REVIEW: The West End Girls by Elaine Roberts

The West End Girls (West End Girls #1) by Elaine Everest

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW1

Read: 18th January 2021

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 18th June 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

1914.

Growing up on a farm in the country, Annie Cradwell has always dreamt of singing on stage. So when she hears her friend Joyce has a room to spare in London, she sets off with best friend Rose for an adventure beyond anything they could have imagined.

In London, Annie and Rose stumble into jobs at the Lyceum Theatre. Being a dresser to capricious star Kitty Smythe wasn't exactly what Annie had in mind. But then the musical director, Matthew Harris, offers her singing lessons. And Annie starts to wonder – could this be her chance? Or is it all too good to be true?

With the threat of war in the air, everything is uncertain. Is there a place for hopes and dreams when so much is at stake?

Annie, Rose and Joyce are three girls with very different dreams – but the same great friendship.

From the author of the beloved Foyles Bookshop Girls series, The West End Girls is the first in a brand new series full of Elaine Roberts' trademark warmth. Perfect for fans of Daisy Styles and Rosie Hendry.

MY REVIEW:

I have always meant to read the Foyles bookshop series but have never gotten around to it though they still sit in my ever growing TBR pile...lol So therefore THE WEST END GIRLS is the first Elaine Roberts book I have read and, as it is the first in a new series, I look forward to following the girls' stories. I am a huge fan of historical fiction sagas from about any era. I just love getting to know each of the characters and seeing how their stories pan out.

Worcestor 1914: Eighteen year old Annie Cradwell has a dream. Ever since her mother took her to the theatre as a girl she has wanted to be on the stage. With no training apart from singing in the church choir and her exceptional looks, Annie is determined to follow her dream to the bright lights of London. But her parents have their heart set on her marrying a local lad from a neighbouring farm and start a family. 

Sam Spencer has already spoken with her father and gained his permission and her mother has packed a picnic lunch for their afternoon walk, and Annie is immediately suspicious. When he proposes, there was no talk of love, affection or support but of chickens, pigs and how many children he wants. And when Annie tells him of her dreams, he scoffs at them as being childish fantasies and that it was time to grow up. But Annie doesn't want to marry Sam. She doesn't want to be a farm wife with a dozen children, working her fingers to the bone. She wants what her parents have...an undying devotion and love for each other. That, and her dream to be on the stage.

When Annie tells her best friend Rose Spencer that her brother had proposed, Rose is shocked. No one, it seems, knows of the proposal bar Annie and her family. Is Sam ashamed of her? Although she had initially said yes, Annie knows that she cannot marry Sam. She doesn't love him and for her that is an important aspect of marriage. After telling Sam that she cannot marry him, Annie and Rose head off to the big lights of London. Annie's father is so angry that she has turned down marriage and a simple life on the farm that he refuses to big his eldest daughter farewell. And Annie leaves with a heavy heart.

London 1914: Joyce Taylor lives in a Victorian terrace house with her uncle Arthur Bradshaw, whose had become a reclusive angry drunk since his wife had left him in the middle of the night soon after Joyce's own father had passed away. Joyce and her father had previously lived with her grandmother but after a disagreement on some kind between her father and grandmother, they moved in with her aunt and uncle. But uncle Arthur's demeanour made Joyce refuse to bring friends back to her home or for anyone to see where she lived. That is, until Annie and Rose came to stay. Joyce felt she should have warned them before taking them home but their presence seemed to shock Arthur and despite himself, he finds himself growing fond of the two young women.

Upon arrival in London, the girls are shocked at the size of everything and the smell is so different to that of the farm. They had written their friend Joyce to let her know they were coming to stay and Joyce greeted them at the very busy Paddington station. They walk through the city streets with Joyce pointing out the various sights and saying hello to the various street vendors along the way.

As soon as they were ensconced in their respective rooms, Annie and Rose knew they would have to find some form of work if they were to pay their way and live. Joyce told them of a waitress position going at the cafe where she worked and Rose appeared interested whilst Annie's heart remained on the stage. Joyce told them about the various theatres in the West End and gave the girls directions to many of them for Annie to try and land herself something. After knocking on the doors of several and being refused, they came to the Lyceum Theatre and walked headlong into a crisis. The star of the show was demanding a dresser be found for her since her previous one had been dismissed for stealing whilst costumes were needing immediate repair for that evening's performance. With no seamstress to be seen, the girls were asked if they could sew and informing them that she could, Rose set to work on repairing the costume. By the end of the afternoon, both girls found themselves jobs in the theatre - Rose as a seamstress and Annie as Kitty Smythe's new dresser.

Despite it not being what she wants, Annie hopes the position will lead her to an opportunity to chase her dream of being on the stage. Spending so much time together in the dressing room, Annie soon grows used to Kitty's outbursts and penchant for brandy in her coffee. The two women get to know one another and begin to form a friendship. When musical director Matthew Harris meets Annie and learns of her ambition to be on the stage, he offers to give her singing lessons to strengthen her voice. But at what cost? Naive and trusting, this almost lands Annie in deep trouble. 

Then the threat of war soon becomes real when war is declared and young men from all over the country begin to enlist. Annie and Rose fear for their brothers but given that they are farmers surely they are in a reserved occupation. But a knock at the door one morning brings a shock for Annie when her brother walks in dressed in a khaki uniform. Annie is devastated but David informs her that he felt it his duty, as has two of Rose's brothers also.

But all is not lost. The girls are still in relatively high spirits and romance is in the air for two of them, it seems. Joyce is secretly interested in her boss Simon at the cafe whilst Annie has caught the eye of street vendor Peter. Rose is quite happily living and loving life in London but she can't quite help teasing the other two mercilessly about their love interests. 

While Annie has come to London to pursue her dream, Joyce hasn't quite followed hers. Back in the village where they all grew up, Joyce was known to be a dab hand at cooking and baking and her cakes were always to die for. She  would love nothing more than to be a cook but to do that she would need to have gone into service as a cook but she couldn't do that without prior job experience...of which she has none. Rose, forever outspoken, continually prompts Joyce to voice her desire to cook to Simon as he may well be open to the idea of her introducing new items to the menu. But Joyce isn't so sure. Simon took over his father's dream for the cafe and it never quite seemed the right time to bring up the notion of her baking and becoming the cook. I guess we'll see where her story goes in the future.

While I found THE WEST END GIRLS a little slow to start, what with Annie banging on about "her dream" and yet never quite doing anything about it, proposals of marriage, rejections, village life and her teetering over actually going to London with Rose and going against her parents' wishes. This took up about the first 10% of the book and I wondered if Annie was ever going to pack up and go. But she and Rose finally made it and life certainly moved on for them once they got there. 

The characters were mostly endearing, with the exception of one, and quite charming in their own ways. I found myself wanting to see where their stories would take them and how everything would come together by the end. The mystery of Joyce's missing aunt I had figured out fairly easily as well as the sudden departure of Annie's father's sister from the village years before. But it wasn't until a devastating event that occurred in Annie's life that saw Arthur Bradshaw take her under his protective wing whilst picking himself up and facing responsibility for past actions.

By the end of the book I found I had rather enjoyed THE WEST END GIRLS more than I thought I would, despite the slow start and the deluge of grammatical errors and looooong chapters. Yes, I say it again because it seems to be an ever-occurring thing - I hate long chapters. In fact, while these chapters were long, they were "broken down" and separated by asterixes but I cannot see why they weren't just given a completely new chapter. It seemed far more logical to start a new chapter with a new scene or another character and yet they were continually slapped in the middle of chapters, separated only by an asterix. I honestly didn't see the point. 

Despite this, I still enjoyed THE WEST END GIRLS and I found myself back in time in 1914 watching events play out for Annie, Rose and Joyce and enjoying the journey. And I find myself looking forward to the next book "Big Dreams for the West End Girls" which I believe is Joyce's story, whereas this one was more Annie's. A nice touch and I look forward to it.

A thoroughly entertaining read, THE WEST END GIRLS is perfect for fans of historical fiction sagas like The Foyles Bookshop series and The Bobby Girls, and fans of Fiona Ford, Lizzie Lane, Nadine Dorries and Pam Howes.

I would like to thank #ElaineRoberts, #NetGalley and #AriaFiction for an ARC of #TheWestEndGirls in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Elaine Roberts had a dream to write for a living. She completed her first novel in her twenties and received her first very nice rejection. Life then got in the way until circumstances made her re-evaluate her life, and she picked up her dream again in 2010. She joined a creative writing class, The Write Place, in 2012 and shortly afterwards had her first short story published. She was thrilled when many more followed and started to believe in herself. 

As a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Society of Women Writers & Journalists, Elaine attends many conferences, workshops, seminars and wonderful parties. Meeting other writers gives her encouragement, finding most face similar problems. 

Elaine and her patient husband, Dave, have five children who have flown the nest. Home is in Dartford, Kent and is always busy with their children, grandchildren, grand dogs and cats visiting. Without her wonderful family and supportive friends, she knows the dream would never have been realised.

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REVIEW: The Women of Waterloo Bridge by Jan Casey

 

The Women of Waterloo Bridge by Jan Casey

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 25th November 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 21st May 2020

★★★ 2.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

London, 1940.

After her fiancé breaks off their engagement, Evelyn decides to do her part for the war effort by signing up for construction work on Waterloo Bridge. Enjoying the physical work and her newfound purpose, she begins to realise that there could be so much more to her life than anything she'd ever dared to dream of.

Grieving after her little boy dies in an air raid, Gwen is completely lost when her husband sends their younger children to the countryside for safety. Enlisting as a construction worker, she is partnered with cheerful Evelyn. Despite Gwen's initial reticence, the two women strike up a heartwarming friendship – but will it be enough to save Gwen from her sorrow?

Musical prodigy Joan's life has always been dictated by her controlling mother. When an affair nearly ends in scandal, Joan finally takes her life into her own hands. Determined never to touch a violin again, she soon finds work at Waterloo Bridge. Yet there are other troubles for her to overcome...

For these three women, only one thing is certain: the Second World War will change their lives forever. A heart-wrenching new WW2 saga for fans of Jenny Holmes and Soraya M. Lane.

MY REVIEW:

I love historical fiction particularly those set in the WW1 or WW2 eras, and the years in between. Needless to say, I was excited at the prospect of reading this book with something of a different backdrop. THE WOMEN OF WATERLOO BRIDGE is a tale of three women who helped make history in the construction of the iconic structure when so many men were off fighting the war.

December 1940: The story begins during the Blitz with Evelyn, closely followed by Gwen and then Joan. Each woman has a different story filled with heartache, loss and struggles. It was a dark time for Londoners as Hitler's Luftwaffe stormed the capital day and night for 57 days straight. I will never be able to imagine the terror felt by those people - women and children - at such a time. As each of them were confronted with their own hardships, they then found themselves faced with new challenges and subsequently a new purpose in life.

First, we meet Evelyn Draper who lives with her her father and her sister Sylvie. Evelyn had been a school teacher but had left in the wake of becoming engaged to Ron, who was away training to do his bit for the war, as married women were not permitted to work in those days. Feeling at a bit of a loose end what with Ron away and no job, Evelyn's days basically consisted of cooking for her sister and father and cleaning their house. In preparation for her job as "Mrs Ron" perhaps? Evelyn wasn't sure, but she wasn't satisfied with just that. Sylvie tried coaxing Evelyn out nightly on her jaunts to various dance halls and nigh clubs, but she usually just contended herself with staying in with her father or writing to Ron.

But when Ron writes to her and breaks off their engagement, Evelyn thought she would be distraught but instead found herself feeling relieved. She began going out on the town with Sylvie and started enjoying herself dancing the night away. But still she wanted more. And so, after seeing an advertisement, she signs up for construction work on Waterloo Bridge

Gwen Gregson is a mother of three - Johnny, Will and Ruth - and married to George who works on the railways. During a particularly harsh night of bombing, Gwen huddles her three children into the Anderson shelter out the back before George pokes his head in to let her know it's a bad night out there and all hands on deck are needed. As she bids her husband a safe goodnight, she turns to find her eldest boy Johnny hurriedly dressing and stating he was going to help his dad. Gwen pleaded with Johnny to stay and remain safe but the boy disappeared into the night. Leaving her remaining two children in the safety of the shelter, she hurries off into the night in search her son, calling his name at every corner. But to no avail. Until she sees her husband's bulky form emerge from the smoky remains of a building with the lifeless body of her son in his arms.

Gwen's life changed that December night as a part of her had died when Johnny took his last breath. In the ensuing weeks, George sent their remaining two children to the countryside in Wales for safety, leaving her alone in a house that once held the laughter of children. George and her drew further apart and Gwen found herself falling into the pits of despair. She only had her neighbour Betty to look in on her from time to time, and who they stayed with when their house took a blast in a raid. She wrote to her children regularly and looked forward to their letters or postcards back. Unfortunately, they were separated as there was no room for them to stay in the same place but after a trip to visit them, Gwen ensured that Will was placed in a good home as Ruth had been. But she still missed them constantly and feared they would grow accustomed to the countryside and never want to return to London. 

Betty grew concerned for Gwen and her melancholic state and recommended some war work for her friend. But Gwen wanted only her children and her Johnny back. However, after coming across the paper Betty left with her one day advertising various jobs available to women, Gwen almost tossed it into the fire before one job caught her eye. And so Gwen enlists for the construction work on the bridge also.

Joan Abbott is a musical prodigy...although that was never her intention. Her mother had seemingly steered her into taking up the violin and controlled every aspect of her life. And Joan reviled her mother for it. So when she found herself handpicked for an orchestra under the great Sir Ralph Meyers, Joan also finds herself falling under his spell and soon begins an affair with him...mostly to spite her mother, knowing how much she would abhor the whole thing. But as affairs often go, Joan finds herself pregnant and her mother takes control of the situation by feeding her a mixture of orange juice and castor oil so it could then begin its lethal task of ridding Joan of what would inevitably be her shame.

After the laborious experience, Joan take charge of her own life, enlisting for work in the Waterloo Bridge construction and finding a room at Hazel's Hostel, alongside her work colleague Alice. Both women had their own secrets and crosses to bear and would reveal them, it seemed, when the time was right. The hostel in which she now live run by Hazel who lived with her elderly and invalid mother, whom she still called "mummy". She may have been a little eccentric but Hazel was warm and friendly and happy for the company. And despite her mother's pleas, Joan refused to return to the mausoleum that was once her home, finding friendship and acceptance at Hazel's as well as with the women she worked with on Water Bridge.

The three women are vastly different backgrounds and together they form a special bond. Evelyn is teemed up with Gwen, who is mostly silent but an efficient worker, and over time Evelyn manages to crack Gwen's hard exterior she has built up around herself and the two women become good friends.

THE WOMEN OF WATERLOO BRIDGE had the makings of a wonderfully different story during wartime. However, it's the structure of the book that lets this story down. While I can see it's value as we get each women's perspective throughout, the four months which are covered during each of their respective chapters meant that we were actually missing out on the other eight months of each woman's life. So therefore it felt a little convoluted and didn't marry up to the next part of their stories. It also distances the characters from the reader as we feel like we are only catching glimpses of their lives.

But I felt that it could have been far more exciting than it was. So often I reached a point that seemed to cut off mid-story and move onto something else entirely. I found some of the plot confusing as I wondered where something that found its way into the story, thinking "where did that come from?" 

But one of my biggest gripes will always be the lengthy chapters. I abhor them. And mostly I cannot see the point of them...particularly as the chapter is then broken down within with "asterixes" to separate parts of the story. However, I did see the relevance of the lengthy chapters here what with each subsequent chapter being each woman's narrative. But I still don't like them.

This really was an original and unique choice for a story set during WW2 - as we often hear about nurses, land girls, WAAFs, Wrens or the ATS. But this one focusing on the women who aided in the construction of a bridge during wartime (and not recognised for it in the end, I might add) promised to be something different. And it was. But again, I felt we were missing out on so much more of each woman's story. I think it would have been far better to enmesh these women together in one story and devote a chapter here and there to their respective backstories so it then all moulded into one big story and, as readers, we'd not be robbed of the story as a whole.

I would have loved to have heard more about Gwen's children and their evacuation, Evelyn's love interest Stan (who seemed to pop out of nowhere and then disappear again so much that it felt like he didn't even feature), Joan's story in general as she seemed to be something of an enigma and even Sylvie's wedding was a rushed affair and before long she was gone. Then Evelyn's possible pursual of an engineering course in Canada...was that a done deal or what happened there? And even Olive, who was a force to be reckoned with on the construction site, just disappeared one day with the vague mention of a bomb. There was a lot of vague innuendo to each woman's story that it was hard to find any satisfying conclusion in the end.

It's very hard to rate THE WOMEN AT WATERLOO BRIDGE because while I did enjoy it in part, I also felt that there was so much missing that was left unsaid that could have been to give the reader a satisfying conclusion. It's a shame because it is such a unique tale to tell.

I would still be interested to see any further historical tales by this author.

I would like to thank #JanCasey, #NetGalley and #AriaFiction for an ARC of #TheWomenOfWaterlooBridge in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Jan Casey first heard the little known account of Waterloo Bridge, The Ladies' Bridge, being built by women during the Second World War on a Thames riverboat tour. The story fascinated her and 'The Women of Waterloo Bridge', Jan's first novel, is the outcome of her exploration into that event that had, until now, been erased from history. Before becoming a published novelist, Jan has had short stories and flash fiction published.

Jan was born in London but spent her childhood in Southern California. She was a teacher of English and Drama for many years and is now a Learning Supervisor at a college of further education.

When she is not writing or working, Jan enjoys cooking, reading, swimming, walking and spending time with her grandchildren.

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REVIEW: The Spitfire Girl: Over and Out by Fenella J. Miller

The Spitfire Girl: Over and Out (The Spitfire Girl #4) by Fenella J. Miller

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 29th July 2020

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 2nd April 2020

★★ 2.5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

All's fair in love and war for First Officer Ellie as she takes to the skies yet again in the final instalment of Fenella Miller's Spitfire Girl series.

1943, White Waltham.

As Italy surrenders and victory looms on the horizon, Ellie's doing what she does best – flying. And this time, she's rising to the sky in four-engined Halifaxes. Determined to keep doing her bit, Ellie's successes in the airfield mount but so do tensions with her new beau, Squadron Leader Jack Reynolds.

When Ellie and Jack find their dream home, they discover they've bought more than they bargained for. With a cellar full of secrets, Jack and Ellie must stand united in the face of mystery, war and loss. And as family circumstance threatens to tear them apart, Ellie and Jack are stronger than ever.


MY REVIEW:

I absolutely love historical fiction, particularly those set in the World War 2 era, however when I requested THE SPITFIRE GIRL: OVER AND OUT I didn't realise it was not only a part of a series but the conclusion to it as well. For that reason, I didn't particularly enjoy the book as much as I had hoped since I hadn't read the first three. There were characters and circumstances alluded to that I didn't know about and added to the confusion was the fact that some offspring had been named after previous characters and the mention of past and present names had me thoroughly confused.

