between the promise her family made to the power-hungry Bradwell and her feelings for Will. Anna and her companions soon find themselves in a deadly game where few can be trusted and where the greatest danger in the frozen wilderness of the Klondike is man himself.

]]> 266 Eoin Dempsey 1542008417 Karren 4
Henry Bradwell is the King of Klondike, and marrying him will solve her father’s financial problems. Aboard the Mercury, she meets William Leary and his adopted brother Silas Oliver, both are concerned about the character of the two men her fiancée has employed to get her safely to Dawson city? Sure enough they leave Anna stranded, Will and Silas agree to take her the six hundred miles, it’s a long and dangerous trip, and they need to make it Dawson city before the mountain pass closes due to snow. Anna’s a lot tougher than she looks, she walks without complaining, climbs the mountain terrain, and travels last part of the journey by boat.

When she arrives, Henry Bradwell is charming older man, and the business he owns is a saloon. Winter sets in, Anna realizes she’s trapped, she can’t contact her family, and Henry’s pressuring her to set a date for the wedding. She’s starting to have big doubts about her fiancée morals, she’s also attracted to Will and the situation becomes dire.

Towards The Midnight Sun by Eoin Dempsey, is an adventure story set in Alaska, Anna’s character's brave, she didn’t give up, faced the challenges, and I really liked heroes Will and Silas. I received a copy of this book in exchange for on honest review, interesting reading about the gold rush in 1897, the stampeders, and four stars from me. ]]> 3.94 2020 Toward the Midnight Sun
author: Eoin Dempsey
name: Karren
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/07
date added: 2021/10/07
shelves: kindle-reads, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Anna Denton loves her three sisters, her father’s having money problems and she agrees to the marriage he’s arranged. Leaving Seattle is hard, she’s in tears as she waves goodbye, and she’s accompanied by two chaperones who will be traveling with her to Klondike in Alaska. Due to the gold rush, it’s a very dangerous place, and especially for a pretty young woman.

Henry Bradwell is the King of Klondike, and marrying him will solve her father’s financial problems. Aboard the Mercury, she meets William Leary and his adopted brother Silas Oliver, both are concerned about the character of the two men her fiancée has employed to get her safely to Dawson city? Sure enough they leave Anna stranded, Will and Silas agree to take her the six hundred miles, it’s a long and dangerous trip, and they need to make it Dawson city before the mountain pass closes due to snow. Anna’s a lot tougher than she looks, she walks without complaining, climbs the mountain terrain, and travels last part of the journey by boat.

When she arrives, Henry Bradwell is charming older man, and the business he owns is a saloon. Winter sets in, Anna realizes she’s trapped, she can’t contact her family, and Henry’s pressuring her to set a date for the wedding. She’s starting to have big doubts about her fiancée morals, she’s also attracted to Will and the situation becomes dire.

Towards The Midnight Sun by Eoin Dempsey, is an adventure story set in Alaska, Anna’s character's brave, she didn’t give up, faced the challenges, and I really liked heroes Will and Silas. I received a copy of this book in exchange for on honest review, interesting reading about the gold rush in 1897, the stampeders, and four stars from me.
]]> The Three Mrs. Wrights 48714004 381 Linda Keir 1542019702 Karren 3
Jessica Meyers is a doctor, she been dedicated to finding a cure for childhood cancer, and she meets Doctor Jonathon Wright. Jessica moves across the country, sharing an apartment with Jonathon and is working as a member of the medical research team at Cancura. Jonathon is divorcing his wife Holly, he has three children Ava, Paige and Logan and she understands his children are his number one priority.

Holly is married to Doctor Jack Wright, they own a beautiful home, they have three children, she works part-time as a pediatrician, and together they have funded a charity for abused and neglected horses. Jack has been unfaithful in the past, Holly has always forgiven him, and she senses he's lying to her again?

The Three Mrs. Wrights by Linda Keir, is a story about Lark, Jessica and Holly all being conned by the same man, he's living a triple life, busy juggling three women, lying to all of them, nothing worse than a woman scorned and times that by three. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, a quick entertaining read and three stars from me.]]> 3.96 2020 The Three Mrs. Wrights
author: Linda Keir
name: Karren
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/05
date added: 2021/10/05
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-unlimited, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Lark Robinson, is a board-gamer designer, and she meets Trip Mitchell in a bar. He’s not like any of the other guys she’s dated, he’s older and a financial advisor. He helps her start her own business called Larkspur productions, and before she knows what’s hit her, she’s sitting in her own office and interviewing potential employees.

Jessica Meyers is a doctor, she been dedicated to finding a cure for childhood cancer, and she meets Doctor Jonathon Wright. Jessica moves across the country, sharing an apartment with Jonathon and is working as a member of the medical research team at Cancura. Jonathon is divorcing his wife Holly, he has three children Ava, Paige and Logan and she understands his children are his number one priority.

Holly is married to Doctor Jack Wright, they own a beautiful home, they have three children, she works part-time as a pediatrician, and together they have funded a charity for abused and neglected horses. Jack has been unfaithful in the past, Holly has always forgiven him, and she senses he's lying to her again?

The Three Mrs. Wrights by Linda Keir, is a story about Lark, Jessica and Holly all being conned by the same man, he's living a triple life, busy juggling three women, lying to all of them, nothing worse than a woman scorned and times that by three. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, a quick entertaining read and three stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[The King and Mrs. Simpson: The True Story of the Commoner Who Captured the Heart of a King]]> 41883216 154 Erin Frances Schulz 0979178398 Karren 4
The King and Mrs. Simpson looks at the couple’s childhoods, Wallis’s two previous marriages, and what King Edward VIII gave up to marry her. As the head of the church of England, Edward was rather naive in thinking he could marry a twice-divorced woman, his mother Queen Mary refused to even meet Wallis, the government couldn’t support him, they were hounded by the press, Wallis had to flee to France, the English public was outraged and King Edward VIII received death threats.

At the time it was a different and judgemental world the couple lived in the 1930's, Erin Schulz ignores the rumors, her novella is based on facts, it made for very interesting reading and four stars from me.]]> 3.80 2008 The King and Mrs. Simpson: The True Story of the Commoner Who Captured the Heart of a King
author: Erin Frances Schulz
name: Karren
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/05
date added: 2021/10/05
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
King Edward VIII of Great Britain stunned the world, when by his own choice, he abdicated from the throne and so he could marry the woman he loved Wallis Simpson.

The King and Mrs. Simpson looks at the couple’s childhoods, Wallis’s two previous marriages, and what King Edward VIII gave up to marry her. As the head of the church of England, Edward was rather naive in thinking he could marry a twice-divorced woman, his mother Queen Mary refused to even meet Wallis, the government couldn’t support him, they were hounded by the press, Wallis had to flee to France, the English public was outraged and King Edward VIII received death threats.

At the time it was a different and judgemental world the couple lived in the 1930's, Erin Schulz ignores the rumors, her novella is based on facts, it made for very interesting reading and four stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #8)]]> 42394521 Can Olivia survive the crime and Gold Rush fever of 1849...and the countless marriage proposals? A series for fans of all things related to history, romance, adventure, faith, and family trees. The Daughters of the Mayflower series continues when Olivia Brighton finds herself widowed and working her brother’s restaurant in San Francisco during the height of the rush for gold. Even though she receives at least twenty marriage proposals a day, she will never marry a gold miner. Her brother’s friend Joseph Sawyer has gotten caught up in local politics and the plight of Chinese in forced labor. The more Joseph gets pulled into investigating crime in the city, the less Olivia sees of the compassionate man. And just when she thinks she could love again, a fire threatens to steal all hope."Woodhouse’s love story rises above other historical romances with its engrossing setup of virtue resisting rampant sin." -Publishers Weekly More in the Daughters of the Mayflower Mayflower Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse � set 1620 Atlantic Ocean (February 2018)The Pirate Bride by Kathleen Y’Barbo � set 1725 New Orleans (April 2018)The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep � set 1760 during the French and Indian War(June 2018)The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse � set 1774 Philadelphia (August 2018)​The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear � set 1794 on the Wilderness Road (October 2018)The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall � set 1814 Baltimore (December 2018)The Alamo Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo - set 1836 Battle of the Alamo (February 2019)]]> 256 Kimberley Woodhouse 1683228928 Karren 4
Hezekiah is killed, Olivia has run out of food and she needs to get to San Francisco as soon as possible. She’s been warned that the town’s really wild, full of rough men and no place for a lady. After ten years she’s reunited with her brother Daniel Livingston, he owns and runs a successful restaurant. Olivia starts working as a waitress, she attracts a lot of unwanted attention and receives over twenty marriage proposals a day.

Her brothers best friend Joseph Sawyer, is a member of the town council, he’s worried about the fire risk in San Francisco, and the trafficking of Chinese people and being forced into slave labor. Joseph was saved by his friend Daniel, he introduced him to the lord, he wants to help others and so does Olivia.

