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

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

So when I sat down to write this post I was intending to do a couple of mini reviews of some historical fiction novels I've read over the last couple of months. However, it turns out that I have plenty to say about this book. The other mini reviews will just have to wait as this is a maxi review!

This the second Kate Quinn book I have finished  over the last few months. The first book I read was The Diamond Eye and then I listened to the audiobook of The Briar Club. I already know that I will be reading more Kate Quinn as soon as I can find space in my reading schedule. It is easy to see why Kate Quinn is such a popular author. 

In this book she bring together a house full of women who are all boarders at Briarwood House. The ladies all live very separate lives with most of their interactions being fights over the bathroom until Grace March moves into the small apartment on the top floor. Soon they are regularly gathering together every Thursday for a supper club and they are sharing their lives and their food. Also joining them are Pete and Lena who are the children of the crusty and judgemental landlady Doilies Nelson. I loved the way that all the boarders become involved in the lives of the young people, providing them with the care and attention that they don't get from their mother and their absent father.

Among the boarders there is Fliss who is a young British mum who is married to an American doctor who is serving in Korea. She is determined that she should be the perfect wife and mother to her baby girl, but that is a hard facade to maintain when you are falling apart. Also living in the house are Reka, an elderly German art professor who is now poverty stricken and who holds a long standing grudge, Claire who comes across as being very tough, Bea who is a former professional baseball player, and Nora who is a policeman's daughter and works at the National library but falls in love with an unsuitable man. Oh, and then there is Arlene, a young Texan woman who is desperate to find a husband. 

I loved the way that Grace is able to break through the barriers that her housemates put up so that soon she knows all their secrets. We hear each of their stories, see them as they fall in love, find their direction, challenge society's restrictive norms, touch on many cultural and historical events and more. Yet, as someone points out, Grace manages to keep all of her own secrets in tact, until her past catches up with her.  

Set in Washington in the 1950s, this is the McCarthy era and lots of people were scared of the Red Threat of communism but there is plenty of other ground covered here too including racism and domestic violence, art and food

One of the surprises in this book is that Briarwood House is a character in the book. As the boarders in the house grow together then the house too begins to come to life. It loves the way that Grace begins painting the walls. It is also the narrator for the shocking events that are unfolding as we hear each of the women's stories. 

Given that one of the keys to this story is the Thursday night supper club, it is probably no surprise that food plays a big part in this story. I probably would have really liked to read this book as well as listen to it so that I could read the recipes. It was interesting how culturally varied the recipes were. Pretty sure I am not too worried about trying Arlene's Candlestick salad though! I did love Lena's story arc particularly in relation to her food journey.

It's fair to say I loved this book. When I finished it I was desperate to talk about it with someone who had read it, about books that one of the stories reminds me of, but I can't even say that now because it will then spoil the twist at the end!

The narrator was Saskia Maarleveld and she did a great job of telling the story. I was interested to hear the additional feature at the end of the book where the author and the narrator sat down to talk about the audiobook process. Kate Quinn even said that when she was writing she was thinking about the audiobook performance so that influenced some of the backstories for the women. This meant that it made it easier for the narrator to have different voices and intonations for each of the character. 

This is another fantastic read from Kate Quinn, and I highly recommend it.

I am sharing this review with Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host.  

Rating 4.5/5

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - September links

Thank you to everyone who contributed a review in August for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. Currently there are more than 60 links! I will be back in the next week or so with all the statistics for the month. 

I am looking forward to reading your reviews throughout the rest of the year! I am sure there is going to be a lot of great historical fiction discovered and shared with fellow HF lovers over the course of this year!

If you haven't already signed up, it's not too late! The sign up post is here.

Just to recap what participants need to know. At the beginning of each month I will put up a post which will have a Mr Linky embedded into it for you to add your link.

Please remember...

• add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review). 
• it doesn't matter where you review - Bookstagram, Goodreads etc as long as you share a direct link to your review.
• any kind of historical fiction is accepted (fantasy, young adult, graphic novels...)
• if you have time, have a look some of the other links that are present. You never know when you will discover new blogs or books!

You can also join the challenge group on Facebook which you can find here and don't forget to use the #histficreadingchallenge hashtag on the socials.

Let the reading begin!!

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

 

Years ago I read Helen Simonson's debut novel Major Pettigrew's Last Stand (reviewed here) but it was only earlier this year that I finally picked up another book by her. I read The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club as part of Cook the Books (my review). I knew then that I had to read her only other book which is this one.

When I picked this book up from the library I was surprised by how big it was. At 592 pages this is a chunkster and yet, as I was reading it, I didn't feel like it was taking a long time to get through.

The book starts in 1914 when a young woman named Beatrice Nash moves to the town of Rye to take up a position teaching Latin in a small school. She has no choice but to take a job after her father passes away leaving his estate in trust for Beatrice, which surprises her because she thought that her father was proud of her independence and would have trusted her to be able to take car of her own interests. Instead, she must ask for money from the estate, people who do not like her independent nature, so she is often left with too little to survive on

There she meets the formidable Agatha Kent, who has gone out of her way to insist that Miss Nash is a suitable candidate for the role, despite some opposition from other town leaders. Beatrice also meets Hugh Grange, a young man who is studying to be a surgeon and his cousin Daniel who dreams of being a poet. Then there is the (in)famous author who she is helping will help publish her father's papers.

It doesn't take long for Beatrice to start seeing the villagers for what they are. As a single woman she must be very careful of her actions, lest her reputation be damaged. Already some are shocked that she has moved to the town. She also sees the petty jealousies, the feuds, the class divide and the double standards that are rife.

The most promising of her Latin students is a young man named Snout, who carries around a copy of the classics and reads Latin for fun. But even with Miss Nash's support, young Snout is unlikely to get to further education because his family are Romany gypsies. Whilst the town is happy to call on a Romany healer when they need, they are never going to be accept them as their own.

When the war begins, the town graciously agrees to take in some Belgian refugees out of the goodness of their hearts...kind of. It doesn't take long for the villagers to feel less generosity of spirit, especially when the parade to celebrate them goes wrong. Soon, at least one of the refugees is being ostracised, when she most needs support.

It is really when the boys of the town start enlisting and the rationing starts that being at war begins to feel real. At first, it is a bit like a game with the young men dressing up in uniforms.When they start to come home injured, or even not at all, the reality sets in. The last section of the book is heartbreaking and I did get emotional reading it. Gone are the languid summer evenings and dinner parties, to be replaced by hardship and loss, no matter which class of society you belong to. 

Like all of Simonson's books so far this one is pretty deceptive as it doesn't feel like a lot is happening but when you look back a lot has happened! She is very adept at taking a small town and digging just under the surface so you see what is really underpinning town life and at exploring the different levels of society. She is also a master at the simmering slow burn romance which is integral to the story, but also almost a subplot. 

Now I, like many others, wait however long it takes for Helen Simonson's next book to come out. You will likely hear the cheers from here when it is announced! I will have very high expectations given that I have loved all three of her previous books. I think, though, this one is my favourite of the three. This book is a 5/5 read for me!

I am sharing this review with British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog, and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here. This was one of the books that I nominated for the Big Books of Winter and also counts as one of my Big Books of Summer.

Rating 5/5

One Hundred Years of Betty by Debra Oswald

 

Do you ever think about writing down your life story, and if you do, do you wonder if anyone else would find it interesting? 

Betty Rankin is looking back on her life as she approaches her 100th birthday, and she is sharing her story directly with the reader, warts and all, almost as if we are sitting down together. There are moments when she pulls back and says there's no need to say anymore about that time, but there are more moments when she shares funny stories about things that happen to her, her love life, her difficult relationships and so much more.

Betty, who at various times throughout her life is also known as Elizabeth and Liz and other variations, started life in the poor streets of East London where life was very tough. There were lots of brothers and sisters but also a father who tending to drink. We see what the impact of loss was on the family as the Blitz and other events take their toll and drive the family apart rather than together.

Betty is very bright and she hopes that maybe she might be able to continue her schooling but it wasn't to be. Instead we follow her from the streets of London across the oceans to Australia where she hopes for a better life as a ten pound pom. On the boat, she meets people who will be important to her throughout her life. Pearl is a glamourous girl with a very sweet nature, Athena is a Greek girl who is moving to Australia to marry a man she has never met, and Leo is a German Jew who has no-one left.

Once in Australia she meets the man who will become her husband. From the outside, it appears that life is looking up for Betty but appearances can be deceptive, and she is soon having to make ends meet and raise her kids doing whatever work she can find from working in bars to working as an artist's model. 

Betty has lived a long life and during her story she shares how many of the big world events and very personal events have shaped her, ranging from being a single parent, domestic abuse, feminism, misogyny, the Vietnam War, the AIDS epidemic, multiculturalism, her travels around the world and so much more. 

The author, Debra Oswald, is a very successful TV writer and has written some major Australian TV shows including shows like The Secret Life of Us and Offspring. It is probably no surprise then that Betty finds her way into the world of television and writing, and those parts of the book feel very authentic.

Betty isn't always likeable, and you can see why there are times when she has difficult relationships with the people around her. I guess, like all of us, she does what she thinks is right in order to be able to survive. She's doing the best she can given the scars she carries with her and the restrictions of the times that she lives in. At times, it almost feels like she is breaking the fourth wall as she gives the readers asides and commentary around the events of her own life. 

This is a fabulous read with a memorable main character who leaps off the page. I don't know that I would be friends with Betty but I will remember her for a long time!

I am sharing this review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here, and with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. It also counts for Aussie August 2025 on Bookstagram. It was also one of the books that I nominated to read for the Big Books of Winter.

Rating 4.5/5

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

 

Sometimes there are books that call your name either because of the cover or title or subject, but you just don't find time to read them. This is one of those books for me! I guess the good thing about having waited this long to read the book is that all three books in the trilogy are already out so I will be able to read them relatively closely together.

Emily Wilde is an academic who is working towards completing an encyclopaedia of faeries. She believes that this encyclopaedia will finally bring her the respect she deserves in academic circles. She has travelled far and wide to hear the stories from locals, to encounter the fae at any opportunity and to learn and record everything she can about all things faerie. Emily is a very self sufficient and contained woman, who often struggles to connect with ordinary people. 

She travels to Norway to a small island where she hopes to learn more about the local faerie population. In the town, she soon finds evidence of a changeling child and of townspeople being lured away either never to return or to return a shadow of their former selves. After getting the townspeople offside pretty much straight away, Emily has no choice but to work by herself, traipsing over the snow covered lands to find the doors into the faerie lands.

Emily is nothing if not independent, and the last thing she needs is the dubious assistance of her colleague Wendall Bambleby. As far as Emily can see, Bambleby is out to steal her glory for his own purposes, is far too lazy, and somehow manages to make all the locals like him with very little effort. Oh, and he is far too handsome for his own good! Charming, handsome, likeable. All the things that Emily is not. And now he is sharing the very small cottage with Emily. 

What Emily doesn't seem to be able to see is that far from wanting to take Emily's work as his own, Bambleby loves Emily. He loves her methodical and logical brain, her persistence and determination to finish her book and her direct nature. But Bambleby is not necessarily being truthful with Emily about who and what he is. It is only as they go through various trials that Emily begins to understand him, and to begin to work with him instead of fighting against him.

This is historical fantasy, not a genre that I read that often. Whilst the book is filled with the fae, both everyday and royalty, with danger and intrigue, it is also firmly set in the early 1900's when you look at the setting, the challenges and perils of travel and the attitudes towards women, particularly those who are ambitious and trying to do things outside of what society expects of women. It is a very interesting mix.

This is the first in a trilogy, and I do intend to read more. This one did take me a little bit of time to get through because other deadlines kept on getting in the way. I think it also took me a little while to come to appreciate Emily's way of working. She really doesn't see how her manner is offputting to those around her, although she does find herself wondering why people don't warm to her. You can see how the possibility of working with Bambleby will bring some balance.

In the end, I did like this book, enough to know that I will read the next couple of books. I think it will be easier going into the next book already understanding the dynamic between the two main characters, and who they both are. Given that this is a combination of historical and fantasy there are many different directions the story can go in. I am looking forward to the adventure.

Oh, and a shout out to the publisher for this lovely cover! 

This is one of the books that I nominated to read for the 20 Books of Winter. I am also counting it towards the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host.

Rating 4/5

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

Weekend Cooking: The Deadly Dispute by Amanda Hampson

 

Hazel, Irene, Betty and the other tea ladies are back and trouble isn't far behind!

In the previous book in the series, which I reviewed here, Hazel Bates had just lost her job as a tea lady at Empire Fashion after being replaced by a coffee machine. After months out of work, she is excited to finally have a new job working as a tea lady at a union office on the docks in Sydney. It's 1967, and the docks are dangerous for anyone, let alone a tea lady. On her first day at work, Hazel even sees a dead body being hauled out of the harbour. 

The docks are under the spotlight due to the ongoing issues with theft, unionism and a very large theft of South African Krugerand (gold coins) which seems to have disappeared into thin air. It's not really a place for someone as eagle eyed and curious as Hazel, and she soon finds herself embroiled in the mystery. 

Betty is now boarding with Hazel which is a much better arrangement than when Irene had moved in. Betty is feeling a bit disillusioned with life, which didn't quite work out the way that she thought it might when she was younger. She meets a much younger woman at work who seems to see her rather than see through her and Betty is drawn into a different world which she doesn't quite understand.

As for Irene, she is still living in the high class brothel but she is beginning to see that the Maltese Mafia is taking an interest in what is going on. When she tries to warn her boss that there might be a turf war coming, her fears are dismissed. However, Irene knows what she knows, and she takes matters into her own hands.  

When things get dangerous and one of them disappears, it is up to the others to use all their detective skills to work out where she and to save her before it is too late!

I really enjoy the fact that our three main characters all get their own storylines to shine in. As always I do find Irene to be a complete hoot! She is definitely a rough diamond, although I am not sure I would want to cross her. 

One of the things that was a bit different in this book is that the ladies don't get to spend as much time together given that they no longer work in such proximity. Snooty Merl also doesn't get as much page time after she gets upset with the way that the Tea Ladies Guild is being run. There is also less food and drink in this book, but the series as a whole does feature lots of cake, home made fruit wine and, of course, tea!

Fashion is still an important part of this story. Young Pixie is trying to get out of her parent's business and set up on her own. With Hazel's help she finds a location, and the assistance she needs to set up a boutique where she can be free to design what she wants, including groovy jumpsuits like the one on the cover.

Another of the secondary characters who are an important part of the story is Hazel's next door neighbour, Maud, who is now training to be a policewoman, which her Catholic parents are not all that happy with. It's always useful to have a policewoman to call upon when needed!

This is the first series in forever that I have read in such quick succession and rated so consistently high. I went to see the author at an event at my local library in April and I have subsequently read all three books in the series. Getting through them so quickly is partially because I read them through the library and I couldn't renew them but it is mostly because I just really enjoyed the stories, especially the characters. I am already looking forward to the next book. Hopefully it will be out next year. 

I am sharing this review with the Foodies Read challenge hosted at Based on a True Story with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, and with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. It also counts for Aussie August 2025 on Bookstagram.

