She says she’s his daughter. But what does she really want?
Wellll...this is NOT the Bristol Lizzie Lane writes about...lol But boy, is it ever entShe says she’s his daughter. But what does she really want?
Wellll...this is NOT the Bristol Lizzie Lane writes about...lol But boy, is it ever entertaining?!
Alice and Richard have been happily together for the past twenty years and are about to embark on their dream to sail around the Mediterranean for the next few years. They both took early retirement from their jobs at Bristol University and have just celebrated Richard's leaving do. With just over a week before they are due to leave, the couple are counting down until their new lives begin.
The following morning, as the couple are packing the doorbell rings, presenting a young woman named Sally who purports to be Richard's daughter from a fling he had with a previous lab assistant. Alice is immediately suspicious particularly when Richard uncovers some disturbing information about Sally. And the more she digs, the more unsettled she becomes. Because what she uncovers she would never have imagined happening in her wildest dreams. Who is Sally and what does she really want with them?
I really can't say much more without revealing spoilers but one thing is for certain - Richard is hiding a lot of secrets but Alice is not to be outdone either. It soon becomes clear about halfway through the direction the story is taking and where each person's loyalties lay. Part two is a little repetitive in its retelling of the same scenarios but through slightly different eyes...and it is very revealing.
It's hard to review this book...seriously. Let's just say it's a little less to do about an adopted daughter than we all first thought, and more about...well, I'll leave you to discover what. But you will totally love to hate Richard. The guy is a snake. And Alice? Well, she was a surprise and she will have you cheering her on as she learns to sail and uncovers the truth about Sally and thensome. I was totally invested in where this tale was going. I wanted to see Alice sail into the sunset and reach the Mediterranean. And I couldn't wait to see how it all unfolded.
But...and it is a big but. The ending. It just sort of petered out. The last two chapters (when I look back on it) just felt like fillers, fluffed out to make the word count. I felt a little deflated by the ending and it's for that reason I've totally dropped a star from my rating because aside from that, up until the end, it was totally going to be a 5 star read. But I was disappointed by the ending. Still, it was a good solid and entertaining ride that was fast paced throughout.
I would like to thank #JJBurgess, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheAdoptedDaughter in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at .
Merged review:
She says she’s his daughter. But what does she really want?
Wellll...this is NOT the Bristol Lizzie Lane writes about...lol But boy, is it ever entertaining?!
Alice and Richard have been happily together for the past twenty years and are about to embark on their dream to sail around the Mediterranean for the next few years. They both took early retirement from their jobs at Bristol University and have just celebrated Richard's leaving do. With just over a week before they are due to leave, the couple are counting down until their new lives begin.
The following morning, as the couple are packing the doorbell rings, presenting a young woman named Sally who purports to be Richard's daughter from a fling he had with a previous lab assistant. Alice is immediately suspicious particularly when Richard uncovers some disturbing information about Sally. And the more she digs, the more unsettled she becomes. Because what she uncovers she would never have imagined happening in her wildest dreams. Who is Sally and what does she really want with them?
I really can't say much more without revealing spoilers but one thing is for certain - Richard is hiding a lot of secrets but Alice is not to be outdone either. It soon becomes clear about halfway through the direction the story is taking and where each person's loyalties lay. Part two is a little repetitive in its retelling of the same scenarios but through slightly different eyes...and it is very revealing.
It's hard to review this book...seriously. Let's just say it's a little less to do about an adopted daughter than we all first thought, and more about...well, I'll leave you to discover what. But you will totally love to hate Richard. The guy is a snake. And Alice? Well, she was a surprise and she will have you cheering her on as she learns to sail and uncovers the truth about Sally and thensome. I was totally invested in where this tale was going. I wanted to see Alice sail into the sunset and reach the Mediterranean. And I couldn't wait to see how it all unfolded.
But...and it is a big but. The ending. It just sort of petered out. The last two chapters (when I look back on it) just felt like fillers, fluffed out to make the word count. I felt a little deflated by the ending and it's for that reason I've totally dropped a star from my rating because aside from that, up until the end, it was totally going to be a 5 star read. But I was disappointed by the ending. Still, it was a good solid and entertaining ride that was fast paced throughout.
I would like to thank #JJBurgess, #Netgalley, #InkubatorBooks and #ZoolooTours for an ARC of #TheAdoptedDaughter in exchange for an honest review.
This fifth outing in Rockwood sees us travel to Gibraltar for a short time with none of them seeming to remain in one place. Only the first book remaiThis fifth outing in Rockwood sees us travel to Gibraltar for a short time with none of them seeming to remain in one place. Only the first book remained in Devonshire (and maybe Cornwall as well) but the second and third took in France, the fourth was Barbados and this one Gibraltar! They sure do get around. But having said that, this one does have a touch of Lindsey Hutchinson to it which will enthrall those fans, I'm sure.
Once again, Nancy Greystone (formerly Sunday) takes centre stage and shines brilliantly. The story picks up quite literally where the last one left off...and I do mean "literally". Nancy is still at Dorrington Park with Freddie having just proposed and she having just faced off with Lady Dorrington. Next hurdle, Lord Dorrington. And he has some reservations to the nuptials but, after some convincing, agrees but with one stipulation that is non-negotiable. Nancy must take up residence in her ancestral home of Greystone Park and run it as its mistress sucessfully for one whole year. After which he will grant the couple his blessing.
Nancy is speechless. Although she is the legal owner of Greystone Park she had no intention of living there but if she wishes to marry Freddie then she must agree to Lord Dorrington's condition. She feels sure that Bertie, her legal guardian, will give them his blessing but they are both shocked to discover that he agreed with Lord Dorrington, as strange a request as it was. Nancy is angered that Freddie didn't stand up to either Bertie or his father and is convinced he mustn't really love her if he isn't prepared to fight for her.
So Nancy takes up residence at Greystone Park, much to the annoyance of her cousin Christina Cottingham who believes the estate to be her birthright despite being mistress of Cottingham Manor now. She isn't used to being mistress and is grateful for the help of her faithful servants who assist her in both etiquette and expectations. It isn't long before she gains their loyalty and trust and soon Greystone Park begins to shine again.
Then Aurelia Blanchard arrives unannounced from Cornwall and convinces Nancy to a trip to London but abandons her to make her own way to the station. Unfortunately, Nancy is kidnapped by a gang of street urchins who believe her to be a lady of means and therefore a way ti feed themselves. What they don't realise is that Nancy has no money on her which is why she was walking through the unknown streets of London alone. But instead of reporting them to the police, she takes them in, clothes them,, feeds them and pays for their passage back to Devonshire with her where she will become their guardian and hopefully give them the start in life she was lucky enough to be given by Rosalind Blanchard when she was a child. Of course, everyone thinks she has lost her mind and queries what she must be thinking taking in street urchins who will surely pilfer the silver when she isn't looking.
In all of this, Freddie is consicuously absent. But then Lord Dorrington did request that they not see each other for the entire year Nancy made a success of becoming mistress of Greystone Park. However, the one time she did call on him for help, she was livid that he seemed to care more for business affairs than her! This annoyed me. Throughout all last book and the beginning of this one, Nancy stipulated that she would not marry Freddie unless both his parents gave their blessing as she did not want to come between his family. She also understood that he was heir to a vast estate and viscountcy and that he had responsibilities that would become his in the place of his father when the time came. Well, now he was stepping up to those responsibilities as his father took ill and she's complaining about it! Not only that, she complains he doesn't seem to have time for her anymore and cares more for the business and the estate than for her. If he really wanted to, he could make the time to see her. She's the one who told him to return to Dorrington Park! She's the one who told him to take up his place as heir to the estate and wait the year out for his father to give his blessing. And now she complains?
But that was my only complaint in all fairness. Well, except for how things ended up. It wasn't what I thought or was expecting or anything. The nuptials was just too weird in my opinion. But that aside, it was still one of the best books in the series with that touch of Lindsey Hutchinson when Nancy took a dozen street urchins under her wing and took them back to Greystone Park.
And so with one more book in this series left "Dolly's Dream" I look forward to reading Dolly's story as she grows into a woman from the child we've seen of her thus far.
No one does revenge quite like Daniel Hurst and once again he delivers a★★★★� 4.5 stars (rounded up)
How far would you go to protect your child...?
No one does revenge quite like Daniel Hurst and once again he delivers an entertaining thrill ride in which one must suspend belief a little. OK...maybe a lot. But who cares? It's fun, it's fast paced and oh so entertaining.
Sara and Guy have a happy life with their two children Amber (18) and Jacob (15). It's not perfect but it's as close to as they could hope for. After Amber's turbulent teenage years she is now studying criminology at London University leaving home for a student-filled life.
Fifteen year old Jacob has always been a happy child, never causing his parents to worry. So when he returns home one afternoon from school and instead of greeting his mum with a smile and tales of his day, storms up the stairs and slams the door to his bedroom refusing to come out, Sara has cause to worry. She knocks on his door to which there is no answer. When she opens the door and pokes her head in, he growls at her to "Get out!" Sara is immediately worried. This is not like Jacob at all. She calls Guy to ask him to come home and speak to him. But Jacob isn't forthcoming with him either, except to say that he has a stomach bug, which Guy accepts. Sara, however, doesn't. She knows her child. And this is not like him. A fact which is only confirm when they sit down to dinner and Jacob displays no dip in his appetite.
Until Guy mentions who he saw at 5-a-side football that evening. The name Kevin Atkinson causes Jacob to drop his fork and stare blankly at his meal. Then he pushes his chair back, gets up and mumbles that he's had enough and storms back upstairs to this bedroom, slamming the door. Sara is speechless. Why did Kevin's name cause such a reaction in their son? Guy, of course, was oblivious. And he thinks Sara is overreacting when she tries discussing it with him. But Sara doesn't think so.
Three years ago, Kevin Atkinson's 12 year old daughter Zoe (the same age as Jacob was) committed suicide after suffering brutal bullying at the hands of Mason Burton, another 12 year old in her class. A fact which the Atkinsons knew nothing about until they read their daughter's suicide note. Is that what's happening here? Could Jacob be bullied? After all, Mason was expelled from the school Zoe attended (too little too late) and was now at Jacob's. Why else would the mention of Kevin Atkinson cause such a reaction in her once happy son?
That weekend, Guy tries some male bonding by taking Jacob to their football teams's home game and it is there that he notices some bruising to Jacob's side. After the game, they grab some fish and chips and Guy carefully approaches the subject of the bruises. Jacob tosses his chips down and runs from the shop with Guy in hot pursuit. What is wrong with their son? And why is he keeping something so obviously painful a secret?
And then one day, Jacob comes home bloodied and battered. He is such a state that Sara and Guy call the police and the ambulance, and Jacob is taken to hospital. Sara and Guy know then that this has to end. Everyone knows who is behind it but is it enough? Not for these parents...and so they hatch a plan for revenge.
This is pure Daniel Hurst but with a dark edge. OK, so it's not entitrely believable in that not everyone would take the law into their own hands in such a way but that's the beauty of Daniel Hurst's thrillers. They take ordinary people from ordinary lives and he places them in extraordinary situations. It begs the question that every parent must think at one time or another. How far would you go to protect your child? And how far will you go when your child's wellbeing and happiness is threatened?
Hurst pulls us in from the very first page and doesn't let us go until the very last. There's no real mystery surrounding the story as you always know who is doing what but then there is a dramatic twist that leaves everyone (including the reader) questioning who and how and what just happened?! As with every Hurst thriller, there are very few players, leaving the suspect pool rather shallow...and yet he keeps you guessing.
The ending is a little scattered and convoluted but that's the nature of this entire tale. The only flaw I found in it was the overexplanation of the how and why in the epilogue. I feel just the revelation of the who was enough without the convoluted explanations that followed. That's the only thing that let this addictice and wholly absorbing tale down. Because Daniel Hurst is one hell of a writer who is both prolific and entertaining.
I've said before that there is no such thing as a bad Daniel Hurst book. I love everything I have read that he has written, while not all equally, each tale has their strengths and weaknesses. His thrillers are addictive, adrenalin-fuelled thrill rides that are entertaining and fun to read. And once again, he does not disappoint.
I would like to thank #DanielHurst, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheCouplesRevenge in exchange for an honest review.
The fourth installment of this exciting series set in the windswept rolling Devonshire hills, SUNDAY'S CHILD is where foundling Nancy Sunday shines. AThe fourth installment of this exciting series set in the windswept rolling Devonshire hills, SUNDAY'S CHILD is where foundling Nancy Sunday shines. Admittedly, at the beginning of this tale I found myself rolling my eyes at having to endure Felicia de Marney once again as this time she took on a more prominent role in the first third of the book. And I was hoping that Nancy would escape her clutches and stand up to the woman who is nothing short of a self-obsessed bully when the mood takes her.
Nancy Sunday came into the series in the second book as a young child Rosalind Blanchard saved from a life of servitude at the cruel hands of the vicar's wife Tabitha Shaw. Rosie took pity on the poor little waif and took her under her wing, educated her and discovered that she was not as stupid as Mrs Shaw had proclaimed her to be. But rather she was very bright and eager to learn.
However, Nancy never quite knew where she fit in at Rockwood. Rosie insisted that she be treated as a member of the family while Hester frowned upon such airs and graces and believed she should be trained as and live with the servants. So it's not surprising in the opening chapter of this book that Rosie and Hester are arguing as to to value of Nancy being sent away to deportment school to become a lady. Rosie has always insisted she was a valued member of their family while Hester believed that it was above Nancy's station in life and as a foundling, she should live a life of servitude and be treated as such.
Rosie, of course, won out in the end as she usually does and Nancy was sent to London to the Academy where she was to become a lady. She was there four months before the school treated the ladies to a night at the opera at which Felicia de Marney was the star. Having reunited with young Nancy after her performance, Felicia decided that she would be a perfect candidate for her accompanist to play pianoforte to her singing and attending to whatever else she desires. She was not paid a wage but rather Felicia gave her food and lodgings and paid for a new wardrobe that was fitting for a woman in her company. And yet, Nancy was still considered a servant.
It was while she had been at the Academy that Nancy met Freddie Ashton, heir the Donnington title and estate in Somerset. He was the only child of Lord and Lady Donnington who had already matched him with an heiress that he had no intention of marrying and did not approve of the friendship forming between their son and a foundling, as it was now widely known. Felicia also did not approve of their friendship and discouraged her at every turn. It wasn't until they were staying at Donnington Park that Nancy had had enough of Felicia's treatment of her and stood her ground, packing her trunks and leaving Donnington for Rockwood, but not before Lady Donnington had her say and ordering her to leave at once.
Nancy finds herself once again at Rockwood somewhat rudderless and feeling as if she doesn't quite belong. She longs to know where she came from, about her mother and father, who they were and why she was left on the steps of the orphanage almost nineteen years before. But it's a chance meeting with one Gervase North who believes himself to be the rightful heir the Greystone title and estate that sets her on a path to discover the truth about her heritage. And nothing could prepare her, or anyone else, for what she would uncover.
With the exception of the horrid Felicia de Marney (I wish she would fall under a carriage), I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment which was an improvement on the last one in which Patricia who, though she has now settled, is a little too much like her mother for my liking and I have never really warmed to her. I've always held a soft spot for Nancy and I was delighted that she had the opportunity to tell her story and to rightfully shine.
I can't wait to see what else Dilly has in store in the final two books "Snow Bride" (next) and "Dolly's Dream" (the final book).
Dilly Court reunites us once again with the Careys and Blanchards of Rockwood Castle on the windswept Devonshire moors. However, this time the focus iDilly Court reunites us once again with the Careys and Blanchards of Rockwood Castle on the windswept Devonshire moors. However, this time the focus is on the youngest Carey child, who married towards the end of the previous book to a man old enough to be her father.
Patricia Carey is now Lady Greystone and married to one of the most prominent members of society. After marrying her childhood friends' father Sir Michael Greystone after setting her cap at him to secure her wealth and position, Patricia and Sir Michael relocated to London to be closer to the House of Commons in his position as a member of parliament. Their London house is as salubrious and illustrious as Patricia could want. Sir Michael gives her a generous dress allowance at her disposal and their lives are made up of a continual round of parties, soirees and dinners for which Patricia was born.
On the eve of yet another party which had to be cancelled due to the thick peasouper fog, Sir Michael returns home with the news that he has to go abroad for secret diplomatic business to which she is not privy. Patricia is at something of a loss and decides to resurrect her career on the stage. However, first she must undertake singing lessons with one Signora Valentina Galfondi to bring her up to speed for the role ahead of her. She takes herself back to Greystone Park where she endeavours to strengthen her voice under Valentina's guiding hand.
And then a messenger arrives with an official document. Sir Michael has been involved in a fatal train accident in France. But Patricia refuses to believe it, as does Sir Michael's youngest daughter still in residence, Sylvia. Upon her return to London, Patricia discovers that not all is as it seems. Sir Michael had neglected to update his will therefore leaving everything - Greystone Park and his debts - to his daughters Christina and Sylvia. Patricia is left with nothing. Barely even the clothes on her back.
And so she returns to Rockwood with her tail between her legs. But not for long. She hatches a ridiculous plan in which young Nancy decides to play a part and the pair hightail it back to London for the bright lights, fame and fortune. Unfortunately, brains were never part of Patricia's attributes and so her decision making was dubious to say the least. The speed with which she changed her mind was dizzying, each time declaring she means what she says. Only for her to change her mind just as swiftly again.
Her choices were stupidly naive and ridiculous, seeing her off to France and Italy in search of her mother in the hope that she will share her insights and wisdom. Seriously? Has she learnt nothing in the past two decades? Felicia de Mauney, nee Carey, thinks of no one but herself. And Patricia is so very like her fickle mother and just as flighty. So I was not surprised that she came unstuck on foreign shores...for she has no one to blame but herself. But her bad choices didn't end there. She returned to Greystone Park with the promise of contesting the will and taking up her rightful place as Lady Greystone...yet what became of that? She scarpered at the first threat and nothing came of it. So why introduce that plotline if it was not going to be followed through. All it did was confirm that Patricia was a fickle flighty piece who cannot make up her mind. Her to-ing and fro-ing was enough to make one's head spin and I was dizzy trying to keep up with her constant changes of mind.
I love Dilly's books and I love this series but I do not like Patricia. I didn't like her last book and I didn't much warm to her in this one. In fact, it only served to remind me how entitled she really believed she was. And her back and forth mind changes made me dizzy. I wasn't fond of the France side of the story and preferred it firmly back in Rockwood.
While I love this series and am thoroughly enjoying it, I didn't enjoy this one quite so much and wish I could give it 5 stars but Patricia Greystone isn't worth that rating. Besides which, the story wasn't as enjoyable as other tales by the author and those in this series. But I do look forward to the next one "Sunday's Child" when Nancy takes centre stage...
We rejoin the Careys and the Blanchards at Rockwood once again in the second book of the series WINTER WEDDING. As usual, Dilly delights us with the tWe rejoin the Careys and the Blanchards at Rockwood once again in the second book of the series WINTER WEDDING. As usual, Dilly delights us with the tales of scandal, love and woe in equal mesaure with her trademark rags to riches interwoven into the story.
Rosalind Blanchard remains living at Rockwood Castle, the unofficial custodian of the estate in the absence of her older brother Bertie who inherited their grandfather's baronetcy on his death some months before. Rosie married Piers who continues to divide his time between Trevenor in Cornwall and Rockwood in Devon, as well as overseeing affairs of the china clay mine he inherited from his father. For the past several months Rosie has longed for her husband's return and yet when he is home, he isn't quite present.
Christmas is approaching and with it the upcoming nuptials of Rosie's younger sister Patricia to Piers younger brother Alex, who once held a torch for Rosie. Their wedding is to be Christmas Eve and everyone who is anyone in the county and beyond are to attend. But then a telegram arrives informing her that Alex has been injured in a shipwreck and remains in a hospital in France until he is able to travel. Patricia is beside herself that he could do this to her and humiliate her in such a way. And then their mother comes back with a solution to their problem...unfortunately, only Felicia can see it as such whilst everyone else finds her idea tactless and insensitive. But then Felicia Carey could only ever think of herself.
Rosie decides to leave for France immediately and arranges a passage across the channel with Hester by her side. They arrive to discover that Piers was also injured in an adjoining wreck and is currenltly unconscious in hospital. Rosie and Hester rent premises close to the hospital so that she may visit Alex and Piers every day. When Alex is able to leave the hospital, Rosie continues to visit Piers daily until his condition improves. She will not leave France until both men are able to travel back with them.
Of course, a return would only mean histrionics as far as Patricia is concerned, who appears to be a younger version of her mother - self-centred and self-obsessed to the core. She gives no thought as to what Alex has endured, only that he apparently jilted her and left her humiliated when it should have been the happiest day of her life. I personally think he escaped something of a sentence. But what of Piers?
