The midyear month is fast approaching and with it a whole host of brand new book releases.
Here are just ten that have caught my eye, all of which I would love to read.
The Union Street Bakery by Mary Ellen Taylor
Daisy McCrae’s life got off to a rocky start. Abandoned by a mother she never really knew, she was adopted into a family she’s never truly felt a part of. Thirty years later, her life is just as rocky. Between losing her job and her boyfriend, she’s lost all sense of self.
Now Daisy is back where it all began: the Union Street Bakery. She’s resigned to living in the bakery’s attic, learning the family business, and saving it if she can. But patching up the holes in her relationship with her sisters is another story.
So, too, is the century-old journal she inherits. Written by an enslaved girl named Susie, the weathered pages offer Daisy a glimpse into a past that has everything to do with her present.
As Daisy learns more about Susie, the town, and her family, she starts to see who she’s been and who she wants to be―and realizes that maybe, no matter how much you’ve lost, there’s always something more to find.
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The Heirloom by Julie Brooks
A surprise inheritance. A hidden past.
Brisbane, 2024 Barista and budding artist Mia Curtis is shocked to receive a package all the way from England informing her she's the heir to her late grandmother's cottage. Feeling lost in her own life, Mia travels across the world to claim her inheritance, where she begins to unravel the secrets passed down through the generations of women in her family.
Sussex, 1821 Philadelphia Boadle wakes to find her husband, the tailor Jasper Boadle, dead. As the daughter of the local cunning woman, Philadelphia is soon accused of murder by witchcraft. Her future and that of her own daughter is at stake, unless she can convince the village she's done no wrong.
Preorder Link
All Change at Harbour House by Fenella J. Miller
Wivenhoe May 1940
A moment that changes everything...
The war continues to rage, but for now, Harbour House continues to keep the Roby family safe from harm. Not so for new lodger Richard Stoneleigh. As one of the few men who can captain a ship, Richard is called to help with the dangerous evacuation of troops from Dunkirk – it’s a perilous voyage that almost costs Richard his life…
Housemaid, Annie Thomas, initially disliked Richard and his hoity toity ways, but after his heroic return she sees a changed man. Richard seems to know the value of life and is eager to grab every day and make it count. And Annie, recently widowed and feeling slightly adrift in life, finds him compelling.
As their friendship develops, so too do their feelings for one another. But Annie knows that she can never truly be with a man like Richard – he is far above her own lowly class.
But war changes everything and with the fear of imminent invasion hanging over everyone, Anne and Richard decide that perhaps it’s time that they change too…and take a chance together?
Will they overcome the social divides between them and find love in the darkest of times?
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The Woman Who Laughed by Simon Mason
In the first months of 2020 there was a spate of murders of Black sex workers in northern cities. One of them was Ella Bailey, last seen talking to a punter in an alley in Sheffield city centre, and although no trace of her was ever found, the punter, Michael Godley, soon confessed to all three murders.
Five years later, as another sex worker is murdered in the same district, the bag Ella had been carrying with her reappears, hanging on the door handles of a café, and a local vagrant claims to have seen Ella sitting on a bench in a churchyard near the site of the murder. South Yorkshire Police call in the Finder.
So begins a search that takes him back to the strange days of the pandemic, to talk to those who knew Ella best, such as her wayward girlfriend 'Loz', abusive boyfriend Caine Poynton-Smith and respectable foster-parents still struggling to come to terms with Ella's life. How did their intelligent, strong-willed daughter - bright student and national schoolgirl athletics champion - end up in that alley?
As fear grips the city, our Finder must court danger to discover the truth.
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Troubled Times at Harpers by Rosie Clarke
Trouble’s brewing and times are changing. If you play with fire you may just get burnt!
London 1929
Torn between the love of his family life in London and a deathbed promise to an American relative, Ben Harper makes a fatal decision that may change the course of many lives.
Honour-bound, Ben remains in New York to investigate who is responsible for the suspected fraud and corruption and the department store's failings. His findings point towards organised crime and shadowy gangsters who will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Meanwhile Sally Harper and their children return home to safety and to oversee the smooth running of their thriving Harpers Emporium. With the help of Beth Burrows, Kitty Wilson, and Ruby Rush, Sally plans for an ever-changing future with the cards she’s been dealt.
Will Ben heed the deadly warnings before it’s too late or will his honourable promise bring despair to those he loves?
A tale of hope, dreams and survival set against an ever-changing era.
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The Forever Cottage by Jill Steeples
The start of Jill Steeples's uplifting Lower Leaping series, set in the beautiful English Cotswold Countryside
It's never too late to change your story...
Tess Alexander lives an enviable life with her husband Charles, at Hollyhocks Cottage in the idyllic Cotswold village of Lower Leaping. Dreaming of their early retirement, Tess’s plans are dashed when Charles shares some devastating news and suddenly she’s left alone with only Barney, her adorable Beagle dog, for company.
Facing an uncertain future, Tess tries to reconnect with her old self. She begins to transform the neglected garden office into a beautiful retreat, the perfect spot for her to indulge in her long-forgotten creative passions.
However, a chance encounter with charming but down on his luck, Rob Templeton, soon puts pay to her plans, when she offers him the place to stay instead, sensing a kindred spirit.
With the support of old friends, Gina and Suzy, Tess must now step out of her comfort zone and embrace a different way of life, one that is filled with secrets, possibilities and second chances, if only Tess is prepared to take them.
With so many demands on her attention, will Tess find a way to follow her heart and discover her own happy ending?
A wonderfully warm story of hope, friendship and second chances.
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A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant
Death has come to her doorstep . . .
Retired nurse, avid gardener, renowned cake maker and fearless sleuth Miss Hortense has lived in Bigglesweigh, a quiet Birmingham suburb, since she emigrated from Jamaica in 1960. She takes great pride in her home, starching her lace curtains bright white, and she can tell if she's been short-changed on turmeric before she's even taken her first bite of a beef patty. Thirty-five years of nursing have also left her afraid of nobody - be they a local drug dealer or a priest - and an expert in deciphering other people's secrets with just a glance.
Miss Hortense uses her skills to investigate the investments of the Pardner network - a special community of Black investors, determined to help their people succeed. But when an unidentified man is found dead in one of the Pardner's homes, a Bible quote noted down beside his body, Miss Hortense's long-buried past comes rushing back to greet her, bringing memories of the worst moment of her life, one which her community has never let her forget.
It is time for Miss Hortense to solve a mystery that will see her, and the community she loves, tested to their limits.
Preorder Link
Named by Camilla Balshaw
What’s in a name? Everything we carry, and everything we are.
Our names are a shadow we carry around with us. They are part of who we are. Our names are a marker of our self-identity and our sense of self. Our names have the power to shock. They have the power to heal, and they have the power to trigger conversations around race, class, social mobility and belonging. But what is a name? What do our names tell us about ourselves? And why do they matter?
Named is a fascinating exploration of names, global naming conventions and identity politics woven into a moving, personal narrative about the finding of family and self. At the intersection of memoir and social and cultural history it is a truly fascinating book about the seemingly ordinary and every day.
The author's own narrative about her estrangement from her Nigerian father, the grapples with her Jamaican mother and her journey towards identity is woven through the chapters making it an engaging and intimate investigation of what makes us who we are.
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The Island of Hopes and Dreams by Kate Frost
The All-NEW escapist read from bestselling author Kate Frost as she transports us to the beautiful island paradise of Sardinia.
When the beginning of the end is just the start…
Newly single Lola Wild has had her fill of well-intentioned matchmaking friends. Her best friend Mirabel’s hen weekend highlights all that’s wrong with Lola’s life and she knows something has to change.
With Mirabel’s luxurious wedding in Sardinia fast approaching, Lola is looking forward to switching off, spending time with her friends and keeping her non-existent love life off everyone’s agenda.
Meanwhile, fellow wedding guest Rhys Strickland has his own problems. So when a chance encounter brings Rhys and Lola together they decide to help each other out.
To the idyllic backdrop of white sand beaches and azure bays, they bond over shared heartache, and friendship blossoms as they attempt to navigate the hurt and hard truths of past relationships.
Opening up their hearts and embracing change might be the last thing they expected, but what if a holiday of make-believe can turn into something real?
A heart-warming and uplifting story of vulnerability, self-renewal and finding love when you least expect to.
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Power Couples of the Tudor Era by Jo Romero
Step into the dazzling yet perilous world of Tudor England, where power was often a shared endeavour, and the most influential players were not always those who stood alone. In Power Couples of the Tudor Age, Jo Romero uncovers the remarkable stories of the dynamic duos whose partnerships shaped the course of English history. From the legendary marriage of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon, which set the stage for England's religious transformation, to the political machinations of Elizabeth I and Robert Dudley, these couples navigated the treacherous waters of court intrigue, international diplomacy, and personal ambition. Some stood together against the rising tides of reform, while others united to end wars and forge new dynasties. These couples wielded their influence in ways that changed not only their own lives but the future of the realm. Their stories reveal the intricate dance of love, power, and survival. Power Couples of the Tudor Age brings to light the incredible contributions of these figures, offering a fresh perspective on the partnerships that forged a nation.
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(all opinions are my own)
(bookshop.org affiliated)
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