Rating 4.5/5

Weekly meals

Saturday - Spaghetti Bolognaise
Sunday - Beef and Broccoli Noodles
Monday - tuscan Chicken Pasta bake
Tuesday - Baked beans and eggs on toast
Wednesday - Cajun Chicken Rice (new/)
Thursday - Out for dinner
Friday - Pork Nachos

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

The Secrets of the Huon Wren by Claire van Ryn

 

Earlier this year I read and loved Claire van Ryn's second novel Where the Birds Called Her Name which I reviewed here. I knew then that I was going to have to go back and read this book, which was her debut novel.

Allira is a journalist who works for Folk magazine, a quality publication that focuses on people and history of the area. One day, she is sent to a nursing home to interview a man only to find out that he had passed away. One of the nursing staff suggested instead that she speak to Nora, a dementia patient who never has any visitors. Nora spends her days looking after her baby, a doll that she dresses and takes care of. Allira finds herself returning over and over to spend time with Nora, and hears disturbing snippets which makes her want to unravel the truth of what happened to Nora.

The modern story is set in 2019 but the heart of the story is in 1953 where we meet Nora as a young girl. She lives with her parents in a small town in Tasmania. Her mother is a very rigid woman with very definite ideas on how Nora should behave, and who Nora can never seem to please. Nora's father is both a carpenter and the town's undertaker. Nora assists her dad by stitching the lining into the coffins, and is beginning to learn some of the undertaker tasks.

One day a young man comes to the family home to deliver some wood and his truck breaks down which means he has to stay in the shed until it can be fixed. Michal is a German-Polish immigrant who has come to Australia for a new start and to provide for his mother and sister back home. Michal sees Nora for who she is and not who her mother expects her to be, and he is skilled at carving. It isn't long before feelings grown between the two young people. He carves Nora a wren from huon pine which becomes a symbol of their love when they are separated.

As Allira begins to piece together Nora's story of love and tragedy, she begins to understand that there is a way forward from her own past traumas, both in her personal and professional lives. I loved the relationships that Allira had with her husband Hamish and her best friend Rae, and of course between Allira and Nora.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the historical time line, and the dementia storyline was very well handled. There are some unlikely coincidences that draw all of the strands of the story to a nice conclusion for many of the characters but that is forgivable. It is a really good debut novel, and now I will be waiting impatiently for Claire van Ryn's next book to come out.

Finally how beautiful is this cover? And the detail of the thread in the bird's beak is very clever too given that it ties in with the story

I am sharing this review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host and also counting it for #AussieAugust2025 on Bookstagram

Rating 4.5/5

The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: July statistics

Every month I share some of the statistics related to the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. I try very hard to visit every post which has been linked (time permitting) and I find it interesting to see what are the books that people are reading and reviewing! I often end up adding a couple of books to my never ending TBR list.

In terms of the books read in July, there were 77 reviews linked up for the challenge, shared by 21 participants. There were 74 individual titles reviewed, written by 68 different authors, although one of the books reviewed had 8 contributing authors which I only count that as one for the purposes of the statistics. There were 6 reviewers who reviewed 5 or more books each. Thank you to everyone who shared their links whether it be 9 or just 1.

So which books were reviewed more than once in July? There were actually 3, and interestingly they are all somewhat foodie. 

The fact that Paris in July was happening during the month, it probably isn't surprising that two of the books that were reviewed twice were set in France and posted for that event. The first book that had two reviews was A Bakery in Paris by Aimie K Runyan which was reviewed by Deb at Readerbuzz and by me! This was also the Cook the Books selection so both of these posts also include a recipe, although Deb's was much more ambitious than mine!!

I also reviewed The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods as did Constance from Staircase Wit. This is a dual timeline featuring lots of delicious sounding goodies!

The third book which was reviewed twice was The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson which was reviewed by both Helen at She Reads Novels and Cathy at What Cathy Read Next. Part of this story includes some history about ice cream! I've added this one to my TBR!

We also had a couple of author who were read multiple times this month.

Agatha Christie made two appearances this month with reviews of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Alexis on Goodreads  and Death Comes at the End by Kay at What Me Read.

By far the author who was reviewed the most this month was Laurie R King thanks to Kim on Goodreads who is doing a read through of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. Kim read 5 different books in the series.

If you love historical fiction and reading challenges, it isn't too late to join us! All the details can be found in the sign up post.

I am sharing this with Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and A Cup of Tea and a Good Book hosted at Boondock Ramblings

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge: August links

 

Thank you to everyone who contributed a review in July for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. Currently there are more than 60 links! I will be back in the next week or so with all the statistics for the month. 

I am looking forward to reading your reviews throughout the rest of the year! I am sure there is going to be a lot of great historical fiction discovered and shared with fellow HF lovers over the course of this year!

If you haven't already signed up, it's not too late! The sign up post is here.

Just to recap what participants need to know. At the beginning of each month I will put up a post which will have a Mr Linky embedded into it for you to add your link.

Please remember...

• add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review). 
• it doesn't matter where you review - Bookstagram, Goodreads etc as long as you share a direct link to your review.
• any kind of historical fiction is accepted (fantasy, young adult, graphic novels...)
• if you have time, have a look some of the other links that are present. You never know when you will discover new blogs or books!

You can also join the challenge group on Facebook which you can find here and don't forget to use the #histficreadingchallenge hashtag on the socials.

Let the reading begin!!

If you have any more links please add them to the September link post which can be found here.

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge Participants

1. Strangers in Time by David Baldacci (Staircase Wit) 2. Something to Look Forward To (Davida @ The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog) 3. The Moor, by Laurie R. King (Kim) 4. My Friends (Davida @ The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog) 5. Justice Hall, by Laurie R. King (Kim) 6. Crouchback (Shellie@ShellieLovesBooks) 7. Pirate Latitudes (Shellie@ShellieLovesBooks) 8. The Night Ocean - What Me Read 9. The Death of Shame by Ambrose Parry (Margaret @ BooksPlease 10. The Shakespeare Secret by DJ Nix (Laura's Reviews) 11. The Best of Intentions (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 12. The Last Apartment in Istanbul (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 13. The Baker of Lost Memories (Laura@RBA) 14. Lion Hearts (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 15. Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo (Tracey @ Carpe Librum) 16. Asylum Piece (Susan @ Reading World 17. The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin (Maphead's Book Blog) 18. Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Investigator, by Kelly Gardiner (Kim) 19. Six Weeks by the Sea by Paula Byrne (Laura's Reviews) 20. Wildwood Creek (Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts) 21. How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days (Helen @ She Reads Novels) 22. Fire from Heaven (Helen @ She Reads Novels) 23. Trace of Poison (Mark @ CC) 24. The House at Devil's Neck(Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext)

25. The Communist's Secret by Suzanne Parry (Laura's Reviews) 26. Mob Queen by Erin Bledsoe (Laura's Reviews) 27. The Secrets of the Huon Wren (Marg @ The Intrepid Reader 28. The Mirror & the Light (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 29. Word of the Wicked (Susan@ Reading World) 30. The Deadly Dispute (Marg @ The Intrepid Reader) 31. There Are Rivers in the Sky (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 32. The Lost Queen by Carol McGarth (Isabella Ann @ The Painted Caravan) 33. Green Ink (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 34. Seeds of the Pomegranate (Reading World) 35. The Greek House (Helen @ She Reads Novels) 36. The House at Devil's Neck (Helen @ She Reads Novels) 37. The Haunting of Mr and Mrs Stevenson (Tracey @ Carpe Librum) 38. The Bucharest Dossier by William Maz (Maphead's Book Blog) 39. The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay (Laura's Reviews) 40. The Girl from the War Room (Marg @ The Intrepid Reader) 41. The Game, by Laurie R. King (Kim) 42. Where We Belong (Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts) 43. The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar (Bellezza @ Dolce Bellezza) 44. The Personal Librarian (Maphead's Book Blog) 45. The Summer House Party (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 46. Dear Miss Lake by AJ Pearce (Staircase Wit) 47. No Life For a Lady (Helen @ She Reads Novels) 48. Evil in High Places (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext)

49. The Body in the Ice (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 50. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Marg @ The Intrepid Reader) 51. Victoria Victorious (Shellie@ShellieLovesBooks) 52. The Paris Express (Denise Newton Writes) 53. Purely Academic (Reading World) 54. Locked Rooms, by Laurie R. King (Kim) 55. One Hundred Years of Betty (Marg @ The Intrepid Reader 56. The Begotten: A Novel of the Gifted by Lisa T. Bergren (Maphead's Book Blog) 57. Atmosphere (Davida @ The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog) 58. Niccolo Rising by Dorothy Dunnett (Staircase Wit) 59. The Summer Before the War (Marg @ The Intrepid Reader 60. Small Wars by Sadie Jones (Maphead's Book Blog) 61. No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig (Kym @ Just A Second) 62. The Silent Companions (Helen @ She Reads Novels) 63. The Portrait Artist (Helen @ She Reads Novels) 64. To Chase the Glowing Hours (Reading World) 65. Cairo Gambit (Cathy@WhatCathyReadNext) 66. Murder On a Scottish Island 67. Murder On a Scottish Island (Shellie@ShellieLovesBooks) 68. Monk's Hood (What Me Read) 69. James (What Me Read) 70. Laura's Reviews (One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie)

Learn more about Historical Fiction Reading Challenge here.

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Paris in July: The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

 

I am pretty sure that I heard about this book as part of last year's Paris in July. I bought it and then patiently waited for the right time to read, which ended up being last week!

We meet New Yorker Stella in Paris in 1983, her mother having just passed away. Stella's relationship with Celia St Vincent was difficult. Where Celia was flamboyant, Stella was quiet. Where Celia was the centre of society, Stella was a studious copy editor who preferred to live alone quietly. Needless to say, they clashed on many issues. When Celia dies, she leaves a small amount of money and an instruction. Go to Paris.

Usually she doesn't do what her mother says, but in this case she agrees and that is why she is in Paris. On her first day in Paris she is attracted to a small dress shop. The shop owner greets her as if she has been waiting for her and instructs her to buy a specific dress, which fits her as if it is made for her. However, when she hears the dress is 6000 francs she leaves the store. Eventually, however, she returns to the store where the owner gives her a deal. She can take the dress but she must then walk through the Tuileries to the Seine and then to the Pont des Arts, have champagne and oysters at Les Duex Magot an then go to the Musee du Jeu de Paume. After that, if she then wants to return the dress she can.

And so begin a series of events which change Stella's life in ways she can never imagine. She meets an older man called Jules who helps open her eyes to the joys of Paris, the sights, the sounds, the food and wine, the art and introduces her to many influential people, many of whom are real people from history.  Along the way he sets her on a search for someone she never expects to find...her father.

One of the places that Stella finds herself is at the legendary bookstore, Shakespeare and Co and she soon becomes a Tumbleweed, someone who lives in the bookstore in exchange for helping out occasionally. She first went to the store as she became interested in the life of Victorine Meurent and was looking for a book about her. Victorine was originally a model to many famous artists including Edouard Manet. She then disappeared from history which in itself an injustice given that she has become a painter and had her worked displayed at the famous Salon something which was extremely difficult to achieve as a women. Despite this success, it was believed that none of her paintings survived.  Now Stella is on the hunt to see if she can find any of Victorine's works. Being set in 1983 meant that Stella has to do old fashioned research like going to churches to find records, going to National archives etc. None of this just looking everything up on the internet.

As you might expect given that Reichl is a renowned cookbook writer, an editor, a restaurant critic and more, the food and wine related passages shine throughout this book, and there are a lot of them. Here's just one

Jules's wines were opened, decanted, fussed over. They both watched Olney take the first sip of the 1945 Romanee-Conti, his eyes growing wide as he held the liquid in his mouth. Then he took another, closing his eyes in pleasure. If he were a cat, she thought, he would be purring. 

