My Review for Rose by Robin P Fletcher

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I was asked to read and review ‘Rose’ by the author, Robin P Fletcher, and I am so pleased that he approached me. Rose was awesome, from page one. I was hooked, and I spent the whole time I was reading it, thinking how good it would be as a movie!

Rose is abducted as a nine-year-old girl from her home village in Goa and taken across to the other side of the country to live with a family who wants a daughter. She remembers nothing from her previous life and settles down with her new family for the next seven years. 

I don’t want to give any spoilers because I think the less you know how the story progresses, the better. We discover the lengths that a family will go to, to right a wrong, and how, with the right resources, it’s easier to solve a crime. 

The characters in Rose were diverse, many of them were loveable, but even more, were downright evil and, rightly, got what was coming to them. Fletcher writes with enthusiasm and spirit, and his descriptions of people and places were amazing. I cringed when I read about the stench of Rose’s abductors. I could feel the smells coming through the pages!

I’ve heard on the grapevine that there will be a sequel to Rose and I really hope this is true. You can be sure I’ll be looking out for it.

If you enjoy suspense, thriller and crime novels, then you’ll love this. 

Thank you to Robin P Fletcher for contacting me and asking me to read his book in exchange for an honest review. I’m so pleased I accepted and I will definitely read more of his books.

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My Review for At Home by the Sea by Pam Weaver

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Second World War has recently ended and people are trying to return to some sort of normality in Worthing, West Sussex. Izzy and Linda’s father has returned from the war but is without a job, suffering from anger issues and often in the pub, returning home drunk, late at night. After one such night, and following an argument with her husband, Izzy’s mother leaves and doesn’t return.

Over the next two years, the girls are brought up by their grandparents, until one day their father comes to take them home. Izzy is desperate to find out why her mother left, whilst trying to maintain a job and support her sister and father. 

As was normal in post-war Britain, it is the women who look after the house and, in the absence of a mother, this fell to Izzy. We travel along with her as she grows up, with a world of responsibility on her shoulders. Her family has fallen apart and she will do all she can to find out why and put right as much as she can. 

At Home by the Sea has a diverse range of characters, some fun, some loveable and some are just downright evil. Pam Weaver’s descriptive style brings post-war Worthing to life, and I realised just how hard it would have been in the 1940s and 50s, as everyone rebuilt their lives. 

I thoroughly enjoy historical fiction and every time I read a book, I learn something new. This was a lovely read and transported me to different times and into different lives. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of At Home by the Sea by Pam Weaver.

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My Review for P.S. I Hate You by Sophie Ranald

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Abbie and Matt have been together since they were teenagers. They’re now 37 and having a difficult time in their marriage. Unable to have a child, this has brought pressure on their relationship and they need to try to rekindle some of the romance that brought them together all those years ago.

P.S. I Hate You (Abbie never does actually hate Matt), skips back and forth between the present, and when Abbie and Matt first met, following them throughout significant events in their life together. The author focuses a huge amount on how important friends are in a woman’s life and how good friends stick around, no matter what. If Abbie has a problem, or is upset, it’s The Girlfriend Club’s WhatsApp group she turns to, and there is always someone at the end of a message with support and advice.

I enjoyed how Abbie tried to recreate some of the good memories that her and Matt had shared, some worked out, some didn’t but it both were keen to try! Sophie Ranald shows us the parts of relationships that people rarely talk about, the frustrating, annoying little things that when things are going well, we don’t care about, but when something isn’t right, then we create mountains out of molehills!

If you want something easy and fun to read, to while away a few hours, then try this new one from Sophie.

I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of P.S. I Hate You by Sophie Ranald.

Book Description

Relationship: Hanging by a thread.
Sex life: Dead on arrival.
Alcohol: Essential.

It’s normal to hate the man of your dreams, right?

Once upon a time, Abbie and Matt had swoon-worthy mini breaks in Paris, and Abbie would cook him steak wearing nothing but an apron and high heels. These days, they’re experiencing the longest dry spell on record… And Abbie is keeping a very big secret.

But she’s not ready to give up. Nobody knows Abbie like Matt does, and it helps that he’s tall, dark and handsome, with hazel eyes and dimples to die for.

Determined to reignite the romance, Abbie initiates Operation Memory Lane and recreates their happiest memories. Maybe breakfast in bed, sexy lingerie, dirty martinis and a romantic weekend in the countryside will bring back Abbie’s butterflies and make her giddy with happiness…

But revisiting the past is a risky business, and secrets always come out in the end. Will the truth ruin their second chance at love?

This totally addictive second-chance romance will give you All. The. Feels! Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella and Beth O’Leary.

(Previously titled: I Feel Like There’s a But Coming)

Author Bio

Sophie Ranald is the youngest of five sisters. She was born in Zimbabwe and lived in South Africa until an acute case of itchy feet brought her to London in her mid-20s. As an editor for a customer publishing agency, Sophie developed her fiction-writing skills describing holidays to places she'd never visited. In 2011, she decided to disregard all the good advice given to aspiring novelists and attempt to write full-time. After one false start, It Would Be Wrong to Steal My Sister's Boyfriend (Wouldn't It?) seemed to write itself, and six more novels have followed. Sophie also writes for magazines and online about food, fashion, finance and fitness. She lives in south-east London with her amazing partner Hopi and their two adorable cats.