The series follows the women, namely Ellie Simpson, who join the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) to ferry planes all over the country for the RAF for men to use in battle - their lives and loves throughout. The story picks up in February 1943 with the former Ellie Simpson, now Reynolds, learning to fly four-engined bombers to gain a Class V licence and promote her to First Class Officer. Ellie's husband, Squadron Leader Jack Reynolds, is busy ferrying planes out of White Waltham while Ellie is stationed with an all female crew at Hamble. The separation is tough on the newly married couple, but they manage to catch up every few weeks or so when they coincide their leave together.

When Ellie receives news that her odious grandfather Sir Reginald is dying, the couple join the rest of the family for Sir Reginald to make amends before it's too late. Ellie's brother George will inherit his estate and title while the family farm will go to Ellie. Jack is already uncomfortable with his wife's wealth, inherited by her former fiance, and does not want to be a kept man by his wife. This leads to a most ridiculous turn of events that I saw having no purpose in the story and which was over within a few pages. It left me thinking "what was the point of that?"

Back to work for the couple - Ellie in Hamble and Jack in White Waltham - and they begin to think about their future. Ellie's best friend Amanda, and former pilot, gives birth to a baby girl and it has her thinking about the possibility of motherhood, despite her lack of maternal instinct. After much deliberation, Ellie and Jack decide to buy a house close to White Waltham for them to settle down when the war finally comes to an end, with the intention of Ellie transferring from Hamble to White Waltham to be with her husband.

After looking at several houses, Ellie and Jack come across "The Rookery" which was own by the local witch Mary and they soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery. But have the couple got more than they bargained when they discover a cellar full of shocking and scandalous secrets?

With my love for historical fiction, I was looking forward to reading this book but as it was the final in a four book series, I felt I had arrived in the middle of the story and missed certain aspects that were key to the entire series. I didn't have time to go back and read the first three, though that is what is needed here. THE SPITFIRE GIRL: OVER AND OUT, a title which certainly suggests a conclusion, cannot be read as a standalone. Too much has taken place prior to this book for it to make sense to the reader, and I recommend tackling them in order.

1. The Spitfire Girl
2. The Spitfire Girl in the Skies
3. A Wedding for the The Spitfire Girl
4. The Spitfire Girl: Over and Out

While I didn't enjoy this book as much as I'd hoped, I do intend on coming back to it after I have read the first three at a later date, because I truly believe this final installment to the series will make far better sense when read after the first three.

THE SPITFIRE GIRL: OVER AND OUT, I'm sure, brings a satisfying conclusion to the story of Ellie Simpson Reynolds and her journey as first a flying instructor (I believe) to ATA pilot and First Class Officer during one of Britain's darkest times. I wholeheartedly recommend the series be read in order before tackling this one which I'm sure will make this read an even greater delight.

2.5 stars. Mainly because maybe if I had read the first three books, this one would have been a more satisfying conclusion.

I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #NetGalley and #Aria for an ARC of #TheSpitfireGirlOverAndOut in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Fenella Jane Miller was born in the Isle of Man and is the bestselling writer of eighteen historical sagas. She also has apassion for Regency romantic adventures and has published over fifty to greatacclaim. Her father was a Yorkshireman and her mother the daughter of a Rajah. She has worked as a nanny, cleaner, field worker,hotelier,chef, secondary and primary teacher and is now a full time writer.

She has over twenty five Regency romantic adventures published plus one Jane Austen re-telling and one YA romantic fantasy.

Fenella lives in a small village in Essex with her British Shorthair cat.

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REVIEW: For Better For Worse by Jane Isaac (ARC)

For Better For Worse (DC Beth Chamberlain #2) by Jane Isaac

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural

Read: 5th February 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 19th March 2020)

★★★ 3 stars

When I requested FOR BETTER FOR WORSE, I didn't realise it was second in a series but there was enough backstory and fleshing out of the characters that the reader doesn't miss anything from not reading the first book. However, while the premise had initially drawn me in, the story itself was average but not great. It was good enough to keep me reading till the end but it didn't make me want to revisit Beth Chamberlain in a hurry...although I might if the premise looks promising.

Having said that, the upcoming book in the series "Hush Little Baby" looks right up my alley and I do look forward to it.

Councillor Stuart Ingram is mowed down in the street in what turns out to be his own XJ Jaguar, killing him on impact. Already under a question mark, Ingram had at first been arrested for sexual harassment of one of his female colleagues, which was later dropped, and then for possession of child abuse material on his computer. His trial for the latter charge was in just two weeks' time. Police initially suspect his wife Gina, but she claims she believed him to be innocent and why would she kill him before he had the chance to prove that innocence? Now no one will ever know the truth and he will always be suspected of being perverted.

DC Beth Chamberlain is called in as Family Liaison Officer (FLO) but does a lot of investigating of her own as well. She has recently broken up with her sergeant Nick (his surname escapes me just now) but the two continue to work well together. An acting DI has been brought in from outside to take charge of the investigation with whom Beth has worked with previously and who is on the fast track to promotion. Solving this case will make this acting DI's career look even better, skyrocket-ting her into a permanent DI position.

Then another body is found. Richard Moss' body was found beaten and strangled in his home by a neighbour passing by and seeing his front door open, went to see if Richard was OK. Clearly he was not. The team try to piece together aspects of both men's lives looking for any connection. Then in a Skype interview with Moss' estranged son, they discover he had worked at a children's home in the 1990's. When Beth questions Gina Ingram again, she learns that the couple supported the same children's home by raising funds - also in the 1990's. Could this be the connection they need?

When the body of a convicted sex offender is then found in his home in the most vicious and premeditated attack, the team looks for something to link Harry to the children's home as well. Despite being unable to link the  latest victim to the home, it does appear that the deaths are related to a suicide of a young girl on the eve of her sixteenth birthday who was a longtime resident of the home. So how is it all connected? And what do these men have to do with her death?

There are plenty of puzzles and twists along the way before arriving at the conclusion. The ending does provide a bit of a unexpected conclusion, leaving it open for a continuation either in the next book or further down the track. I don't usually like such up in the air endings, but this had an air of cleverness about it.

FOR BETTER FOR WORSE is hailed as domestic noir, but I wouldn't really classify it as that. It is definitely a police procedural crime thriller. I must say that I do love the short snappy chapters - always a favourite of mine to keep the pace moving swiftly.

I'm not sure what I thought about the book, except that it wasn't what I was expecting with a title like FOR BETTER FOR WORSE and "domestic noir" in it's description. I enjoyed it but not as much as I thought I would and was admittedly glad when I finished. However, there will be plenty who will thoroughly enjoy this book and it is for those I recommend it.

I would like to thank #JaneIsaac, #NetGalley and #AriaFiction for an ARC of #ForBetterForWorse in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Home to the Hills by Dee Yates (ARC)

Home to the Hills by Dee Yates

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 4th July 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 19th March 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

I love historical fiction, particularly sagas with characters you have come to know and love, and upon discovering that this was a sequel to "A Last Goodbye" I set out to read that before diving into this one. Like the one before it, once I started HOME TO THE HILLS I found that I could not put it down. I was immediately immersed within the story that takes place some thirty years after "A Last Goodbye" finishes.

HOME TO THE HILLS is a tender touching post-war saga which sees Ellen returning to the hills of Scotland with her now adult daughter Netta. It will touch your heart and bring a tear or two to the eye with a story that remain with you long after it has ended.

April 1939: A distraught young girl is comforted by a kind lady who reminds the boy of his own mother as they board the train that will take them to their destination. The kind lady gently persuades the young girl to sit beside him as he looks to be "such a sensible boy". The girl continues to sob throughout the journey, settling into a sulky silence. They seemed to travel for days, by train and by boat and by train again, by the time they reach their final destination. Disembarking he looks around eagerly, awaiting to be shown the place where he will be staying and await for his parents to join him. The young girl who had travelled with him was quieter now, confiding how much she missed her parents. He squeezed her hand and said likewise, ensuring that they would see them again soon.

December, 1945: With the second world war now over, Ellen Kessler and Netta Fairclough step off the Glasgow train in the small Lanark village as they return to the southern uplands of Scotland. It has been nearly thirty years since they were last here and their return sparks a mountain of memories for Ellen, who grew up on the farm where Netta was also born.

Their return is bittersweet as they soon discover that Ellen's beloved father passed away three years before and his wife Margaret has taken up residence in a small railway cottage in the village. However, the farmer Kenneth Douglas and his wife Elizabeth are still there and welcome them both with open arms.

But Ellen is not the same woman she was who left at the end of the Great War to join the love of her life Josef Kessler in his native Germany with her daughters Netta and Eva. She has seen such cruelty she had never known before, not even at the hands of her first husband Tom, and a despair that has changed her life dramatically. Netta is very protective of her mother as they are all each other has left after suffering the atrocities of war and the losses that they have endured. They have returned to Scotland to heal but Ellen finds the farm hold many memories of her life before and of when she first met a young Josef as a prisoner of war there.

Ellen and Netta settle into a quiet life on the farm, living in a nearby cottage by the new reservoir. Ellen helps Elizabeth in the kitchen while Netta tries her hand at shepherding under the well-trained eye of newcomer Andrew Cameron. Not afraid of hardwork, Netta walks the rugged hills of the farm alongside Andrew, learning all aspects of lambing, clipping and preparing ewes for market. Even in the midst of the harshest winter, she helps to dig the buried ewes from the snow before they suffocate. While Netta is proving to be an asset to the farm not all locals welcome her. Farming is men's work and a woman's place is in the farmhouse kitchen. But when it's discovered she has grown up in Germany, tensions rise even higher. Some folk have long memories and bear no sympathy for those who are German.

And yet Ellen is determined to make this a fresh start for her daughter, despite all they have loved and lost. But there are some secrets that are just too painful to share which she has kept close to her heart for years...

As the story unfolds, we are given a glimpse into the past in Germany and another minor plot that is also unfolding at the beginning of the war in Manchester through to the end of the war in Yorkshire, adding a depth that enriches the story. Both stories are cleverly woven together by the end that will bring tears to your eyes at its heartwarming conclusion.

When I started HOME TO THE HILLS, I found Ellen to be a virtual stranger to the forthright young woman she was in the first book. As Netta was just a toddler at the time she didn't have time to develop a personality in the story, but at the beginning of this one I found both women to be a little standoffish and I wondered whether I was going to enjoy this book as much as I had the first. However, as the story unfolds, the reader soon learns why the two women are the way they are and we come to love them wholly by the story's end.

This immersive tale of second chances, after such sadness and loss in the face of war, HOME TO THE HILLS will tug at the heartstrings and sweep readers back in time to post-war rural Scotland. It is captivating and compelling and completely addictive from beginning to end, just as much as "A Last Goodbye".

Although HOME TO THE HILLS is actually a sequel to "A Last Goodbye", readers will be able to enjoy this book without having read the first one with ease, as there is enough information given to allow this book to be read as a standalone. However, the first really is too good to miss out on so I do recommend reading "A Last Goodbye" before this one to enjoy the story even more.

Should there be a follow up to this story? I think it is nicely wrapped up as it is. A definite recommend for lovers of historical fiction, particularly sagas.

I would like to thank #DeeYates, #NetGalley and #AriaFiction and #HeadOfZeus for an ARC of #HomeToTheHills in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: A Last Goodbye by Dee Yates

A Last Goodbye by Dee Yates

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas

Read: 2nd July 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 1st May 2018)

★★★★★ 5 stars

As a massive fan of historical fiction, A LAST GOODBYE is one of those books you just can't put down. It is heartbreaking, it is heartwarming and it is compelling. I loved the premise, I loved the cover and I couldn't wait to immerse myself into the story...and I wasn't disappointed.

Set on a sheep farm in a remote part of the southern uplands of Scotland, the story begins towards the end of the 19th century with Duncan and Janet Simpson and the impending birth of their first and, what was to be, their only child. Sadly, Janet dies in childbirth and Duncan must bring his new baby daughter up alone. As a shepherd, life on the remote hills of Scotland can be a harsh one but Duncan raises his daughter Ellen and for the first sixteen years of her life it is just the two of them.

It's 1914 and war is on the horizon despite many believing that it will be over by Christmas. But the war in Europe seems a long way from the isolation of the Scottish uplands as life goes on as it always has on the farm. Ellen is nearing 16 and on the cusp of womanhood, rising at dawn and filling her days with cooking, baking, washing and cleaning. She's known no other life than that of caring for her father whom she loves dearly. But he is not getting any younger and the work gets no easier. So when young Tom Fairclough arrives fresh from Yorkshire, hired to assist her father on the farm, Ellen isn't sure what to expect from the new arrival.

Tom has made the move from Yorkshire to Scotland to be near the woman he loves who is studying medicine in Glasgow. His intention is to propose at the earliest opportunity so they can then plan their lives together. Upon arriving at the remote farm where he is to work, Tom meets 16 year old Ellen and is immediately drawn to her openness and direct manner. She takes on the cooking and cleaning for Tom in addition to those in her own cottage she shares with her father and the two strike a sort of friendship.