Daniel gives her a precious gift, a box of journals from her mother, that have been passed down through generations of the women in her family and Olivia feels blessed to receive them. Olivia has given up on love, but she finds Joseph attractive, he has the qualities that she admires in a man and they study the bible together. A devastating fire and dangerous threats, bring Olivia and Joseph closer together and they share the same strong faith.

I received a copy of The Golden Bride from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, even though I haven't read other books in the series, I enjoyed the story and four stars from me.
]]> 4.12 2019 The Golden Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #8)
author: Kimberley Woodhouse
name: Karren
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/03
date added: 2021/10/03
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
When Olivia’s parents suddenly pass away, she marries Hezekiah Brighton and she’s only know him for a day. He promises to take her to San Francisco, where her brother Daniel lives and all he’s done is drive around in circles for six weeks. Olivia tries to keep positive, believe in her husband and she draws strength from her faith in the lord.

Hezekiah is killed, Olivia has run out of food and she needs to get to San Francisco as soon as possible. She’s been warned that the town’s really wild, full of rough men and no place for a lady. After ten years she’s reunited with her brother Daniel Livingston, he owns and runs a successful restaurant. Olivia starts working as a waitress, she attracts a lot of unwanted attention and receives over twenty marriage proposals a day.

Her brothers best friend Joseph Sawyer, is a member of the town council, he’s worried about the fire risk in San Francisco, and the trafficking of Chinese people and being forced into slave labor. Joseph was saved by his friend Daniel, he introduced him to the lord, he wants to help others and so does Olivia.

Daniel gives her a precious gift, a box of journals from her mother, that have been passed down through generations of the women in her family and Olivia feels blessed to receive them. Olivia has given up on love, but she finds Joseph attractive, he has the qualities that she admires in a man and they study the bible together. A devastating fire and dangerous threats, bring Olivia and Joseph closer together and they share the same strong faith.

I received a copy of The Golden Bride from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, even though I haven't read other books in the series, I enjoyed the story and four stars from me.

]]> <![CDATA[Lawless Love (Lawmen and Outlaws)]]> 18172090
Marshal Dylan J. Kane is a man who considers everything as black and white, right or wrong. He's never seen life any other way until he sets eyes on Lacey. Suddenly the straight and narrow that he's followed has a few twists and turns. Loving Lacey offers the home life for which he hankers...but can he really love a woman who seems to be plain lawless?]]> 42 Andrea Downing 1612178898 Karren 3
Dylan is trying to track down a possible murder suspect and a stolen horse. When he arrives in town, he needs a place to stay and Sheriff Brody recommends Everhart’s boarding house. Lacey can’t believe it when Dylan knocks on her door, wanting a room, and he's the last person she want's staying under her roof, and she's desperately concerned about her thirteen year old brother Luke. She will do anything to protect him, keep him safe and she’s worried the marshal will discover her secret.

The sparks fly between Lacey and Dylan, the lawman has to do his job, keep the peace, and wants to marry the woman he's fallen head over heels in love with. Lawless Love by Andrea Downing is an old fashioned western style historical romance, a quick read and three stars from me.]]> 3.51 2013 Lawless Love (Lawmen and Outlaws)
author: Andrea Downing
name: Karren
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/04
date added: 2021/10/03
shelves: kindle-reads, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge
review:
Marshall Dylan J. Kane's horse Daisy throws him, he has a long walk through the wild country of Wyoming and he finds her near a river. Lacey Everhart is taking a swim, she’s not very happy when a man sneaks up on her, and she has no idea he wears a tin badge.

Dylan is trying to track down a possible murder suspect and a stolen horse. When he arrives in town, he needs a place to stay and Sheriff Brody recommends Everhart’s boarding house. Lacey can’t believe it when Dylan knocks on her door, wanting a room, and he's the last person she want's staying under her roof, and she's desperately concerned about her thirteen year old brother Luke. She will do anything to protect him, keep him safe and she’s worried the marshal will discover her secret.

The sparks fly between Lacey and Dylan, the lawman has to do his job, keep the peace, and wants to marry the woman he's fallen head over heels in love with. Lawless Love by Andrea Downing is an old fashioned western style historical romance, a quick read and three stars from me.
]]> Hidden Pearl 52373949 Hidden Peal is an unforgettable story, vividly capturing young Pearl's ordeal during the Holocaust.
This is a story about courage, hope and the resilience of a young girl and her family during a devastating time in our history.
It is a book for YA and adults.]]> 116 J.E. Laufer 1881669092 Karren 4
Life in the forest was hard, constantly hungry, three of the older children left to find work, and Pearl was one of them. She lived and worked for a very grumpy lady called Karol. Her daughter Nadia was a school teacher, she was kind to Pearl and she stayed with them until the war ended. Pearl's family was scattered all over Poland during the war, she was eventually reunited with her parents and three of her siblings.

Hidden Pearl by J. E. Laufer is based on the true story about the author’s mother-in-law Pearl Brachfeld Laufer, she was one of the group known as the “Hidden Children� they were Jewish children who spent the war in hiding, and often in plain sight. A story about courage, hope, family, never giving up, and it explains what happened during the time, and it’s a suitable book for teens and young adults.]]> 4.08 2019 Hidden Pearl
author: J.E. Laufer
name: Karren
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/03
date added: 2021/10/03
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
In 1939, Hitler’s troops are advancing into Poland and Pearl’s family thought they were safe on their isolated farm. One day the Brachfeld family had to quickly leave, the German's were coming, they had to walk for a couple of days, and they hid in the Bor Tajecina forest.

Life in the forest was hard, constantly hungry, three of the older children left to find work, and Pearl was one of them. She lived and worked for a very grumpy lady called Karol. Her daughter Nadia was a school teacher, she was kind to Pearl and she stayed with them until the war ended. Pearl's family was scattered all over Poland during the war, she was eventually reunited with her parents and three of her siblings.

Hidden Pearl by J. E. Laufer is based on the true story about the author’s mother-in-law Pearl Brachfeld Laufer, she was one of the group known as the “Hidden Children� they were Jewish children who spent the war in hiding, and often in plain sight. A story about courage, hope, family, never giving up, and it explains what happened during the time, and it’s a suitable book for teens and young adults.
]]> When We Were Brave 44791171
2020 Independent Press Award -Distinguished Favorite

2020 TYLER R. TICHELAAR AWARD for BEST HISTORICAL FICTION � MARQUETTE FICTION

2020 First Place Award, Historical Fiction for Reader's View Contest

2020 Book Excellence Award for Historical Fiction

2019 Distinguished Favorite for the New York City Big Book Award.

2019 Silver Medal Winner, Historical Fiction, Readers Favorite Contest. Combining excellent historical research with a compelling storyline, the hard work of author Karla M. Jay really pays off the more deeply involved you become with the characters in her plot...As the plot threads and connections slowly come together, the conclusion marks the realities of war and sticks in your mind for a long time after. When We Were Brave is a highly recommended historical read.

2019 FINALIST in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards- Adult Fiction

Aug. 2019 Silver medal winner in Reader's Favorite Contest for historical fiction.

Nov. 2019 New York City Big Book Award® Distinguished Favorites

In WHEN WE WERE BRAVE, we find a conflicted SS officer, Wilhelm Falk, who risks everything to escape the Wehrmacht and get out the message about the death camps. Izaak is a young Jewish boy whose positive outlook is challenged daily as each new perilous situation comes along. American citizens, Herbert Müller, and his family are sent back to the hellish landscape of Germany because of the DNA coursing through their veins. In the panorama of World War II, these are the high-stakes plots and endearing characters whose braided fates we pray will work out in the end.]]> 413 Karla M. Jay Karren 4
Wilhelm Falk is an SS officer, he’s married to Ilse, and has two sons Hans and Dietrich. He’s horrified by what the Nazi’s are doing to Jewish people in the concentration camps, he wants to expose their crimes, and let the world know what’s really happening. While in Italy, he fakes his own death, changes into a regular German soldier’s uniform and becomes Klaus Stern. Wilhelm becomes a prisoner of war and is sent to America, and he’s determined to escape. He needs to contact Pastor Theodore Graf and retrieve the important information he sent to him about what the Nazi's are doing in the extermination camps.

Izaak Tauber’s eight, he lives in Amsterdam, his mother Rachel’s a midwife and his father Saul is Jewish, he's been arrested, and sent to a camp. Rachel and Izaak try to escape Amsterdam, they end up being captured, Izaak still continues to draw when he can, and believes they will find his father in one of the concentration camps.

Herbert Muller lives in Pennsylvania, he’s of German heritage, and he’s married to Jutta, and has two children Alfred and Frieda. His parents Otto and Anni immigrated to America after WW I, and wanted a better life for their son Herbert. They work hard over the years, own a corn grinding mill and an orchard. When Otto’s arrested as an enemy alien, Herbert goes with him, thinking it will be a simple matter to sort out, and the whole situation will turn into an absolute nightmare.

When We Were Brave by Karla M. Jay is well written, her research has been thorough, you feel a real connection to the characters, at times it’s very hard to read and very different to other historical fiction books I have read about WW II and the holocaust. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy, I felt so many emotions reading this story, and you discover the link between the main characters and four stars from me.]]> 4.58 2019 When We Were Brave
author: Karla M. Jay
name: Karren
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/10/02
date added: 2021/10/02
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
When We Were Brave follows three main characters during WW II, what happens to them is truly heartbreaking, they all suffer terribly and endure severe hardship and unbearable loss.

Wilhelm Falk is an SS officer, he’s married to Ilse, and has two sons Hans and Dietrich. He’s horrified by what the Nazi’s are doing to Jewish people in the concentration camps, he wants to expose their crimes, and let the world know what’s really happening. While in Italy, he fakes his own death, changes into a regular German soldier’s uniform and becomes Klaus Stern. Wilhelm becomes a prisoner of war and is sent to America, and he’s determined to escape. He needs to contact Pastor Theodore Graf and retrieve the important information he sent to him about what the Nazi's are doing in the extermination camps.

Izaak Tauber’s eight, he lives in Amsterdam, his mother Rachel’s a midwife and his father Saul is Jewish, he's been arrested, and sent to a camp. Rachel and Izaak try to escape Amsterdam, they end up being captured, Izaak still continues to draw when he can, and believes they will find his father in one of the concentration camps.

Herbert Muller lives in Pennsylvania, he’s of German heritage, and he’s married to Jutta, and has two children Alfred and Frieda. His parents Otto and Anni immigrated to America after WW I, and wanted a better life for their son Herbert. They work hard over the years, own a corn grinding mill and an orchard. When Otto’s arrested as an enemy alien, Herbert goes with him, thinking it will be a simple matter to sort out, and the whole situation will turn into an absolute nightmare.

When We Were Brave by Karla M. Jay is well written, her research has been thorough, you feel a real connection to the characters, at times it’s very hard to read and very different to other historical fiction books I have read about WW II and the holocaust. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy, I felt so many emotions reading this story, and you discover the link between the main characters and four stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[Midnight Train to Prague: A Novel]]> 52580364 352 Carol Windley 0802119735 Karren 3
Zita leaves with Beatriz, both women are flighty and selfish, and they travel to Argentina together. Natalia and Miklos marry a year later, when WW II begins, Miklos travels to the Russian front, and Natalia waits for him in Prague. Her mother-in-law taught her to read tarot cards, she sets up a shop reading people’s fortunes and meets Anna Schaeffer. The little girl she first met on the train in Switzerland all those years ago, the Germans accuse Natalia of spying, she’s sent to a concentration camp, and Anna’s sent to Germany to work as a maid.

Midnight Train To Prague, is a historical saga, and it’s a long story that spans two decades. You discover what happens to Natalia and Anna during the war, their terrible suffering, loss of family, property, and the atrocities the Germans committed in Czechoslovakia and Hungary. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, at times the plot was a little confusing, and three stars from me.]]> 2.95 2020 Midnight Train to Prague: A Novel
author: Carol Windley
name: Karren
average rating: 2.95
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/10/02
date added: 2021/10/02
shelves: edelweiss-above-the-tree-line, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Natalia Faber travels from Berlin to Prague with her mother Beatriz in 1927, she’s just finished high school, and their train is delayed in Switzerland. A man falls ill aboard the train, a doctor tends to him and her name is Dr Magdalena Schaeffer. Mother and daughter continue their journey to a spa near a lake in Hungary, and here they meet Count Miklos Andorjan, a journalist, and his girlfriend Zita Kuznetsova.

Zita leaves with Beatriz, both women are flighty and selfish, and they travel to Argentina together. Natalia and Miklos marry a year later, when WW II begins, Miklos travels to the Russian front, and Natalia waits for him in Prague. Her mother-in-law taught her to read tarot cards, she sets up a shop reading people’s fortunes and meets Anna Schaeffer. The little girl she first met on the train in Switzerland all those years ago, the Germans accuse Natalia of spying, she’s sent to a concentration camp, and Anna’s sent to Germany to work as a maid.

Midnight Train To Prague, is a historical saga, and it’s a long story that spans two decades. You discover what happens to Natalia and Anna during the war, their terrible suffering, loss of family, property, and the atrocities the Germans committed in Czechoslovakia and Hungary. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, at times the plot was a little confusing, and three stars from me.
]]> A Single Swallow 49434305 The eagerly awaited English translation of award-winning author Zhang Ling’s epic and intimate novel about the devastation of war, forgiveness, redemption, and the enduring power of love.

On the day of the historic 1945 Jewel Voice Broadcast—in which Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender to the Allied forces, bringing an end to World War II—three men, flush with jubilation, made a pact. After their deaths, each year on the anniversary of the broadcast, their souls would return to the Chinese village of their younger days. It’s where they had fought—and survived—a war that shook the world and changed their own lives in unimaginable ways. Now, seventy years later, the pledge is being fulfilled by American missionary Pastor Billy, brash gunner’s mate Ian Ferguson, and local soldier Liu Zhaohu.

All that’s missing is Ah Yan—also known as Swallow—the girl each man loved, each in his own profound way.

As they unravel their personal stories of the war, and of the woman who touched them so deeply during that unforgiving time, the story of Ah Yan’s life begins to take shape, woven into view by their memories. A woman who had suffered unspeakable atrocities, and yet found the grace and dignity to survive, she’d been the one to bring them together. And it is her spark of humanity, still burning brightly, that gives these ghosts of the past the courage to look back on everything they endured and remember the woman they lost.]]> 304 Zhang Ling 154204149X Karren 3
William de Royer-Macmillan, a minister and doctor, Ian Ferguson a gunner’s mate in the American Navy and local soldier and her childhood friend Liu Zhaohu. The men all knew a girl who grew into a woman, and her name was Ah Yan. She suffered terribly, her father was killed, and her body violated, and with dignity and incredible courage she survived. The ghosts look back at the past, missing is Ah Yan, each of the men loved her and her soul was free from this world.

A Single Swallow is a story a girl called Ah Yah, about the three male ghosts, I'm sorry but I didnt really understand the meaning behind the book and I found it all rather confusing. The positive aspects of the story for me, was doctor Billy saved Ah Yah life, he also taught her about medicine, she could support herself, and return to her village.]]> 4.17 2017 A Single Swallow
author: Zhang Ling
name: Karren
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/30
date added: 2021/09/30
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-reads, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
In 1945, the Emperor of Japan announced the countries surrender to the allied forces and the war in the Pacific was finally over. Three men in a Chinese village make a promise, they survived the long war years, after their deaths, their souls would return to the village of Yuehu on the anniversary of the surrender.

William de Royer-Macmillan, a minister and doctor, Ian Ferguson a gunner’s mate in the American Navy and local soldier and her childhood friend Liu Zhaohu. The men all knew a girl who grew into a woman, and her name was Ah Yan. She suffered terribly, her father was killed, and her body violated, and with dignity and incredible courage she survived. The ghosts look back at the past, missing is Ah Yan, each of the men loved her and her soul was free from this world.

A Single Swallow is a story a girl called Ah Yah, about the three male ghosts, I'm sorry but I didnt really understand the meaning behind the book and I found it all rather confusing. The positive aspects of the story for me, was doctor Billy saved Ah Yah life, he also taught her about medicine, she could support herself, and return to her village.
]]> The Tuscan Girl 50389521 She ran away through the pine trees when the soldiers came. Staggering into the hiding place, she felt a fluttering in her belly, like a butterfly grazing its wings, and knew instantly she had something to fight for. Present When her fiancé is tragically killed in an accident, twenty-six-year-old Alba is convinced she’s to blame. Heavy with grief and guilt, she flees to her childhood home � the tiny village of Rofelle, nestled in a remote Tuscan valley. Out hiking one day to fill the long, lonely hours, she finds a mahogany box filled with silverware, hidden near the vine-covered ruins of an isolated house left abandoned after World War II. Could finding the rightful owner ease Alba’s heartache, and somehow make amends for her own wrongs? In search of answers, Alba meets Massimo, an elderly man who wants to spend his final years pruning his fruit trees, alone with his painful memories. His face turns pale when Alba brings up the war, but she senses that their shared grief connects them. An unlikely friendship grows as little by little Massimo speaks of Lucia: a wild young girl with sparkling eyes who fell in love with an enemy soldier, bravely stole precious Italian treasures back from Nazi occupiers, and whose selfless courage and sacrifice altered the course of the war � and Massimo’s life. With each visit, Alba gets closer to unravelling the mystery of the silver, and they both start putting their ghosts to rest. But there’s one part of Lucia’s story that Massimo might never be able to share � and he’s running out of time. Has Alba churned up emotions that are too painful to ever confront? Or, will unearthing a wartime secret that has lain buried for generations finally bring Massimo peace? An absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking read that will sweep you away to the rugged mountains and lush olive groves of Tuscany. Fans of The Nightingale, Rhys Bowen and Julianne MacLean will be captivated. Read what everyone’s saying about The Tuscan �Loved it!!!... Beautiful description of the landscape� heartbreaking... The ending of the book was perfect� Definitely recommend� Loved everything about it.� ŷ Reviewer ‘I don’t even know where to begin... beautiful� I absolutely adored this book� The picture that the author paints is both beautiful and devastating� the descriptions are so detailed, I could actually picture it in my mind.� ŷ Reviewer, 5 stars �The mysteries and the discoveries come fast and leaving the reader often gasping for breath� A lovely read.� I am, Indeed �Mesmerizing� captivated me� Angela Petch made the story of the past and present come alive� brilliant� I was completely taken over.� Book Reviews by Shalini, 5 stars �Omg! I loved this book!... amazing story of The Tuscan Girl!� ŷ Reviewer �This book did not disappoint� heartbreaking� wonderful]]> 348 Angela Petch 1838881972 Karren 5
Alba has always been interested in the wartime history of the area, but decades later and she’s not sure if she can solve the mystery. Alba meets Massimo, during WW II he fought in Egypt, was a prisoner of war in England and returned to Tuscany in 1946. He finds it painful to talk about the past, when he returned home after the war ended, he was shocked by the destruction and atrocities committed against the local people.

His childhood friend Lucia, was a spirited young girl, who fell in love with a German soldier, she was punished for being a collaborator and in fact she was a member of the local partisan resistance. Captain Florian Hofstetter, was horrified by his fellow Germans treatment of the Italian people, stealing priceless treasures, and he did what he could to stop them from being sent back to Germany.

The dual timeline story, goes between Tuscany during WW II and the present time. Alba and Massimo become close, and he shares with her his memories of the war and what happened to Lucia. The Tuscan Girl by Angela Petch is full of wonderful characters, historical facts and an engrossing read. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I highly recommend reading it and five stars from me.]]> 4.27 2020 The Tuscan Girl
author: Angela Petch
name: Karren
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/30
date added: 2021/09/30
shelves: kindle-reads, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Alba Starnucci has been living in London, when her partner James is killed in a tragic accident, and she returns home to Rofelle a small village in Tuscany. Alba has always enjoyed walking, it helps her clear her mind, and on one of her hikes she finds an old wooden box filled with antique silverware near the ruins of a house destroyed during the war.

Alba has always been interested in the wartime history of the area, but decades later and she’s not sure if she can solve the mystery. Alba meets Massimo, during WW II he fought in Egypt, was a prisoner of war in England and returned to Tuscany in 1946. He finds it painful to talk about the past, when he returned home after the war ended, he was shocked by the destruction and atrocities committed against the local people.

His childhood friend Lucia, was a spirited young girl, who fell in love with a German soldier, she was punished for being a collaborator and in fact she was a member of the local partisan resistance. Captain Florian Hofstetter, was horrified by his fellow Germans treatment of the Italian people, stealing priceless treasures, and he did what he could to stop them from being sent back to Germany.

The dual timeline story, goes between Tuscany during WW II and the present time. Alba and Massimo become close, and he shares with her his memories of the war and what happened to Lucia. The Tuscan Girl by Angela Petch is full of wonderful characters, historical facts and an engrossing read. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I highly recommend reading it and five stars from me.
]]> Let the Willows Weep 53024893 "Sometimes life is just like paper wings. Fragile, easily torn apart, and often there are too many pieces to pick up."

In the tradition of the best Southern fiction--from Bastard out of Carolina to Where the Crawdads Sing--Sherry Parnell's Let the Willows Weep is a heart-wrenching portrait of hardscrabble, humble lives in rural America. A keenly-observed and unflinching look at the life of Birddog Harlin as she grows up in her dysfunctional family, this novel explores the line between destruction and redemption.]]> 270 Sherry Parnell 1733307702 Karren 3
Nothing Birddog does is right, her brother Caul loves tormenting her and getting her into trouble with her mother. Her father and Denny love her and she loves them. Her daddy dies when a mine collapses, Denny’s dreams of a better life are shattered, he starts working in the dangerous mine and slowly he loses hope.

Life for the Harlin’s gets harder, Birddog falls in love, and each member of the family goes their separate ways. Let The Willows Weep is a story about a girl called Birddog, I would have liked her real name to be included in the narrative, it's about hardship, cycle of poverty, and the consequences of falling in love, and three stars from me.]]> 3.92 2010 Let the Willows Weep
author: Sherry Parnell
name: Karren
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/29
date added: 2021/09/29
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Birddog Harlin, grows up in a coal mining town in America, she has two brothers Denny and Caul. Her mother is unhappy, she deserves more than to be married to a poor dirty coal miner, and she takes her frustration out on Birddog.

Nothing Birddog does is right, her brother Caul loves tormenting her and getting her into trouble with her mother. Her father and Denny love her and she loves them. Her daddy dies when a mine collapses, Denny’s dreams of a better life are shattered, he starts working in the dangerous mine and slowly he loses hope.

Life for the Harlin’s gets harder, Birddog falls in love, and each member of the family goes their separate ways. Let The Willows Weep is a story about a girl called Birddog, I would have liked her real name to be included in the narrative, it's about hardship, cycle of poverty, and the consequences of falling in love, and three stars from me.
]]> The Road She Left Behind 43499780 “A great pick for your book club this summer.� —Working Mother

Crushed by guilt over the car accident that killed her father and sister, and torn apart by her mother’s resentment, Darcy Goodridge fled her family estate eight years ago and hasn’t looked back. Now an unexpected phone call threatens to upend what little serenity she’s found. Her nephew, Emerson, who was just a baby when his mother died, has gone missing. Darcy must return home and face her past in order to save him.

Once back in Ohio, Darcy realizes there’s more to Emerson’s disappearance—and to the sudden retirement of her mother, Rosalind—than meets the eye. As she works to make inroads with Rosalind, Darcy begins to unravel a decades-old secret that devastated her family and forced a wedge between her and Michael Varano, the man she left heartbroken when she vanished after the funeral. After carrying the scars of that fateful night for almost a decade, Darcy is determined to find closure, healing, and maybe even love where she lost them all in the first place—right back home where she belongs.]]> 317 Christine Nolfi 1542004225 Karren 4
Darcy moves around a lot, doesn’t stay in one place for long, and she about to move again when she receives a call from Latice. Emerson is eight, he has gone missing, Latice wants her to return home and she's very worried.

Darcy and her young friend Samson Dray, make the long road trip to Ohio, and when she arrives, Rosalind isn’t happy to see her. It wasn’t easy for Darcy to go home, she’s always felt like nothing she’s ever done has made her mother proud, she’s not good enough, a failure, and she has no chance of repairing their relationship. Rosalind doesn’t speak to her nice neighbors, Nella, Tippi and Michael Varano. Emerson’s found, Darcy tries to work out what happened to cause her mother’s resentment towards to Varano’s, and why has her mother suddenly retired from her job as a judge?

The Road She Left Behind, is a story about a dysfunctional family, Darcy discovering a decade old secret about her not so perfect father, finding closure, making peace with the past, and breaking through the wall that her mother has built around her heart. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I really liked the character's of Darcy, Latice, Michael, and Emerson and four stars from me.]]> 4.17 2019 The Road She Left Behind
author: Christine Nolfi
name: Karren
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/28
date added: 2021/09/28
shelves: kindle-unlimited, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Darcy Goodridge left Ohio eight years ago, after her father Jack and sister Elizabeth passed way in a tragic accident. Her mother Rosalind is a difficult woman, she blamed Darcy for their deaths, and forced her to leave. The family’s housekeeper Latice, keeps in contact with Darcy, to let her know how her nephew Emerson is going and to make sure she’s alright.

Darcy moves around a lot, doesn’t stay in one place for long, and she about to move again when she receives a call from Latice. Emerson is eight, he has gone missing, Latice wants her to return home and she's very worried.

Darcy and her young friend Samson Dray, make the long road trip to Ohio, and when she arrives, Rosalind isn’t happy to see her. It wasn’t easy for Darcy to go home, she’s always felt like nothing she’s ever done has made her mother proud, she’s not good enough, a failure, and she has no chance of repairing their relationship. Rosalind doesn’t speak to her nice neighbors, Nella, Tippi and Michael Varano. Emerson’s found, Darcy tries to work out what happened to cause her mother’s resentment towards to Varano’s, and why has her mother suddenly retired from her job as a judge?

The Road She Left Behind, is a story about a dysfunctional family, Darcy discovering a decade old secret about her not so perfect father, finding closure, making peace with the past, and breaking through the wall that her mother has built around her heart. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I really liked the character's of Darcy, Latice, Michael, and Emerson and four stars from me.
]]> Stars in His Eyes 46121588 From the fascist Franco regime to Hollywood’s glamour—an epic historical novel based on the meteoric rise of one of the world’s most celebrated restaurateurs.

Ceferino Carrión is desperate for a new life—one of opportunity, fortune, and fame. But he knows he’ll never find this life in war-torn Spain. With his home country under the heel of the devastating Franco dictatorship and call-up papers on his doorstep, Cefe knows there’s only one thing he can run.

A new life awaits in America, as does a new name—Jean Leon. From the concrete valleys of the Bronx to the sun-soaked hills of California, Jean crosses paths with legendary superstars, political powerhouses, and dangerous mobsters as he flees his past and pursues his dreams. With friends like Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and James Dean to see him through, Jean soon gets his own taste of stardom, opening his glamourous Beverly Hills restaurant, La Scala, to nightly swarms of celebrities.

But with every new adrenaline rush of celebrity, Jean is further distanced from everyone he loves. Only in searching through his ever-receding past in Barcelona can he find the key to unlock the dream life he has risked so much to build.]]> 202 Martí Gironell 1542090628 Karren 4
Over the years, he uses several names, by the time he arrives in Hollywood, Ceferino goes by the name Jean Leon. He works driving yellow taxis, he meets some very famous people, and he marries Donna Morgan, and opens a restaurant called La Scala.

His restaurant is successful, he meets six people and all of them make a huge impact on his life. James Dean, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor and Ronald Regan. But, as time goes on, he thinks of his family that he left behind in Barcelona, he contacts them, and he and his brother open a winery.

Stars in His Eyes is a story about a man taking a chance, following his dreams, being successful in America, a migrant who couldn't speak any English and meeting some of the most important people in the golden age of Hollywood. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, a quick read and four stars from me.]]> 3.44 2018 Stars in His Eyes
author: Martí Gironell
name: Karren
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/27
date added: 2021/09/27
shelves: netgalley, kindle-unlimited, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Ceferino Carrión is desperate to leave Spain, he’s been conscripted into the army, received his call up papers, and he wants to go to America. After seven failed attempts to leave the country, he's finally successful, Ceferino's aboard a ship called the Liberte as a stowaway, and he arrives in New York. He has an old suitcase, five dollars, and the name, and the address of his uncle Ramon.

Over the years, he uses several names, by the time he arrives in Hollywood, Ceferino goes by the name Jean Leon. He works driving yellow taxis, he meets some very famous people, and he marries Donna Morgan, and opens a restaurant called La Scala.

His restaurant is successful, he meets six people and all of them make a huge impact on his life. James Dean, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor and Ronald Regan. But, as time goes on, he thinks of his family that he left behind in Barcelona, he contacts them, and he and his brother open a winery.

Stars in His Eyes is a story about a man taking a chance, following his dreams, being successful in America, a migrant who couldn't speak any English and meeting some of the most important people in the golden age of Hollywood. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, a quick read and four stars from me.
]]> This Is Not How It Ends 43903399 From USA Today bestselling author Rochelle B. Weinstein comes a moving novel of hearts lost and found, and of one woman torn between two love stories.

When Charlotte and Philip meet, the pair form a deep and instant connection. Soon they’re settled in the Florida Keys with plans to marry. But just as they should be getting closer, Charlotte feels Philip slipping away.

Second-guessing their love is something Charlotte never imagined, but with Philip’s excessive absences, she finds herself yearning for more. When she meets Ben, she ignores the pull, but the supportive single dad is there for her in ways she never knew she desired. Soon Charlotte finds herself torn between the love she thought she wanted and the one she knows she needs.

As a hurricane passes through Islamorada, stunning revelations challenge Charlotte’s loyalties and upend her life. Forced to reexamine the choices she’s made, and has yet to make, Charlotte embarks on an emotional journey of friendship, love, and sacrifice—knowing that forgiveness is a gift, and the best-laid plans can change in a heartbeat.

This Is Not How It Ends is a tender, moving story of heartbreak and healing that asks the Which takes more courage—holding on or letting go?]]> 342 Rochelle B. Weinstein 1542007682 Karren 5
She meets Ben and his son Jimmy, he’s a single father and she helps him during a medical emergency. Philip has a friend he calls Goose, Charlotte has never met the restaurant owner, and she’s shocked to discover its Ben. Philip’s away when a hurricane is quickly approaching Islamorada, Charlotte's scared and not at all prepared. Ben thinks she should stay with him, Philip agrees, they spend the evening playing board games and hoping the roof doesn’t blow off.

Ben and Charlotte feel a real connection, if she wasn’t with Philip, she could easily fall in love with his best friend, and she feels terribly guilty. The day after the storm, Charlotte discovers, Philip’s been keeping a devastating secret from her and he’s very sick.

This Is Not How It Ends by Rochelle B. Weinstein is a heartbreaking story, about friendship, commitment, love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. I couldn’t stop reading the book, I was emotionally invested in the characters, and by the end I was a sobbing mess. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, fans of JoJo Moyes might also like this book, and five stars from me.]]> 4.12 2020 This Is Not How It Ends
author: Rochelle B. Weinstein
name: Karren
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/27
date added: 2021/09/27
shelves: kindle-unlimited, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Charlotte Meyers meets slightly older Philip Stafford on a plane, she’s a high school teacher from Kansas, and Philip’s a globetrotting business man. Philip’s rather keen on Charlotte, they buy a house together in Florida Keys, and Philip gets her a dog Sunny to keep her company. With Philip being away as often as he is, Charlotte’s feeling restless, despite being engaged and they haven’t set a date for the wedding.

She meets Ben and his son Jimmy, he’s a single father and she helps him during a medical emergency. Philip has a friend he calls Goose, Charlotte has never met the restaurant owner, and she’s shocked to discover its Ben. Philip’s away when a hurricane is quickly approaching Islamorada, Charlotte's scared and not at all prepared. Ben thinks she should stay with him, Philip agrees, they spend the evening playing board games and hoping the roof doesn’t blow off.

Ben and Charlotte feel a real connection, if she wasn’t with Philip, she could easily fall in love with his best friend, and she feels terribly guilty. The day after the storm, Charlotte discovers, Philip’s been keeping a devastating secret from her and he’s very sick.

This Is Not How It Ends by Rochelle B. Weinstein is a heartbreaking story, about friendship, commitment, love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. I couldn’t stop reading the book, I was emotionally invested in the characters, and by the end I was a sobbing mess. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, fans of JoJo Moyes might also like this book, and five stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[Taming A Scandal (Lockets & Lace #14)]]> 44286623 Pinkerton Agent Dominic Prentice is on the trail of a jewelry thief when he first meets the enticing Mercia—too bad he’s wearing the disguise of an elderly Southern gentleman. Then he’s assigned the task of keeping the art student under surveillance on a west-bound train to Texas. He can’t resist a railroad flirtation as himself, and the two draw closer than Mercia’s chaperones know. His allegiance to the Pinkerton National Detective Agency is tested when Dominic is forced to decide between tracking the jewelry or wooing the maiden.
]]> 146 Linda Carroll-Bradd 1940546265 Karren 3
Mercia likes her comforts, shopping, social life and being banished to Texas sounds boring and she hasn’t seen her brother in seven years. But, it’s a far better option than marrying one of the men her father has chosen, she packs her trunks and begins her journey west.

Her father has organized for her to travel with the Williams family, they stop in Chicago and then she leaves civilization behind. Pinkerton Agent Dominic Prentice, is trying to find a stolen locket and Mercia’s father has employed him to keep an eye on his daughter as well.

He finds Mercia very attractive, he goes by the name Grant Preston, and she gets rather flustered around him. While staying at the Star S Ranch, he notices Mercia has drawn a picture of the locket he’s being trying to locate, and a lady was wearing it in Chicago. Allan Pinkerton’s impressed with Mercia's drawing skills, he offers her a job working as an artist for his agency and Dominic asks her to marry him. I received a copy of Taming A Scandal in exchange for an honest review, a sweet romance and three stars from me.]]> 4.11 Taming A Scandal (Lockets & Lace #14)
author: Linda Carroll-Bradd
name: Karren
average rating: 4.11
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/27
date added: 2021/09/27
shelves: kindle-unlimited, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Mercia Saunders was studying art at the Pennsylvania Academy, when she took her sketching too far and they shipped her belongings home to Newport, Rhode Island. Her father Adam isn’t impressed, he gives her two choices, marry one of the three men he has picked out for her or visit her brother Fitz in dusty Texas.

Mercia likes her comforts, shopping, social life and being banished to Texas sounds boring and she hasn’t seen her brother in seven years. But, it’s a far better option than marrying one of the men her father has chosen, she packs her trunks and begins her journey west.

Her father has organized for her to travel with the Williams family, they stop in Chicago and then she leaves civilization behind. Pinkerton Agent Dominic Prentice, is trying to find a stolen locket and Mercia’s father has employed him to keep an eye on his daughter as well.

He finds Mercia very attractive, he goes by the name Grant Preston, and she gets rather flustered around him. While staying at the Star S Ranch, he notices Mercia has drawn a picture of the locket he’s being trying to locate, and a lady was wearing it in Chicago. Allan Pinkerton’s impressed with Mercia's drawing skills, he offers her a job working as an artist for his agency and Dominic asks her to marry him. I received a copy of Taming A Scandal in exchange for an honest review, a sweet romance and three stars from me.
]]> Lost Daughter 44017279
Your life isn’t perfect, but you’re still happy. Your husband has stuck by you and he’s a good dad. Your daughter Becca makes your heart explode with love.

And then, in the time it takes to say ‘bad mother�, there’s no longer a place for you in your own family. Your right to see your child has disappeared.

Life goes on in your house � family dinners, missing socks and evening baths � but you aren’t there anymore. Becca may be tucked up in bed in Rose Cottage, but she is as lost to you as if she had been snatched from under your nose.

Everyone knows you deserve this, for you what you did. Except you’re starting to realize that things maybe aren’t how you thought they were, and your husband isn’t who you thought he was either. That the truths you’ve been so diligently punishing yourself for are built on sand, and the daughter you have lost has been unfairly taken from you. Wouldn’t that be more than any mother could bear?

A heart-wrenchingly emotional drama for fans of Lisa Wingate, Jill Childs, and Jodi Picoult.]]> 379 Ali Mercer 178681966X Karren 5
Rachel’s living alone, she starts working at fun-to-learn, here she meets Leona Grey, and she invites her to attend a meeting for mothers who don’t live with their children. Rachel feels uncomfortable going to the meeting, but she’s lonely, she meets Viv, an older lady and they become friends.

When Viv needs help, Rachel offers to take her to see her son Aidan every Sunday, he lives in a special needs home, and looks forward to seeing his mum. Slowly, Rachel tries to repair her relationship with Becca, it's hard because she's a teenager and she only sees her once a week. Lost Daughter, looks at relationships, how they can be complicated, how marriages can drift apart, and in Rachel's case her husband Mitch was happy for her to be the one responsible for their family problems, he's proud to be the good parent and he's not perfect.

I received a copy of Lost Daughter in exchange for an honest review, it really makes you think about motherhood, how hard it is and how it's very easy for people to judge mothers, and we all do our best, five stars from me and I look forward to reading other books by Ali Mercer.]]> 3.99 2019 Lost Daughter
author: Ali Mercer
name: Karren
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/26
date added: 2021/09/26
shelves: kindle-reads, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge
review:
Rachel is married to Mitch Moran, they have a thirteen year old daughter Becca and on the day of her birthday everything goes wrong. Rachel receives bad news at work, her mother has recently passed away and her husband Mitch is extremely distant. In the heat of the moment she explodes, Mitch asks her to leave Rose Cottage, and Becca wants to live with her father.

Rachel’s living alone, she starts working at fun-to-learn, here she meets Leona Grey, and she invites her to attend a meeting for mothers who don’t live with their children. Rachel feels uncomfortable going to the meeting, but she’s lonely, she meets Viv, an older lady and they become friends.

When Viv needs help, Rachel offers to take her to see her son Aidan every Sunday, he lives in a special needs home, and looks forward to seeing his mum. Slowly, Rachel tries to repair her relationship with Becca, it's hard because she's a teenager and she only sees her once a week. Lost Daughter, looks at relationships, how they can be complicated, how marriages can drift apart, and in Rachel's case her husband Mitch was happy for her to be the one responsible for their family problems, he's proud to be the good parent and he's not perfect.

I received a copy of Lost Daughter in exchange for an honest review, it really makes you think about motherhood, how hard it is and how it's very easy for people to judge mothers, and we all do our best, five stars from me and I look forward to reading other books by Ali Mercer.
]]> The Italian Villa 50153724
As she staggers through the woods towards the smoky remains of her village, she sees the wounded, all those familiar faces covered in blood and ashes, and remembers she isn’t just a woman; she is a doctor, and she is needed�

1938 � A young Italian couple cling to each other in the shadow of the Montevino mountains, Mussolini’s call to war ringing in their ears. They vow to stay together, no matter what, and hatch a plan to wed in secret before fleeing to the woods to join the resistance.

Present Day � Callie Di Giacomo, a waitress from Texas, is still reeling from the discovery that she is adopted when she arrives in Montevino in search of answers � the keys to the stunning hillside villa she just inherited clutched tightly in her hand. In her birth mother’s wardrobe grief-stricken Callie finds a diary belonging to a woman named Elisa Stella, one of Italy’s first ever female students of medicine, wrapped in pale blue ribbon.

Page by page, Callie unravels the story of a passionate young doctor who risked everything to marry her sweetheart, who was betrayed by her own people, and forced into hiding as Montevino was invaded. Elisa knew she must survive against all odds to see her loved ones again. But history had other plans�

As the diary ends, a startling revelation about who Elisa was offers a chance for Callie to heal past wounds and spark a new future. But is she brave enough to take it?

This unforgettable story of love, loss and resilience by the author of million-copy Amazon No 1. bestseller, Watch Over Me, is perfect for anyone who loved The Letter, The Tattooist of Auschwitz or The Dressmaker’s Gift.]]> 270 Daniela Sacerdoti 1838880097 Karren 5
Why did Callie inherited the villa and not her aunt, she finds a diary in a wardrobe, it belonged to a woman called Elisa, and she hopes to find some answers between the pages? It’s about life in Montevino during WW II, Italy was divided by those who supported Mussolini and and others who were involved in the local Italian resistance. Elisa was a doctor, she married her childhood sweetheart Leo Bordet and she’s Callie’s great-great-grandmother.

Montevino is a small place, they don’t forget what happened in the past and many people don't like Flora Stella? Callie’s aunt's a naturopath, she owns a business in town called Passiflora and she’s a rather prickly person. The only relative Callie has in the world, is a bitter and difficult woman. Slowly, Callie pieces together her mother’s past, she uncovers a shocking secret and it makes sense why Callie was born in America and put up for adoption.

The Italian Villa, is a dual timeline story, where family traditions and secrets have been kept due to complicated relationships, and what happened in Montevino during World War Two. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it's well written by Daniela Sacerdoti and five stars from me.]]> 4.14 2020 The Italian Villa
author: Daniela Sacerdoti
name: Karren
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/26
date added: 2021/09/26
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Callie Di Giacomo parents died when she was ten, she grew up in foster care in Texas, a solicitor contacts her on her twenty first birthday, she’s shocked to discover she’s adopted, and she’s been left a house in Italy. Callie arrives in Montevino looking for answers, she’s given the keys to a villa, and it’s her inheritance from her birth mother. She expected a rundown property, the villa is clean and has been well looked after. She meets the grounds keeper Tommaso Carpentieri, she discovers she has an aunt Flora and she’s been taking care of the house.

Why did Callie inherited the villa and not her aunt, she finds a diary in a wardrobe, it belonged to a woman called Elisa, and she hopes to find some answers between the pages? It’s about life in Montevino during WW II, Italy was divided by those who supported Mussolini and and others who were involved in the local Italian resistance. Elisa was a doctor, she married her childhood sweetheart Leo Bordet and she’s Callie’s great-great-grandmother.

Montevino is a small place, they don’t forget what happened in the past and many people don't like Flora Stella? Callie’s aunt's a naturopath, she owns a business in town called Passiflora and she’s a rather prickly person. The only relative Callie has in the world, is a bitter and difficult woman. Slowly, Callie pieces together her mother’s past, she uncovers a shocking secret and it makes sense why Callie was born in America and put up for adoption.

The Italian Villa, is a dual timeline story, where family traditions and secrets have been kept due to complicated relationships, and what happened in Montevino during World War Two. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, it's well written by Daniela Sacerdoti and five stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[The Daughter of Victory Lights]]> 52706076 An enthralling story of one woman's determined grab for freedom after WW2 from a talented new Australian voice.

'PART CABARET, PART BURLESQUE, AND LIKE NOTHING YOU'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE! GENTLEMEN, AND LADIES IF YOU'VE DARED TO COME, WELCOME TO ...

THE VICTORY!'

1945: After the thrill and danger of volunteering in an all-female searchlight regiment protecting Londoners from German bombers overhead, Evelyn Bell is secretly dismayed to be sent back to her rigid domestic life when the war is over. But then she comes across a secret night-time show, hidden from the law on a boat in the middle of the Thames. Entranced by the risqu� and lively performance, she grabs the opportunity to join the misfit crew and escape her dreary future.

At first the Victory travels from port to port to raucous applause, but as the shows get bigger and bigger, so too do the risks the performers are driven to take, as well as the growing emotional complications among the crew. Until one desperate night ...

1963: Lucy, an unloved and unwanted little girl, is rescued by a mysterious stranger who says he knows her mother. On the Isle of Wight, Lucy is welcomed into an eclectic family of ex-performers. She is showered with kindness and love, but gradually it becomes clear that there are secrets they refuse to share. Who is Evelyn Bell?

PRAISE FOR KERRI TURNER

'Beautiful, daring, deceptive and surprising.' The Australian Women's Weekly

'An impressive debut ... one of the strengths of the novel is the tapestry it creates of everyday life in an era of great turbulence.' Queensland Times]]> 384 Kerri Turner 1489256733 Karren 5
She meets, the owner Humphrey Wash, and performers Alvin and Bee. They need lights for their acts, and Evie grabs the chance to join the group of artists aboard the Victory, they perform in England and France. Evie’s attracted to a member of the crew Flynn, he was in the American army with Alvin and he’s struggling with PTSD. She loses her heart to Flynn, she doesn’t know how troubled he is, and one night aboard the boat theirs a terrible accident.

Lucy, feels a burden and unwanted by her Aunty Cynthia. In 1963, she’s rescued by Humphrey Wash, and he takes her to live at his house on the Isle of Wight. Here she meets Bee, she knew her mother Evelyn and her mysterious father. Lucy's shown another side of life, she has fun, feels loved and is treated with kindness. But she still wants to find out what happened to her mother Evelyn, who's her father, and where is he?

The Daughter of Victory Lights, is a dual timeline story, it follows the lives of the two main characters of Evelyn and Lucy Bell. It’s about Lucy, finally discovering the truth about what happened to her mother and her father. It highlights after the end of the war, the terrible suffering of those involved in body identification, and search and rescue. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Australia and five stars from me, I really enjoyed reading about the acts preformed on the Victory, breathing fire, the acrobatics and the camaraderie between everyone on the boat.]]> 4.16 2020 The Daughter of Victory Lights
author: Kerri Turner
name: Karren
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/25
date added: 2021/09/25
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Evelyn Bell lives in London with her sister Cynthia, and her younger sister Maureen has been evacuated to the country. Cynthia's a judgemental and difficult person and Evie desperately wants to leave home. In 1941, she joins the Auxiliary Territorial Service, a group of women in charge of the searchlights used to spot German aircraft, and London’s defense gunners shoot the planes down, and hopefully before they drop their bombs. Evie’s also involved in search and rescue, looking for people in the bombed out buildings and they provide lights at night so the crews can see. When the war is over, Evie finds living with Cynthia unbearable, by chance she comes across a secret night-time cabaret show, and it’s held on a boat on the Thames River.

She meets, the owner Humphrey Wash, and performers Alvin and Bee. They need lights for their acts, and Evie grabs the chance to join the group of artists aboard the Victory, they perform in England and France. Evie’s attracted to a member of the crew Flynn, he was in the American army with Alvin and he’s struggling with PTSD. She loses her heart to Flynn, she doesn’t know how troubled he is, and one night aboard the boat theirs a terrible accident.

Lucy, feels a burden and unwanted by her Aunty Cynthia. In 1963, she’s rescued by Humphrey Wash, and he takes her to live at his house on the Isle of Wight. Here she meets Bee, she knew her mother Evelyn and her mysterious father. Lucy's shown another side of life, she has fun, feels loved and is treated with kindness. But she still wants to find out what happened to her mother Evelyn, who's her father, and where is he?

The Daughter of Victory Lights, is a dual timeline story, it follows the lives of the two main characters of Evelyn and Lucy Bell. It’s about Lucy, finally discovering the truth about what happened to her mother and her father. It highlights after the end of the war, the terrible suffering of those involved in body identification, and search and rescue. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Australia and five stars from me, I really enjoyed reading about the acts preformed on the Victory, breathing fire, the acrobatics and the camaraderie between everyone on the boat.
]]> The Ripping Tree 55539435 An illustrious family. A beautiful home. A shipwrecked young woman left on its doorstep.

D on't think they're going to save her.



A new novel from international bestselling author, Nikki Gemmell.

Early 1800s. Thomasina Trelora is on her way to the colonies. Her fate: to be married to a clergyman she's never met. As the Australian coastline comes into view a storm wrecks the ship and leaves her lying on the rocks, near death. She's saved by an Aboriginal man who carries her to the door of a grand European house, Willowbrae.

Tom is now free to be whoever she wants to be and a whole new life opens up to her. But as she's drawn deeper into the intriguing life of this grand estate, she discovers that things aren't quite as they seem. She stumbles across a horrifying secret at the heart of this world of colonial decorum - and realises she may have exchanged one kind of prison for another.

The Ripping Tree is an intense, sharp shiver of a novel, which brings to mind such diverse influences as The Turn of the Screw, Rebecca and the film Get Out as much as it evokes The Secret River. A powerful and gripping tale of survival written in Nikki Gemmell's signature lyrical and evocative prose, it examines the darkness at the heart of early colonisation. Unsettling, audacious, thrilling and unputdownable.]]> 352 Nikki Gemmell 146075199X Karren 4
When she wakes up, she’s staying with the Craw family and at their estate Willowbrae. Tom realizes she’s been freed from marrying a complete stranger, she pretends she has amnesia and goes by the name Poss. The Craw’s have three sons, Tobyn, Virgil and young Mouse and Mrs Craw has always wanted a daughter to replace the one she lost. Soon, Poss notices that there’s something very odd going on at Willowbrae, the whole Craw family is rather different, and she witnesses a couple of very disturbing events and discovers a shocking secret.

The Ripping Tree is a story about Colonial Australia, how the native Aboriginal people were treated terribly by the white settlers and they had no regard for the way they lived and their traditions. Also, women who didn’t conform at the time, were quickly labelled as hysterical and sent to an asylum. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for my copy, it’s an eerie and haunting story and four stars from me.]]> 3.50 2021 The Ripping Tree
author: Nikki Gemmell
name: Karren
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/23
date added: 2021/09/23
shelves: 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-reads, netgalley, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Thomasina Trelora leaves Knockleby in Dorset, and her half-brother Ambrose has organized for her to marry a vicar in the new colony of Australia. She’s aboard the Finbar, when they sight the coast of Australia, a terrible storm hits and the ship’s scuttled on the rocks. Thomasina almost drowns, her memory of what happened is rather distorted, and she thinks she was saved from drowning by a man with a black face?

When she wakes up, she’s staying with the Craw family and at their estate Willowbrae. Tom realizes she’s been freed from marrying a complete stranger, she pretends she has amnesia and goes by the name Poss. The Craw’s have three sons, Tobyn, Virgil and young Mouse and Mrs Craw has always wanted a daughter to replace the one she lost. Soon, Poss notices that there’s something very odd going on at Willowbrae, the whole Craw family is rather different, and she witnesses a couple of very disturbing events and discovers a shocking secret.

The Ripping Tree is a story about Colonial Australia, how the native Aboriginal people were treated terribly by the white settlers and they had no regard for the way they lived and their traditions. Also, women who didn’t conform at the time, were quickly labelled as hysterical and sent to an asylum. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for my copy, it’s an eerie and haunting story and four stars from me.
]]> The Secrets of Hawthorn Place 57318185
When life throws Molly Butterfield a curveball, she decides to spend some time with her recently widowed granddad, Wally, at Hawthorn Place, his quirky Victorian house on the Dorset coast.

But cosseted Molly struggles to look after herself, never mind her grieving granddad, until the accidental discovery of an identical Art and Crafts house on the Norfolk coast offers her an unexpected purpose, as well as revealing a bewildering mystery.

Discovering that both Hawthorn Place and Acacia House were designed by architect Percy Gladwell, Molly uncovers the secret of a love which linked them, so powerful it defied reason.

What follows is a summer which will change Molly for ever...]]> 416 Jenni Keer Karren 5
Molly’s used to everyone picking up after her, she’s spoilt, twenty four and broke. She discovers that her grandfather hasn’t been coping, he’s been sleeping in a chair, and eating microwave dinners. His once beautiful garden is over grown, Molly stops feeling sorry for herself, and tries to get her grandfather interested in more than watching TV and he discovers the internet.

