The Butterfly Garden by Rachel Burton - #bookreview #blogtour

 

'But I don't have a great-aunt,' Meredith insisted. 'Not one that I know about, anyway. I've never heard of this person. Why would she leave me a house in Suffolk? I've never even been to Suffolk.'...

***

1963: When Clara Samuels buys Butterfly Cottage, she knows the scandal she’ll cause. A single woman buying property is not the ‘done thing’, especially not in a village like Carybrook. But Clara has been in love with Butterfly Cottage, and its garden, since she used to play there before the War. And when she reconnects with her childhood friend James, her decision feels serendipitous. But the true scandal is yet to come, because within six months, Clara will leave England under mysterious circumstances, and Butterfly Cottage will stand empty for more than 50 years.

2018: No one is more surprised than Meredith when she’s bequeathed a cottage by a great aunt she’d never heard of. She hopes, briefly, that the inheritance could be the answer to her financial problems. But when she arrives in Suffolk, she is shocked to discover a man is already living there. A young gardener, who claims he was also bequeathed half of Butterfly Cottage.

As the pair try to unravel their complicated situation, they unearth a decades old mystery involving Clara, the garden, and a stack of letters left unread for over 50 years…

A gripping and beautiful tale of love, loss and secrets. Perfect for fans of Rachel Hore, Lorna Cook and Kathryn Hughes.

***

I have been wanting to become better acquainted with the books of this author, ever since I listened to an audio version of The Tearoom on the Bay which I really enjoyed. Personally, I am not a huge fan of audio books but the book itself was good and it left me wanting to read more of her books. 

When this one popped up in a blog tour, I seized the opportunity with both hands and I am so very glad that I did. This book made for a really enjoyable read and I was gripped from the first page to the last.

I am very fond of novels which have a dual timeline. This one is set during 1963 and 2018. I felt the author depicted the historical setting of the 1960s extremely well. There was never any doubt about which part I was reading and the author moved seamlessly from the past to the present. The two voices of Clara from the past and Meredith from the present were very distinct.

I enjoyed getting to know these two characters very much. Both strong women, although it does take Meredith a little while to realise the inner strength that she possesses. We see Clara forging her own path as a woman in the 1960's. She had attitudes which challenged the supposed role of women during that time and I admired her for it.

As with most books of this genre, there are family secrets from the past which are solved in the present. As always, there are no spoilers here. Suffice to say it is worth reading to find out how the drama of this particular family secret is resolved.

It has been well written and appropriately paced for it's genre. It held my attention throughout and the characters were easy to identify with. Anyone who has ever doubted themselves will be able to relate to Meredith. 

I am delighted that there are many books in Ms. Burton's back catalogue which I can read and enjoy. This one is publishing today. It is a lovely book which I highly recommend.

ISBN: 978 1835337905

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  290 (hardback)

About the Author:

Rachel Burton is the bestselling author of historical timeslip novels and has previously written romantic comedies.

Rachel was born in Cambridge and grew up in a house full of books and records. She has read obsessively since she first realised those black squiggles on the pages that lined her parents’ bookshelves were actually words and it has gone down in family history that any time something interesting happened, she missed it because she had her nose in a book.

After reading for a degree in Classics and another in English Literature she accidentally fell into a career in law but her love of books prevailed as she realised that she wanted to slip into imaginary worlds of her own making. She eventually managed to write her first novel on her lunch breaks.

She is obsessed with old houses and the secrets they keep, with abandoned gardens and locked gates, with family histories and surprising revelations, and with the outcomes of those surprises many generations later.

She lives in Yorkshire with her husband, a variety of cats and far too many books. By writing novels she now has an excuse for her head being forever in the clouds.

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

The Mother by Valerie Keogh - #bookreview #blogtour

 

It was late Friday afternoon. Sarah was speaking to Nick about their weekend plans, her mobile pressed to her ear as she tapped on the keyboard with the fingers of her other hand. They'd been invited to a housewarming party that night by an old college friend of hers... who had been gregarious, irreverent, and fun in college...

***

A terrible wife...

Sarah Westfield is unhappily married to perfect husband Nick. Handsome, devoted and kind, he should be the ideal man for her, but Sarah knows their marriage is the biggest mistake she’s ever made…and she wants out.

But then Nick offers her one last chance to make their marriage work – a baby.

Sarah is horrified – a baby would tie herself to this man forever…wouldn’t it? Or could it be exactly what she needs?

So Sarah agrees.

A terrible mother?

When the baby arrives, Sarah struggles with motherhood and her resentment towards Nick only grows. Sarah feels more trapped than ever, but she loves her precious daughter...doesn’t she?

And then baby Kaya goes missing...

And everything Sarah has ever believed in comes crashing down around her...

***

If you like the crime mystery genre with a twisty turny plot then you will love this.

This is not the first book that I have read by Valerie Keogh. I have previously read The Mistress, and also The Nurse. If you would like to read my reviews of either of those books, please just click on the title to do so.

Ms. Keogh is so skilled at creating her characters that she seems to inhabit them. The main character in this book, Sarah, is utterly believable and easy to identify with. She is a busy GP with an overbearing husband who she is not in love with. Add a newborn into the mix, and it makes for a complex situation.

Although one of the themes is child abduction, it was not portrayed in a traumatic manner. Rather it was the linch pin which allowed Sarah to consider her feelings towards her husband and child. There were points where I found her a difficult character to like, but she won me round by the end of the book.

It is fast paced and the dialogue and excellent prose keep the plot moving along perfectly. It is suspenseful throughout and every time I thought I had worked out where the plot was going, the next page would turn my theory on it's head. The ending was surprising and I had not worked out that it would end in that way.

The book is publishing today and it is well worth getting your hands on a copy.

ISBN: 978 1805494317

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  296 (paperback)

About the Author:

Valerie Keogh is the internationally bestselling author of several psychological thrillers and crime series, most recently published by Bloodhound. She originally comes from Dublin but now livesin Wiltshire and worked as a nurse for many years. Her first thriller for Boldwood was published in August 2022.

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

Novice Threads by Nancy Jardine - #guestpost #blogtour

 

Today I am delighted to welcome author, Nancy Jardine, onto the blog. Nancy is the author of the Celtic Fervour series. Novice Threads is the first in the brand new Silver Sampler series, and I cannot wait to hear what Nancy is going to tell us about this book.

However, first is the blurb, to give you a flavour of what this book is about.

The Blurb

1840s Scotland

Being sent to school is the most exhilarating thing that’s ever happened to young Margaret Law. She sharpens her newly-acquired education on her best friend, Jessie Morison, till Jessie is spirited away to become a scullery maid. But how can Margaret fulfil her visions of becoming a schoolteacher when her parents’ tailoring and drapery business suddenly collapses and she must find a job?

Salvation from domestic drudgery – or never-ending seamstress work – comes via Jessie whose employer seeks a tutor for his daughter. Free time exploring Edinburgh with Jessie is great fun, but increasing tension in the household claws at Margaret’s nerves. 

Margaret also worries about her parents' estrangement, and the mystery of Jessie's unknown father.

When tragedy befalls the household in Edinburgh, Margaret must forge a new pathway for the future – though where will that be?

***

Welcome to the blog Nancy. Your new book looks so interesting.

The Big City.

Novice Threads doesn’t begin in a big city but it does end in one.

In the beginning chapters, we find my main character Margaret Law growing up in a small rural town called Milnathort, in Kinross Shire in central Scotland. At the grand age of five years old in 1844, Margaret has no real concept of what the difference is between a wee town of five main streets and a big city. Few rural people travelled outside the environment where they were born. Some exceptions might be farmworker families who moved to where the harvests were, or to a new farm location after a ‘feeing’market where they picked up employment for a fixed duration like six months, or more likely one year. Millworkers stayed locally, as did people who ran the local businesses, the leases for premises often passed down through the generations. Those who did move away might have gained work in the city factories or be women who moved away when they married. A sense of distance, and what lies beyond, just wasn’t the same as it is today.

Margaret, being an inquisitive child, and her best buddy Jessie venture forth deep into the countryside

beyond Milnathort, or they go along a different route to the shores of Loch Leven. For them it’s ahuge adventure but the little saunter to the ancient well and standing stones is actually less than two miles, and reaching the pebbly shores of Loch Leven is achievable in less than one mile, if they skirt the borders of the reclaimed fields at the edge of the lochside. Of course if they want to venture far enough to see the small island castle on Loch Leven where Mary Queen of Scots was incarcerated for years, they would have to head south for around two miles. But on a sunny summer day what’s four miles when you only realise your short legs are tired on the trek home!

Not all children in Milnathort would bother about leaving the five main streets of the town but Margaret and Jessie are different. Neither have any siblings to cling to their coat-tails, and they find plenty of time to wander about. Margaret’s mother doesn’t like her around her feet when working in the family draper’s shop and just expects her to return home when hunger says it’s close to tea-time. Jessie, a little older at nearly six, does chores for her grandmother and her mother but she still has freedom to explore.

It’s only after she’s sent to school at the age of five that Margaret begins to learn about life beyond the handful of miles around Milnathort. The capital city of Edinburgh seems very far away. It’s actually only about forty miles, but that’s where Jessie is sent to when she’s orphaned just after her eleventh birthday.

Thankfully, there’s a good ‘Penny’ postal service operating so Margaret and Jessie keep in touch by letters. Jessie, as a scullery maid, h as little free time but when she does have her every fourth-Sunday half-day off, she wanders around the city centre of Edinburgh. Jessie’s place of employment in Albany Street is only a few streets away from the main thoroughfare of Princes Street which sits below Edinburgh Castle. Reading about Jessie’s little meanders makes Margaret envious of working in the big city!

When disaster strikes, and Margaret’s parents’ business collapses, she must find a job. Her lovely‘almost-sister’ Jessie recommends Margaret to her employer who is looking for someone to teach his disabled daughter to read. For Margaret, tutoring the Duncan daughter is a great alternative to training to be a schoolteacher, which is now out of the question.

Thank you so much for being my guest today. Your new book looks great.

(all media and guest post content courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon by Safinah Danish Elahi - #spotlight #blogtour

 

Today, I am excited to be shining the spotlight on The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon by Safinah Danish Elahi. I love the cover and I can hardly wait to read it. In fact, I will be reviewing this book on the 5th July as part of the blog tour so watch this space. In the meantime, here is some information about this book.

The Blurb

Zohaib, Misha and Nadia believed they would be in each other's lives forever. As children they played, argued, teased and loved one another. Yet nothing could have prepared them for the tragic turn of events one fateful afternoon in Karachi, Pakistan, when the divisions and differences between them are revealed.

Years later and they are still trying to piece their lives back together, still trying to make sense of what happened. Zohaib is living in London, haunted by the ghosts of the past. Nadia has escaped the household where she first met Misha and Zohaib but finds fate delivering her back to their door…

The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon is a beautifully rendered portrait of love, healing, and long-buried pain, digging deep into the nature of trauma and class division.

ISBN:  978 1911107705

Publisher:  Neem Tree Press

Formats: Paperback

No. of Pages:  250

About the Author:

Safinah Danish Elahi is a lawyer, poet, writer, and the founder of an independent publishing house based in Pakistan. Her poetry collection has been critically acclaimed and one of her novels has been commissioned for television. Safinah was selected for the Iowa Writer’s Workshop 2022 Fall Residency and is often on the judging panel for writing competitions across Pakistan.

(media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

Serendipity by Maria de Fatima Santos - #bookreview

 

"I miss school!" exclaimed Gaia, standing by the window.

Julia, her grandmother, rose slowly from her armchair and took a few steps towards Gaia.

It was a cloudy morning. There was no sun. The sky was covered by a mantle of fog...

***

Not so long ago, nomadic communities in Scotland told stories around camp fires and slept in bow tents made of hazel and canvas. In this book, their culture is introduced through Cant’s vocabulary, a dialect spoken by Scottish travellers. Following them, Serendipity takes you to Helge’s Hole in Forres, Hermitage Forest in Dunkeld, and Glen Lyon in Perth, meandering through the valleys and cragged peaks of the Scottish Highlands, in a quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness. Dive into Scottish culture as the old grandmother, Julia, recounts to her granddaughter Gaia the tale of a little girl of pure heart. With love for nature, the story takes us to Titania’s court, the Queen of the People of Peace, to defeat the Giants of the Underworld and restore balance to the Land of the Young.

***

I recently read a book called Before the Swallows Come Back by Fiona Curnow. The reason I am mentioning this book here is that it is set in Scotland and one of the characters is a traveller. This book inspired me to find our more about the traveller community. If you would like to read the review you can find it here. 

So when the author, Maria de Fatima Santos, asked me if I would consider reading her book, I was delighted to do so as it is about the traditional traveller stories which are passed on from the older generation to the next.

It is a fantasy story aimed at middle grade readers. It is clearly a story from the oral tradition, when the travellers sat cosily around a camp fire relating stories to one another. It transports the reader to that setting and the way of life of the Scottish travellers.

The text is littered with 'traveller' language which is highlighted in green with their meaning alongside. Additionally, there is a glossary at the back which translates these words too.

The illustrations are very evocative and they have been well executed and selected for inclusion in the book. 

Children who enjoy fantasy stories will like reading this short book. It is due for release on the 22nd of July.

ISBN:  978 1912092277

Publisher:  Palavro

Formats: e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  60 (paperback)

About the Author:

Maria was born in Angola and brought up in Portugal. 

Maria moved to Scotland in 2007 and now divides her time between Portugal and Scotland. Maria has a profound love of the natural world and is deeply interested in regenerative projects in agriculture, horticulture and forestry. She loves photographing nature and landscape - particularly in Scotland. Her writing stems from her passions for nature, Celtic culture and storytelling - all of which she explores in her debut novel, "Serendipity". Maria wrote "Serendipity" as a tribute to her own grandmother.

(media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

The Fortune Keeper by Deborah Swift - #excerpt #extract #blogtour

 

I am so happy to be bringing you an excerpt today of The Fortune Keeper by Deborah Swift. Deborah has been a regular on the blog. I have previously reviewed her books, The Shadow Network and Shadow on the Highway. If you would like to read my reviews of those two books please just click on the title links. She has also featured as one of my guests with her choice of eight books that she would take to a desert island with her. If you would like to read this feature please click here.

Deborah's book, The Fortune Keeper, looks every bit as great as her others, and so I am delighted to bring you an excerpt of it today.

The Blurb

Count your nights by stars, not shadows ~ Italian Proverb

Winter in Renaissance Venice

Mia Caiozzi is determined to discover her destiny by studying the science of astronomy. But her stepmother Giulia forbids her to engage in this occupation, fearing it will lead her into danger. The ideas of Galileo are banned by the Inquisition, so Mia must study in secret.

Giulia's real name is Giulia Tofana, renowned for her poison Aqua Tofana, and she is in hiding from the Duke de Verdi's family who are intent on revenge for the death of their brother. Giulia insists Mia should live quietly out of public view. If not, it could threaten them all. But Mia doesn't understand this, and rebels against Giulia, determined to go her own way.

When the two secret lives collide, it has far-reaching and fatal consequences that will change Mia's life forever.

Set amongst opulent palazzos and shimmering canals, The Fortune Keeper is the third novel of adventure and romance based on the life and legend of Giulia Tofana, the famous poisoner.

ISBN: 978 1916891579

Publisher:  Quire Books

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  412 (paperback)

The Excerpt

From Chapter 1

Venice

November 1643

Mia unhooked the clasp and swung her cloak off, hanging it on the back of a chair. ‘Here, signor. The new Torah, properly bound at last,’ she placed the book before him like an offering.

‘Ah!’ Signor Bravaggio picked up the top volume and lifted it towards his nose. ‘There’s nothing I like more than the smell of new books. Especially Jewish books!’ He inhaled deeply then turned the book in his hand, weighed it, sniffed it again, then smoothed the surface of the embossing with his thumb. ‘Beautiful. Your father has done another exceptional job with the binding. I hate to see these go, but my client is getting impatient, and won’t wait.’

Bravaggio examined the other volumes and then unlocked the iron bound coffer that lived in the kneehole under the desk. She paced around the room examining it for anything new, but turned at the rattle of coins. 

He dropped a jute bag on the table before her. ‘Same as we agreed,’ he said. ‘Be careful carrying that amount around the streets.’ He withdrew a sheaf of unbound paper from the coffer and flapped it at her. ‘The Trickster of Seville by a monk, Tirso de Molina,’ he said.  ‘A play in Spanish, but the translation is with it. Tell Herr Weber it’s to be set in print and then bound in red calfskin like the others. And here; the new Haggadà, the rite written in everyday Italian.’ He handed her a slim wooden-bound volume. ‘Space for pictures too, if Herr Weber can find someone brave or foolish enough to carve them.’

‘Not a chance. But Fabio will love binding this Haggadà as much as the play. He reads them all, you know, before he makes the covers. He’s never been in a synagogue but he’s the best-educated Jew in the ghetto.’ 

Bravaggio laughed. ‘He knows a good idea when he sees one, your father.’

‘I worry he doesn’t go to Mass though; it might raise questions with the Inquisition.’

‘Don’t even speak of the name. Fabio’s always been his own man; he’ll be all right. It’s Weber’s good fortune he took him on, or Weber’d have no print business at all. But here, something else that will interest you.’ He smiled and passed over a hand-copied manuscript. She read the frontispiece and saw it was by Girolamo Cardano — an astrological commentary.

She looked up, to see Bravaggio’s amused eyes.

‘Is this what I think it is?’

He laughed; a dry, parched sound. ‘The one that dares to include a horoscope of Jesus the Galileean? Yes. Cardano lost his professorship over it.’

‘You’d trust me with this?’

‘As long as you’re careful. It’s not for binding, just for reading. And I want it back when I return. ’ He tapped his nose. ‘Like the others, it’s on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. If anyone catches you with it, the Inquisitors will want to know. But knowing your interest in the heavens, I know you’ll be careful.’

‘I wish you’d reconsider and take me as a student, teach me what you know, signor.’

‘I’ve told you, I’m too old for teaching now. And you know it’s not possible. Fabio says that your mother doesn’t hold with anything that even whiffs of a dispute with the church.’

Mia put everything into her calico shoulder bag, along with the money. ‘Yes, these days Giulia forbids nearly everything.’ She sighed. ‘It makes things hard. But there’s nowhere else I can go. Only the convent. She frowns every time I get out my charts. When shall I tell Fabio these others must be finished?’

‘For when I return. I’ll be gone a month, but you understand it’s not for my benefit, but for the benefit of my Armenian client, and those awaiting the new thoughts from Madrid. But to some, it’s heresy. So be careful.’

‘So what’s new? Everything you give me is heresy. You’d have no business without it.’

