REVIEW: Christmas with the Cornish Girls by Betty Walker

Christmas with the Cornish Girls (The Cornish Girls #2) by Betty Walker

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 27th March 2023

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Amazon

Published: 25th November 2021

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

1941. The bombs still fall, but in St. Ives Christmas is finally approaching for the Cornish Girls…

With the war ongoing, Lily is feeling anything but festive. That is, until Eva asks if she’ll join her in working at an officers’ convalescent home, lifting her spirits no end.

Eva came to St. Ives to be near the man who almost gave his life to protect hers. But will the wounded pilot ever help to heal himself by opening his heart to love?

Rose suspects the local orphanage is mistreating its charges – and it’s her job to uncover the truth before it’s too late…

Can the Cornish Girls help one another through the darkest days in order to give everyone in St. Ives the sparkling Christmas they so deserve?

The second in the uplifting wartime Cornish Girls series, perfect for fans of Nancy Revell and Donna Douglas.

MY THOUGHTS:

Another Christmas with whoever I'm reading about! This time I'm back with Cornish Girls and naturally I've enjoyed my time with them once again. Whilst the previous one focused on Violet and her two young nieces escaping the East End for the sleepy confines of Cornwall and thensome, this one follows her eldest niece Lily and their friend Eva who have transferred to St Ives where they are nursing convalescing soldiers at Symmonds Hall.

As soon as Eva had heard that Max Carmichael, the Flight Lieutenant who was injured pushing her to safety during the raid in London that saw her leave the capital for Cornwall was alive, she took herself off to St Ives to become a nurse so that she could be nearer to him. Unfortunately, Max didn't want her sympathies or her care. His injuries meant that he could no longer offer her all that she deserved and no amount of cajoling or caring from her ministrations would change his mind. Well we'll see about that, Eva thought. But first she must ensure she escaped Sister's notice or she will be in danger of being put on a disciplinary charge. 

After receiving news that Eastern House must let go one of their domestic staff, Lily decides to take Eva up on her invitation to join her in St Ives as a nursing assistant. Despite having never nursed before, Lily finds she enjoys it and develops a soft spot for a young soldier with horrific burns. The young soldier, Danny, takes an obvious shine to her but she's still haunted by the dark event of her past. And then Eva volunteers her for organising the Christmas party for the home which is held every year to help keep spirits up. But she hasn't the first clue as to how to go about it! But at least it might help keep her mind off things. But it's not until one day during a raid that something happens to give Lily new direction, making her rethink her options.

And then there is Rose, known on the wards as Sister Gray. She is a formidable presence to all those under her but beneath her tough exterior is an insecure woman just trying to do her best amidst a war. It's no secret she carries a torch for Dr Lewis but he is spoken for...by none other than her younger sister who upped and left to work in a munitions factory but will no doubt be back to stake her claim on the dashing young doctor. Then one day Rose sees a sad little face from the window of the orphanage next door and over the ensuing days and weeks, comes to learn that all is not as it seems behind those closed doors. Children just skin and bone being made to march in a circle in the cold without so much as a coat or a scarf to warm them which was explained away as exercising. When she looks for the young boy she has befriended she is told he is isolating as he has measles. But the more things she sees and the less she does of young Jimmy, Rose becomes suspicious. But no one will take her concerns seriously. Until an air raid brings secrets crashing down.

This book was quite different to the first one and took a little getting into as I was expecting to remain in Porthcurno with Violet, Hazel and co. They still feature here but it's Lily, Eva and Rose that shine this time round. We share in all the joys and sorrows, lifes and loves all under the bombing of the Germans.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment and wonder where the next one will take us. It will be interesting to find out. But I'll leave that for another day.

A perfect heartwarming read for fans of Pam Howes, Rosie Hendry and Fenella Miller.

I would like to thank #BettyWalker, #Netgalley and #AvonBooks for an ARC of #ChristmasWithTheCornishGirls in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born in Ilford, Essex, author Betty Walker now lives in Cornwall with her large family, where she enjoys gardening and coastal walks. She loves discovering curious historical facts, and devotes much time to investigating her family tree.

Betty also writes under other names! She writes atmospheric contemporary thrillers as Jane Holland, light-hearted romances as Beth Good, and YA fantasy and Tudor historicals as Victoria Lamb.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: Christmas with the Ops Room Girls by Vicki Beeby

Christmas with the Ops Room Girls (Women's Auxiliary Air Force #2) by Vicki Beeby

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas, WW2

Read: 26th March 2023

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Amazon

Published: 24th September 2020

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

When there’s so much to be afraid of, can May help bring festive cheer to the Ops Room?

After failing to help evacuee siblings whom she witnesses being separated, May wishes she’d had the confidence to speak up. When Jess suggests a pantomime to boost morale on the station, May is desperate to help – but is held back by her own insecurities.

With her low self-esteem also affecting her relationship with Squadron Leader Peter Travis, May is fed up with being her own worst enemy and decides to take charge of her destiny. But the past she ran from, plus a crisis with one of the evacuees, throw May into the midst of a drama that will test all of her newfound confidence.

May, Jess and Evie must work together once again to help each other through the challenges of war and of their own hearts.

MY THOUGHTS:

It has been quite some time since I read the first book in this series and I've quite honestly all but exhausted the genre of wartime fiction as they all get a little bit "samey" after a while. I enjoy the camaraderie of sagas that focus on the homefront with the war as merely a backdrop but anything that gets into the nitty gritty of war work such as this, I tend to glaze over now. I do remember that I enjoyed the first book but I can't recall anything except the ending, and even that is a fleeting memory.

