My Review for The Girl in the Shadows by Marion Kummerow

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Margarete Rosenbaum is living as Annegret Huber following a bombing raid, from Jew to part of a German high-ranking family in the blink of an eye.

I have read many war fiction novels, but I’m not sure I’ve ever read one which included so much detail of the inhumane behaviour of the German SS. It takes a lot to make me shudder when reading, but parts of The Girl in the Shadows did just that. Of course, I am aware of the gist of what happened during the war, but to have it written down and for the characters involved to be portrayed in such a way was eye-opening. Marion Kummerow is an exceptional author. There aren’t many who can skip between love and romance and hate and cruelty and ensure the reader is also feeling those emotions. Yes, I was left feeling very uncomfortable many times throughout the book, but actually, this was a good thing. It meant that the author was doing her job well! 

The Girl in the Shadows is the third book in Margarete’s journey, but can certainly be read as a stand-alone novel. I haven’t read anything by Marion Kummerow before, but I will definitely go back and read more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys war-fiction but be aware that sometimes, it’s not an easy read. 

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 in the Shadows by Marion Kummerow.

Book Description

1943, Germany: Two years ago, fate gave a beautiful young Jewish woman named Margarete Rosenbaum the chance to survive the Nazis, by pretending to be one of them, hiding in plain sight. Now she must make a terrifying decision…

Margarete lives as Annegret Huber would have, in a beautiful rural mansion by a forest in northern Germany. She is the heiress to the entire Huber fortune—one which she has devastatingly discovered includes a factory and Nazi prison camp. Margarete has done everything she can to help improve conditions there, and to reduce suffering for the prisoners who remind her so much of her own lost family and friends.

However, as the war rages on and the Nazi party becomes more brutal in its treatment of Jews, she realizes she must do more. She has to help the prisoners escape to real safety, because they will never be safe in Hitler’s Germany.

She’s heard of a route to freedom through Sweden. Although that means secretly reaching out to the resistance. With the risk of betrayal at every turn, her enquiries lead her to a man named Stefan, who she instantly feels a powerful connection to. But she fears he will never trust her… unless she reveals the secret that keeps her safe.

At the same time, a Nazi officer begins to show romantic interest in her, making it harder to keep her identity a secret. His loyalty to the party is beyond question, so if he finds her out, not only will her plan be at risk, but also her life and those of everyone she cares for.

But can she let that fear stop her from saving others? Because she knows she herself could so easily be one of the faces on the other side of the fence. And that, in the darkest times, sometimes the only person who can rise up is the girl in the shadows…

The powerful third novel in Marion Kummerow’s bestselling Margarete’s Journey series is an unforgettable and devastating story, perfect for fans of The Nightingale, The Lilac Girls, and All the Light We Cannot See.

Author Bio

Marion Kummerow was born and raised in Germany, before she set out to "discover the world" and lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in Munich where she's now living with her family.

Inspired by the true story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German resistance and fought against the Nazi regime, she started writing historical fiction, set during World War II. Her books are filled with raw emotions, fierce loyalty and resilience. She loves to put her characters through the mangle, making them reach deep within to find the strength to face moral dilemma, take difficult decisions or fight for what is right. And she never forgets to include humour and undying love in her books, because ultimately love is what makes the world go round.

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My Review for Stepping Up by Sarah Turner

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more! Stepping Up by Sarah Turner is pretty special and tugged at my heartstrings. 

Aunty Beth steps up to look after her teenage niece, Polly and toddler nephew, Ted, following an accident. Over the course of the next year, Beth has to learn how to be a parent, coping with teenage emotions and toddler tantrums, all whilst trying to hold a job down, prove to her Mum that she can be capable of being responsible and also maintaining friendships. 

I was hooked from the start, and despite the sad moments and difficult situations, I found the book heartwarming but heartbreaking at the same time. It’s been a long time since a story made me laugh and cry on the same page but Stepping Up managed it. 

There isn’t a character who won’t melt your heart, one way or another, and Beth, in particular, grows in strength and confidence as the book progresses. She realises that perhaps she’s not as useless as she thinks she is and maybe people do need her after all, both colleagues and family and friends. 

100% go out and buy this book if you want something easy and entertaining to read, but grab those tissues before you settle down, you’ll need them! 

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK/Transworld for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Stepping Up by Sarah Turner.

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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

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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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