Life and Love at Mulberry Lane (Mulberry Lane #9) by Rosie Clarke
Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas
Read: 1st February 2023
Published: 2nd February 2023
★★★★ 4 stars
DESCRIPTION:
London 1961
With Mulberry Lane's favourite pub, The Pig & Whistle undergoing renovation, proprietors Peggy and Able Ronoscki leave the chaos behind and head off on a trip of a lifetime to America. But disaster hits and Peggy finds herself in a critical condition in hospital.
Meanwhile, business is booming for young entrepreneurs Fay Ronoscki and Maggie Rowan with their new restaurant and catering empire. It seems neither has time for love.
But when fate throws a famous global singing sensation and glamourous racing car driver into the girls paths, falling in love with Jace and Greg seems beyond their control. Cupid has struck.
Life is made up of laughter, love and tears.
What is next for the folk of Mulberry Lane - can they find the happiness they all so crave?
Another passionate tearjerker from Rosie Clarke in the Mulberry Lane series.
MY THOUGHTS:
I'm always excited to read another tale from Mulberry Lane and LIFE AND LOVE AT MULBERRY LANE is the ninth in this delightful series, as I do enjoy the Harpers Emporium as well. But I must admit to being somewhat lost when beginning a new one - which is probably because I haven't followed the series from the beginning - I do tend to get lost with the characters, who's who and who they each relate to. I discovered a helpful character list after I had finished the book, because when I download it and open it, it opens at the first chapter, not at any helpful character list...which I could have done with before delving in, as it has been so long since the last Mulberry Lane book.
Now I can't remember where the previous one left off but I'm fairly sure the stars of this installment are a lot older than they were last time round.
It's 1961 and time has moved on since the past decade or so since the war ended. The world is opening up new horizons with more travel (both in the UK and abroad) and this time we see Peggy and Able head off to America for a long-earned holiday. Many changes are happening not only within the world but in Mulberry Lane as Maggie and Fay have opened a new restaurant in the Pig and Whistle while Fay expands her catering business, having taken over the reigns of the much loved pub. But the girls miss Peggy's presence, since she has come to be the stalwart and matriarch to everyone in the Lane.
Meanwhile, Freddie has taken a summer job as a lifeguard in Hastings and an opportunity arises for him to meet new people and gain more experience which will serve him well when he returns in the autumn to attend college to become a sports teacher. Like his mother, he takes in waifs and strays and tends to help those who need help most. This comes in the form of his landlady's niece Greta, whom her aunt treats as nothing more than a skivvy. He encourages Greta to see her own potential, that she can be more than a skivvy for her bad-tempered aunt. Freddie insists they are only friends, but does Greta know that?
Life continues on Mulberry Lane as love comes in the form of a race car driver and a rock star for the two young women running the Pig and Whistle. But the pair were adamant when setting out on their business venture that neither wanted to marry just yet until they had lived and built up their business. But will they be governed by their hearts or their heads?
Still the girls' missed Peggy's guiding hand, her expertise and her company. And when they haven't heard anything from Peggy or Able from America for a few weeks, they begin to worry. But when they learn that Peggy is in a serious and critical condition in hospital, everyone is shocked. What happened to Peggy? And will she survive?
The lives and loves of Mulberry Lane, and those beyond by extension, are thrown into turmoil with this recent news and they band together to support each other in their hour of need.
While we do catch a glimpse of some of the regulars, the focus this time is mostly on Fay, Maggie and Freddie as well as Peggy and Able. Most others garner a mention, some even appear on occasion, but their stories aren't at the forefront this time round. I must say I was shocked to find Shirley a doctor already. Last time I looked she was just beginning her studies and now she is qualified. Is it my imagination but has the series jumped a few years? Because Freddie and Fay appear to be a lot older too. Then again, as I said previously, it has been a long time between books I may be mixing book 7 or 8 up together.
Although love blooms for the girls, it didn't appear to be at the forefront of the story but rather their business and of course Peggy. Greg and Jace just seemed to be passing by. I couldn't really form much of an opinion of them as they appeared so little, although I admit to not liking Jace at all. I'd hoped he be written out somehow...I will neither confirm or deny...just that it was hope I held onto throughout the book.
I really enjoyed my time in Mulberry Lane once again despite it taking me a while to grasp who everyone was again. I do however find some of the dialogue to be a little stilted and wooden in places and not really how people would actually speak but apart from that, it is another wonderful addition to the series. And one of these days I will find the time to go back and start at the very beginning instead of having come in halfway through...lol
I can't wait to rejoin the lives and loves of those in Mulberry Lane once again, and hope I can join the dots a little quicker next time round.
Perfect for fans of historical fiction sagas like Pam Howes, Lizzie Lane and Sheila Riley.
I would like to thank #RosieClarke, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #LifeAndLoveAtMulberryLane in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Rosie loves shoes, especially those impossibly high heels you can buy and has a gorgeous pair of Jimmy Choos but can't wear them so they sit on the mantlepiece.
Rosie also writes under the name of Anne Herries and Linda Sole.
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