I began this book in the hope that I would pick up the story and go with the flow but unfortunately I found the opening pages to be irritating with the poor evacuees and then a brother and sister having to be separated because one woman billeted refused to take both. Anyone could see the little things were scared and being together was their only security in an unknown and uncertain world. But no. She flatly refused and made it known that even taking one was at a stretch. She wasn't knocking back her rations that came with the little girl. Horrible woman.

So anyway with the evacuees having arrived in the village, the girls - May, Jess and Evie - decide to put on a pantomime for Christmas to help cheer the up. But war continues despite the festivities and the bombings continue to rain down around them.  With plenty of harrowing moments, the girls wonder if they can pull this off but then May receives a letter from home and things change.

A delightful heartwarming story in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) series, that focuses less on the war efforts and more on keeping the spirits up of those at home. Despite that horrible draper shop woman. 

Overall, an enjoyable read.

I would like to thank #VickiBeeby, #Netgalley and #Canelo for an ARC of #ChristmasWithTheOpsRoomGirls in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Vicki Beeby writes historical fiction about the friendships and loves of service women brought together by the Second World War.

Her first job was as a civil engineer on a sewage treatment project, so things could only improve from there. Since then, she has worked as a maths teacher and education consultant before turning freelance to give herself more time to write.

In her free time, when she can drag herself away from reading, she enjoys walking and travelling to far-off places by train. She lives in Shropshire in a house that doesn’t contain nearly enough bookshelves.

Social media links:

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REVIEW: The Younger Woman by Mandy Byatt

The Younger Woman by Mandy Byatt

Genre: Psychological thriller, Suspense

Read: 25th March 2023

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Amazon

Published: 2nd February 2023

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

DESCRIPTION:

The unputdownable new thriller from Mandy Byatt that will leave you reeling after the final twist…

She knows him better than anyone.

She doesn’t know him at all…

Lottie and Nick once had a dream marriage, but a series of failed IVF attempts has left Lottie feeling insecure, and her paranoia is further stoked by the arrival of a new starter at Nick’s firm. Tasha is the spitting image of a younger, more attractive Lottie, and Nick is paying her a lot of attention…

But then Lottie discovers she’s pregnant. A surprise getaway to their country cottage to celebrate Nick’s birthday will provide the perfect backdrop to give him the news and start to heal the rifts in their relationship.

Then, on the eve of Nick’s birthday, Lottie goes into the cellar, and what she finds makes her question everything. Because there, in the corner of the cellar, is the body of a young woman.

A young woman who looks just like Lottie…

A gripping, suspenseful thriller with a killer twist you won’t see coming! Perfect for fans of Adele Parks and Liane Moriarty.

MY THOUGHTS:

"You shouldn't play around with people..."

What a delightful tension-filled twisted thriller THE YOUNGER WOMAN is! And definitely not what I expected at all. The author has cleverly constructed a complex plot that will have even seasoned readers like me fooled with each turn of the page, leaving us more stunned than Nick with Lottie's anniversary surprise.

Forty-somethings Nick and Lottie are off to Fairview, his parent's holiday cottage (which is anything but a cottage, I might add), to celebrate their tenth anniversary and Nick's birthday the following day. After several years of failed IVF attempts and their desperation to have a child, nothing has worked and Lottie's biological clock is ticking. But now Lottie has a big surprise for Nick...however, she is in for an even bigger surprise of her own.

Filled with excitement at Lottie's news, Nick braves the lashing rain and heads to the village for some champers. But an hour later and he still hasn't returned and Lottie is getting worried. Even more so when the storm cuts the lights in the cottage and she must use her mobile phone's flashlight (with its failing battery) to brave the cellar and its feisty inhabitants of the rodent kind in search of the fuse box (and hoping it is just a tripped switch). Of course she clocks a bottle of champagne on the shelf down there, but Nick claimed not to have known where the key to the cellar was. Yet Lottie found it on his own key fob. Strange? Or had he forgotten about it?

When she tries to retrieve the bottle, she unintentionally discovers the body of a young woman. A woman with red hair, like her own. Like Nick's new PA. Surely not?

Lottie's head is filled with questions. All those text messages; all those late nights "at the office"; his moodiness and snappiness; the lies she has uncovered and questioned him about...all of this and more. How did she get here? Why is she here? Did Nick meet her here? Were they having an affair?

But nothing will prepare Lottie for the answers when they are eventually revealed. Skeletons buried so deep, uncovering the lies and deception as the secrets of the past begin to resurface. And at the end of it all...what does it mean for Nick, Lottie and the baby they so desperately wanted?

With a handful of characters, a cleverly woven plot and a twisted tale that will keep you guessing who to believe and who not to, THE YOUNGER WOMAN is a psychological thriller that will have you second guessing everything. Even the characters all seem a little untrustworthy. One in particular is just deviously nasty. But the story as a whole is just really well-plotted and by the end you will be left pondering what exactly you've just read. Because it will make you second guess how you perceived everything. Not confusing, when really you think about it, just complex and very cleverly done.

THE YOUNGER WOMAN was nothing like I expected and I enjoyed every minute of it! Figuring out the twists and reveals never spoils the story for me, but when you get one that comes along and still has the ability to surprise and shock you, then you know you have a winner! I love the complexity of the story and its subplots that when I look back at it and see just how cleverly the author has woven the tale, I am just so impressed I'm speechless.

Overall, a thoroughly twisted tale and an enjoyable psychological thriller with plenty of tension and an abundance of secrets that are so cleverly hidden not even the seasoned reader will pick them! 

I would like to thank #MandyByatt, #Netgalley and #AvonBooks for an ARC of #TheYoungerWoman in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in the Staffordshire Moorlands, Mandy studied languages at university and spent a year in Munich where she refined her German-speaking and Stein-clinking skills.

Mandy has been shortlisted in the Gransnet/HQ novel competition and Woman & Home short story competition as well as longlisted in the HWA/Sharpe Books Unpublished Novel Award and Orange Pathé screenwriting competition. She was also a winner of a Radio 5 Live monologue competition. Just Another Liar was her debut novel, The Younger Woman is her second.

Mandy's love of writing led to a day-job in marketing and a night-job in novel writing. She lives in Cheshire and is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, whilst working in marketing communications. 

Social media links:

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REVIEW: The Hidden Letters by Lorna Cook

The Hidden Letters by Lorna Cook

Genre: Historical fiction, WW1

Read: 24th March 2023

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Amazon

Published: 2nd March 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

On the eve of a world war, a forbidden love will blossom in the garden of a stately home and one young woman will make a choice that will change her life forever…

As the storm clouds of war gather, Cordelia seeks refuge in the grounds of her family estate.

Handsome landscaper Isaac has recently arrived to tend to the gardens, and the connection between him and Cordelia is as immediate as it is forbidden.

Isaac begins to secretly teach her how to cultivate the gardens, so when he and all the young men are called away to war, Cordelia takes over.

From the battlefields of Europe, Isaac sends her letters, that give her hope for their future in peacetime.

But when these messages abruptly cease, Cordelia must face up to the worst and take her future – and the fate of the garden they both loved – into her own hands…

An epic, sweeping tale of love, war and the strength of the human spirit. Fans of Lucinda Riley and Kate Morton will be absolutely gripped by this historical page-turner.

MY THOUGHTS:

A world at war...a forbidden love...an impossible choice...

Oh my! It's been some time since I've read a Lorna Cook novel and upon leaving those final pages and closing the book, I remember now why I love them so much. It's like coming home. A feeling of completeness. Of having lived, loved and survived. Everything about her tales are just all encompassing, sweeping you away and back to another time far away and long forgotten. But this tale is one that will not be forgotten. It is one that will stay with you long after you have finished the final page.

It's the summer of 1914 and the Carr-Lyons family have returned to the Pencallick House estate after the close of the London season. And with them they've brought change in the form of a landscape architect who has redesigned their formal gardens as well as their sustainable ones, such as the kitchen and herb gardens. Isaac Leigh may not be from money but he is educated at Cambridge and he has dreams beyond the next commission.

One night he is enjoying the stillness of the gardens when he sees Cordelia flee in the direction of the lake. She is so quick, a vision in ivory, that he imagines he has dreamed it. He follows this vision and sees her fling her all-too-real self into the lake's inky depths. Almost at once he dives in after her as she clambers about screaming for her younger brother Clive, panicking that she's too late, as together they search for him. 

And then Isaac hears a titter behind him...and turns. There stands Clive, very dry and very much alive, snickering at the joke he has played on his older sister. Cordelia is understandably angry at him whilst at the same time relieved that the waters had not claimed him after all. But now she stands there cold, shivering and soaking wet. Isaac drapes his pullover around her shoulders and carries her back to the house, where the party she had left was still underway. She does not return, instead going to her room where her maid draws her a bath and she falls into a slumber with the memory of Isaac's arms around her.

When Cordelia takes up an interest in the gardens, her mother's only arguement being that it's "unladylike" while her older brother Edwin wonders if this is something she will stick at for more than a week. Cordelia is determined to prove them wrong. And so she seeks out Isaac's guidance in cultivating and maintaining the gardens from vegetables and fruit to roses and flowers. Their close proximity rekindles the flame they both felt initially whilst still maintaining some level of propriety. After all, he was "a gardener of sorts" and she, a lady of leisure, brought up to marry well and produces heirs and spares for the estate. But class divides mean nothing compared to love in the face of war.

And when that summer is over and war has reached their shores, Cordelia is heartbroken that Isaac has signed up as an Officer, shipping out in days with the rest of the menfolk in the village. With tear-filled farewells, no one knew when they would see their loved ones again...if ever. And Cordelia suffered in silence as her love was a forbidden one that they had kept secret.

Cordelia goes back to the gardens of Pencallick and assists elderly gardener Gilbert whilst she and an Isaac correspond and dream of a life beyond the trenches together. Rumours cited it would all be over by Christmas but that in itself must have just been wishful thinking because Christmas for Isaac was spent in the trenches in a temporary truce with the enemy along the battlelines whilst for Cordelia, hers was spent longing for the day to end and for the week she will spend with Isaac on leave. But when he doesn't arrive as planned nor leaves no word for her, she fears the worst. She checks the papers daily for his name in the list of casualties only to find it absent.

And so she continues her plans to visit an old friend Tabitha in the Lakes District, the perfect place for her rest and relaxation. The perfect place to come to terms with what will be will be...but if that means a life without Isaac, what is she to do? How can she go on without him?

THE HIDDEN LETTERS is a beautiful tale that is a slight departure from her usual offerings. I was fully expecting a dual timeline but this story is focused solely on the past, taking place at the outset of the Great War with the promise of forbidden love. It is beautiful, poignant and touching and had me in tears at times...especially those final pages.