Bravaggio chuckled, and wagged his finger at her. ‘Why do you think I wear gloves? To keep the stink of it off my hands.’

She grinned at him. They understood each other. He knew she loved coming here, to his library, full of shelved books from floor to ceiling, and the drawers full of old parchments from antiquity and the fresh printings of new ideas, like new shoots coming up from the earth. Only to him could she explain her restless mind, and her obsession with the stars and the night sky.

About the Author:

Deborah Swift is a USA TODAY bestselling author who is passionate about the past. Deborah used to be a costume designer for the BBC, before becoming a writer. Now she lives in an old English school house in a village full of 17th Century houses, near the glorious Lake District. Deborah has an award-winning historical fiction blog at her website www.deborahswift.com.

Deborah loves to write about how extraordinary events in history have transformed the lives of ordinary people, and how the events of the past can live on in her books and still resonate today. 

The first in her series about the Renaissance poisoner Giulia Tofana, The Poison Keeper, was a winner of the Wishing Shelf Book of the Decade, and a Coffee Pot Book Club Gold Medal, and the latest in her WW2 Secret Agent series, Operation Tulip, is coming soon.

(excerpt and media courtesy of The Coffee Pot Book Club)

(all opinions are my own)

The Clarks Factory Girls at War by May Ellis - #bookreview

 

"I can't believe we've been at Clarks for two years already," said Louisa. "Do you remember our first day? We thought we were so grown up, didn't we?" She laughed. "We were so wet behind the ears. We've learned a lot since then."

***

Can love blossom in times of trouble?

Life-long friends Louisa, Jeannie and Kate are following in the footsteps of their families, working at the Clarks shoe factory.

But when Britain declares war on Germany, the Somerset village of Street is shaken to its core. The Clarks factory is at the heart of life in the village, but the Clark family are Quakers and pacifists. Before long, there are fierce debates amongst the workers and tensions between those who oppose the war and those who believe the village men should go to fight.

Each of the girls must decide her own position but as brothers and sweethearts leave for France, Louisa is relieved that her sweetheart Mattie, a Quaker, who won’t be signing up. But she’ll soon find that they face fierce opposition at home as well as across the Channel.

Will the girls’ friendship be enough to keep them together, as everything around them falls apart?

***

I have been wanting to read this book for a while, but other books kept getting in the way. Then I was offered the sequel, Courage for the Clarks Factory Girls, for a blog tour next month. It was the perfect nudge to bump this, the first in the Clarks Factory Girls series, up my reading list.

The book is set in Somerset during World War One, and features the lives of three seventeen year old young women; Kate, Jeannie and Louisa. The friendship between them is the main theme of the book and it was well presented. They have been friends since school and I loved the loyalty to one another that they shared.

There is much about the Quaker religion which was very interesting, particularly during a period of war. They were staunch pacifists and refused to go to war which could cause much difficulty within the community and were sometimes labelled as cowards for their beliefs.

The author depicted the period in which the book is set extremely well. The role of women at the time was well portrayed. For example, the lack of equal pay. Also, women were not permitted to vote until 1918, and even then not all women were eligible.  The acceptance of the way in which wives and children were sometimes badly treated by their husband/father was appalling. I would like to say this was confined to the period but even today women and children are still subjected to domestic abuse. However, the author deals with this sensitively and there is certainly nothing graphic in the book.

I have really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book and I can hardly wait to get started on the next book in the series Courage for the Clarks Factory Girls.  Please keep an eye out for my review on the 2nd of July.

ISBN: 978 1835330197

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  336 (paperback)

About the Author:

May Ellis has been a legal executive, registered childminder, professional fund – raiser and a teacher. She has travelled the world, including trekking in mountains, deserts and the Great Wall of China, as well as helping build a house in Thailand. She went to university in her forties and gained a first class degree and an MA while still working full – time. Her first book, a contemporary romance, was published in 2014. Since then she has had five more novels published, including another romance and a YA time travel adventure. The last three are gritty dramas set in the 1960s/70s published by Darkstroke Books. She live s in Somerset, within sight of Glastonbury Tor, volunteering at her local library and for the Alfred Gillett Trust (custodians of the Clark’s archives). Her current series, based on the factory workers at Clark’s Shoes was inspired by her move to the area and her love of social history.

(author media courtesy of Boldwood Books)

I Died on a Tuesday by Jane Corry - #spotlight #publicationday

 

Today I am excited to be shining the spotlight on Died on a Tuesday by author, Jane Corry.

 It is publishing in paperback tomorrow, and I couldn't be more excited to read this.

The Blurb

THERE’S THE STORY EVERYONE BELIEVES . . .

The victim: Eighteen-year-old Janie leaving home for a new life.

The criminal: World-famous rockstar, Robbie, who harbours a shocking secret.

The protector: Witness support officer, Vanessa, desperate to right the wrongs of her past.

They tried to bury that fateful day. Now it’s back to haunt them.

. . . AND THEN THERE’S THE TRUTH.

ISBN:  978 0241996126

Publisher:  Penguin

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  480 (paperback)

About the Author:

Sunday Times best-selling author; Washington Post best-seller; sold over 1.5 million copies world-wide in over 20 countries including the States; features writer for numerous magazines including Woman and Woman's Own; regular contributor to The Daily Telegraph; short story writer; columnist for My Weekly magazine; former creative writing tutor at Oxford University; former writer-in-residence at high security male prison; former Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Exeter University, past winner of the Elizabeth Goudge trophy for short stories and the Vera Brittain cup for short stories.

(media courtesy of the author's website https://www.janecorryauthor.com/)

Northern Boy by Iqbal Hussain - #bookreview #blogtour

 

Despite the years, her handwriting remains unchanged: big loops, rounded forms and circles for dots. I smile, then tut. She's put Sydney on the envelope rather than Melbourne. Judging by the date on the postmark, it's been round the whole of Australia to get here.

***

It's 1981 in the suburbs of Blackburn and, as Rafi’s mother reminds him daily, the family moved here from Pakistan to give him the best opportunities. But Rafi longs to follow his own path. Flamboyant,

dramatic and musically gifted, he wants to be a Bollywood star.

Twenty years later, Rafi is flying home from Australia for his best friend’s wedding. He has everything he ever wanted: starring roles in musical theatre, the perfect boyfriend and freedom from expectation. But returning to Blackburn is the ultimate test: can he show his true self to his community?

Navigating family and identity from boyhood to adulthood, as well as the changing eras of ABBA, skinheads and urbanisation, Rafi must follow his heart to achieve his dreams.

***

This was a wonderful book to read. Anyone who has grown up feeling that they were different will love this book. Even if that was not you, this is a great book to read. It is a heart rending story, filled with love and humour.

We follow the main character, Rafi, from his childhhood in the north of England, through to adulthood in Australia. Rafi is a fully realised character and I thorougly enjoyed getting to know him in this book. As a child he is theatrical and flamboyant. He is bullied at school and by his older brother at home, but when he is with his best friend Shazia, he is a child able to dazzle.

Rafi's mum, has a huge role in the book too. She is a colourful character, who wears flowers in her hair, sings, dances and cossetts Rafi. Whilst Rafi has his heart set on Bollywood, she wants him to have a respectable career as doctor, lawyer or account; the standard aspirations for sons in her Pakistani Muslim community. Her concerns with how others will perceive Rafi is to the forefront of her mind.

To the reader, it is abuldantly clear from the outset that Rafi is homosexual. How he will handle this within a community that is unaccepting is the main theme running through the book. The author accomplishes this superbly. His writing is full of compassion but imbued with humour. There were several occasions on which I would have liked to reach into the book and give Rafi a hug.  I was fully invested in his story and I do not think I will forget him in a hurry. 

This is an outstandingly compelling book which is well deserving of a five star rating. Reading it made for an immersive and gripping experience. This is Mr. Hussain's debut book and I think he is one to watch. I would defintely want to read another novel by this author if he were to write one. It is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1800183148

Publisher:  Unbound

Formats:  e-book, audio and paperback

No. of Pages:  359 (paperback)

About the Author:

Iqbal Hussain is a writer from Blackburn, Lancashire and he lives in London. His work appears in various anthologies and on websites including The Willowherb Review, The Hopper and caughtbytheriver.

He is a recipient of the inaugural London Writers’ Awards 2018 and he won Gold in the Creative Future Writers’ Awards 2019. In 2022, he won first prize in Writing Magazine’s Grand Flash competition and was joint runner-up in the Evening Standard Short Story Competition. In 2023, his story ‘I’ll Never Be Young Again’ won first prize in the Fowey Festival of Arts and Literature short story competition. He was also Highly Commended in the Emerging Writer Award from The Bridge Award. Northern Boy is his first novel.

(book and media courtesy of Random Things Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

10 Exciting New Releases in July 2024

 

There are so many fantastic looking books being published in July. It has been difficult to choose only ten but here they are; my favourite ten.

Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood

BEHIND THIS GLASS, EVERYTHING IS MORE BEAUTIFUL

On the Santa Cruz waterfront, every house is as perfect as the people inside. Not so for Mitty and Bethel, the oddball pair in the dilapidated bungalow – they are the last vestiges of a town now housing the tech elite. But Mitty is about to cross the threshold. Someone has arrived next door who finally wants to know this forgotten girl.

Lena is different and she knows it. Reliant on her entrepreneur boyfriend Sebastian, her life is oddly limited for someone bathed in wealth. But when she sees Mitty, Lena begins to recognize a part of herself she has yet to face, something anxious, something broken – something real.

And in this salt-blasted town, friendship will bleed into obsession, minds and bodies will betray, and the past will come back with a howl and a bite.

Thrilling, seductive and prescient, WHOEVER YOU ARE HONEY is a blazing debut that dissects perfection, examines how women are made and explores the intersection of passion, technology, and power.

The Seal on the Beach by Mara Bergman & Brita Grandstrom

Little Maggie is on holiday with her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile her mum waits for Maggie’s baby brother to come home from hospital. On a walk across the wild Norfolk shoreline, Maggie finds a seal pup stranded on the beach, all alone. She is the sweetest thing Maggie has ever seen. But without her mum, how will the seal survive? Who will rescue her and will she ever be returned to the sea, and find her family again? Expressed through her vivid dreams and thoughtful actions, Maggie longs for the rescue and survival of this dear little seal pup. And, all the while, she hopes with all her heart to be reunited with her own mum and baby brother again.

A Love Letter to Paris by Rebecca Raisin

Late at night when I wander the streets of Paris, my thoughts turn to her… How do I tell her how I feel? Perhaps, I need to show her…

The pretty little streets of Montmartre are abuzz with a rumour. Apparently a mystery matchmaker, known only as ‘Paris Cupid’, has somehow helped the city’s most famous bachelor find love.

But old-fashioned romantic Lilou is staying very quiet. She’d just wanted to set up her best friend, and to get on with her life selling whimsical old love letters, in Paris’s famous St. Ouen market.

She hadn’t imagined her little Paris Cupid project could ever have attracted so many people looking for true, heartfelt romance. Though the truth is that Lilou adores helping people find the right person. Even if her own love life is nothing short of disastrous.

But then a message arrives. And it’s just for her. Someone is in love with her. Someone who knows her secret. But they’re keeping their own identity secret too… Could it be from cheerful, talkative, flame-haired Felix? Or quiet, beautifully handsome Benoit? Or even Pascale – who drives Lilou mad every day?

After so long of helping others find their soulmate, is it time for Lilou to find love of her own in Paris herself?

Text Book Romance by Kristen Bailey

When maths teacher Zoe Swift meets the irresistibly funny and charming Jack Damon at her friends’ wedding, sparks fly faster than you can say "the square root of sixty-nine."

And when Jack turns up at her school, newly recruited as a supply teacher, she can’t ignore the intense effect he has on her when their paths cross in the corridors. But Zoe is still reeling from her husband's recent jaw-dropping betrayal and adjusting to life as a single mum to two teenage kids. She's not sure if she's ready to open her heart to a fling with a younger man.

As Zoe and Jack's connection grows deeper, their undeniable chemistry and Jack's steadfast support help Zoe rediscover the good things in life: her love of a good dance, the soothing power of takeout, the secret thrill of receiving a well-timed chicken emoji and the wonder of multiple orgasms…

But with complicated family dynamics and co-parenting with her ex to manage, a sizeable age gap, and Jack's uncertainties about his future to factor in, she’s about to find out that love isn’t always a simple equation.

Can Zoe accept this gift from the universe and take a chance on a far-from-textbook romance?

A Girl's Guide to Winning the War by Annie Lyons

Can two young women and one book change the course of war . . .?

1940. Whip-smart librarian Peggy Sparks is determined to make sure that her brother Joe returns from the frontline to their London home, which they share with their beloved mother and grandmother. So when she is offered a once-in-a-lifetime job at the heart of the war effort, Peggy jumps at the prospect of making a real contribution to her country.

But when she finds herself working under the fanciful socialite Lady Marigold Cecily, Peggy discovers that those around her are more keen on dancing at the Café de Paris than on ending the war. Writing accounts of her daily life is the only thing keeping Peggy's hopes alive. But when she finds her inner-most thoughts accidentally published by the Ministry of Information, Peggy realises she needs Marigold's help to save her job, and to bring her brother home . . .

Rabbit on the Rampage by Lorna Watson and Rikin Parekh

Rabbit has a special curly carrot which she loves very much. So, when her beloved carrot goes missing … well, Rabbit is VERY upset and soon finds herself on a rampage, bursting into rooms and accusing her innocent friends – Mouse, Hedgehog and Badger – of vegetable THEFT.

Will Rabbit's friends forgive her rampage? And have YOU seen curly carrot?

Under a Lightning Sky by Pam Lecky

London is under attack. But within the rubble, a greater danger lurks…

The Luftwaffe has been bombing London continuously since September 1940.

During a bombing raid, Madeline Fairfax is caught in her kitchen whilst cooking for her husband and children. She becomes trapped in the rear of her home, but regains consciousness just in time to see a familiar face, offering hope of rescue. But instead, Madeline is tragically strangled to death.

As a dangerous murderer uses the Blitz to cover their crime, local detective Jamie Barton enlists the help of Madeline’s sister and volunteer firefighter, Penny Fairfax to help. Now, caught in a web of uncertainty and mistrust, a grieving Penny must find the truth and do whatever it takes to protect those she loves most.

Together, will they unravel this case before it's too late…?

Tudor Executions by Helene Harrison

The Tudors as a dynasty executed many people, both high and low. But the nobility were the ones consistently involved in treason, either deliberately or unconsciously. Exploring the long sixteenth century under each of the Tudor monarchs gives a sense of how and why so many were executed for what was considered the worst possible crime and how the definition of treason changed over the period. This book examines how and why Tudor nobles like Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham; Queen Consort Anne Boleyn; Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey; and Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, fell into the trap of treason and ended up on the block under the executioner’s axe. Treason and the Tudor nobility seem to go hand in hand as, by the end of the sixteenth century and the advent of the Stuart dynasty, no dukes remained in England. How did this happen and why?

Honeycomb by S.B. Caves

Amanda Pearson was once the hottest rising star in the music world. Not anymore. Washed up, broke and directionless following a public breakdown, she is certain she will never be adored again. But she is very wrong.

Her old manager calls her out of the blue with an opportunity: a week’s stay at an isolated mansion with five strangers, all under constant observation. Every day they must take a pill. Five people will be taking a placebo, but one person will take an experimental drug that they are assured has no adverse side effects. So, what’s the catch? Amanda isn’t sure, but the pay is too tempting to turn down.

However, it soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary experiment. Each day Amanda discovers more about her fellow housemates, that the old mansion holds horrifying secrets, and that there is no way out…

Between Friends and Lovers by Sharon Obuobi

Talia Hibbert meets Carley Fortune in this swoon-worthy story of love and friendship in the age of social media - where what you see might not be all you get.

Dr Jojo has it all figured out. Or so it seems to her Instagram followers, who love her no-nonsense advice about men, self-love, dating and sex.

But behind the camera, it's a different story - she's in love with her best friend, Ezra, and he doesn't feel the same way.

Committed to moving on, Jo soon finds the perfect distraction - sweet, shy and sexy writer Malcolm. As the pair begin to date, sparks fly, and Jo's hard exterior begins to soften.

But when she discovers her feelings for Ezra aren't as unrequited as she thought, Jo finds herself with a tough decision to make. Will she seize the opportunity for romance with her best friend, or is new love the path to her happily ever after?

(header photo courtesy of Pexels)

Saving Rebecca by Alex Amit - #spotlight

 

Today, I am delighted to be shining the spotlight on Saving Rebecca by Alex Amit.  

Saving Rebecca is publishing today in e-book and is already available as a paperback.

I think this book looks great, and I really hope to carve out some time to read it very soon.

The Blurb

In the shadow of the Nazi regime, one woman fights to shield her daughter from the talons of evil.

Paris, 1941. Sarah, a Jewish woman, finds herself trapped in the city with her five-year-old daughter, Rebecca, as World War II rages on. Desperate to escape the tightening grip of Nazi oppression, they attempt to flee to neutral Spain. However, their hopes are shattered as they are captured by the French police and sent to the Drancy internment camp, located north of Paris, where French Jews are being ruthlessly rounded up by the Nazi authorities.

Within the confines of the camp, surrounded by a bleak reality, Sarah strives to preserve Rebecca’s innocence through enchanting tales of a bear and the good hunters who watch over it. Yet, even as she weaves these tales of hope, Sarah must also teach her daughter the harsh lessons of survival and how to defend herself against those who seek to harm them.

As time slips away, it becomes increasingly clear that the Germans are determined to send all the Jews in the camp to a single, horrifying destination – a notorious camp in the East, only whispered about in fearful tones.

With the fate of the trains looming ever closer, Sarah faces an impossible choice. Will she find a way to keep Rebecca safe from the iron grasp of the Nazis, or will their fates be sealed by the cruelty of war?

This powerful women’s fictional novel tells the story of a mother’s unwavering love, a testament to the unbreakable bond between parent and child in the face of unimaginable adversity. This book will grip your heart and linger in your mind long after the final page is turned.

Currently available on Kindle Unlimited

About the Author:

Alex Amit is a historical fiction writer and author of the novels “The Girl Under the Flag,” “The Wounded Nurse,” “Until I Hold You Again,” and “A Woman’s Flame.”

After dedicating more than a decade to learning the history of WW2 and armed with a BSc in Psychology, Alex’s writing focuses on women’s bravery during those dark days.

When Alex was a child, he would lie in his bed at night, reading history books, imagining himself traveling in a time machine to all those historical moments. Many years have passed, and finally, he built his time machine, using his words and imagination.

(media courtesy of the author's website)

(all opinions are my own)