Ellen has never met anyone outside of the farm, nor has she ever left the farm, so Tom's arrival sparks an interest she is not familiar with. Having never grown up with a mother, Ellen has a sort of naivety about her and is somewhat lacking an education regarding knowledge of the more intimate things a mother would pass on to her daughter. She has her father's directness and, finding herself in awe of young Tom, believes herself to be in love with him. But Tom loves another and after a disappointing visit to Glasgow, he finds himself drawn to the young Ellen seeking comfort in her arms...on the floor of the barn.

On Christmas Eve, when Ellen finds herself racked in the throes of a pain she has never known before she thought herself to be dying. She never expected to be giving birth. So innocent was she that she had no knowledge or expectation of a baby's possible existence. In that moment, Tom's hopes for a future with his beloved were dashed as Duncan insist he marry Ellen. Although he adored his baby daughter Netta, it is soon clear that he is unhappy in his marriage. Ellen was not who he wished to marry and it wasn't long before she too was aware of the fact. The man she thought she was in love with and who she thought loved her began to act out his frustrations with his fists...with Ellen on the receiving end. When Tom signs up for the war, Ellen is almost grateful.

Soon after Tom's departure for the front, German POW's are brought to the area to build a railway line and prepare the valley for the new reservoir. The work is hard and the days are long and when one of the prisoners takes ill, Ellen is approached by the captain in charge of the camp and is asked to care for the sick man, Josef Kessler. His convalescence is long and although he speaks no English, Ellen teaches him and they become friends. Josef has a kind heart and, treating her with kindness and respect, he is everything Tom isn't. Ellen knows Tom would never allow her to care for another man in their cottage let alone a German, their sworn enemy, but she has come to enjoy their time together. However, when Tom returns home on leave he discovers her secret and his punishment is as brutal as ever. Affected by his time in the trenches, Tom's moods are unpredictable and his anger more violent. While Ellen's loyalties are divided between those of the man she married and those of the man she loves, she knows that she is trapped by duty to her husband.

I really liked Ellen as she grew from a naive young girl into a strong woman and loving mother. Times were hard in those days and divorce, when things get tough, was not an option as it is today as marriage was a responsibility that was undertaken seriously. But she made the best out of a difficult situation. My heart ached for her and her love for Josef, knowing it was forbidden and could never be.

I also really like Josef. He was a sweet and kind man and everything Tom wasn't. As well as being a German POW, it also highlighted the fact that not all Germans were the enemy. They were just pawns in an even bigger game. That's all war ever is. His friendship with Ellen was beautiful and he was just one of the sweetest people in the story.

I did not, however, like Tom. Not from the first moment he came into the story. He had an air of arrogance about him, so sure was he of marrying Clara that he didn't entertain the idea that she may not want to. Then when he took Ellen on a bed of straw in the barn I thought how selfish of him to think only of his needs without sparing a thought for the young girl he is using. I knew right away that Ellen was pregnant even when she didn't and when baby Netta was born and he knew then he had to marry her, I knew this wasn't going to end well. But when he took his hands to her and dealt his vicious blows, I despised him even more. I've been on the receiving end of those blows and no amount of excuses or apologising makes it alright. I also knew his apologies would be shortlived...as were his promises to be more considerate of his wife.

I actually chose to read A LAST GOODBYE because its sequel "Home on the Hills" came up in my Netgalley list and, as I already had this book, I decided to read it now and I am glad I did. It is beautiful, it is heartbreaking and it is an emotional rollercoaster that you just don't want to get off. Within a short space of time, I found myself so addicted to the story that I couldn't escape, nor did I want to. Not until I discovered how it would end for Ellen, for Tom and for Josef.

A LAST GOODBYE is so well written the story just consumes you. The ending, when it comes, it so bittersweet, so heartbreaking and yet so beautiful. In short, I absolutely loved this book! And I cannot wait to dive straight into its sequel to see where the story goes from here.

A definite recommend for lovers of historical fiction.

REVIEW: The Five Shilling Children by Lindsey Hutchinson (ARC)

The Five Shilling Children by Lindsey Children

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 25th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 19th September 2019)

★★★★★ 5 stars

When you pick up a Lindsey Hutchinson book, you just know you are going to be lost for hours in what will essentially be another good read. There is just something about historical fiction that pulls you in and keeps you there until the end. And THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN is no different.

Ten year old Adam Fitch and his nine year old sister Polly are sold for five shillings each to Reed's Orphanage by their bully father, Gerald, who leaves them there without a backward glance. Distraught and missing their mother, the children still have each other and soon discover that life for them is somewhat an improvement on the one they had scavenging and living hand to mouth with their parents and three brothers. Now they have their own beds, three generous meals a day, proper schooling and a new group of friends that treat them better than anyone else ever had.

But then Rodney Dukes arrives. Loud, brash and disruptive without any respect for authority, he doesn't care who he hurts and takes great pleasure in bullying everyone, especially young Polly. This prompts Adam to sneak out on a nightly basis to learn how to box after watching pugilist Billy Marshall win a fight. Billy agrees to teach Adam upon realising that he is the son of a woman he once new and secretly loved, Minnie Fitch. The lessons are successful and Adam becomes accomplished at defending his sister from bully, Rodney, who is humiliated and in turn bides his time to take Adam by surprise.

One Sunday when the children would usually walk to church, they are told to stay in their rooms. Adam and his roommate Joe are looking out the window to see what is happening outside. They see a horse and carriage come up the drive and stop at the orphanage's entrance, as a wealthy looking couple step out. Several minutes go by before they reappear holding the hand of a young girl, who is squirming and kicking out. Adam is aghast to discover it is Polly, who has been sold to the wealthy family as a companion for their spoilt daughter Cora. Adam runs downstairs and out the door screaming for his sister as they disappear, his heartbreaking howls of distress heard by everyone. But the one affected most by Adam's distress is his nemesis Rodney, who comes to his aid and comforts him. Everyone at the orphanage feels Adam's sorrow and their hearts break for him...all except the owner, Una Reed, who sees selling the children a profitable business to make way for new additions.

The remaining children band together to help Adam hatch a plan of escape so he can search for Polly. Despite them all coming to depend on each other, Adam knows he must leave if there was to be any chance of him reuniting with his sister again. But where were they to go from there? They couldn't go home...not as long as Gerald was there. And would they ever see their new friends again? The only ones they have come to depend on for companionship and love - what is to become of them?

Across town that is a far cry from where she had come, Polly finds herself in a new home with a new family. And she hates it. Cora is vindictive and spiteful, doing anything she an to get Polly into trouble just for her sheer pleasure. And their governess, Prudence, believes the little minx every time as she seems to take as much pleasure from doling out discipline to Polly at Cora's every whim. She yearns to go back to the orphanage, to Adam, to May and all her friends. She hates it here.

Meanwhile back on Banks Street in the Fitch household, Minnie has had it with her abusive husband Gerald. Out of work, he has taken to gambling every last penny on cock fights and then drinks his winnings at the public house, returning home drunk with not a farthing left for his starving family. Minnie kicks him out but Gerald is not going quietly. He continues to return, banging on the door and demanding Minnie let him in. But she refuses and he acquiesces. During the day when she goes out scavenging for some morsels for her family she has taken to locking the doors to prevent Gerald from gaining access. This, however, does nothing to dissuade him as she returns once again to find the window smashed or the door broken on its hinges, and Gerald sitting in his chair by the hearth demanding she get his dinner. But Minnie has hardened. This man who sold her two children, buried another and gambles and drinks away any penny that crosses his palm, she will not stand for his ways anymore. But as he raises his hand once again to punch her into submission, Minnie knows things will never change.

THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN is a heartbreaking tale of poverty and hardship surrounding the Fitch family. With no money for food or coal, the must scavenge on a daily basis for the dregs that others have rejected just to get through another day or night. With five children to feed, life is harsh. So when Gerald sells Adam and Polly for just five shillings each, against Minnie's wishes, he doesn't take the money home to feed and warm his family but rather drinks it all away...again.

You will fall in love with little Adam and Polly and the other children, and find yourself cheering them on throughout all the hardships they face. You will enjoy seeing them get the better of their elders as they seek a better life together.

THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN will definitely play with your emotions and you will laugh as well as cry along with the children. But it Minnie my heart mostly went out to. I felt her pain and cried when she cried. To feel so utterly trapped, destitute and hopeless. I so waited with baited breath to see if Gerald got comeuppance and cringed for Minnie every time he reappeared.

A wonderfully heartbreaking and yet heartwarming tale, THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. I was wondering how it was all going to end happily for all and was not disappointed.

THE FIVE SHILLING CHILDREN is an enjoyable and quick read I thoroughly recommend for any historical fiction fans.

I would like to thank #LindseyHutchinson, #NetGalley and #Aria for an ARC of #TheFiveShillingChildren in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Quiet Ones by Theresa Talbot (ARC)

The Quiet Ones (Oonagh O'Neil #3) by Theresa Talbot

Genre: Crime fiction

Read: 24th September 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 12th September 2019)

★★★ 3 stars

THE QUIET ONES is the third book to feature the Glasgow-based investigative journalist Oonagh O'Neil, although it is just my second. I must have missed Book #2 along the way somewhere...lol I wasn't disappointed though I do recall the first "The Lost Children" being the best so far.

It begins with the apparent suicide of ex-football coach turned businessman Harry Nugent, although we are privy to his death in the prologue which is anything but a suicide. But what we do not know is who is pulling the strings orchestrating his death?

Harry is found by his wife hanging from the balcony banister inside their affluent home. Everything points to a suicide until they discover his tongue has been cut out and thrust into his mouth. That, and the bruising to his wrists and ankles indicating he'd been tied up, told them that this was anything but a suicide.

An investigation lead by DI Alec Davies and DS Jim McVeigh begins and it isn't long before they uncover some nasty little rumours circulating about the illustrious former football coach. It seems Harry Nugent's business ventures covered up a much deeper, darker and even more sordid secret. And it seemed, since his death people appeared to distance themselves from someone who has supposedly been exalted among the football fraternity. But no one was talking to the police.

Enter Oonagh O'Neil. The one woman investigative journalist who seemed to go where no man can. She gains the trust of her interviewees, of those victimised and abused at the hands of Nugent and his merry men - or their loved ones. She is empathetic and sensitive but pulls no punches.

Then two more bodies are found. One with his ears lopped off, the other with his eyes gouged out - both with them shoved into their mouths. The parallel to the three wise monkeys is not lost on Oonagh. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. But the question is - is it a threat? At first thought it bore some resemblance to a gangland murder, but Oonagh knows it is more than that.

When Oonagh's investigations take her to Breakmire, an abandoned former psychiatric hospital, she is left wondering why here? What drew Nugent to this hospital? It's where he met his wife Sarah, a former nurse - but what else? Oonagh knows there has to be more.  And when she finds just how far and how deep this story goes, she is both shocked and saddened for the victims...and sickened and enraged by Nugent and his depravity.

The story primarily unfolds through Oonagh's eyes, with the occasional POV of DI Alec Davies for a police perspective. There are a handful of chapters from 1983 by a Tommy Gallagher and, while these were heartbreaking to watch unfold, I felt they really didn't fit neatly into the story. What purpose did Tommy's chapters have except to tell his story in part? He had nothing to do with the end result, so I found it a little pointless. Hannah's story would have been a better one to weave into the narrative.

A discrepancy I found was the timeframe which didn't seem to match up with regards to Tommy after Alec came across him one evening. Then in the next chapter he was recalling the assistance he gave Tommy by getting him into a hostel and how he'd been tossed out after found flouting their "no drinking" policy. Alec recalled that that had been 3 weeks ago, and yet in the next chapter it went on to say that "it has been two weeks since harry Nugent's murder and they still had no real leads etc." But Tommy appeared well into Nugent's murder investigation so how could it have been three weeks since he was turfed out of the hostel that Alec organised for him when Nugent had only been dead for two. It just didn't tally.

And then there is the overt use of some phrases, which just seemed too cliched to be used so often. "As wide as the Clyde" is one that springs to mind, which was reference a number of times. There were a few others that I can't recall now, but which I did find a little repetitive whilst reading. 

But on the whole, THE QUIET ONES is still a good read. I found it a little slow and convoluted at first but it soon gained momentum with those short snappy chapters I love so much!

THE QUIET ONES is a difficult story to read in part, though it is not graphic, the subject matter is horrifying. However, Theresa Talbot writing has shown both sensitivity and compassion in portraying this story that, I understand, has been at the forefront of Scottish news recently. It is heartbreaking and harrowing to think of what those poor boys went through all on a promise of greater things at the hands of those they trusted. The cruel and casual disregard for not just mankind, but children, while it is difficult to read, is all the more so being a fictionalised reality. Theresa noted at the end of the book in an AUTHOR'S NOTE her conversation with a taxi driver and his own experience at the hands of men like Nugent and how it inspired this story.