While I quite liked Patsy in the first book, I loathed her in this one. She was petulant, selfish and completely spoilt. She thought of no one but herself, much like her mother, dare she outshine Felicia! Thankfully they did not take precedence and featured very little. Rosie is the focus as is her relationships with Piers, Alex and the two children she took ujnder her wing - Nancy and Tommy.
As always, Dilly delights her fans with her distinctive style of rags to riches, romance, woe and a little bit of scandal. A definite read for fans of "Downton Abbey" and delightful Victorian sagas. I can't wait to continue the series with "Runaway Widow" to see what she has in store for us next...
I would like to thank #DillyCourt, #Netgalley and #HarperCollins for an ARC of #WinterWedding in exchange for an honest review.
The first in a series of six, this book opens with 8 year old Rosalind Carey traipsing down to the beach to watch the smugglers bring their loot ashorThe first in a series of six, this book opens with 8 year old Rosalind Carey traipsing down to the beach to watch the smugglers bring their loot ashore. But the preventative men are quick to capture some of the smugglers whilst Rosie finds herself injured and in the debt of an unknown boy who rescued her and took her back home to Rockwood Castle. There she gave him a bed for the night but was gone before she arose the following morning. Rosie never knew his name and she never saw him again.
Twelve years later, Rosalind Carey has been the lady of the house for most of her siblings' lives whilst their father travelled in search of rare plants and their mother sought fame on the stage. But she never forgot the night she saw smugglers in the cove below Rockwood Castle and the boy who saved her life. He has haunted her memories and her dreams since.
But life has been hard for the Careys as they struggle to keep the roof over their heads and have racked up debts which they cannot pay. Rosalind pawns her grandmama's gold locket to pay for a third class train fare to London along with her younger sister 16 year old Patricia. It is her hope that their mother will take pity on them and grant them enough money to survive until their father returns from his travels. But Felicia Carey is a selfish woman, believing her voice is her God-given gift that she must share with the world and her home is no longer Rockwood but the stage. She has no money to give her children and tells them so.
Whilst in London, Rosalind is introduced to Piers Blanchard who informs them that he has a claim to Rockwood going back centuries in which Rockwood was the rightful home to the Blanchards. Rosalind doesn't know what to think but she believes that there is far more to Piers than meets the eye. And she isn't sure that she trusts him. But he says he can prove his claim and yet it is not his intention to evict them from the only home they have known. Instead, he goes some way to make restitution for their outstanding debts and give Rosalind a monthly allowance to keep Rockwood and her siblings. And yet she still doesn't trust him. Surely he has some ulterior motive to his generosity.
When Rosalind and Patricia travel to Cornwall to Piers' own sprawling estate in which his younger sister and his grandmother live, she is shocked to discover that someone has laid claim to the estate and the clay mine which Piers runs lest a scandalous secret about the family be revealed. Piers has no choice but to ascquiese leaving Rosalind offering them a place at Rockwood until the mess is sorted out. But living with Piers' grandmother, who brings with her all her maids and servants that she couldn't possibly live without thus creating havoc below the stairs with the Carey's lifelong loyal housekeeper and cook, Hester.
Wow! Well, life certainly isn't dull at Rockwood as the Careys and the Blanchards rub along reluctantly with Piers' grandmother constantly reminding the Careys that they are there only at the generous behest of Piers insinuating that he can take away his consent at any time. With mysteries and scandalous secrets dating back to smugglers, FORTUNE'S DAUGHTER is a delightful tale that swept me away to the Devonshire coast that I can't wait to step into the next installment to see where life takes them and all at Rockwood Castle.
I thoroughly enjoyed this sweeping tale which I think is probably Dilly's best yet. Now...onto the second book...
I would like to thank #DillyCourt, #Netgalley and #HarperCollins for an ARC of #FortunesDaughter in exchange for an honest review.
I love historical fiction and since I was introduced to Dilly Court a couple of years ago I have thoroughly enjoyed her delightful rags to riches taleI love historical fiction and since I was introduced to Dilly Court a couple of years ago I have thoroughly enjoyed her delightful rags to riches tales. I find her to be reminiscent of Catherine Cookson, a firm favourite of mine. It was a delight to rejoin Dilly once again as it has been some time since I have enjoyed her stories. I do believe their are characters from her Rockwood Chronicles which I have still yet to read...maybe I shall do so soon.
Amelia Sutton lives hand to mouth with her father Dr Harold Sutton, who tends to the poor and needy and often spares them the fee they can ill afford. This places Amelia is an awkward position when she asks for the rent money that is two months behind or a few pennies to put food on the table and coal to warm their small rooms. So it is against her father's wishes that she seeks her maternal grandfather's help and in light of the situation he places Amelia in the position of manager of a manufactory he owns which comes with a house, rent-free. Amelia can hardly believe her luck though her father is reluctant to take any handouts from the man who blamed him for his wife's, Amelia's mother, early death ten years before. He entrusts his man of business Caleb Marsh to her care, and he offers his services and assistance should she need it.
Upon moving into the house, Amelia scrubs it from top to bottom with the assistance of Mariah Simms, a woman she took under her wing to save her and her children from the brutality of the man they lived under. They make the house habitable and begin to let out rooms on the third floor to lodgers. Even her father has relented and welcomed the success she has made of the place and no longer is he tending to the poor and needy who cannot pay but he has been offered a position at the London Hospital where he trained and qualified many years before. Their first lodger is a fellow doctor who works with her father, Dr Todd Taylor. Then when her grandfather dies suddenly, his successor dispenses of Caleb Marsh's services and that of the butler who had worked for her grandfather for thirty years. Amelia offers them both a room each. She is also shocked to learn that her grandfather has left the manufactory and the attached house to her with the remaining estate to her mother's cousin Daniel Norris, who contests the will in the hope it will leave Amelia with nothing.
In the meantime, Amelia has dreamed of becoming a designer of fashions and whilst she managed the manufactory of mourning gowns, she decided to branch out into other gowns replicating the expensive Paris fashions but made to a budget. She is sure there are many women in London who would certainly pay for her services if only she could find the custom.
But when they are suddenly evicted, Amelia has no idea where they will go or what they will do. Until she is offered a gift...or is it really? Sometimes a wolf comes disguised in sheeps clothing but can Amelia spot the wolves for the sheep?
Another delightfully well written tale and one of my favourites of Dilly Court's I think, though it's hard pressed to find one that isn't beguiling. I think I found only one of hers okayish while everything else I have read by her has been thoroughly entertaining and wholly immersive. All the characters are well rounded even the ones who are unlikeable, of which there are a few.
Although her tales are all largely similar in style, they are each different. And yet they are all equally delightful. All set within the Victorian era and all are rags to riches in style and yet they each tell a different story. And yet I think this is the first book of Dilly's I have devoured in a day. Another compelling and thoroughly enjoyable read.
I would like to thank #DillyCourt, #Netgalley and #HarperCollins for an ARC of #AThimbleForChristmas in exchange for an honest review.