Molly finds a tiny door, it reveals an identical Art and Crafts house, called Acadia House, and it’s in Norfolk and two hundred miles away. The Secrets of Hawthorn Place, has a dual timeline that goes between the past, present, it’s a whimsical and mystical story about the two houses and the people who lived in them. They were designed by architect Percy Gladwell, the current owner of Arcadia House, Rory Brooker has his own issues with mental health and he and Percy have a lot in common.

Molly is transformed from being a rather selfish person, she becomes interested in history, architecture, domestic tasks, and helping both her grandfather and Rory overcome the tragedy in their lives. Jenni Keer has written a really interesting story, the past and present are linked together in a very clever way, and five stars from me. ]]> 4.34 The Secrets of Hawthorn Place
author: Jenni Keer
name: Karren
average rating: 4.34
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/22
date added: 2021/09/22
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
When, Molly Butterfield’s relationship ends, she assumes she can stay with her mum Annetta and step-father Brain. They have other plans, her grandfather Walter’s recently been widowed, he’s lonely and Brian agrees to take her to stay with her Pop. Her grandfather lives in an odd house called Hawthorn Place, on the Dorset Coast, it’s a very unique house and it’s around a hundred years old.

Molly’s used to everyone picking up after her, she’s spoilt, twenty four and broke. She discovers that her grandfather hasn’t been coping, he’s been sleeping in a chair, and eating microwave dinners. His once beautiful garden is over grown, Molly stops feeling sorry for herself, and tries to get her grandfather interested in more than watching TV and he discovers the internet.

Molly finds a tiny door, it reveals an identical Art and Crafts house, called Acadia House, and it’s in Norfolk and two hundred miles away. The Secrets of Hawthorn Place, has a dual timeline that goes between the past, present, it’s a whimsical and mystical story about the two houses and the people who lived in them. They were designed by architect Percy Gladwell, the current owner of Arcadia House, Rory Brooker has his own issues with mental health and he and Percy have a lot in common.

Molly is transformed from being a rather selfish person, she becomes interested in history, architecture, domestic tasks, and helping both her grandfather and Rory overcome the tragedy in their lives. Jenni Keer has written a really interesting story, the past and present are linked together in a very clever way, and five stars from me.
]]> Once Night Falls 45446518 A harrowing historical novel of the extraordinary acts of ordinary people in Nazi-occupied Italy.

Italy, 1943. Luca Benedetto has joined the partisans in their fight against the German troops ravaging the shores of his town on Lake Como. While risking his life to free his country, Luca is also struggling to protect Sarah, his Jewish lover who’s hiding in a mountain cabin. As the violent Nazi occupation intensifies, Luca and Sarah fear for more than their own lives.

In the heart of their village, their mothers have also found themselves vulnerable to the encroaching Nazis. But Luca’s mother, undeterred, is devising her own revenge on the occupiers. With Mussolini deposed and Allied armies fighting their way up the peninsula, the fate of Italy hangs in the balance, and the people of Lake Como must decide how much they’re prepared to sacrifice for family, friends, and the country they love.

The most trying of times will create the most unexpected heroes and incredible acts of courage in this stirring narrative as seen through the eyes of those devastated by war-torn Italy.]]> 367 Roland Merullo 1542007437 Karren 4
His mother Maria, lives in the village, her neighbors house has been taken over by a group of German soldiers and they demand that she cooks for them every evening. The Germans start entering her house without knocking, and she’s worried they will hear something, and she has Rebecca Zinsi hiding in her attic.

Italy is in turmoil, Mussolini's government has been over thrown, he’s been taken to an island near Sardinia, as the allies get closer, and the Germans violence towards the locals escalates. Most people support the partisan fighters, including the local priest, everyone's tense, and Luca despite his disability, he wants to get Sarah, and her mother to safety in Switzerland.

Once Night Falls, is about the Italian people's suffering during WW II, and fighting back against the Germans, and a lot of this happened during the night. Under the cover of darkness, the partisans and locals did what they could to make life difficult for the Germans, small acts of defiance, and they showed incredible courage and determination. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, another well written book by Roland Merullo, and fours stars from me.]]> 4.14 2019 Once Night Falls
author: Roland Merullo
name: Karren
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/09/21
date added: 2021/09/21
shelves: kindle-reads, netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, kindle-unlimited, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
Luca Benedetto joined the local partisans to retaliate against the Germans, his father Sabatino was taken to fight for them in Russia, and his mother Maria hasn’t heard from him since. Like most Italians, he’s horrified by what they do to innocent people, and he’s determined to make them suffer. His girlfriend Sarah Zinsi is Jewish, he knows the area around Lake Como and the mountains well and she’s hiding in a remote cabin.

His mother Maria, lives in the village, her neighbors house has been taken over by a group of German soldiers and they demand that she cooks for them every evening. The Germans start entering her house without knocking, and she’s worried they will hear something, and she has Rebecca Zinsi hiding in her attic.

Italy is in turmoil, Mussolini's government has been over thrown, he’s been taken to an island near Sardinia, as the allies get closer, and the Germans violence towards the locals escalates. Most people support the partisan fighters, including the local priest, everyone's tense, and Luca despite his disability, he wants to get Sarah, and her mother to safety in Switzerland.

Once Night Falls, is about the Italian people's suffering during WW II, and fighting back against the Germans, and a lot of this happened during the night. Under the cover of darkness, the partisans and locals did what they could to make life difficult for the Germans, small acts of defiance, and they showed incredible courage and determination. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, another well written book by Roland Merullo, and fours stars from me.
]]> <![CDATA[A Picture of Hope (Heroines of WWII)]]> 56969836
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

Journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent the bulk of the war in London, photographingmothers standing in milk lines—and she’s bored. She jumps at the chance to go to France, where the Allied forces recently landed. There she enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground to take her to the frontlines.On the journey, theystumbleupon a great tragedy,leavinga girlwithspecial needsbeingorphaned.

Can Nellie and Jean-Paul see the child to a safe haven while being pursued by the Nazis, who are pressed by the advancing Allies and determined to destroy all they can before they flee?
]]> 256 Liz Tolsma 1636090192 Karren 5
The Prague is a hospital ship leaving for Normandy, Nellie sneaks on board and nothing could prepare her for what she witnesses at Omaha beach. Nellie’s taking photos to send back to the Chicago Tribute, she finds herself close to the action and German soldiers are still patrolling nearby. She meets resistance fighter Jean-Paul Breslau, he and Nellie end up traveling through the French countryside together.

They come across a little girl hiding in some bushes, they sneak into the town and what the Germans are doing is truly barbaric. They can’t leave little Claire, an orphaned child with special needs on her own, and they take her to a nearby convent. Here they meet three dedicated nuns, Sister Maria-Theresa, Sister Angelica and Sister Raphael. With the Germans in pursuit, Nellie and Jean-Paul need to get to safety in Switzerland, taking the nuns and three young special needs children with them on the dangerous journey.

A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma, is based on true facts, while filled with the horror of what the Germans did during WW II, it’s also an uplifting story, about believing in what they are doing is good, god is always with them and guiding them on the right path. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Barbour Fiction in exchange for an honest review, I highly recommend reading this enlightening book, and five stars from me. ]]> 4.47 2021 A Picture of Hope (Heroines of WWII)
author: Liz Tolsma
name: Karren
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/19
date added: 2021/09/19
shelves: netgalley, 2021-netgalley-reading-challenge, netgalley-edelweiss-2021
review:
American journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent her time in England, taking photos of mothers waiting in ration lines and she wants to be on the front-line. The big push is about to happen, all the male journalist are going to land in France with the allied troops, and General Eisenhower doesn’t want a bunch of women journalists getting in the way. They write a letter to the general, informing him, women want a women’s prospective of the war, and they have send their husbands, brothers and sons to fight!

The Prague is a hospital ship leaving for Normandy, Nellie sneaks on board and nothing could prepare her for what she witnesses at Omaha beach. Nellie’s taking photos to send back to the Chicago Tribute, she finds herself close to the action and German soldiers are still patrolling nearby. She meets resistance fighter Jean-Paul Breslau, he and Nellie end up traveling through the French countryside together.

They come across a little girl hiding in some bushes, they sneak into the town and what the Germans are doing is truly barbaric. They can’t leave little Claire, an orphaned child with special needs on her own, and they take her to a nearby convent. Here they meet three dedicated nuns, Sister Maria-Theresa, Sister Angelica and Sister Raphael. With the Germans in pursuit, Nellie and Jean-Paul need to get to safety in Switzerland, taking the nuns and three young special needs children with them on the dangerous journey.

A Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma, is based on true facts, while filled with the horror of what the Germans did during WW II, it’s also an uplifting story, about believing in what they are doing is good, god is always with them and guiding them on the right path. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Barbour Fiction in exchange for an honest review, I highly recommend reading this enlightening book, and five stars from me.
]]>