A solid addition to the Oonagh O'Neil series, THE QUIET ONES is still a compelling read which I have no hesitation in recommending to fans of this genre.

I would like to thank #TheresaTalbot, #NetGalley and #AriaFiction for an ARC of #TheQuietOnes in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Best Friends Forever by Dawn Goodwin (ARC)

Best Friends Forever by Dawn Goodwin

Genre: Psychological thriller, domestic thriller

Read: 22nd August 2019

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(release date: 15th August 2019)

★★★★ 4.5 stars

WOW! What an emotionally charged thriller this is, in the end, somewhat heartbreaking. BEST FRIENDS FOREVER is the first book by Dawn Goodwin I have read and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the emotional roller-coaster I was on with Anna and Vicky throughout that I wasn't sure where or how it was going to end.

Before I go any further, I MUST state that there are a couple of triggers that may effect some.

Rape

Child abuse

Animal cruelty

So where do I start? BEST FRIENDS FOREVER is the story of the lifelong toxic friendship between Vicky and Anna as they grow from teenagers into women now approaching their 40s. Given that they were 13 in 1986 my rough estimate is that they were 39 at the climax surrounding the London Olympics in 2012. Having been friends since high school, I really couldn't understand how such a friendship could really stand the test of time. But they are completely co-dependent on each other and as they grew older, so they continued to be.

Anna is, to put it bluntly, a bitch. She is devious, manipulative and always craves attention - none of which she gets at home. As an only child, her parents are distant but rich. Her mother is a flaky alcoholic while her father is a habitual philandering womaniser. 

Vicky is the complete opposite of Anna. She is quiet, meek, insecure and submissive - perfect for Anna to control. And Vicky allows it because she couldn't bear to lose the one and only person who has ever loved her. So desperate for love are both of these girls/women that they are willing to do almost anything to maintain it. There couldn't be anything more toxic.

The story begins with Vicky pondering recent events when she receives a phone call from David, Anna's husband, to say that Anna is dead. Vicky is shocked and devastated to lose the one person who knew and loved her. But did she really? Honestly? Could what they have had really be called "love"? There are times I'm sure she hated Anna but at the same time she couldn't be without her. They were like a drug to each other. It was pretty toxic.

So in the aftermath of Anna's death, David is struggling to cope. His world has fallen from beneath him and he spends his days in an abyss of grief. His mother Louise stays with him for a few weeks to help him get back on his feet but there comes a point when David must learn to pick up the pieces himself and move on - for the sake of their children, Harper and Lewis. But David is still struggling to keep things together and when Vicky stops by to see how they are doing she finds the house littered with takeaway containers and dirty dishes with the children glued to the TV, amusing themselves, and David lost in a void amidst it all.

Vicky takes charge and moves in with them to bring order back into the children's lives while David goes back to work. He finds that Vicky's presence is a Godsend as she manages to keep the place going, the children happy and everyone fed - something he struggled to do. He is so impressed he ends up asking her to to stay on as the children's nanny, for which he would pay her, as they adore her and he admits that he use the help. It's the perfect solution for everyone. Or is it?

It's no secret that Anna liked everything to be perfect. She wanted the perfect life, the perfect husband, to live in a perfect house with the perfect children and have the perfect job. She worked hard to make this happen so everything would remain...perfect. So when she died suddenly, Anna's perfect life ended...leaving Vicky with the chance to have a taste of that perfect life she left behind.

But Anna was far from perfect. She was a complete bitch that had me twisted in knots throughout most of the story. A despicable person, I felt nothing but contempt for her. She was an entitled narcissist who was so obviously a sociopath. She had no remorse for anything she did or who she hurt, trampling over anyone to get what she wanted. To her, their feelings were not her problem. Even as a wife and mother, Anna was bored. She just could not see how lucky she was...because she wanted more. And what Anna wanted, Anna got. But what made me hate Anna even more was her brutal attack on her mother's cat in such an uncontrollable rage that Vicky had to stop her. But it was too late...and Anna still didn't care.

My heart ached for Vicky. I could relate to her and identify with some aspects of her personality as a quiet, meek and somewhat insecure young girl who just ached to be loved. So low is her self worth that even when she has been wronged she will still apologise and blame herself. Her young life goes from one trauma to another as she just yearns for acceptance. And when abuse she endures at home becomes too much to bear, Anna hatches a sinister plan to help Vicky escape. But it came with a cost which bound Vicky in a whole new way to Anna, who never missed the chance to hold it over her whenever she wanted Vicky to do her bidding.

This manipulation extends into their adulthood and made me just loathe Anna. Many may not like Vicky because she could appear weak when succumbing to Anna at almost every whim...and when she didn't, Anna would sulk and remind her of that one thing from her past. As if Anna herself was completely guiltless. However, if Anna did anything she taught Vicky how to be deceitful and manipulative...and this plays out in the days, weeks and months after Anna's death rather brilliantly as Vicky becomes too close, too obsessed and too desperate for that perfect life. Has she slipped up? Has she gone too far? Either way, still haunted by the secrets of her past, she continues to be influenced by Anna's transgressions.

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER is cleverly written in the past and present as we witness the evolution of their friendship, with a rather dexterous touch included in the form of letters to Anna from Vicky in the present day. Since no one else knew each other as well as they did it was rather ingenious of the author to have Vicky confide in Anna once again, despite the fact she would never read them.

This toxic tale from start to finish is both intriguing and chilling that hynotises the reader, as Anna and Vicky both play with fire and we simply can't look away. With secrets and lies, toxicity and drama, BEST FRIENDS FOREVER is fast paced, gripping and unputdownable. 

But the question remained...who wanted to kill Anna?

The only problem I had with this book was the end. Oh, it was satisfactory but it did leave you with questions...and I like things tied up in a nice little ending. This...well, it was different...an ending with a twist. It wasn't a bad ending but, for me, it wasn't perfect.

I wasn't sure what I expected when I dived into this book, but it wasn't this! I had heard mixed reviews about it so therefore I expected it to be mediocre but it was anything but! I loved it and loved to hate Anna! The  more I read, the more I hated her. And the more I hated her, the more I wanted Vicky to have the last laugh. But does she? Grab yourself a copy, read it and find out! You know you want to.

4.5 stars - due to poor Murphy and the "OK-but-not-perfect" ending.

I would like to thank #DawnGoodwin, #NetGalley and #Aria for an ARC of #BestFriendsForever in exchange for an honest review.