Rose and Elise haven't seen each other in years. Not after something happened to drive them apart. But now EliI know her...but can I trust her...?
Rose and Elise haven't seen each other in years. Not after something happened to drive them apart. But now Elise is back, having just arrived on Rose's doorstep after escaping her marriage to a controlling man and his equally controlling family, and Rose offers her a place to stay. But Elise wants more than a roof over her head. She wants Rose to help her get her daughter back and away from her controlling husband...after all, Rose owes her.
So Rose approaches Isaac outside the school one afternoon and before long, she's been offered the job of home schooling five year old Daisy. Her mission is simple. Return Daisy to her mother. While she sympathises with Elise's distressing story, evoking some equally emotional memories of her own past, the more Rose spends at Isaac's house with Daisy the more she begins to question the validity of Elise's story. Added to that, Elise's behaviour is becoming increasingly erratic. Is she really being a honest as she made out? Or is there more to the story than Elise is saying?
This tale is filled with secrets, lies and a load of deceit. Who is really lying? The deception is next level. Nothing and no one is as innocent as they seem and everyone is suspect. And the holes in Elise's tale that Rose began to unravel create even more misconception. A twisty narrative, this made for uncomfortable reading much of the time. I didn't know who to trust. Everyone had their own version of Daisy's mother - but which of them is the truth? And yet in the middle of this nightmare is Daisy who is blissfully (and thankfully) unaware of all these events happening around her.
With so many layers to this tale, the author keeps readers guessing right up to the end as she peels back each layer to reveal a little more. This is my first read by Clarke on her own, having read a few she has penned alongside Amanda Brittany. A well-plotted psychological thriller.
I would like to thank #KarenClarke, #Netgalley and #HQDigital for an ARC of #MyBestFriendsSecret in exchange for an honest review.
Another delightful regency romance by Natalie Kleinman that is steadily paced and entertaining. The characters are likeable making for a refreshing anAnother delightful regency romance by Natalie Kleinman that is steadily paced and entertaining. The characters are likeable making for a refreshing and enjoyable read.
After being tricked by a previous suitor which almost ruined her reputation and a first season which didn't go too well, all Rebecca wants to do is put the past behind her and enjoy the upcoming season. There she meets Comte Hugo de Berge who is as handsome as he is wealthy, a Frenchman who is a friend of her brother's and recently arrived in London. Although she is drawn to him she is still very wary after her previous ordeal last Season.
Rebecca blossoms this season and though she is captivated by the charming Hugo, he cannot remain in London and must return to France where troubles of his own plague him. In light of certain family secrets coming to light, he needs to return home to deal with them. But will he return? And will Rebecca have her happy ending at last?
A delightfully easy read that was most enjoyable, this tale is also a quick read at just 221 pages. I raced through it rather quickly. This book has everything you love in a regency romance.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
I would like to thank #NatalieKleinman, #Netgalley and #SapereBooks for an ARC of #SomeDayMyPrinceWillCome in exchange for an honest review.
Daniel Hurst, an author who needs no introduction, has done it again! This time with a follow-up seqHow far will a mother go to save her child...?
Daniel Hurst, an author who needs no introduction, has done it again! This time with a follow-up sequel to "The Daughter's Boyfriend" which I thought was OK but this one was soooo much better! In true Hurst style, it is gripping, fast paced, addictive and hard to put down. And in true Hurst style, it comes with that final twist. I devoured it in one day (not quite one sitting).
Five years have passed since the events in the first book. Ellie has moved on and found love in a handsome man who runs his own successful business. Kyle is the man of her dreams and now Dawn watches as her daughter is married in a beautiful wedding in a luxurious resort in the sun in Turkey. Neither mother or daughter could be happier.
However, the joy is shortlived when back home to reality and Dawn discovers something doesn't add up with her new son-in-law. When she catches him in a lie she offers him a lifeline to redeem himself but he only gives her even more reason to be concerned. After her experience with Daryl five years ago, Dawn felt sure that Ellie had found a good honest man in Kyle. But now it seems he pulled the wool over both their eyes.
Meanwhile back in the US, Harvey has just completed his five year stretch for perverting the course of justice in relation to his son's crimes. As Daryl was killed by Dawn in the UK, he couldn't be brought to justice for them. But now, Harvey is out and the only thing that has kept him going is the sweet taste of revenge and the score he intends on settling for his son's untimely death.
As this is the second book, I do recommend reading "My Daughter's Boyfriend" first if you wish to otherwise reading this will spoil the first. Having said that, you don't have to read the first one as this one can suffice easily as a standalone as Hurst keeps us up to date with all that went on before (hence why reading the first one before this one is recommended).
Hurst is a masterful storyteller and he keeps the reader engaged from start to finish in this cat and mouse plot tinged with revenge. And as with any Hurst thriller, it is entertaining, fast paced, thrilling and oh so dramatic. Many of the plot twists were predictable but as with Hurst's thrillers, the thrill is in the ride. And what a ride he has given us!
A quick and easy read and in his trademark style, Hurst does away with unnecessary details and gives us the bare bones to devour as we jump right into the action. I love his style because you are not weighed down with too much fact and information. He gives you all you need to know to be thoroughly entertained.
A delightfully fun a VERY quick read by Daniel Hurst, the master of the killer twist, about one woman's (over) reaction to a text message Oops indeed!
A delightfully fun a VERY quick read by Daniel Hurst, the master of the killer twist, about one woman's (over) reaction to a text message sent to her husband. It's very short and quite funny in the grand scheme of things. And very very Daniel.
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 neeWhen 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 of 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.,/b>
With her daughter terribly ill...how far will she go to save her...?
That's the crux of this book, really. How far would a mother go to save her chWith her daughter terribly ill...how far will she go to save her...?
That's the crux of this book, really. How far would a mother go to save her child? And thensome. Because it's not just about her daughter, as readers will surely become aware. This is not a pretty tale but it sure is a messy one. One that began back in 1984...
For sixteen years, Livvy Grant has longed to see her firstborn daughter Harley who she gave up at five days old for her father Roy and his wife Sammy to bring up as their own. As a young single mother, she had no prospects but in closing that chapter of her life she moved on and married her childhood sweetheart, moved to America and had a daughter with him. All the while, still pining for Roy Cantello, her first love and father to her firstborn.
Now Harley is due to turn sixteen and Livvy is returning to Britain with the hope of being reunited with her daughter. But when she arrives, it's clear to see that Harley is gravely ill. And when the doctors confirm the devastating news, Livvy realises she could lose her daughter just when she has found her again. She would give anything, do anything to save her daughter's life. And then in the midst of despair she is given a gift, it seems. The best chance of saving her daughter's life is a full-blood sibling. Can she dare hope? Do they dare try?
Sammy Cantello has been a mother to Harley for her entire life. In fact, she is the only mother she has ever known, despite Roy promising Livvy to tell Harley all about her when she turned ten. Now she is just days away of turning sixteen and Roy has still yet to tell her. But tell her he must for Livvy is on her way back to the UK and she wants to see her daughter. But Sammy is scared. Because she knows the power that Livvy has over Roy and he won't be able to resist her. She fears that the pair will pick up where they left off and she couldn't cope with that.
