Heartbreak at Harpers (Harpers Emporium #8) by Rosie Clarke
Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas
Read: 1st November 2024
Published: 2nd July 2024
★★★★★ 5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
It's the roaring 20s - a time of prosperity, optimism, and change...
Oxford Street, London 1926
Kitty Wilson, who, after losing her father, rejects the unsuitable suitor her mother has chosen. Abandoned by her mother, Kitty faces the challenges of navigating life alone. Amidst the turmoil, Kitty finds solace and support from friends, securing a promotion at Harpers Emporium. However, tragedy looms, threatening to shatter her newfound stability.
Sally and Ben Harper face their own challenges. A decision by Ben regarding the restaurant, made without consulting his partner Jack Burrows, jeopardizes not only their friendship but also the stability of Harpers itself.
Meanwhile Beth Burrows becomes embroiled in some dangerous gangland dealings, raising fears for her family's safety. Can an unknown guardian angel emerge to shield them from harm? Yet, even in the darkest times, the bonds of friendship prove to be a beacon of hope.
Discover a tale of resilience, friendship, and unexpected alliances against the backdrop of a transformative era.
Perfect for fans of Lizzie Lane, Pam Howes and Dilly Court.
If you love this, try Rosie's other series - Blackberry Farm, The Trenwith Series, Dressmakers Alley and Mulberry Lane.
MY THOUGHTS:
Who doesn't love a Rosie Clarke novel? This is the eighth installment in the much-loved Harpers Emporium saga series which began with the suffragette movement some 16 years prior. Since then we have seen the store take off, been through the war, battled some losses and endured plenty of heartbreak. But all the while, the familiar camaraderie amongst staff where friendships were formed leaves us with that feel-good feeling long after the turn of the final page.
With each book comes new trials and triumphs along with some familiar and some new faces. Many have come and gone, most are mentioned in passing along the way if they don't feature due to having moved away, while we are introduced to some new characters.
Kitty Wilson is new to Harpers, having needed a job to help support her family since her father had an accident at work and was no longer able to earn a living. Her mother, having grown up with a certain kind of luxury, resents the fact they have been reduced to the lower working class barely able to make ends meet and living in a filthy end of town. She does nothing but complain all day long about her woes and what her life has been reduced to. She's loathe to accept the fact that Kitty has had to go out and work because where she comes from young women don't work but rather stay at home helping their mothers until they find a husband.
When Kitty's father dies suddenly, rather than grieve for her husband Annie Wilson has just the ticket to get them out of the dire mess he had lumbered them with. Marriage to a prominent widower who is closer to forty than Kitty's twenty with two young children that need a mother. Joshua Miller has the means to give both Kitty and her mother a good home. He pays for her father's funeral, expecting the debt to be paid with her hand in marriage. But Kitty refuses. The man is a sleaze and makes her skin crawl. And so her mother abandons her, offering herself as a nursemaid to Miller's young children, thus living a life to which she was much more accustomed.
Despite her tragedies, she continues to thrive at Harpers, gaining promotion due to her forward thinking and initiative which has impressed Sally Harper. Finding herself in debt because she refused her mother's unsuitable suitor and her rent more then doubled by the very same man who was also her landlord, Kitty was offered a room at the Norton's and there she finds friendship and family with Alf, Larry and Mariah.
But Miller and Annie are far from finished with Kitty. The plans they have for her are so nefarious that when discovered, the pair meet their match in Sally Harper and Beth Burrows.
Alongside Kitty's story is that of those at Harpers. Sally and Beth feature the most prominently after Kitty, with their respective husbands Ben and Jack also sharing the focus. We also meet up with Jack's father (who seems to have undergone a name-change from Fred to Bert in this installment) and his wife Vera who are faced with challenges of their own.
A nice touch is the inclusion and mention of Dressmaker's Alley and the designs of Miss Susie which are sold exclusively at Harpers, mentioned throughout and of course as Ms Clarke's newest series.
As life moves on after the shadow of war, the roaring twenties bring a lot of new changes and challenges to their door. There is the workers' strike and even a gangland threat, adding even more uncertainty to this ever-changing world. And not everyone is embracing the change that the war has brought.
As the title suggests, there is plenty of heartbreak in this tale but there are also some happy moments as well. The strong bonds of friendship remain evident in their camaraderie and friendship and it's this that warms the heart, making it another enjoyable read.
I cannot wait to see what Rosie Clarke has in store for Harpers next, as this series shows no sign of winding down. Although Mulberry Lane came to an end last year, I hope that Harpers continues for some time yet as it remains one of my favourite feel-good heartwarming saga series.
Overall, a light, easy read that is heartwarming and entertaining from start to finish. I devoured in one sitting after dinner last night, finishing before bed.
As always, a solid heartwarming 5 stars.
I would like to thank #RosieClarke, #Netgalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #HeartbreakAtHarpers 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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