The first part of the story builds with the developing relationship between Cordelia and Isaac. At times, it seems a little slow but there is a also a sense of urgency with the threat of war hanging over the country. And yet with hindsight, would they have done anything different? The story sees Cordelia also posing that very question, particularly in light of the direction it takes. With the waving off of their loved ones, the second part begins and thus do Cordelia and Isaac's correspondence. Also interspersed are letters from her brother Edwin and his fiance Millicent, who became a VAD when war was declared, and her dear friend Tabitha from the Lakes District. The letters bring a life of their own to the story as they detail conditions at the Front whilst life continues back in Cornwall. Until it doesn't. And Cordelia finds herself in the Lakes District on a journey she never thought would be hers. Her life changes dramatically and her devastation is heartbreaking. 

It's when the men went off to the Front and through the letters that I felt the story really came alive. Even when everything changes for Cordelia, the writing is thus a return to the style I've come to know and love from Cook, that I was just completely and wholly immersed within the story there was no escaping.

Though it was a departure from Cook's usual dual timeline narrative, I ended up thoroughly enjoying THE HIDDEN LETTERS far more than I thought I would. The final chapters had me on tenterhooks, the final pages in tears. Just beautiful and everything I have come to love about Cook's stories.

I would like to thank #LornaCook, #Netgalley and #AvonBooks for an ARC of #TheHiddenLetters in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Lorna Cook is a former journalist and publicist who now writes historical fiction. Her debut novel "The Forgotten Village" was a Kindle #1 bestseller and the recipient of both the Romantic Novelists' Association Katie Fforde Debut Romantic Novel Award and the Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers. Her favourite authors are Kate Morton, Lucinda Riley, Liz Fenwick, Jenny Ashcroft, Iona Grey and Holly Miller. She now he owns more cookery books than one woman should, but barely gets time to cook.

Lorna lives in coastal South East England with her husband, daughters and a Staffy named Socks.

Social media links:

Wesbite | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

SPOTLIGHT: The Good Patient by Alex Stone

 

The Good Patient by Alex Stone

Genre: Psychological suspense

Read: 22nd March 2023

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Amazon

Published: 22nd March 2023

DESCRIPTION:

Appearances can be deceptive...

I was taught that life is pain. That love is pain. It was unavoidable. Acceptable. I never had anything, or anyone I could count on. Not really. Not even myself.

Until I met Dr Menon...

To the outside world Lauren Taylor’s relationship with her boyfriend Josh is perfect. He is supportive and loving and has been there for Lauren during her darkest moments. But behind closed doors, secrets and lies can be hidden…

And when Lauren wakes up in a hospital bed and is told Josh is missing, those secrets come bubbling up to the surface.

Because the police think Lauren knows exactly what’s happened to Josh; that she could even be capable of his murder…

The only person who believes in Lauren's innocence is Dr Menon, who has cared for Lauren as his patient for the last few weeks. He can't believe she's capable of murder.  He knows just how good she really is.

Isn’t she? 

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Alex Stone, originally an accountant from the West Midlands, is now a psychological suspense writer based in Dorset. This beautiful and dramatic coastline is the inspiration and setting for her novels. She was awarded the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2019 and her debut thriller The Perfect Daughter was published by  Boldwood in October 2021 and The Other Girlfriend in July 2022.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: His Fatal Legacy by Heather Atkinson

His Fatal Legacy (The Alardyce series #3) by Heather Atkinson

Genre: Historical thriller, Victorian Era

Read: 21st March 2023

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Amazon

Published: 20th March 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Edinburgh 1897

Amy Alardyce's once-perfect life is in tatters. Her eldest son, Robert, has come of age, become the master of his own home, and married his childhood love Jane.  But with maturity has come a terrible legacy, and the dark desires Robert inherited from his evil father Matthew, are fighting to get loose.

Whilst Jane is working hard to get her and Robert accepted into fashionable society, poor women are being hunted on the streets of Edinburgh, and Amy fears her son is to blame.  And once the infamous Inspector Murphy takes up the case, Amy has to face a stark choice - denounce her son as a monster or risk her own safety to protect him from the consequences of his lethal actions.

MY THOUGHTS:

"We were going to announce this at dinner," said Robert, wrapping an arm around Jane. "But I can't keep it in any longer. I'm very happy to announce that Jane is with child."

"Oh, that's wonderful," beamed Amy. "Congratulations," she said, kissing Jane's cheek before hugging her son.

"Yes, really wonderful news," said Henry, shaking his stepson's hand.

"With child?" repeated a confused Lydia. "What does that mean?"

"It means I'm going to have a baby," replied Jane.

Lydia clapped excitedly while her brothers still looked puzzled.

"For dinner?" said John.

"What a disturbing notion," commented Andrew.

"I have a baby growing inside my tummy," said Jane, pressing a hand to her abdomen.

"How did it get there?"

"There's a question for your parents," smiled Andrew, sipping his Scotch.

"Your brother put it there," Henry told John.

"Robert or Stephen?" he replied.

"Robert," he quickly replied while Andrew chuckled.

"How did he put it there?"

Henry's mouth opened and closed as he became increasingly flustered, Andrew grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"I'll tell you when you're older," was his reply.

"Why?"

"Because it's grown up knowledge."

"The curious minds of the young," smiled Andrew. "How about another magic trick, children?"

**************************************************************************

A dark heart or an honourable man...only one will prevail...

The third book in the Alardyce series has readers swept back to Victorian times as a darkness sweeps over Edinburgh once more, picking up soon after the end of the second thrilling installment "The Cursed Heir". While it can be read as a standalone, this is one series that can only be fully appreciated in all its ruthless glory from the very beginning. I highly recommend going back to "The Missing Girls of Alardyce House" first, which I found to be the most brutal of the three. It lays the foundations of the the second and third books, carrying a dark and atmospheric chill throughout. Think Jack the Ripper but on a greater scale...and what if Jack the Ripper had a son to take up his legacy?

Edinburgh 1897: Life has not always been kind to Amy Alardyce. But now she has found love with Henry, remarried and they have three beautiful children together. But Amy eldest child continues to worry her. Born from a liaison with an Alardyce footman when she was just just a teenager herself, Robert revealed his proclivities to be just like his father's before him thus prompting Amy and Henry to attempt to take matters into their own hands to prevent him from marrying his childhood sweetheart Jane. Alas, they were too late and the couple were wed.

Now a few short months later, Robert is proving to be a devoted husband, his love for Jane never wavering and as clear as night and day. And Jane continues to be blissfully oblivious to her husband's true nature, encompassed as she is in the throes of newlywed happiness. But how long can he keep his secret from her? He vows that she will never know...but how can one claim to know what the future holds?

When news reaches Henry and Amy that young maids have been attacked in alleyways late at night, they know at once that Robert is responsible and are dismayed. They had hoped that marriage might be the making of Robert but sadly too much of his father's blood runs through his veins. Henry confronts Robert who of course denies any knowledge of the attacks. But Henry has a proposition for his stepson...if he loves Jane and his mother enough.

And then Jane falls pregnant. Robert is excited, certainly, but he is also fearful. What if their child is a son? And he too shares his father's proclivities? What then?

Meanwhile, the Alardyces have been shunned by society for the past decade due to the shame brought on the family name by Henry's younger brother Edward and Amy's dalliance with their footman, of which Robert is the product. But with Robert and Jane's marriage, suddenly they have become accepted within society again, propelling Robert forward as master of his own destiny at the tender age of seventeen years. 

Suddenly there are murders in the Old Town and young women are being attacked. And this time, they do not go unnoticed. An Inspector Murphy is on the case and he will stop at nothing to uncover the truth behind these crimes. Is Robert a guilty man and has he gone too far this time? Is there any coming back from this? And will Amy protect her son till the end?

HIS FATAL LEGACY is something of a sad tale as Amy's story almost comes full circle and Matthew's legacy lives on in Robert. It also raises the question of nature vs nurture. I'm a firm believer in nurture but sometimes people really do bear the sins of their fathers before them through no fault of their own. This series belies the nature edict as is seen over the course of each book, though none have been as graphic or as brutal as that first one. But each are just as equally chilling. Though I did feel this one lacked some of what the previous two had, it was still dark and disturbing as we watched like voyeurs relishing our delight as Amy and Henry attempt to take back some control before it's too late. Robert is just as pathological and yet in this book we begin to see a different side to him and we find ourselves sympathising with him.

This book also differs in that it has a small police procedural side to it, though it is very minimal with the focus mainly on the Alardyces rather than the investigation. I mean, to us as the reader, there is no mystery. We know who did what...we just don't know whether the police will get there with what they've got. Or how long it will take them.

I am thoroughly enjoying this series and part of me doesn't want it to end. Although this had initially been a trilogy, a fourth book - "Evil at Alardyce House" - is to be published in July. And I can't wait!!

Overall, HIS FATAL LEGACY is a deliciously dark tale following on from the previous two books in the series that is atmospheric and chilling throughout. The entire series would make a brilliant TV series. But it's dark and it's chilling...who would be brave enough to undertake it? 

I would like to thank #HeatherAtkinson, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #HisFatalLegacy in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Heather Atkinson is the author of over fifty books – predominantly in the crime fiction genre.  Although Lancashire born and bred she now lives with her family, including twin teenage daughters and a cat called Mavis, on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. 

Heather's tastes in all things are eclectic, which extends to her writing. Although she primarily write crime books - especially gangland thrillers - she also write paranormal, historical romance and fantasy. She publishes on Amazon Kindle and some of her novels are available in paperback too. She has also signed my first traditional publishing contract with Boldwood Books for the gangland Gallowburn series, set in Glasgow. As well as the republication of the Alardyce Trilogy, beginning with "The Missing Girls of Alardyce House".

When she's not writing - which isn't very often - she enjoys reading, especially the Assassin's Creed novels, Agatha Christie, Oscar de Muriel and Edgar Allan Poe, among many others. Heather also enjoys walking, exercising and spending time with her family.

Social Media links:

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PUBLISHER:

Stay up to date with upcoming releases from Boldwood Books by following them on these social media accounts.

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REVIEW: The Good Patient by Alex Stone

The Good Patient by Alex Stone

Genre: Psychological suspense

Read: 22nd March 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 22nd March 2023

★ 1 star

DESCRIPTION:

Appearances can be deceptive...

I was taught that life is pain. That love is pain. It was unavoidable. Acceptable. I never had anything, or anyone I could count on. Not really. Not even myself.

Until I met Dr Menon...

To the outside world Lauren Taylor’s relationship with her boyfriend Josh is perfect. He is supportive and loving and has been there for Lauren during her darkest moments. But behind closed doors, secrets and lies can be hidden…

And when Lauren wakes up in a hospital bed and is told Josh is missing, those secrets come bubbling up to the surface.

Because the police think Lauren knows exactly what’s happened to Josh; that she could even be capable of his murder…

The only person who believes in Lauren's innocence is Dr Menon, who has cared for Lauren as his patient for the last few weeks. He can't believe she's capable of murder.  He knows just how good she really is.

Isn’t she? 

MY THOUGHTS:

I think this is the third thriller I've read by Alex Stone and I have found her to be a bit hit and miss. Unfortunately, this one was a complete miss for me. I couldn't even see the point of it. It is meant to be a psychological thriller...even a domestic thriller would suffice...but it reads more like a messed up romance/love triangle. I made it through 20% of it before I wondered what the hell was going on as nothing was going anywhere. It was just a bunch of back and forth between the past and the present, and a slow build with a speed that was glacial. After 20% I want there to be some direction at least. But all I had was an unsure patient who ended up in a relationship with her treating ED doctor. Um...boundaries, people?

Lauren has had a tough life. She grew up being taught that love was pain. And now she's an adult in the casualty department with a suspected broken wrist. Staff have seen her come through their doors on a number of occasions with similar injuries, and the frequency of them noted. Dr Menon sees through her facade, the wall she has built up around herself. 

Lauren's medical history is extensive, going back to her childhood with a mother suspected of harming her suffering Munchausen by Proxy syndrome. Her boyfriend Josh has always known about Lauren's "illnesses" and when her mother died when she was 15, she moved in with Josh and his family...and they became her second family. They gave her a sense of belonging. Until Josh told her she would always be "just a guest".

Now Lauren wakes up in hospital after a head injury following a jet ski accident. And Josh is missing. The police are there to question her, believing she had something to do with his disappearance. But Lauren swears that Josh was not with her the day she took the jet ski out. So where is Josh?

Throughout the course of the investigation, and the to-ing and fro-ing of the story, Lauren and Dr Menon (Abhilash) have developed a friendship that grows closer despite the boundaries that should separate them. Not only that, Abhilash is due to return to India in a few months to marry a bride his family have chosen for him. What I don't understand is why they continue this affair or relationship or whatever it is, when they know it isn't going to last. That he is just going to leave for India and marry another woman he hasn't even met. I don't get arranged marriages but I do respect that it is part of their culture. What I really don't get is they both knew this and yet they still continued seeing each other. To me, it was pointless. In fact, that is just how I pretty sum this book up - pointless. The whole book to me just seemed pointless.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I just don't get what the author was trying to communicate with this book. What the whole point of it even was. To me, it was just a waste of a few hours I can never get back.

I would like to thank #AlexStone, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheGoodPatient in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Alex Stone, originally an accountant from the West Midlands, is now a psychological suspense writer based in Dorset. This beautiful and dramatic coastline is the inspiration and setting for her novels. She was awarded the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2019 and her debut thriller The Perfect Daughter was published by  Boldwood in October 2021 and The Other Girlfriend in July 2022.

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

REVIEW: Elsie's Wartime Wish by Carol MacLean

Elsie's Wartime Wish (The Kiltie Street Girls #2) by Carol MacLean

Genre: Historical fiction, Saga, WW2

Read: 19th March 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 26th January 2023

★★★★ 4 stars

DESCRIPTION:

While WW2 rages, Elsie must battle for her family

Elsie Weir is trying hard to keep her family together. Living in Kiltie Street tenement in Glasgow with her mother and little sister, Jessie, isn’t easy – not least because her mother spends most days in a drunken stupor.

But life gets harder still when their mother dies suddenly, leaving Jessie and Elsie broken-hearted. When Elsie’s meagre wages won’t stretch to supporting them, they’re thrown out of their home. The future looks bleak, until their mother’s estranged family deigns to take them in.

But their relief is short-lived as it becomes clear the Mearns family have taken in the orphan sisters only for appearances, treating them cruelly behind closed doors.

When Elsie discovers the devastating secret her mother kept from them, it seems that they may have a lifeline – until that dream too, is cruelly dashed.

Now, more than ever, the sisters only have each other. But can Elsie and Jessie find some hope in a life full of heartbreak?

A heartwarming and compelling family saga that fans of Rosie Hendry and Annie Murray will love.

MY THOUGHTS:

Can she keep her family together...or will secrets tear them apart...?

I read and loved the first book in this wonderful heartwarming series "Jeannie's War" and it was wonderful to revisit some of the minor characters from that first book. But this time they were the focus of the story. Jeannie popped in and out a couple of times but was mostly a mention in passing. ELSIE'S WARTIME WISH is just as delightful and as easy read as the first one that I enjoyed my time on Kiltie Street once again.

Glasgow 1943: War has raged for four years and by now Britons and its Allies have grown weary with the constant death and losses that ravage those left behind. After the Glasgow Blitz in which many children were evacuated to the country, Elsie's younger sister Jessie (now 13) had settled in Perthshire with a lovely family who loved her as their own. However, the time has come that Louise Weir wants Elsie to make the journey and bring her youngest daughter back home where she belongs. Upon arriving at the sprawling house owned by the Cranstons, Elsie can hardly see Jessie wanting to return to the slums and tenements of Glasgow. And she doesn't. Jessie pleads with her sister to let her stay. The Cranstons beg her also and stating that it is their wish to adopt Jessie. For two years, this has been Jessie's home. She is fed, clothed, loved and above all, safe here. But her mother wants her home, and go home she must. The train journey back to Glasgow is a silent one.

Annie had once worked alongside her friend Jeannie at Fearnmore Munitions Factory, where Elsie also works, but upon marrying Paul Thom she had then fallen pregnant. Now she has given birth to a hefty baby boy they have named Davey. Annie should be happy. But all Davey seems to do is cry and it wears on her nerves. Paul is barely home and when he is he is drunk and argumentative. What happened to her kindly husband? The man she fell in love with? He came back from the war a changed man and it has made him bitter. But when Paul falls in with a wrong sort, Annie fears he will land himself in more trouble and then what will become of them?

And then there is Doris. She by no means pretty, with her thick lens glasses and plain features, but she is clever. She lives with her mother Leila who spends her days fretting about just about everything which wears on Doris' nerves, often sending her into a panic and thus making her asthma worse. Doris longs for her dearest friend to see her as more than a little sister but fears with her plain looks that will never happen.

The three women become friends when they meet by chance on Kiltie Street, despite each of them working, or having worked, in the Munitions factory though in different roles. And then when Elsie's mother dies suddenly her entire world falls apart and she finds herself homeless but for a secret her mother kept from them until she was on her deathbed.

Thrust into a home where they are not wanted, Elsie and Jessie make do the best they can, despite being ignored for the most part until they are required to undertake chores to earn their keep. Both girls cannot wait until the day they can escape these cruel walls. But it seems their mother had yet another secret or two she kept from her daughters...and when Elsie discovers them, she does her utmost to make her greatest wish come true.

ELSIE'S WARTIME WISH is an easy read that will sweep you up and take you back to the tenements of wartime Glasgow. I loved taking the journey with each of the women and hoped that each of their wishes would come to fruition. There is plenty of heartbreak, secrets, lies and of course friendship and love. A truly wonderful heartfelt read. 

I can't wait for book 3 which I believe will focus on Jeannie's wayward sister Kathy.

I would like to thank #CarolMaclean, #Netgalley and #HeraBooks for an ARC of #ElsiesWartimeWish in exchange for an honest review.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Carol MacLean lives in the Glasgow area. She began by writing pocket novels, having 18 published before deciding to write an historical saga. She enjoys weaving social history into fiction and imagining how life must have been for ordinary people living through different times.

When she’s not writing, Carol can be found visiting museums or walking around the city looking for traces of old Glasgow to inspire her next novel.

Carol is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

She has written 18 pocket novels published by DC Thomson and Linford Romance Series (Ulverscroft). 

 

Social Media links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

REVIEW: Letters to a Stranger by Sarah Mitchell

Letters to a Stranger by Sarah Mitchell

Genre: Historical fiction, Dual timeline, Contemporary fiction, WW2

Read: 18th March 2023

Goodreads

Amazon

Published: 9th March 2023

★★★★★ 5 stars

DESCRIPTION:

Dearest E. I thought of you today, like I do every day. I hope you are safe. I’m scared that you are not. And that it’s all my fault. But know this forever – I love you. R. x

It is summer 1939 and, even in rural Norfolk, no one can ignore the fact that the world is on the brink of war. But seventeen-year-old Ruby is trying her best to. She’s young, she’s beautiful, and she’s in love – with her childhood sweetheart Edmondo. She wants to close her eyes to her parents’ fear, her brother’s determination to sign up, and the sudden mistrust from the people in her village towards Edmondo’s Italian family…

But then everything changes. And Ruby makes a decision that will mean she has to keep a secret from everyone she knows, maybe forever…

Until, eighty years later in spring 2020, she finds herself, as an elderly woman, taking part in a letter-writing scheme. It’s simply meant to stave off boredom, but when she begins corresponding with a total stranger – a young single mother named Cassie – an unexpected and beautiful friendship develops. And Ruby realises she has a chance to share that secret – before it dies with her.

But Ruby and Cassie’s lives are connected in ways they could never have imagined. And, as letters fly between them, truths will be revealed. Truths with the power to either destroy their new friendship, or give both women the chance to change their lives forever…

This totally gripping and irresistible story of wartime love and heartbreak will capture the imagination of readers who love Lorna Cook, Fiona Valpy and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

MY THOUGHTS:

Dear Reader,

What a beautiful, heartbreaking and yet heartwarming tale! I stayed up in the wee hours of the morning just to finish this as I didn't want to put it down. It has to be one of the best books I've had the pleasure to read. It is so unique in style and format, told in the form of letters and diary entries, emails and text messages that it gives the reader a glimpse into the lives of the writer in a way that seems so private it is almost voyeuristic. We are taken on a journey throughout the ensuing messages between the parties and we miss out on nothing. 

LETTERS TO A STRANGER is a dual timeline tale that is cleverly woven in which the author is adept enough to leave nothing to the imagination as we are given a complete picture in such a unique narrative. It is such a personal style that it makes the reader feel as if the letters are written to us as the writer unveils their hopes, dreams, fears and overall impressions. You may think you would miss out in the various nuances that the usual format would provide but, believe me, you don't. Mitchell has very cleverly woven every nuance into each of the narratives that should we miss them at first, they are revealed to us further on. It is the second book in a row that I have read in such a format with the previous one being a psychological thriller and much different in content, but still very cleverly done.

Cassie is a twenty eight year old mother of six year old Noah who, we soon learn, has been ill though with what exactly isn't revealed until later but what we do glean from the little Cassie reveals in her messages is that it was serious. Serious enough for her to pack up in the dead of night at 2am, bundle Noah and their belongings into her car and make the five hour long journey to sleepy Norfolk at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Despite being in lockdown, Cassie breaks the rules by travelling to the remote area by the sea in an attempt to keep her vulnerable son safe. Should he contract the dreaded virus, his body may not be able to fight it or survive.

It is while they are staying in this little caravan on the Norfolk coast that her partner Stuart forwards on some mail, one of which details a letter writing scheme between students and residents of a local nursing home. Cassie is puzzled as Noah hasn't the ability to maintain a pen-pal programme, having missed so much school, but fearing the recipient awaiting his reply may feel somewhat left out should they not receive one, Cassie decides to respond in his place. And so begins the narrative between the two women as they each form a bond with the other.

Ruby is 96 years old and has lived a fulfilling life despite the heartache of the war years, now seemingly such a distant memory but with it a guilt that is real as it was yesterday. She begins exchanging letters with Cassie as they each slowly reveal parts of their lives to one another in what turns out to be a cathartic experience for both women. While her letters to Cassie are in the present, she decides to send Cassie letters and diary entries dated 1939 and 1940 which then tell her story in the past.

Seventeen year old Ruby lives in a Norfolk village and has been stepping out with Edmondo, whose family run the local grocery shop, for the past year. No one has had a problem with this...until war broke out and it soon became clear that Mussolini (Italy's fascist leader) would side with Germany, thus making them clear enemies of Britain. Despite the fact Edmondo was born and raised in Britain, nor that his family had lived here since the end of the Great War. Suddenly they were seen as enemy aliens and soon found themselves targeted. Ruby, a highly intelligent young woman who had dreams of going to Cambridge to study science, soon found herself in the most awkward of positions. Especially when she was placed there by someone very close to her who held the promise and the power to change her life. But could be betray those she loved?

Such a unique and creative way of telling a story, the letters give us a peek inside the hearts and minds of these two women at their most vulnerable and the impact is heartwarming. I loved the little texts between Cassie and Stuart, Cassie and Austin then building to emails which soon also become letters. While some of the texts were short and to the point, we are still able to see the bigger picture that is being painted around it...it is all so very clever.

LETTERS TO A STRANGER bring back the dying art of letter writing. There really is nothing like receiving a letter that someone has taken the time to write to you. These days it's all about text messages and chats, even email has been left in social media's wake. There is nothing quite so personal as an actual letter. I can go days without anything ever being delivered in my mailbox which is quite sad. And then when I do, it's political or advertising leaflets. Even utility bills are online now! That's what makes this book so special. So heartfelt.

I was intrigued by the premise but I never envisioned the format the story took or how invested I would become in each of the characters' stories. I loved every single minute of this book that I never wanted it to end. But when it did, everything was woven together seamlessly to give us a more than satisfactory conclusion and leaving us with the tendrils of those emotions firmly wrapped around our hearts. It is one of the most endearing and beautiful stories I have read. My only complaint was that the anonymous writer was never revealed. I would have been interested to discover who that may have been...but in the grand scheme of things, it was of little importance anyway.

I did find a few inconsistencies, mostly editting issues with the wrong date applied or a change in name, but the biggest I found was with Ruby's age. At the beginning of the war we learn that she is 17 years old. And yet in 2020, she is 96...when in actual fact, her age would have been 98. Maths isn't my strong point but the only reason I know this is she was the same age as my grandmother in 1939 and therefore would have been born in 1922.

The other thing of note was that this book tackled the pandemic and lockdown, and the emotions that ran high amongst everyone at the time. And while COVID does feature in part, it is the focus on lockdown being something of a blessing in disguise. It enables those involved to discover, or re-discover, the art of letter writing and really seeing the world around us and counting our every blessing.

There are many things that come to light through the course of what is said, and what isn't said, that I did pick up on a few clues here and there. Some reveals that came weren't a surprise but the final one was a lovely one to savour. It was indeed a most beautiful, heartbreaking and heartwarming tale that both sweeping and all-encompassing.

Overall, LETTERS TO A STRANGER is a wonderful sweeping tale that delivers a beautifully happy ending. A well deserved 5 stars. If I could give more, I would.

Love

Stina

PS...I would like to thank #SarahMitchell, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #LettersToAStranger in exchange for an honest review.

PPS...This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

MEET THE AUTHOR:

Sarah grew up in Norfolk and studied law at Cambridge University which led to a career as a barrister, working mainly in the field of human rights. After nearly twenty years she was tempted off-track by a creative writing course at the Open University and fell in love with making up stories instead of constructing arguments. Three years later she completed, with distinction, an MA in Creative Writing – Prose Fiction at the UEA.

Her debut novel, THE LOST LETTERS, was inspired by her parents’ experiences in the Second World War and her desire to explore the heart-breaking impact of the war on women and children. By contrast, THE COUPLE is a dark psychological thriller that twins themes of right and wrong with the age-old complication of an all-consuming past love.

Her third novel, THE ENGLISH GIRL is a story inspired by an incredible true love story, a beautiful, sweeping tale of hope, courage and heart-breaking choices.

Now, her fourth novel, LETTERS TO A STRANGER, explores themes of love, betrayal and redemption, through the eyes of young Ruby Summers who is forced to make an impossible decision when Italy joins the Second World War and her village turns against the love of her life.

Sarah and her husband now live in beautiful North Norfolk with three almost-grown-up children, an extremely affectionate dog and a horse called Joey - where she combines writing with some legal work – and thanking her enormous number of lucky stars.

Social Media links:

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PUBLISHER:

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