To find out about Sophie's forthcoming releases and get access to free books and special offers, sign up to her newsletter at sophieranald.com or

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SophieRanald

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SophieRanald

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophieranald/

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My Review for The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon is a story set within a dual timeline, full of passion, anger, cruelty and patriotism. We begin in 1943 when we are coming towards the end of the Second World War. Gabriella and her brother Riccardo are living with their parents in Florence, Italy, where they are becoming anxious about the German invasion. 

In 2019, Riccardo has recently passed away and his wife Isobel and daughter Sofia are organising an exhibition of his artwork. Neither is sure of the meanings behind his paintings, but with a little help from Riccardo, they set out to discover why he painted what he did.

I enjoyed how Gabrielle played her own role in the war, offering her services to the Resistance and doing her best to help save the city that she’s living in. Suzanne Goldring writes about such great community spirit and camaraderie amongst the inhabitants of Florence and how they lived through the war with the help and support of each other. 

Riccardo was a troubled young lad, living with the after-effects of polio and unable to attend school. He entertained himself and often got into trouble along the way. He expressed his unhappiness in his paintings and as we discover the significance behind them, my heart went out to the boy who suffered so much. 

I love historical fiction, and so much research has gone into The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon, discovering how Italians dealt with the German invasion and the removal of Jews from their society. The book is heartbreaking but thought-provoking and we are reminded that life was often difficult during these times. So many people suffered so much loss and hardship, we all need to be aware of how different countries managed during wartime. 

Suzanne draws the reader into the story with her writing and as she describes the beautiful smells of the herbs and the rose garden and the awful stench of places where people are locked away, we can almost imagine ourselves there too.

If you enjoy historical fiction with an element of fact included, then check out The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon. It’s educational and captivating and you won’t want to put it down.

I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon by Suzanne Goldring.

Book Description

Florence, 1943. A missing painting. A war-scarred city. A brave young girl on a black bicycle risking her life for the country she loved…

As the bells toll and arrogant soldiers torment her family, fourteen-year-old Gabriella is determined to act. She seeks out her old friend Stefanina, an unlikely member of the Italian resistance with her dark curls and scarlet ribbon. Soon the two girls are criss-crossing the river with deadly information in their bicycle baskets. But then one terrible day Stefanina disappears…

London 2019.Sofia is mourning the loss of her father, a famous painter. Desperate to feel closer to him, she begins to go through his paintings of wartime Florence, a time in his life he would never talk about. But then she realises one is missing…

Determined to learn more, she discovers that he had a sister she never knew about. She flies to Florence, the place of his tortured memories, to meet her aunt Gabriella, an elegant old woman living in a palazzo filled with roses. Therein a little bedroom, locked away from the world, she finds the missing painting, a tiny picture of a beautiful girl with a scarlet ribbon.

As Sofia uncovers the story behind the hidden painting, a tale of extraordinary bravery and terrible betrayal emerges. But will understanding her family’s haunted past bring her peace, or further heartbreak?

A completely compelling and heartbreaking story of a beautiful city, a violent war and a young woman’s daring. Fans of The Alice Network, The Nightingale and My Name is Eva will be captivated by The Girl with the Scarlet Ribbon.

Author Bio

Following an eventful career as a public relations consultant, specialising in business and travel, Suzanne Goldring turned to writing the kind of novels she likes to read, about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. Whether she is working in her thatched cottage in Hampshire or her seaside home in North Cornwall, Suzanne finds inspiration in the secrets hidden by everyday life.

https://suzannegoldring.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/suzannegoldringauthor

https://twitter.com/suzannegoldring

Listen to a sample here:
https://soundcloud.com/bookouture/the-girl-with-the-scarlet-ribbon-by-suzanne-goldring-narrated-by-katy-sobey

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My Review for The Blood Tide by Neil Lancaster

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I loved the first book in this new DS Max Craigie series, and The Blood Tide is even better because now we have a relationship with the characters! We know who’s a pain in the backside; we know whose heart is always in the right place, and we know who we can trust...or do we?

If you have read the first in the series, you will be familiar with what Max and his small team do, basically searching out dodgy law enforcement guys and making sure they are brought to justice, whilst solving the crimes at the same time. The Blood Tide is gritty, dark and often violent, so if you don’t like dead bodies, then it’s probably not for you! 

Throughout a lot of the book, I found myself thinking that he or she had turned into one of the bad guys, and the author kept me guessing with every turn of the page. Was it safe to let this character have the information they are being given or not? I found myself muttering out loud sometimes when I voiced my opinions and often cringed when some of the scary and bad things were happening. This is why Neil Lancaster is such a talented author, he puts his readers in the situations and they live the scenario along with the characters. 

Dead Man’s Grave is the first in the series, and no, you don’t need to read that first, but it will give you a better insight and introduction to the characters if you do. If I were you, I’d definitely add both to your TBR list. 

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Blood Tide by Neil Lancaster.

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My Review for The Drowned Village by Norma Curtis

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Set between the present day and the years following the end of World War II in Mid Wales, The Drowned Village is a beautiful, but heartbreaking story. Sixty-five years ago, Elin Jenkins, a young Welsh girl, and Al Locke, an American sailor, had their whole lives ahead of them and, after Al proposed, the plan was for Elin to move to Pennsylvania and marry the man she loved. However, life doesn’t always work out the way you want it to.

Present-day and Sophie is running a bunkhouse in Wales, and one of her guests is an elderly gentleman in his eighties...

I thoroughly love a book that is based on historical facts and makes me want to research more about what I’ve read, This is definitely true of The Drowned Village, I only live about 3 hours drive from Mid Wales, yet I wasn’t aware of entire villages that were flooded with water to create a reservoir, to provide water for industries, just over the border in Liverpool. 

The descriptions of the Welsh countryside, with its towering hills, beautiful green countryside and sparkling lakes are perfectly written, and it’s apparent that the author loves the country she was born and brought up in. 

I really enjoyed reading The Drowned Village and would recommend this to anyone who is interested in fiction, based on fact, with a good love story thrown in.

I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Drowned Village by Norma Curtis.

Book Description

The Drowned Village: A heartbreaking and absolutely gripping WW2 romance by Norma Curtis

As he reaches the top of the familiar hill, a startling brightness draws him in like a vision. A glittering lake fills the entire valley. The pretty stone village, and all trace of the girl he loved, are gone…

Wartime Britain. Pushing aside drooping hollyhocks, Elin Jenkins tosses back her dark hair and runs up the familiar path to her family’s farm in the village. Laughing, Al catches her around the waist. ‘Marry me,’ he whispers. ‘I’ll use my Navy liberty leave. I don’t want this to end.’ Tears prick her eyes as she smiles up at him.

Three days later, Al is gone. And in the months that follow, Elin’s frantic telegrams to him go unanswered. Then she receives an invitation to his society wedding in Philadelphia. Scribbled on the back are three words: No hard feelings.

Present day. Al Locke, retired Navy Captain, smooths his silver hair and finishes up with a spritz of aftershave. With a spring in his step he hasn’t had for decades, he sets off up the well-worn track through the valley. He has no doubt he will meet her in the village today. He will at last hear the horrible truth of what happened to Elin after he left, and he’ll confess why he couldn’t face returning to her… until now.

But what he finds in that silent valley is a mystery that is greater even than his and Elin’s own. The village, once lively, is underwater. A shimmering ghost town in the depths of a vast lake. The tragedy of Elin and Al’s broken engagement sits at the heart of what happened here – Ellen's irreparably devastated heart, and the home she tried so desperately to save.

A beautiful and heartbreaking read about secrets, heartache and forgiveness, based on a true story. Fans of Fiona Valpy and Lorna Cook will love this book.

(This book was previously titled The Captain’s Wife)

Author bio:

Norma Curtis's first published stories were for teenage magazines and she began writing novels when she joined the Romantic Novelists' Association. Her first novel won the New Writer's Award and was chosen as a WH Smith Fresh Talent title. A couple of years after being invited onto the RNA committee she was made chairman and following her two-year term of office, she studied creative writing at City University before taking an MA in Prose Fiction at Middlesex University. The Drowned Village is her sixth novel and she lives in North London with her family.

Author social media:

Twitter: @The NormaCurtis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ncurtis.books

Website: www.normacurtisauthor.com/

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My Review for A Wedding in Provence by Katie Fforde

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐  It is 1963 and our protagonist, Alexandra, is in Paris, en route to a Swiss finishing school which she isn’t looking forward to and would really rather stay in Paris. Through a friend of a friend, she finds herself in short-term employment as a Nanny to three French children, although not in Paris, but in sunny Provence, deep in the French countryside. Planning on staying with the family for a few weeks and then continuing onto Switzerland, Alexandra settles down to look after her charges.

As time goes by, Alexandra finds herself indispensable to the children’s father, Antoine. As he is away so often on business, and the children grow fond of her, she agrees to stay a little longer.

A Wedding in Provence is a lovely read, like all of Katie Fforde’s books. I immersed myself in French life and culture and found myself living in Provence with Alexandra, drinking rosé wine, eating pain au chocolat and relaxing in the sunshine. Katie is adept with her descriptive writing and location settings, so even if you’re reading this on a wet and windy winter’s day in the UK, you can close the blinds and pretend you’re somewhere else!

Remember that A Wedding in Provence is set in the 60s and so some things aren’t as developed as they might be now. Homosexuality is still frowned upon and yes, English girls still attend Swiss finishing schools! (Do they still, I’m not quite sure)? However, this is a great read, and I’d recommend it to all Katie Fforde fans and anyone who just wants to get lost for a few hours.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK and Cornerstone for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of A Wedding in Provence by Katie Fforde.

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