She took a sip. And understood. She was drinking liquid rubies.

But they did not discuss the wine. When she remarked on it later, Jules shrugged. "What would we say? The wine spoke for itself. We were drinking time, drinking history, tasting the past. You can't talk about that, and only idiots would try."

Instead, they cooked. 

Stella goes from being someone who doesn't even think of food to someone who is brave and loves the experience of trying new things, some of which are probably outside the realms of what I would like to try myself. It turns out that, of course, she has an exceptional palette and food begins to becomes a huge part of her future. 

This is a bit of a kitchen sink book. If you think about any of the things that France is famous for it is in the book. Food and wine...check. Art...check. Literature...check. Iconic locations...check. 

So what stopped this from being a more enjoyable experience to me. It comes down to one chapter early in the book. In chapter 2 of the book, we hear about some childhood experiences that Stella had, and having read to the end, I am not sure why it needed to be there. Whilst I think it was meant to show that those experiences shaped the way that she lived her life in New York, just her difficult relationship with her mother would have been enough to explain it. It felt a bit manipulative to me, although I do acknowledge that this particular subject is something that I am a bit sensitive too.

So this was a bit of a mixed bag of a read for me. I enjoyed a lot of the book, but it was soured a little by some of the choices that the author made. 

I am sharing this review with Paris in July, with Weekend Cooking which I host, Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted at Bloggin' 'Bout Books, with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host and with Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story. This is the eighth book I have read this year with the word Paris in the title!

Rating 3.5/5

Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge June Statistics (and for the first 6 months of the year!)

Every month I share some of the statistics related to the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. I try very hard to visit every post which has been linked (time permitting) and I find it interesting to see what are the books that people are reading and reviewing! I often end up adding a couple of books to my never ending TBR list.

In terms of the books read in June, there were 70 reviews linked up for the challenge, shared by 20 participants. There were 69 individual titles reviewed, written by 66 different authors. There were 5 reviewers who reviewed 5 or more books each. Thank you to everyone who shared their links whether it be 11 or just 1.

So which book was reviewed more than once in June? 

Last year The Women by Kristin Hannah was the most reviewed book for the whole year. This month, it was reviewed by both Bree from All the Books I Can Read and by myself. This book certainly made both of us feel a lot! 

There were also two other authors who had more than one book reviewed. 

I reviewed The Diamond Eye and Margaret from Books Please reviewed Signal Moon which is a short story. Both are by Kate Quinn.

Bev from My Reader's Block has been working her way through the Redmond and Haze mystery series by Irina Shapiro and reviewed the first three books. They were Murder in the Crypt,  Murder at the Abbey and Murder at the Mill.

I wonder what books will be featured next month!

It is hard to believe but we are half way through the challenge already for 2025, so I thought it would be interesting to look at the stats for the first 6 months and see what stands out. 

So far this year there have been 366 reviews linked up for the challenge, shared by 32 participants. There have been 335 individual titles reviewed, written by 292 different authors. There are 3 reviewers who have reviewed 25 or more books each with Laura from Laura's Reviews having contributed an astonishing 53 reviews so far! Thank you to everyone who has shared their links with the challenge.

There are 3 books that have all been reviewed 3 times for the challenge. They are The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn, The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry and The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau.

Agatha Christie tops the list of authors who have been reviewed most with 10 reviews, followed by Kerry Greenwood who has been reviewed 6 times, and Kate Quinn and Patrice McDonough who have both been reviewed 4 times. 

And so far there have been 29 books reviewed that have the words death or murder in the title! What a bloodthirsty bunch of readers we are!

It will be interesting to see what changes over the next 6 months when I do the statistics for the whole year!

If you love historical fiction and reading challenges, it isn't too late to join us! All the details can be found in the sign up post.

I am sharing this with Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz