Blog Tour: Daughters of Genoa by Kat Devereaux

 

Anna relies on the kindness of a select number of people like the banker to help her survive. Other than that, she remains hidden in her apartment with the days running into each other. That's what you have to do when you are a Jewish woman who has lost her husband and whose immediate family has already escaped to America. It's a big change from her previous life where she was a trusted worker in the office of a prominent shipbuilder in Genoa. 

Little did she know but it turns out that things could get worse, when her home is destroyed and she lost what little she had. Left dazed, while she was being comforted, she meets a Jesuit priest. Anna doesn't trust anyone, and certainly does not trust priests but when you have no other options then you have to take a chance.

This is how Anna finds herself hiding in the home of Bernardino and Silvia who are key members of a group that helps Jews escape from Genoa, which is in Northern Italy. Other key members include Father Vittorio, the priest that saved her, and mysterious Mister X. They all face danger as they provide new documents for the Jews who are fleeing the Germans.

Anna, who is using a different identity, uses some of her skills to become useful in helping create the identity cards, often accompanied by the cat. Soon she is spending extended time with both Father Vittorio and Mister X and their friendships and they begin to create a bond. There is, however,  danger in getting close to people when everyone is hiding their true identity and danger lurks around every corner. One unwise word could put the whole organisation at risk, along with the lives of everyone involved

This book really highlights the role of the Catholic church and in particular a group known as DELASEM or the Delegation for the Assistance of Jewish Emigrants, and some of the characters in the book were influential in real life. Several of them were honoured for their work

I really liked that there were several ways that the author connected the story to what was actually happening in Genoa at the time. Before the book even started there was some Essential Information painting the picture of the racial laws that had been enacted before the story in the book started. At the end there was a section called What Happened Next and then What Happened Afterwards. There was also notes on names and sources. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. Thanks to the publisher, Rachel's Random Resources and Netgalley for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the Book

Daughter of Genoa

In Nazi-occupied Italy, keeping secrets could be deadly…

Genoa, 1944:

Widowed and alone, Anna Pastorino has been surviving on her wits since the Germans invaded. The daughter of a prominent Jewish antifascist, Anna lives a hidden life in her small flat near the harbour ... until an RAF bomb destroys her only shelter. When a Jesuit priest approaches her offering help, she has no choice but to accept. She follows her new friend, Father Vittorio, to a safe house above a printers’ shop in a quiet street near via Assarotti.

But the Tipografia Guichard is more than just a refuge. It’s a forgery workshop: a key part of the secret rescue operation headed by Massimo Teglio, the “Scarlet Pimpernel” of Genoa’s persecuted Jewish population. Drawn into a world of clandestine resistance, Anna discovers a new sense of purpose, a circle of friends, and a passion that brings her alive.

Soon, the little flat above the shop holds more secrets than anyone could imagine. As Anna grows closer to both Teglio and Vittorio, she must confront a past trauma of her own: a secret that might endanger her and everyone she loves.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/fYISSnd

About the Author

Kat Devereaux was born near Edinburgh, and lived in the United States, Russia, France, Chile, Germany, and the Czech Republic before finally settling in Italy. She is a writer and translator with a special focus on Italian literature.

https://www.katdevereaux.com/

Social Media Links –

Publisher social media handles:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriaFiction

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AriaFiction

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headofzeus/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headofzeus

Blog Tour: The Lost Garden by Angela Petch

Ernestina has lived a comfortable if sheltered life as the only daughter of an Italian count. Tina's parent's story was like a fairytale. She was a poor girl who caught the rich count's eye and they married quickly. After some disappointments finally Tina was born but the cost was high as her mother died in childbirth. 

Tina's father has always been very strict and distant with his daughter although he himself is something of a philanderer. Thank goodness for Allegra who was her mother's best friend and has practically raised Tina, showing her love and teaching her many skills. The one thing that Allegra won't do is talk about Tina's mother.

One day Tina finds a hidden path which leads to an overgrown garden. Tina can't believe that she has never known about the garden and soon she is inspired to try and coax the garden back to life. It turns out that the garden was her mother's passion and refuge from an unhappy marriage. Allegra warns Tina not to ever mention the garden to her father and warns her to stay away but Tina can't help herself. Soon she is weeding, pruning and reinstating many of the beautiful features

Whilst Tina has lived a very sheltered life, it is not possible for her to remain sequestered away forever. It is, after all, 1930's Italy and Mussolini's particular brand of fascism is forcing the poor to become poorer, and other people, like Tina's father, to grow wealthier. And even worse, war is coming.

One day Tina meets a group of young people who are around her age, her first friends. Among  them are Olivio, Luisa and Sergio. With the arrival of war the friends need to make choices about which side they are going to be on, and whether they can trust each other. After all, Tina's father is an influential fascist. Can Tina prove useful in the resistance movement? Can their friendships survive betrayal and tragedy? And how will they and their town all be changed by the events during the war? 

I have read several of Angela Petch's books now, and her love of Italy has shone through each of the books. This was an interesting read and featured a technique I haven't seen in the author's previous books. Whilst Tina's mother died in childbirth, she still managed to be a presence in the book and to influence the events. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

Buy Link: https://geni.us/B0FHBH86K4social

About the Book:

It hides a family secret that could change the course of the war.

Italy, 1930s. Tina lives in the crumbling castle of Montesecco with only her strict father and their maid, Allegra, for company. She’s never been allowed to ask questions about her mother, who died in childbirth. But the day Tina discovers a hidden, crumbling door, everything changes.


Inside is an overgrown garden. Ivy and roses adorn the stone walls. Fresh water springs from a fountain and the scent of wild herbs fills the air. How did she never know this beautiful place existed? Excitedly begging Allegra for answers, the elderly woman’s face turns pale. ‘You must never mention this to your father. It’s not safe. You’ve found your mamma’s garden.’

The Count believes Tina’s mother died because of the garden: but Allegra refuses to say more. Certain she can feel her mother watching over her, Tina secretly tends to the garden herself. And when war breaks out, Tina’s encounters with local resistance fighters mean the garden becomes a place of refuge, a place of hope – and a place of great danger when Tina must prove where her loyalties lie once and for all…

Will Tina ever discover the truth about her mother? Or was the garden, with all its secrets, never meant to be disturbed?

An absolutely breathtaking and stunning historical novel about the incredible risks people took in wartime, family secrets, loss and love. Perfect for fans of Fiona Valpy and Santa Montefiore.

 About the author

Angela Petch is an award winning writer of fiction – and the occasional poem.
Every summer she moves to Tuscany for six months where her and her husband own a renovated watermill which they let out. When not exploring their unspoilt corner of the Apennines, Angela disappears to her writing desk at the top of her converted stable.


In her Italian handbag or hiking rucksack she always makes sure to store a notebook and pen to jot down ideas.


The winter months are spent in Sussex where most of her family live. When she's not helping out with grandchildren, she catches up with writer friends.


Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaJaneClarePetch/
Website: https://angelapetchsblogsite.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angela_maurice/
Bookouture email signup: https://www.bookouture.com/angela-petch

Blog Tour: Winter Nights at the Bay Bookshop by Jessica Redland

Lily loves her job running the family bookstore Bay Books. She loves the moments during her day when she gets to talk about books with customers or when she sees a young child engrossed in a book in the children's area of the store. She loves the team who work with her, including one of her best friends, she loves planning window displays, especially in the run up to Christmas.

Whilst her professional life is satisfying, her personal life is arguably not so successful. She had had two big romances in her life and they both ended with her being left behind. Now, she lives in the annexe at her parents house and she is happy there, but she does know that something is missing.

When her dad, well actually her stepfather but he has been there for her since he came into her life which is more than you can say about her biological father needs a double knee operation and it is going to be happening in the run up to Christmas, which is the busiest time of the year, she knows she is going to need some help. She needs to recruit someone who loves books, has initiative and great customer service.

Enter Lars Jóhannsson. Lars has recently sold his successful business and his grandmother has moved into a seniors community, so he knows that he needs to find something to do with his time. When his friend sees the ad for the role at the bookshop, he applies but he isn't really convinced that he has a shot at getting the role. After all, he has never been someone else's employee. Oh, and there's the small matter of him treating Lily quite badly at school. He knows that he was unfair back then, but he also knows that Lily would have no idea why he didn't want to be her friend, which was actually nothing to do with her. Rather it was all to do with the hurt he felt after his beloved sister passed away and his parents separated, leaving Lars to be raised by his grandmother.

Lily remembers the hurt she felt at being rejected by Lars all those years ago, but if they can get past that could there be more between them. 

I really love a book about books and this definitely a celebration of all things books. It was full of references to many books some of which were made up but many of them were real. Anne of Green Gables, which is Lily's favourite book featured throughout the book. I loved the sound of the bookstore with it's various different levels, especially the kids section which sounded magical. 

The book is also a celebration of all things Christmas as well, with a special focus on the Christmas traditions of Iceland, due to Lars being half Icelandic and half British. I loved the sound of the 13 Yule Lads of Christmas and, of course, which of us would not love the idea of all sitting around on Christmas Eve reading the books we have just been gifted as part of the Christmas Book Flood.

As soon as I saw this book I knew that I was going to request it, because as far as I could tell it was a standalone novel. I had previously read another book from this author but I was very conscious of not wanting to start midway through any of her series. However, it become very obvious that this wasn't the first book that featured some of the same characters. It turns out that several of the shopkeepers are Lily's friends and that they have found their loves in earlier books. It didn't stop me enjoying this book, although it did distract me a little as I was reading because I was thinking about which book their stories were in. I don't like reading series out of order!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Bookish Books Challenge hosted at Bloggin Bout Books. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Love Book Toursfor the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the book

It's the most wonderful time of the year at Bay Books, and a new love story is being written in the stars ✨ Nestled amongst the comforting shelves of her beloved Bay Books, Lily Appleton finds the peace and quiet she needs. But with Christmas just around the corner, Lily has to find an extra pair of hands to help her share the bookish magic.

After selling his business, Lars Jóhannsson is feeling lost. A job at Bay Books would give him the space he needs to contemplate his next move, but returning would mean confronting a painful past he's been avoiding. He’s also fairly sure he’s the one person Lily would never want to see again.

Lily is torn. Lars could be the perfect fit for Bay Books, but he once rejected her friendship and the hurt still lingers. But working together, Lily discovers a vulnerability that Lars has kept hidden away, along with a few surprising secrets. And as the Christmas season sprinkles its magic, Lily discovers the warmth of renewed friendship and the joy of heartwarming traditions from Lars’s Icelandic roots.

Surrounded by the quiet magic of the season and the soft glow of festive lights, perhaps there’s even the possibility of finding a love as enchanting as the Northern Lights on a winter's night.

About the author

 About the Author  –

Jessica Redland writes emotional but uplifting stories of love, friendship, family and community. Her Whitsborough Bay books transport readers to the stunning North Yorkshire Coast where she lives with her husband, daughter and sprocker spaniel. Her Hedgehog Hollow series, set in a hedgehog rescue centre, takes readers into the beautiful rolling countryside of the Yorkshire Wolds.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaRedlandAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaRedland

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaredlandauthor/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JessicaRedlandNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jessica-redland

Blog Tour: Meet Me Under the Northern Lights by Mandy Baggot

 

Chloe Bellamy is an events organiser. She loves her job, and she loves her boss Michelle, who has become a close friend. When her boss sends her on a very last minute pre Christmas trip to scope out Iceland for a potential future big event Chloe was hopeful that this might be the time that her boss offers her a partnership.  She's worked hard and she deserves this chance.

The trip was so last minute there wasn't even time to book a hotel. Never mind. Chloe thinks that she will be able to book something when she gets there. What they haven't taken into consideration is that winter is prime tourism season. Oh, and it doesn't help that Chloe has lied on her CV and can't actually speak a word of Icelandic.

When Chloe literally bangs into a tall handsome man at the airport and her overpacked suitcase ends up bursting open, it's not a great start, but it turns it is a stroke of good luck. Tour guide Gunnar is one of the good guys and he also happens to be the driver of Chloe's bus from the airport. Luckily for Chloe he is able to sort out some accomodation and can give her some ideas of where the best places are to visit.

Chloe has had a rough few months. Her relationship disintegrated once it became clear that her fertility issues were not going to go away. She has her job and her best friend Kat and that will have to be enough for now.

If you were describe the perfect man, Gunnar would be right up there. Not only is he good looking (of course), he is the kind of man who would think nothing of risking his life to save a child. In fact, he is raising a young orphan named Magnus. He is ably supported by an octogenarian family friend named Hildur and together they form a lovely found family, and this was one o f. 

When Chloe and Gunnar continue to bump into each other, their attraction grows, although there are several times when assumptions and miscommunications get in the way. But love has a way of finding a way, but only if the two people involved can get out of their own way.

I have read quite a few of Mandy Baggot's books which were all set in Greece, with one exception which was set in the mountains in France. This time we are in Iceland, and I loved how the country was shared throughout this book. You could almost make a map of all the places to visit and create your itinerary. And the same goes for the food, and the traditions and mythology. I love the sound of the night cruise from Reykjavik to see the Northern Lights. Definitely adding that to my list of things to do if I ever make it to Reykjavik in winter. 

Iceland is a place that is definitely on my list of places to visit. It was before I read this book, but it is even more. Coincidentally I have a couple of friends visiting Iceland at the moment and so between the book and their photos, you could say that Iceland is calling my name! One day!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the book

Meet Me Under the Northern Lights

Can one kiss melt a cold, broken heart?

When career-focused Chloe Bellamy is sent to Iceland on a last-minute work trip, it’s her big chance to prove she deserves a seat at the top.

But there’s one problem, she may have embellished her CV a little… saying she speaks Icelandic when she doesn’t! And now, to add to her woes, she’s landed with no place to stay.

Gunnar Eriksson has a habit of saving people. First, when he rescued a young boy from a volcano and offered him a forever home. Then opening his door and welcoming in a spirited yet accident-prone Octogenarian. Now Gunnar has somehow tied himself to Chloe who needs all the help she can get but, for some reason, is reluctant to accept it.

Neither of them are looking for love, but under Iceland’s spell, and with a little extra help from those around them, something begins to shift. Could one kiss beneath the Northern Lights change everything?

This Christmas, escape to Iceland for festive feels, unexpected friendships and maybe even a chance at love.

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/UndertheNorthernLights

About the author

Mandy Baggot is a bestselling romance writer who loves giving readers that happy-ever-after. From sunshine romantic comedies set in Greece, to cosy curl-up winter reads, she's bringing gorgeous heroes and strong heroines readers can relate to. Mandy splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire and Corfu, Greece and has a passion for books, food, racehorses and all things Greek!

Social Media Links 

Facebook: @MandyBaggotAuthor

Twitter: @MandyBaggot

Instagram: @MandyBaggot

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/MandyBaggotNews

Bookbub profile: @MandyBaggot

Blog Tour: So This is Christmas by Helen Rolfe

 

Bea and Greta have been close friends for years. Over the years they have written each other many, many letters, of which the annual Christmas letter is a highlight for each of them. Greta now lives back in their original home city of Vienna, after spending many years in the UK working in the hotel business. Widowed Bea lives in a care facility in the London.

Sophie works in the care home, and over the years she has built a lovely friendship with Bea. By extension she feels like she knows Greta and her husband Walter, their son Nick and their almost adopted daughter Jennie.

When Bea passes away peacefully, Sophie is devastated, especially when she realises that she had not yet posted the annual Christmas letter to Greta. Suddenly finding herself with time on her hands after her vindictive boss fires her, the idea strikes Sophie that maybe she should take the letter to Vienna herself and deliver the bad news. After all, her son is spending the holidays in America and Bea and Greta had both been suggesting that she should visit Vienna for years. Bea had even left a small sum of money for exactly this purpose.

The Vienna that Sophie lands is is dressed up in it's Christmas best. There are lights and Christmas trees, markets and Ferris wheels all bringing the beautiful city to life. But the single thing that brings joy to Sophie is the very warm welcome that she receives from the Wynter family. She is particularly drawn to handsome, single Nick Wynter. The only person that is a bit cool towards her is Jennie, who isn't sure that Sophie can be trusted and that she isn't going to try and con the family. 

Sophie and Jennie both have quite a bit in common. They both had difficult family situations and have had to overcome adversity to get where they are today. They also have both denied themselves opportunities to be truly happy because of things that happened in the past. Can they help each other give themselves the ability to forgive themselves and move forward, or will the recriminations from the past continue to shape their lives going forward.

I have read a number of Helen Rolfe books now, and I am at the point where I know I will be reading each new book as it comes out. There is an extensive back list for me to explore, including a number of Christmas themed books. 

As always I enjoy the way that Helen Rolfe weaves different themes through her stories, giving them depth but also delivering feel good, uplifting reads.

Recently a friend and I were talking about her holiday options for Christmas time. They are leaving the adult kids at home and headed to Europe for Christmas. The big question for her was where. The two options were Spain and Portugal or Germany and Austria. As much as I love the idea of Spain and Portugal when she said they would be there for Christmas, my instant response was that my vote was for Germany and Austria, if only for the Christmas markets! I am going to suggest this book to her to read before she leaves. I was already jealous of her trip, but now I am even more jealous, and I wish I was going to Europe for Christmas, but it is not to be this year. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!




Rating 4/5

About the book

So This Is Christmas

Care assistant Sophie loves the holidays, and nothing makes her feel more festive than helping 82-year-old resident Bea keep in touch with her old friend Greta. In their Christmas letters, the women update each other on their lives – Bea’s in the quiet residential home in London, Greta’s in the heart of Vienna and the grand Wynter Hotel.

But everything changes when Bea passes away before Sophie’s had a chance to post this year’s letter. Devastated, Sophie struggles to imagine this Christmas without her dear friend. But then Sophie finds one last note from Bea – and this time, it’s not addressed to Greta. It’s to Sophie, telling her to go to Austria.

Which is how Sophie finds herself in Vienna at Christmas, with the snow falling, and an important delivery to make… But when Sophie reaches the Wynter Hotel, there are surprises in store, and before she returns to England, her life will have changed in ways she could never have imagined…

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/ThisIsChristmas

About the author

Helen Rolfe is the author of many bestselling contemporary women's fiction titles, set in different locations from the Cotswolds to New York. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and children.

Social Media Links

Facebook: @HelenRolfeAuthor

Instagram: @helen_j_rolfe

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/HelenRolfeNews

Bookbub profile: @helenrolfe

Blog Tour: The Friendship List by Beth Miller

 

Kay is happy behind her wildest dreams. After her amicable divorce and a couple of years on her own she has fallen madly in love with handsome Murray and after a whirlwind she is getting married. The only fly in the ointment is that her best friend Rose hasn't turned up to her wedding. There is no explanation, no message saying she isn't coming, just her notable absence.

She is beyond shocked when Rose tells Kay that she doesn't want to have anything to do with her any more. After all, they have been through everything together from raising their kids, escaping bad marriages, losing their friend Bear (who also happens to be Murray's ex-wife) and so much more.

All Kay can do is move on, sharing her lovely cottage in North Wales with Murray, and building their new life together. 

But that doesn't stop her from wondering what happened. The only thing that Kay can think of is that she has been a bad friend. After all, she has been very caught up in her own world for some time. To be fair she has had a lot going on in her world. In addition to getting married, she is also finishing up her photography degree, thirty years after she originally started it. 

Kay has struggled with coming up with a theme for her final exhibition for her degree. Whilst contemplating the end of her friendship with Rose, and re-examining several of the other important relationships in her life to see if she can find any clues as to what happened, she comes up with the idea of Now and Then as her theme. Her exhibition would include photos from the past and then others from the present with a short caption on each. I particularly enjoyed how the exhibition notes fitted into the story. It was very well done.

One of the gifts she received at her wedding was an envelope of cash which basically had "Don't tell him" written on the outside. She has no idea who it is from, or why she would have received such a gift. 

As Kay examines her role in her friendships, and looks back to the past for clues about her friendship with Rose and who might have given her the gift, there are some things in the present that are proving troubling as well. Has she rushed in too quickly, and will it have long lasting effects on her future happiness?

I was drawn into this story right from the first page. I felt for Kay, but I could also see how she had a tendency to leave other people in her wake. She and Rose did appear to have had an amazing friendship, so it was completely understandable how hurt she was when Rose literally slammed the door on their friendship. 

I didn't realise until I read the author's note that there is an earlier book featuring these same characters. It does say that they can be read separately and in any order, and to a certain extent that is true. I certainly didn't feel like I was missing any back story, but I am not sure I would go back and read the earlier book given that I know what happens next. 

I will, however, be reading more from Beth Miller. This was my first book by her and I will be keen to read more at some point in the future. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Books on Tour for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the book

Wiping away her tears, Kay looks at her old photos, of friends who have come and gone through life’s big moments. But then there’s Rose, her one constant through everything. Now Rose is missing. Does the key to finding her lie in their past?

It should have been the happiest day of Kay’s life. Getting married with her best friend and maid of honour, Rose at her side. But then Rose messages Kay moments before the ceremony, I’m so sorry. I can’t do this. Please don’t look for me. Kay is heartbroken. What could have possibly driven Rose to leave?

Kay doesn’t know a life without Rose in it. They’ve stuck together through thick and thin; getting each other through tough break-ups, the rollercoaster of children and losing Kay’s beloved mum.

Searching through a lifetime of belongings, desperate for clues, Kay finds a box of old photos. As she looks at pictures of them dancing with their friends from years ago, she suddenly wonders whether the key to finding Rose lies in their past. Writing down a list of long-lost friendships, Kay feels certain one of them will know what happened to Rose.

But as Kay begins to uncover a lifetime of memories to help her find her friend, will she also find herself?

An incredibly heartwarming and emotional novel for everyone who knows about holding on to true friendship through life’s big moments. Fans of Laura Pearson, Sally Page and Evie Woods will fall in love with this feel-good and moving story that shows it’s never too late for a second chance.

About the Author


Beth Miller is the author of four novels, including The Two Hearts of Eliza Bloom and the bestselling The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright. She has also written two non-fiction titles, including For the Love of The Archers. She has worked as a sexual health trainer, a journalist and a psychology lecturer and is now a book coach and creative writing teacher. Beth has a PhD in Psychology, and an advanced diploma in tea-drinking.
https://www.bethmiller.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/bethmillerauthor/
https://www.instagram.com/beth_miller_author/


Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Beth Miller here: https://www.bookouture.com/beth-miller



Buy Link:
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0FCXXK2THsocial


You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Blog Tour: The Girl from the War Room by Catherine Law

Cassie Marsh is a woman who is good at keeping secrets. There are the secrets that she needs to keep due to her work in the War Room during WWII, there are the family secrets which have devastated her, and then there is her own secret that is kept locked tight in her heart.

We first meet Cassie and her family in the summer of 1936. Cassie, her parents and her brother Gerard have headed to Greenaways, the family country house. There, she will spend the summer with her aunt and uncle and her cousins, Marianne and Oliver, playing tennis, reading, walking nearby Dartmoor and just generally having a lovely time. Except this year, one of Oliver’s friends, Luke, is there which kind of disrupts the balance.

When Cassie overhears her mother and aunt talking about a big secret, she is perturbed, but it is only later when she discovers another shocking family secret that her equilibrium is truly rocked.

What we as readers know is that it isn’t going to be long before that idyllic country house life is going to be disturbed even more with the onset of the war. Cassie finds herself working as a typist in the War Rooms, deep under the ground in very heart of London. Unable to face the thought of living in her family’s London home, she is lodging with Luke, although there are lot of times when she finds herself catching any sleep she can in the dormitories in the underground bunker

As the war progresses, we see Cassie move from her initial role, to working in the map room, helping the powers that be keep track of the German bombing raids. However, with her knowledge of German, eventually she moves away from London to a coastal area where she is listening into the enemy’s communications and translating them.

From the title, you would expect that this book would be focused on Cassie’s work. While it is definitely an important part of the novel, really the focus is on the family dramas, the devastating impact of secrets when they are revealed and the way that war and tragedy can affect a family.

This is my second book by Catherine Law, and once again I enjoyed her work. Unlike the previous book this one is not a dual timeline as such. It does cover a few years but there is no modern storyline taking up page space. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted here. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

The Girl from the War Room

Through the trees in St James's Park she spotted the white facades of the Whitehall offices, and her stomach contracted. But it wasn’t nerves. Fortitude, yes, and a kind of hell-bent willingness. An understanding of the importance of her work; to do something, however small, to help. A privilege.

1941: A world away from idyllic childhood summers spent in Devon, Cassie Marsh steps through the sandbagged entrance to the War Room, determined to do her part for the war effort.

The air crackling with tension, the urgency of whispered conversations, the weight of secrets – nothing in her quiet upbringing has prepared her for this. Here, women like her are expected to work tirelessly, remain composed, even as their homes – and lives – are devastated by the Blitz.

But Cassie’s heart is already divided between love and duty. She dreams of rich summers at Greenaways from a lifetime ago, before her world was torn apart. She dreams of one person… the one she cannot – but must – forget.

And as her family begs her to return to safety, to the soothing, reassuring walls of the country house, Cassie must decide where her heart really lies. In times of war, can you ever afford to question your loyalty?

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/WarRoom

About the Author 

Catherine Law is the author of several historical novels set in the first half of the 20th century, in and around the First and Second World Wars. Her stories are inspired by the tales our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers tell us, and the secrets they keep. She lives ten minutes from the sea in Margate, Kent.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @catherinelawbooks

Instagram: @catherinelawauthor

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/CatherineLawNews

Bookbub profile: @lawcatherine

Blog Tour: Will You Stay Another Day? by Samantha Tonge

 

We are either late for Christmas in July, or we are early for Christmas in December. Either way, we are starting to see Christmas related books being released. This is the first of several books that I am excited to read

When Lili's BFF Em died in a houseboat accident a year ago, she was totally and utterly devastated. Em and Lili did everything together. They shared a house, they travelled together and partied big time. Lili has been going through the motions, running her charity shop but the reality is that she's just getting by day by day. One day as the anniversary of Em's death is getting closer she sends Em's phone a message that says 'Knock knock'. The last thing that she expects is that she will get a response, especially one that knows their inside jokes. Lili convinces herself that it can only mean one thing....Em didn't die on that tragic night. After a series of messages, Lili arranges a meet up at a pub on Halloween but Em, unsurprisingly, doesn't show.

While at the pub, she meets Dylan who is all dressed up for Halloween and is waiting for his brother Harry who is travelling the world, but he doesn't show up. Lili and Dylan have a lot in common including somewhat adjacent careers, and so they slowly begin to share a friendship. But can a new friendship survive the depth of grief and longing for just one more day with Em? 

Lili does have support around her. There are the team members in her shop and some of the local people who Lili does her best to support. But they aren't Em! I do love how supportive Lili was of her friends, always looking out for small things for them in the shop, supporting their dreams. In essence, they became her found family and in turn they only want Lili to be happy. 

I loved the Sunday afternoon sessions that Lili runs where people get to say goodbye to objects that might be holding them back emotionally. She has a little ceremony which is based on some of the principles of Shinto. I can see how that whole thing might be cathartic. The question is whether or not Lili is ready to really say goodbye to Em?

From the cover this looks like it could be a very Christmassy book. It is, but not as much as I thought it would be. It really is only in the second half of the book that Christmas becomes prominent, as Lili has to decide if she is going to go to Las Vegas or not, a pre-Christmas trip she originally planned with Em, and then how she will spend the Christmas holidays on her return. One aspect of the cover that is very present is the robin who is Lili's comfort. She regularly talks to Bobbin about Em, about Dylan and various other things. It's very sweet.

I've read enough of Samantha Tonge's books now to expect there to be something of a twist, and when it came I wasn't surprised, as I suspected what it might be, but I was very emotionally affected by it! This is really something that I enjoy about this author's books. You are reading one story, but then the twist comes and you are reading the same story, but through a different lens. It's very clever! I already know I will be reading her next book, whatever it is about and whenever it comes out.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the Book

Will You Stay Another Day?

If you could spend just one more day with someone, who would it be?

When Lili sends a jokey ‘knock-knock’ message to her best friend Em, she doesn’t expect to hear back. Because – as Lili notices the chill in the air, and the little robin in her garden – she realises Christmas must be just around the corner once again. A whole year since she last saw Em.

But then this time someone replies. ‘Who’s there?’ It can’t possibly be Em, but Lili wants to believe it could be, and she hastily suggests meeting.

However when she gets to the meeting place, there only one other person there waiting. A man. And not just any man. The most handsome man Lili’s ever seen, Dylan… And he is also waiting for someone he’s been missing.

As the days get shorter and Autumn turns to Winter, will two lonely hearts spend another Christmas without their loved ones? Or can they welcome an unexpected friendship? Or maybe even more, if they can just help each other to focus on not what they’ve lost, but what they’ve found…

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/StayAnotherDay

About the Author 

Samantha Tonge is the bestselling and award-winning author of over fifteen romantic fiction titles. Her books for Boldwood mark a broadening of her writing into multi-generational woman’s fiction. She lives in Manchester with her family.



Social Media Links

Facebook: @SamanthaTongeAuthor

Twitter: @SamTongeWriter

Instagram: @samanthatongeauthor

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/SamanthaTongeNews

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/samantha-tonge

Blog Tour: Waves of Change in Pelican Crossing by Maggie Christensen

 

The other week I had reason to count up just how many Maggie Christensen books I have read. I knew it was a lot, but even I was shocked that this was my 24th book by her in the last 4 years. So what is it that keeps me coming back for each and every book she releases? I think there are several factors. I love the communities that she creates, I enjoy that she focusses on older characters finding love and I find her writing very smooth and easy to read. This book was no exception.

Livvy Grace has been in England for the last year visiting her family, but now it is time to come home to Pelican Crossing. She misses her cottage, her friends and her work. However, when she does arrive home it is a big shock to find out that her former partner has wound up their business and started again, taking all Livvy's counselling clients with her. The town has changed a bit too. The big old church that hadn't been used for years has been turned into a wellness centre. 

Dan Parker has lived in Pelican Crossing for a few years now after moving there  with his daughter following the death of his wife.  As the man behind the wellness centre, he has already left his mark, but he is interested in doing more for the community if he can. When Livvy first approaches him about renting one of the available spaces in the centre, he is not sure if he can trust her or not. The story she has told him seems a little off. 

Livvy doesn't warm to Dan that much either. While she is glad to be getting her new counselling business up and running after weathering the initial shock, she's not sure that she likes Dan all that much. Or maybe she does, but she is fighting it. Her friends are certainly all doing their best to push her in his direction. Things become even more confusing when she starts seeing his daughter in a professional capacity.

Dan is relieved that his daughter is talking to someone. He is finding it difficult to navigate raising a teenage daughter by himself. While he and his wife had still been together they had been living pretty separate lives and he is worried that his wife's family are trying to derail his relationship with his daughter. He isn't that keen for him to spend time with them but he has to balance that against the fact that they are his daughters family too. And she is of an age where she can start to make some of these kind of decisions for herself.

This is another good entry in the Pelican Crossing series. The familiar factors are all still there: community, sun and sea, friendships and more. If I had one niggle, I would have liked to have got more understanding of why Livvy's former partner, Ingrid, was doing the things she was doing all through the book, what her motivation was. It was kind of glossed over I think. 

The next book has already been announced and it is a Christmas book. It is always nice to see an Australian Christmas portrayed in story. The main character is going to Lou who we already have met a few times, and there were a couple of hints in this book about Lou's story. You know I am going to be reading it!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and it counts towards my Aussie Author August reads. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.

Rating 4/5

About the book

Waves of Change in Pelican Crossing

Sad to leave her daughter and granddaughters behind in England where she has been visiting for the past year, Olivia Grace is excited to return to her hometown of Pelican Crossing and resume her life as a counsellor. But a shock awaits her, threatening to destroy her future and forcing her to make changes she’d never anticipated.

Dan Parker has moved to Pelican Crossing with his teenage daughter after the death of his wife, intent on making a fresh start. Now, having fulfilled his long-held dream of opening a Wellness Centre, he confronts an unexpected challenge

Faced with an unforeseen situation and frustrated by her friends' relentless matchmaking, Olivia finally admits her attraction to Dan and agrees to a date. But real life isn’t a romantic novel, and things don’t go smoothly.

Can these two lonely people find a future together, or are they destined to grow old alone?

For fans of heartwarming small-town romances, this is a must-read. With vibrant descriptions of the charming coastal town and two endearing characters who struggle with loss and loneliness, this book will tug at your heartstrings.

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/Wavesofchange

About the Author

After a career in education, Maggie Christensen began writing contemporary women’s fiction portraying mature women facing life-changing situations, and historical fiction set in her native Scotland. Her travels inspire her writing, be it her trips to visit family in Scotland, in Oregon, USA or her home on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast. Maggie writes of mature heroines coming to terms with changes in their lives and the heroes worthy of them. Maggie has been called the queen of mature age fiction and her writing has been described by one reviewer as like a nice warm cup of tea. It is warm, nourishing, comforting and embracing.

From the small town in Scotland where she grew up, Maggie was lured to Australia by the call to ‘Come and teach in the sun’. Once there, she worked as a primary school teacher, university lecturer and in educational management. Now living with her husband of over thirty years on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, she loves walking on the deserted beach in the early mornings and having coffee by the river on weekends. Her days are spent surrounded by books, either reading or writing them – her idea of heaven!



Social Media Links –


https://www.facebook.com/maggiechristensenauthor
https://twitter.com/MaggieChriste33
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8120020.Maggie_Christensen
https://www.instagram.com/maggiechriste33/
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-christensen?list=about
https://maggiechristensenauthor.com/
https://bsky.app/profile/maggiechriste33.bsky.social

Blog Tour: One Snowy Day by Shari Low

 

I don't know about you but sometimes it can feel like not much happens in our lives in a day, or even a week, but for the inhabitants of the small village of Weirbridge in Scotland, that couldn't be further from the truth on 1 December.

Jessie McLean has worked hard to build up a hairdressing business in the town. She has many regular clients who have become friends, the salon has been decorated to the highest standard, and her daughter, Georgie has worked with her for years. Now, it is time for Jessie to retire and 1 December is her retirement party day, but it is something she is not looking forward to. Her husband, Stan, has decided that they are going to retire to Tenerife. Nothing but endless days of sunshine ahead with lots of golf for Stan. Jessie is trying to be excited about this move, but the reality is that she doesn't really want to go. How will she cope without seeing her daughter every day like she has for years? How will she manage without being able to see her best friends regularly?

As for Georgie, she is really pleased that she has been able to take over her mum's business. Georgie has had a tough few years after her husband left her to go and find himself. Now, her daughter has left home so Georgie is an empty nester, but her ex-husband is back and he also wants to come back to Georgie. What she hasn't told anyone is that she has had an offer to go and be an on-set hairdresser with a major Hollywood star. It's an attractive offer which would mean living in Los Angeles and other locations, and is very tempting but how can she take the job when it means closing the salon that she has just taken over from her mother permanently.

Across the road from the salon, Alyssa has poured her heart and soul into creating the Once Upon a Book cafe. The walls are lined with bookshelves filled with books that customers can read while having their coffees. Alyssa's day gets off to a terrible start when she reads a letter that has been sent to her from an estate lawyer advising her that she has 60 days to vacate her premises following the death of the owner. 

When the late owner's son Lachlan shows up to the cafe as he takes a trip down memory lane, Alyssa can't help but confront him. He doesn't really want to be in Scotland at all. He was summoned to Glasgow to hear the reading of the will. While he couldn't care less about what he might inherit from his father's estate, his brother Jason is adamant that he has to liquidate any assets immediately, and that means that Alyssa's cafe's operational days are numbered. All of this is happening on the day that she has to host Jessie's going away party and suddenly she also has to be her sister's taxi driver given how bad the weather is! No wonder she was quite antagonistic towards him.

As the day progresses, preparations continue for the party which basically the whole village is attending, lives are changed, secrets that have been kept for decades are revealed and dreams come true. The book is structured in a way that we see what is happening with each of the characters at various 2 hour blocks on this particularly momentous, and yes, snowy day. 

This is the third book I have read by Shari Low and this was another fun ensemble piece . There are a variety of characters who represent people at varying stages in life from those contemplating the golden years of retirement to those trying to start or restart their lives and with multiple different issues that they are facing. 

Shari Low seems to have a habit of populating her books with characters that have appeared in earlier books. Whilst I was familiar with some of them, like the irrepressible Moira Chiles who has appeared in the previous two books I read, there were others who I was not familiar with. I think that this is a case where there are crossover characters in multiple books but it doesn't stop you from still enjoying the story. I will be going back through Shari Low's back list at some point, and of course reading anything new she puts out in the future. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

One Snowy Day

On a cold winter’s day, a storm is brewing in the village of Weirbridge…

Georgie Dern has the chance to swap her empty nest for the job of a lifetime in Los Angeles. Can she chase her dream if it means letting down the woman who has given her the world?

Jessie McLean should be counting down the hours until she jets off to spend her retirement years in the sun. But when a devastating betrayal resurfaces, she has to choose between a fresh start and staying behind to settle old scores.

Alyssa Canavan has spent years building the business she adores. Now a legal letter has threatened her home and livelihood, but how does she fight a family that doesn’t give a damn?

Lachlan Morden is forced to return to Scotland to face the people who almost destroyed him. Will coming home reopen old wounds, or will a memory from the past lead him to the perfect revenge?

One snowy day, four lives, but who will have a bright new future when the snow is gone?

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/OneSnowyDay

About the author 

Shari Low is the multi-million copy bestselling author of over 30 novels, including the #1 bestsellers One Day with You, One Midnight with You and One Day and Forever.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @sharilowbooks

Twitter: @ShariLow

Instagram: @sharilowbooks

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/ShariLownews

Bookbub profile: @ShariLow

Blog Tour: A Place in the Sun by Jo Thomas

 

When Thea and her two children Luca and Aimee arrive in the small hill top town of Citta dei Castagni in Tuscany, they are exhausted from the long drive from the UK. Thea's plan is to clean up the house that her husband bought on a whim nearly two years ago as part of a regeneration scheme for a really cheap price and then sell it quickly. She's got six weeks to sort it all out, so that they can start their life again. Since her husband died soon after signing the contract for the house, Thea has done her best to keep going but she has lost the restaurant that they ran together and the family home. Whatever she can get for this house is what she has to build her future life upon.

What she doesn't know is that the old house is still full of possessions from the previous owner and it looks like maybe someone has been staying there without Thea's knowing. From the minute they arrive and there are problems with the electricity it becomes clear that it is going to take a lot of effort to get the house ready. Then the mayor arrives with the news that under the terms of the contract the house must be habitable within two years or else the owners must pay the penalty clause which is the full value of the house. Thea doesn't have any money so the pressure is really on. She's got six weeks to sort it all out.

This is a really small town, with not a lot in the way of shops and restaurants, but what there is a community kitchen which is run by a former chef named Giovanni. On her first night in town, Giovanni fed Thea and the kids, and soon he is helping her navigate life in the small town where everybody knows everyone's business. 

Giovanni does try to warn her about the three feuding nonna's but still Thea isn't prepared when all three of them turn up at her place with a beautifully made lasagne, made to each of their own recipes, and each demanding to know which is her favourite. The three women, two sisters and their sister-in-law have been feuding for years over whose lasagne is best and they bicker constantly about everything. Or maybe the feud started about a couple of men. No one is really sure any more. 

Soon Thea finds herself getting involved at the community kitchen, but the last thing she wants is to get too involved in either hospitality or in the town itself given that she is going back to the UK at the end of the summer. And when there are a couple of unexpected visitors, one of which changes her family dynamic completely and the other a blast from the past, Thea needs time and space to come up with a plan of what her family's future might look like. 

What everyone in the town knows is that they also need to come up with a plan for the future of the community kitchen, as there just isn't enough funding to keep it running as it is. It is going to take the whole town, even feuding nonnas, to work together!

I have read a few books by Jo Thomas now, and I always really enjoy them. This book was no exception. I loved the way that we were immersed into this hilltop Tuscan town in summer. I could feel the heat, and the relief of sitting outside in the evening as the sun sets. I love that Thomas's book settings are quite varied. So far I have read a book about a trip to the German Christmas markets, one set at a French farmhouse, and another Christmas book which featured a character learning to make fancy chocolates at a school in Switzerland

All of the books I have read so far by Jo Thomas are very foodie focussed, and this book was absolutely full of references to delicious sounding Italian food, including but not limited to the infamous lasagne. Reading this book made me crave lasagne and I ended up having to make it for dinner last week in order to satisfy that craving!

I already know that I am looking forward to this author's next book, whereever it is set. I am also going to start working my way through her backlist as her books are my kind of reads!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, with Foodie Reads hosted at Based on a True Story and with Weekend Cooking which I host here. Thanks to the publisher and Zooloo's Book Tours for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

It's never too late to find where you belong...

Thea knew the holiday house her late husband Marco bought in Tuscany wasn't pristine. But when she relocates to Italy for the summer with her children, she's shocked by how much work Casa Luna needs. And she only has six weeks to fix it up ready to sell! Her only option is to ask the tight-knit Italian community for help.

In return, Thea and her children become involved in the community kitchen, working alongside handsome chef Giovanni and three very competitive nonnas. Gradually, Thea begins to open up to the people around her for the first time in a long while. But just as she's beginning to wonder whether this small Tuscan town could become a new place to call home, a surprise visitor turns everything on its head . . .

Book Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/229351090-a-place-in-the-sun

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/aplaceinthesun-zbt

About the author

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, including time at Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Radio 2's The Steve Wright Show.

Jo's debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller and won both the RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the Festival of Romance Best eBook Award. Her book Escape to the French Farmhouse was a #1 bestselling eBook. Jo loves to explore new countries and discover the food produced there, both of which she thoroughly enjoys researching. Jo lives in Pembrokeshire with her husband and three children, where cooking and gathering around the kitchen table are a hugely important and fun part of their family life.

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JoThomasAuthor/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jothomasauthor/

X (formerly Twitter) https://x.com/jo_thomas01

Website https://jothomasauthor.com/