Harley isn't the only reason Livvy is returning the the UK. Her friend Sheena has managed to track down her birth father and his family and she is returning to meet them, and the possibility of meeting her birth mother also. Finally, she will have a family to call her own. All she needs now is Roy and her family will be complete.
Well...this was one messy tale, to say the least. I have enjoyed each book in this series, though I may not have entirely enjoyed the direction in which they have taken. The last book "The Daughters of Mersey Square" had me frustrated no end and pulling my hair out wanting to slap Roy and scratch Livvy's eyes out. I liked how the last one ended with Harley nestled in the family bosom of Roy and Sammy...and Livvy out of the equation. I did not like that woman one bit. And in this one I liked her even less. She is calculating, manipulative and a devious little madam. She knew what she wanted and she set out to get it whatever the cost. The only time I cheered for her was her reuniting with her birth parents, which was heartwarming. Roy isn't much better. The man-child continues to think with his pecker and then gets himself in such a mess of his own making and yet it still isn't what he wants.
It's a complete mess like a soap opera but it's addictive reading and I must say I was rather satisfied with the ending. I can't wait to read the final one to see where that takes the Mellors and Cantellos and their extended lot, which I will be picking up next and hope to make as short work of that as I did this one.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
I would like to thank #PamHowes, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #SecretsOfMerseySquare in exchange for an honest review.
With her daughter terribly ill...how far will she go to save her...?
That's the crux of this book, really. How far would a mother go to save her chWith her daughter terribly ill...how far will she go to save her...?
That's the crux of this book, really. How far would a mother go to save her child? And thensome. Because it's not just about her daughter, as readers will surely become aware. This is not a pretty tale but it sure is a messy one. One that began back in 1984...
For sixteen years, Livvy Grant has longed to see her firstborn daughter Harley who she gave up at five days old for her father Roy and his wife Sammy to bring up as their own. As a young single mother, she had no prospects but in closing that chapter of her life she moved on and married her childhood sweetheart, moved to America and had a daughter with him. All the while, still pining for Roy Cantello, her first love and father to her firstborn.
Now Harley is due to turn sixteen and Livvy is returning to Britain with the hope of being reunited with her daughter. But when she arrives, it's clear to see that Harley is gravely ill. And when the doctors confirm the devastating news, Livvy realises she could lose her daughter just when she has found her again. She would give anything, do anything to save her daughter's life. And then in the midst of despair she is given a gift, it seems. The best chance of saving her daughter's life is a full-blood sibling. Can she dare hope? Do they dare try?
Sammy Cantello has been a mother to Harley for her entire life. In fact, she is the only mother she has ever known, despite Roy promising Livvy to tell Harley all about her when she turned ten. Now she is just days away of turning sixteen and Roy has still yet to tell her. But tell her he must for Livvy is on her way back to the UK and she wants to see her daughter. But Sammy is scared. Because she knows the power that Livvy has over Roy and he won't be able to resist her. She fears that the pair will pick up where they left off and she couldn't cope with that.
Harley isn't the only reason Livvy is returning the the UK. Her friend Sheena has managed to track down her birth father and his family and she is returning to meet them, and the possibility of meeting her birth mother also. Finally, she will have a family to call her own. All she needs now is Roy and her family will be complete.
Well...this was one messy tale, to say the least. I have enjoyed each book in this series, though I may not have entirely enjoyed the direction in which they have taken. The last book "The Daughters of Mersey Square" had me frustrated no end and pulling my hair out wanting to slap Roy and scratch Livvy's eyes out. I liked how the last one ended with Harley nestled in the family bosom of Roy and Sammy...and Livvy out of the equation. I did not like that woman one bit. And in this one I liked her even less. She is calculating, manipulative and a devious little madam. She knew what she wanted and she set out to get it whatever the cost. The only time I cheered for her was her reuniting with her birth parents, which was heartwarming. Roy isn't much better. The man-child continues to think with his pecker and then gets himself in such a mess of his own making and yet it still isn't what he wants.
It's a complete mess like a soap opera but it's addictive reading and I must say I was rather satisfied with the ending. I can't wait to read the final one to see where that takes the Mellors and Cantellos and their extended lot, which I will be picking up next and hope to make as short work of that as I did this one.
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
I would like to thank #PamHowes, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #SecretsOfMerseySquare in exchange for an honest review.
Can she find the courage to overcome a devastating tragedy...?
Oh my...what a tangled web of love, betrayal and yet more music. THE D★★★★ 4.5 stars
Can she find the courage to overcome a devastating tragedy...?
Oh my...what a tangled web of love, betrayal and yet more music. THE DAUGHTERS OF MERSEY SQUARE was originally published over a decade ago as "Til I Kissed You" and the entire Raiders series is being rebranded as the Mersey Square saga. And it is a saga...one big tangled saga. That began in the late fifties and continues in this one twenty five years later in the eighties. Only now the leather-clad lads indulging in plenty of sex, drugs and rock and roll are parents approaching middle age and now their children are at the forefront of this tale. And boy, was there a lot...and I mean A LOT...packed into this one!
Stockport 1984: Life has been good to Eddie Mellor and Roy Cantello since they found fame and the loves of their lives. Despite their rocky starts, Eddie and Jane have enjoyed twenty years of marriage as has Roy and Sammy - neither couple still able to keep their hands off each other...despite now having teenage children.
Besides having Jon and Jess, Eddie and Jane have now added Katie (8 - going on 18) and Dominic (7) to their little family. While Roy and Sammy have two sons born barely ten months apart - Nick (17) and Jason (16). Tim and Pat moved to the States some years back where Tim continued to work in the music business in Nashville. But after a health scare, the couple found they sought the solace of their close family and friends back in the UK and made arrangements to move back. This, of course, prompts talks of a Raiders reunion.
Eddie and Roy's teenage children have followed in their footsteps and have their own band The Zoo, managed by their fathers who also write their material. But things start to get a little heated when twenty two year old Glaswegian Livvy also desperately wants to join the band. Eddie and Roy agree that Livvy has the strength in her voice to front the band but the green-eyed monster in Jess wants only to scratch her eyes out for making eyes at Nick, with whom she is firmly involved with. Livvy is adamant that she has no designs on Nick and, honestly from where I was sitting, I could see nothing that suggested that either so I'm guessing it was Jess' insecurities. But then, she had been having some very strange dreams which left her feeling very unsettled and "as if someone was walking over her grave". Maybe it was that that made her insecure, not Livvy.
To make matters worse, although a happily married man, Roy has been having it away with none other than young Livvy. Devastated beyond belief, Sammy throws Roy out and shreds all his clothes and pours paint stripper on his prized lamborghini. But try as she might to hate him for what he's done, Sammy loves the very bones of her Roy and slowly but surely, they find their way back to each other. And it takes a tragedy that rocks their very world to bring them back together.
But then Sammy's world is about to fall apart even further when she goes to see Livvy and walks in to see the young woman's rounded belly. She's pregnant. Can things get any worse?
Meanwhile in the wake of their recent tragedy that affected both families, Jess finds comfort with her older (half) brother Jon. And that's when things start to get a little sticky...and a lot tangled. But will he learn the truth about his parentage?
Definitely a tangled web that's been woven by all involved...particularly by Roy, Jon and Jess. In the Roy situation, my sympathies lay firmly with Sammy and Livvy was no shrinking violet. She knew what she want and went out and got it. Roy's a man. They generally think with one part of their anatomy first and their brains later. She just had to flash a bit of leg at him, smile coyly and he was putty in her hands. While I could have slapped Roy to begin with, I felt sorry for him when although they were finished and he had made that perfectly clear, Livvy still wouldn't accept that and went on a mission to nail him. But Sammy, despite throwing caution to the wind, showed great strength and resilience through a very very difficult situation. First, her husband's affair, then losing her son and then discovering the girl was pregnant. I feel their story hasn't quite ended but I was quite satisfied with where it ended in this book and hope it stays that way...but I fear the past will come back and bite them.
As for Jon and Jess. We know from the previous book that they are not related BUT they have been brought up as brother and sister and, I'm sorry, but that storyline just didn't sit right with me. I don't care that they weren't related. They were brought up as siblings and thought of each other as such. Anything more was just wrong in my opinion. I honestly didn't like where that story arc went and didn't feel entirely comfortable with it given that they had always thought of each other as siblings.
My favourite part of the book was Katie and her incessant discussions about "men's naughty bits" and "twinkles". Since one of her friend's at school was a twin, Katie is adamant Eddie didn't twinkle right enabling her to be born a twin with Jess. It made for hilarious reading.
Like I said, there is so much packed into these 648 pages, making it so much longer than any of the others (probably why it took me a couple of days to read it). But despite my misgivings, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and my time with the Mellors and Cantellos once again. We also see the re-emergence of Angie's mum and friend Cathy also returns with her now husband Carl.
I look forward to reading the next one in the series soon - "The Secrets of Mersey of Square". What? More secrets? Whatever else does Pam Howes have up her sleeve?
Another cracking read and a lot of tangled mess to unravel with this one, but another entertaining read.
I would like to thank #PamHowes for an ARC of #TheDaughtersOfMerseySquare.
The British invasion reborn! Sex, drugs and rock and roll entwined with family secrets, marriage, motherhood and a kidnapping...
Though I was born The British invasion reborn! Sex, drugs and rock and roll entwined with family secrets, marriage, motherhood and a kidnapping...
Though I was born after all this (fictionally) happened, my love of the TV series "Heartbeat" gave me an appreciation for the British invasion of early sixties music - though I'm more a Stones fan that a Beatle. And Pam Howes' love of this era of music radiates through the pages as she charts the teenage boy band The Raiders' rise to fame. As with the first book (originally published as the prequel) I read yesterday, this tale transports me back to an era I've only ever read about or seen played out on TV.
Beginning early 1964 from where "The Girls of Mersey Square" left off, 18 year old Eddie Mellor is trying to settle into married life with Angie after she fell pregnant with their baby son Jonny. But try as he might he still longs for his two loves that he had to leave behind - his band The Raiders and his girl Jane Wilson. He and Jane were making plans to marry when Angie dropped her bombshell and in an attempt to do the right thing, Eddie broke it off with Jane and married the mother of his child. That also meant giving up all his dreams of fame and fortune and becoming a responsible adult by getting a normal 9 to 5 job that pays the rent, puts food on the table and provides for his wife and child.
Heartbroken, Jane falls into the arms of Mark Fisher who has always held a torch for her and though her heart is not in it, she ends up engaged to him when he proposes. She doesn't love Mark but he offers security and her mother adores him never missing an opportunity to compare him to "that Mellor lad who would amount to nothing". Since becoming engaged, Mark's behaviour towards changed and he became more possessive and controlling, disapproving of the clothes she wore and instead buying her new ones from the Victorian age! As her relationship with Mark comes to a culmination at the beginning of the book with a trip to the Lakes District for Valentine's Day, Jane is feeling trapped with no idea how to get out of this farce of an engagement. While Mark wants to control Jane's every move and doesn't care how devious he has to be to keep her. Meanwhile, she continues to work at Flanagan and Grey Records, having been promoted to manager with a charming little assistant in Carl who rises in the ranks further into the story. A job, I'm sure, Mark plans to put a stop to as soon as the vows are exchanged.
Back in Stockport, Eddie's life is getting duller by the second. In a fit of temper and boredom, he chucks in his job at the paint factory knowing the grief it will cause with Angie when he gets home but he doesn't care. As usual, the couple row causing Jonny to burst into tears and he storms out and meets up with the lads instead of going to night school. Roy had called his mum to say he had some good news to tell him and Eddie knew he needed something to brighten his otherwise dull existence.
The news that Jane has broken off her engagement with Mark was music to Eddie's ears and soon the pair are meeting secretly, partaking in a clandestine affair since Eddie was still married. Added to that, the lads want Eddie back in the band. His replacement was never up to parr and before long everyone is happy again. Everyone, that is, except Mark, who continues to rear his ugly obsessive head.
Eddie is going through the process of getting a divorce from Angie when she and her lover are tragically killed and he and Jane move in together to take care of his nearly three year old son Jonny. Their plans to marry are brought forward, no longer hampered by a divorce, and finally after half a decade of hankering after each other they are wed. But their happiness is shortlived when their young baby is kidnapped when the band are on tour and their world comes crashing down. Will they ever see their baby again?
So many questions are raised throughout this story, some of which are carried over from the first. The biggest hangs like a shadow (I thought) throughout and isn't cleared up till the end though it could prove a shock for those not expecting it. I read too many thrillers to be shocked...lol The sixties is an era that is fast becoming forgotten now that it is over half a century ago so it is good to relive the era through these delightful tales penned by someone with an obvious love of the era and its music.
I enjoyed every minute of the journey back in time and invite you step on the back of Eddie's motorbike and be transported back to the sixties for a tale full of love, betrayal, family as well as sex, drugs and rock and roll. Originally published as "Three Steps to Heaven", THE MOTHERS OF MERSEY SQUARE is an enjoyable saga filled with such likeable characters (plus a few shady ones) that you just can't help but enjoy being in their company. Are five stars even enough?
Another cracking read by Pam Howes! Delightful from start to finish.
I would like to thank #PamHowes, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheMothersOfMerseySquare in exchange for an honest review.
As a fan of Pam Howes' Lark Lane and Bryant Sisters series, I was thrilled to dive into a rebranded series originally published about ten years ago anAs a fan of Pam Howes' Lark Lane and Bryant Sisters series, I was thrilled to dive into a rebranded series originally published about ten years ago and now stepping out into the light of day again as the Mersey Square series. It brings Pam's love of rock and roll music to life in the telling of the birth of a young teenage band trying to make a name for themselves whilst also trying to find their feet in an adult's world.
Originally published as the prequel to the series titled "That'll Be the Day" (in a nod to Buddy Holly who is a featured influence in the early part of the story), this tale begins with the emergence of three young lads - Eddie, Roy and Tim - establishing themselves as musicians as well as doing the usual teenage stuff as smoking, drinking and falling in love.
Jane Wilson first sees Eddie Mellor in the record shop they both frequent after school and while he winks at her, she's too shy to reciprocate, instead turning away. Her friends Sammy and Pat find themselves attracted to Eddie's friends Roy and Tim respectively and soon the three girls and three boys meet and the rest is history. Jane is head over heels in love with Eddie though he thinks she is 16 like him, whereas she is really 14. But will Eddie still want to be with her when he finds out her real age?
But the real fly in the ointment is his on-and-off again soon-to-be-ex girlfriend, Angie Turner. When she sees Eddie making eyes at Jane the green eyed monster rears its head and Angie makes it her life's mission to win Eddie back...whatever the cost.
But as the old adage goes, be careful what you wish for...
This is a cracking start to a promising series I've not read before that I read it in a day. I just had to know where it all ended...and then it really didn't because as it's a prequel, I now need to dive into the second book to see how things pan out for all involved.
I'll say no more and leave it for you to enjoy yourself...because enjoy it you will. It's such an easy read no matter what your age. And I can't wait to delve into the second one. I just hope the remaining three won't be too far behind because I will surely want to read those soon enough too.
Another cracking read by Pam Howes! Delightful from start to finish.
I would like to thank #PamHowes, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheGirlsOfMerseySquare in exchange for an honest review.
This is my second novel by Lulu Taylor and I thoroughly enjoy her style. A contemporary dual timeline storyBehind closed doors...secrets unfold...
This is my second novel by Lulu Taylor and I thoroughly enjoy her style. A contemporary dual timeline story weaving together the past and the present to create a mesmerising gothic tale that is compelling and enthralling.
Georgie Wakefield's husband Caspar has just inherited his great uncle's crumbling estate Wakefield Castle and while it is her worst nightmare to move into the decrepit ruins, the will stated great uncle Archie's wishes in that they restore it to its former glory. Georgie has spent her life living behind the scenes and is more than happy to do so, so instilled in Wakefield Castle she finds a rhythm there and is pleasantly surprised that she actually enjoys it. In the attics, she comes across an ancient recipe book which she must decipher and adapt to modern cuisine and with it comes a mystery that she finds herself embroiled in.
It's 1939 and the country is on the brink of war. For those living at Wakefield Castle must find a new normal. Five siblings 18 year old Imogen, 16 year old twins Miranda and Rosalind along with their younger brothers Toby and Archie live in the castle with their grandfather and his sister great aunt Constance after the tragedy which claimed their parents'. When war is declared, the natural history museum sends one of its curators, Mr Arthur Humphries, to Wakefield together with some precious artefacts and fossils for safekeeping for the duration of the war. And then aunt Constance takes in a couple of evacuees from London, brothers Tom and Robbie Foster. The castle begins to come alive again with the laughter of children. But danger lies ahead as well as a secret being kept from them in the West Tower.
There was so much going on in this book I feel there might have been just a little too much. Georgie's childhood trauma, Pippa's marriage difficulties, Lady Viktoria, the famous TV chef Georgie creates recipes for along with the past timeline of a gothic mystery and a family trapped in the castle during the war. I enjoyed it, but I think there was just a little too much being crammed in. Having said that, the pace was rather slow around the middle, but it picked up again and was finished off nicely with a satisfactory epilogue. BUT...my biggest gripe is I still don't understand why the tower was fenced off and out of bounds for eighty years. And why it was left the way it was. That was never explained. And what happened to the poisoned jam? Even though it was given away, nothing happened.
Despite this, it is still a compelling read that really pulls you back in time. If you love dual timelines, then you will love this book. There is plenty of intrigue and secrets to keep you engaged.
I would like to thank #LuluTaylor, #Netgalley and #PanMacmillan for an ARC of #TheForgottenTower in exchange for an honest review.
Three teenagers disappeared...now it's happened again...
The follow-up to "The Night of the Sleepover", I actually ★★★★� 4.5 stars (rounded up)
Three teenagers disappeared...now it's happened again...
The follow-up to "The Night of the Sleepover", I actually liked this one more. I'm not sure why. Maybe because there was more of a sense of closure at the end? Throughout this book I was thinking "4 stars"...and then, the ending. Ramped it up 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Definitely worthy of it with that bombshell ending. While this is the second in the series, it can easily suffice as a standalone although you do get more backstory to the original mystery by reading the first book.
The story opens with a premiere screening of the documentary that was being made in the first book about the disappearance of the three teenage girls at a sleepover at which Leah attended when she was fifteen. She woke up the following morning and her friends' sleeping bags were empty; they had gone. And their disappearance has remained a mystery for twenty five years. The documentary didn't really rake up any new information, just rehashed old theories, introduced new ones and ended as ambiguously as it only could without the mystery ever being solved.
The following morning after the screening, Leah awakes to a couple of police officers on her doorstep. Three teenage boys have disappeared overnight and the mother of one of the boys was asking for her. Did Leah know her? She wasn't sure but apparently they were at school together. But school had such a vague recollection of memories mostly due to the fact three of her friends had vanished overnight and she was expected to carry on as normal despite no one knowing what had happened to them. Now it seems Jennifer Bailey wanted her at her side as the only other person to know what it feels like to be "left behind".
The mystery deepens as police continue to search Jennifer's farm. How can three teenagers disappear overnight? For it to happen in a small town not once but twice in its lifetime? It seems the town's WhatsApp group is full of theories and answers, all of them pointing fingers at someone or something. Questions are raised and allegations made. But does anyone really know what's happened?
As much as she doesn't want to be, Leah become embroiled in this latest mystery as Jennifer rants and figuratively cries on her shoulder. Suspicion falls on their weird neighbour who has threatened violence if her son Dylan, one of the missing boys, continues to trespass on his land. And when asked about Dylan's father, she reveals a not so nice picture of the absentee parent. But through it all, Leah listens and takes note. Before the end of the book she will have the mystery figured out...but at what cost?
AFTER THE SLEEPOVER is a slow burning mystery like the first one, it's startling difference being that jawdropping ending which I felt was a perfect touch. There are plenty of red herrings throughout to keep you guessing as to where this story will go. Will you figure it out as Leah does? Or will Kerry have you hoodwinked?
While this book does refer to Leah knowing what happened to her missing friends, that mystery is reserved for the first book and is not actually revealed in this one. And while you can read this one as a standalone, I don't think you will pick up on a lot of the nuances peppered throughout unless you have read the first one also.
None of the characters are really likeable, even Leah is pretty hard to connect with. I found her relationship with Ben a bit of a non-starter as it didn't really go anywhere in the story so I kind of felt what was the point?
As always, Kerry's trademark wit can be found throughout which had me chuckling at times. But the piece-de-resistance of this entire tale was the final pages. I cannot say enough how perfect that ending was.
I would like to thank #KerryWilkinson, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #AfterTheSleepover in exchange for an honest review.
StinaStaffymum
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Books:
2023
(247)
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