Dreams on Mersey Square (Mersey Square #5) by Pam Howes
Genre: Historical fiction, Contemporary fiction, Sagas
Read: 13th December 2023
Published: 17th January 2024
★★★★★ 5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
Mersey Square, Stockport. Can she give her young sons the life they deserve, or will taking them away from their father destroy them all?
Singer Olivia Grant has recently separated from the father of her two small boys and knows that the best place for her children is with their mother. She has beautiful home in America and wants to give her sons the childhood she never had.
Even though their father Roy is unhappy about them being so far away, Olivia is sure that she’s doing the right thing for her children and takes them for a visit. As the boys play in the pool and soak up the sun, she knows she’s made a good choice. After so much hardship, this is the life they all deserve.
But when Roy realises his sons have gone, he is devastated and threatens to not let Olivia see them anymore. Olivia only wants the best for her angels, but she feels torn in two. Can she find a way to give her little ones the life they deserve, or will she destroy herself and her beloved family forever?
Fans of Nadine Dorries, Diney Costeloe and Nancy Revell will fall in love with this hugely addictive family saga. A story about how far we’ll go to protect our children, this gripping story will break your heart in two.
This book was previously published as Not Fade Away.
MY THOUGHTS:
When tragedy strikes, she'll need her friends to help her through...
Not sure who that tagline refers to - Sammy, Harley or Livvy - as they all need the support of their family and friends given what they all endure this time around. Many readers gave up on this series after the third book and I can kind of see why but like a train wreck you really can't look away. It's so addictive on a soap opera scale! And quite frankly, despite some of what's happened over the course of the series, I have grown rather fond of the Mellors and the Cantellos...and picking up another in the series was like reuniting with old friends. The entire series was almost 5 star except for the third book which took something of a different direction that even I found a little nauseating as well as frustrating.
DREAMS ON MERSEY SQUARE is the last in this series and admittedly, despite everything, I will miss being their company and rooting for them from the sidelines. But it also takes on a whole other direction that really could only end in tears. And despite my inward yelling at some of the characters and frustrations, I thoroughly enjoyed this book as I have the whole series.
After being jilted at the altar by Roy Cantello on their wedding day when he went into a panic attack at the prospect of his future with her, Livvy Grant has shared custody of their two young sons with Roy and Sammy taking care of them while Livvy toured with her band. But now she is back. And she has news. And she also knows that the best place for her boys is with her. With her beautiful home in America, she plans to relocate there with her children and her new husband.
When Roy gets wind of Livvy's plans, he seeks legal advice and refuses to give his permission for her to take the boys out of the country. But Livvy knows what's best for her children and that is with her back in America...and away from the constant reminder of what she lost. The love of her life, Roy Cantello. And so she makes a snap decision, taking the boys to America with her for the week with the plan to be back in the UK before Roy finds out. They are her boys, after all. But Roy does find out...when trying to make contact with Livvy when tragedy strikes at home. And he's not a happy bunny.
OK, so Roy was an idiot for sleeping with the blonde Glaswegian nymphomaniac. Not once, not twice, but several times. To the point he was about to marry her! But Sammy has been his soulmate from the moment he first laid eyes on her as a teenager almost five decades ago. And she always will be. Whatever happens, he always goes back to Sammy. And she him. Some people think she's just as much an idiot for taking him back. But they have history. Lots of history.
Livvy was an opportunist who saw her chance and she made it her mission to bed Roy from the moment she set eyes on him. No matter what the cost. I hated her from the first moment she sashayed her way into Flanagan and Grey's, and into Roy's life. She is nothing but a manipulative, devious cow. And from her introduction in book 3, she only gets worse. In this one, she takes the cake. In fact, she wanted her cake and to eat it too. And then when things start going awry for her, "it's all Roy's fault!" or "It's all Sheena's fault!" or "It's all Jon's fault!" Not once does the woman take responsibility for the damage she has caused everyone - including her children. Her constant tirade with herself as the victim was exhausting. I wanted to slap her, strangle her and throw her from a speeding train. Me, me, me is all you ever hear from her. Never a thought for her children or anyone else for that matter. Even her longtime best friend suffered her wrath. Like I said, this could only end in tears.
By the book's end, we have closure on the saga that became a soap opera of sorts though I was left wondering about Harley. There were a few questions raised at the end about Harley's withdrawing despite having made some progress previously and I had to wonder...did she hear what went on downstairs one that one particular night? I felt like there were a few unanswered questions in that regard but on the whole, it was a satisfactorily happy end to a chapter that is now firmly closed. And despite some of the content (some of which was questionable to say the least...lol) I thoroughly enjoyed my journey alongside the Mellors and the Cantellos. And despite his lothario ways, I did have a soft spot for Roy.
I am sad to have to bid farewell to them all. I just might have to re-visit them some time in the future...although that means Livvy as well. And can I stomach any more of her antics? Probably since I know how it all ends anyway. A thoroughly entertaining and addictive read from start (from the late 50s) to finish (in the noughties).
For those wishing to read the series (in order):
1. The Girls of Mersey Square (previously That'll Be the Day)
2. The Mothers of Mersey Square (previously Three Steps to Heaven)
3. The Daughters of Mersey Square (previously 'Til I Kissed You)
4. Secrets on Mersey Square (previously Always on my Mind)
5. Dreams on Mersey Square (previously Not Fade Away)
I would like to thank #PamHowes, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #DreamsOnMerseySquare in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Pam Howes is an ex Interior Designer who loves creating stories, but only started writing seriously about twelve years ago. The idea for her first novel, set in the sixties, came from her time as a teenager, working in a local record store and hanging round with the musicians who frequented the business.
That first novel evolved into a series set in the fictional town of Pickford, based on her home town of Stockport. Three Steps to Heaven; 'Til I Kissed You; Always On My Mind; Not Fade Away, and That'll Be The Day, follow the lives and loves through the decades of fictional Rock'n'Roll band The Raiders.
Pam signed a second contract with the award winning publisher Bookouture with the first novel in her Lark Lane series, The Factory Girls of Lark Lane, published in July 2018. Her first series for Bookouture - The Mersey Trilogy featuring The Liverpool Girls, The Forgotten Family of Liverpool and The Lost Daughter of Liverpool - is also available in E book, paperback and as audio books.
Pam is a big fan of sixties music and it's this love and the support and encouragement of her musician partner that compelled her to write the series. Pam has three adult daughters and seven grandchildren. She lives in Cheshire and as well as writing novels, writes short stories, which have appeared in charity anthologies and online e-zines, and poems, many of which are published.
Social Media Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment