Click to go to the previous book in this series – Thanks for the Memories
Sassy and successful, Lila Barlow has done everything to live her best life. Yet even as her real estate career booms and men fall at her feet, something’s missing. Her roommates have found bliss with their new loves, but Lila can’t seem to find her Prince Charming. Perhaps a break from
men and relationships is the answer. Unfortunately, unexpected changes are around the corner when her parents give her some life-changing news and when her boss makes a surprising announcement. In a shocking turn of events Lila’s path crosses with someone she thought was out of her life forever. The spark is still there, the only problem is he’s spoken for—by Lila’s new friend. Now Lila has to figure out how to navigate change, love, and friendship. What lessons will she learn on her quest for happily ever after?Amazon US Amazon UK
Author Bio – USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin is a planner-obsessed Disney fan who still watches Beverly Hills 90210 reruns and General Hospital. She’s a wife, mother, and journal keeper, who finally decided to write the book she talked about for years. She took her dream to the next level, and is now an award-winning, bestselling author of twenty-one Romantic Comedy and Cozy Mystery novels and novellas. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women, and she considers these leading ladies to be part of her tribe. When she isn’t deep in the writing zone, this multitasking master organizer keeps busy by spending time with her family, chauffeuring her daughter, traveling, attempting yoga poses, and going on rides at Disney World. Visit authormelissabaldwin.com to sign up for her newsletter. Fans of Melissa’s books, join her Reader Tribe
My thoughts: book three in the series and now it’s Lila’s turn to take centre stage, with her friends Gabby and Reagan at her side. Both of the others have found love and Lila, never one for long term love, is wondering whether she might be ready for something more serious. Other changes are going on at home and work, and old flame Cal is back in the picture.
It was great to spend more time with Lila, having been a supporting character in the previous books, she’s the one that brought them altogether after all – inviting Gabby and Reagan to come and share her home and become friends.
The book also brings several other plots from the previous books to a conclusion of sorts, but it does feel like there needs to be one more to finish everything off. There was a bit of a “and then what happened?” feeling to it.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Shadow Bound Souls, blends Science Fiction and classic high fantasy in a steampunk world.
The Sagean Lord has emerged.
While the Wrythen’s influence grows stronger, the Sagean and his power-hungry acolytes, the Court of Dragons, are intent on delivering the gem of souls to the Temple of Ama; where the Sintering Fountain can transform the acolytes into Luminaries.
Meanwhile, the band of heroes find themselves separated in a world starting to tear itself apart. Having suffered a huge loss, Ellaria and Elias must escape the Mainland with the Sagean’s agents pursuing them. When Elias becomes sick, Ellaria decides to hide amongst the Showman’s Traveling Show of Wonders. But their journey is shadowed by darkness and when troupe members turn up murdered, Ellaria struggles to find the killer amongst her company.
Far away in the Warhawk Mountains, the three young rogues are stranded with the Tempest Stone. Aimless about what to do, their paths take a turn when they discover the horrifying magnitude of the Sagean’s return to power, the Scree.
Excerpt A fog drifted amongst the looming masses of tents and travel-crafts. A man stepped from shadow to shadow with a blood-soaked knife. Ellaria could feel him stalking her, but she couldn't see him. A slight disturbance in the grass, a crunch in the dirt, whispered of his position. But the sound was lost in the wind before she could locate its source. Where had everyone gone, she wondered. The entirety of the fairgrounds was empty. With a lantern in her hands, she weaved around the trampled paths through the large field, the darkness of the night yet to give way to the morning light. No matter where she looked, she couldn't find anyone. She heard a sharp ringing sound from the caravan circle, and she rushed from around a carriage house to the center space. At the center was a tall man with a top hat. The soft glow of the surrounding carriages provided only enough light to softly illuminate the fog and patches of the ground, leaving the man mostly disguised. He leaned slightly on a cane and his right hand at his side held a long-curved knife. In succession, the lanterns started to wane and extinguish from behind him. Gradually, each light winked out of existence in a progression toward her and the darkness consumed the circle yard. Her own light held, and she lifted it forward to see. A sinister smile on the pale man was now only a few feet away. She couldn't breathe. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. The man's face appeared, and she almost recognized him, but his eyes were missing. Like they had been burned out of his skull. “Hello, Ms. Moonstone,” he spoke in a smoky voice that sent a shiver run down her spine. “Who are you?” Ellaria said. “Don't you know? Don't you recognize me?” “No.” “What a shame, after so many encounters, too,” he said, and lifted the blade. A reflection appeared in the steel of a man she did recognize: Elias. And the pale man laughed. A dark mocking laugh that made her skin crawl. Her hand trembled and Ellaria threw the lantern at his feet...
A fallen empire, a failed republic, and a frontier of alchemy, magic and machines…
They thought the war was over. That they had given enough, but when an oppressive empire falls, what comes from the ashes, is turmoil and treachery.
Ellaria Moonstone, an alchemist, and a hero of the Great War, has spent the last forty years trying to rebuild. An emissary for the Scholar’s Guild, her life’s work has been in establishing universities throughout the world. But as a former general that led the resistance in overthrowing the Sagean Empire, she has watched as all she fought for has slowly eroded away and with it, her faith in the republic. Now in her mid-fifties her singular focus has been to protect all knowledge for future generations.
When Ellaria is suspiciously requested to attend a meeting in the capitol city of Adalon, she quickly realizes something is amiss and the main governing body the Coalition of Nations may be compromised. When the Peace King of the Free Cities goes missing the plot to overthrow the tenuous republic takes shape, and Ellaria becomes convinced that the entity manipulating the fragile government is in servitude to a new Sagean Emperor. A Luminary with the powers to control energy.
Now the Coalition is intent on hunting down and capturing the man that defeated the last Sagean Emperor. The greatest hero of the war, Qudin Lightweaver. However, Ellaria’s old friend has not been seen in twenty years. With no one left to trust, she sends for help from old allies and expatriates scattered across the chaotic frontier. Once reunited, the aging veterans realize trust between old friends is not what it once was.
Three former war heroes, long past their prime and haunted by their pasts, are all that stand against a dark entity threatening the future. With the currency of souls is in the balance they find their destinies are entwined with a band of young rogues. Together they must stop the return of a dark empire. While each path to the truth is rot with peril, they discover the key to protecting the future resides in the mysteries of the past. The quest for a lost tomb ensues and the recovery of a relic from the time of the unknown ancients, called the Tempest Stone.
The Binding Tempest is the beginning of an immerse saga, of magic, alchemy, airships, and ancient mysteries. A new epic Sci-Fi and Fantasy series that is a classic High Fantasy Adventure injected with Steampunk science. For fans of The Wheel of Time series, Shadow and Bone and the Stormlight Archives.
Enter for a chance to win a signed hardcover edition of The Binding Tempest (International) a Rafflecopter giveaway
Steven Rudy received a degree in Environmental Design and Architecture from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He currently lives in Colorado with his wife and three kids and works as an architectural designer on historic preservation projects and residential projects.
My thoughts: this is an action packed steampunk sci-fi fantasy novel, that picks up right after book one (so read that first). Traversing entire continents the gang are reunited only to be separated again as they seek to stop the evil Sagean Emperor from seizing power and unleashing the Wrythen on the world.
Racing against time and with only the vaguest idea of what to do, not helped by Elias being in a coma for a bit, even Ellaria and Rovan are a bit of a loss, let alone the younger contingent, who weren’t even alive yet last time the Sagean had to be stopped. But with some luck, some help from old friends and new, oh and Tali’s increasingly strong powers, they might just be able to get to the temple in time…or not.
The plot rips along at a break neck pace at times, and there’s a lot going on, new characters, new peoples, gunfights, sword fights, giant monsters, kidnap, murder, some leaping from windows, y’know the usual adventure stuff when there’s a world to save and no one really knows what they’re doing! Great fun, roll on book three!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own
In an all-too-possible near future, when genetic engineering has become the norm for humans, parents are prepared to take incalculable risks to ensure that their babies are perfect – altering genes that may cause illness, and more… Susan has been trying for a baby for years, and when an impulsive one-night stand makes her dream come true, she’ll do anything to keep her daughter and ensure her husband doesn’t find out … including the unthinkable. She believes her secret is safe. For now. But as governments embark on a perilous genetic arms race and children around the globe start experiencing a host of distressing symptoms – even taking their own lives – something truly horrendous is unleashed. Because those children have only one thing in common, and people are starting to ask questions…
Eve Smith writes speculative fiction – mainly about the things that scare her – which she attributes to a childhood watching Tales of the Unexpected and black-and-white Edgar Allen Poe double bills. Previously COO of an environmental charity, she has an ongoing passion for wild creatures, wild science and far-flung places. Twitter @evecsmith; Instagram: evesmithauthor; Facebook: EveSmithAuthor and http://www.evesmithauthor.com.
My thoughts: Eve Smith doesn’t shy away from tackling big themes and controversial topics, such as this one – gene tweaking and rewriting unborn children’s DNA. With the development of CRISPR technology (the team won a Nobel for it) this has been debated – the idea of removing faults in DNA to eradicate some of the worst medical conditions has generated a lot of concern from the disabled community – if you could ensure your child wouldn’t get cancer or be born with Down’s Syndrome, would you?
Smith has taken this to extremes – Susan has part of her unborn daughter’s removed and replaced so that her husband is now technically the baby’s father. She also has genetic predisposition to addiction and heart problems removed. But once her daughter has got older, other issues start to emerge and it becomes increasingly political.
I felt for Simon, the husband, and Susan’s daughter, Zurel, who have no idea what’s happened and have to deal with the fallout after Susan’s clinic is doxxed and her details are released. Zurel loses all her privacy and she’s the victim, it’s just really sad. She’s only a child and hasn’t got the mental resources to manage all the revelations.
This book raises all sorts of questions and really made me think where I would stand in this sort of situation. I’m fascinated by all of this incredible technology and what it could mean for future humans, as is the author, so it’s something I have done some reading on elsewhere and honestly I don’t know where I fall, it can be really complex. Honestly the book was so compelling a read and so thought provoking I think it really needs multiple re-reads.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Click to go to the previous book in the series – Thanks for the Love
A new beginning leads to a second-chance at romance.
Done with the frigid northern winters, Reagan Westbourne has an easy solution—move to Miami. It makes total sense. She can even live with her sister. But after a few months of enduring her quirky sibling’s newlywed bliss, Reagan is ready to spread her wings and move out. Life with two fun roommates and a promising job completes the picture for Reagan. Almost. When Reagan’s old college friend, Dante, opens a new restaurant in Miami, the past mixes with the present. Afterall, he’s the only man Reagan’s ever had feelings for. And it seems the attraction might just be mutual. Yet when their paths finally seem to align, old and new friends enter the picture, leaving Reagan unsure of her feelings.Could this second-chance be the answer, or is it time to leave the memories in the past?
Author Bio – USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin is a planner-obsessed Disney fan who still watches Beverly Hills 90210 reruns and General Hospital. She’s a wife, mother, and journal keeper, who finally decided to write the book she talked about for years. She took her dream to the next level, and is now an award-winning, bestselling author of twenty-one Romantic Comedy and Cozy Mystery novels and novellas. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women, and she considers these leading ladies to be part of her tribe. When she isn’t deep in the writing zone, this multitasking master organizer keeps busy by spending time with her family, chauffeuring her daughter, traveling, attempting yoga poses, and going on rides at Disney World. Visit authormelissabaldwin.com to sign up for her newsletter. Fans of Melissa’s books, join her Reader Tribe
My thoughts: this second book in the Thankful series is Reagan’s story – a love story, also about friendship and sisterhood. After following her sister from Chicago to Miami, she’s living the dream with a great job and fab roommates. Her college pal Dante has opened a great new restaurant nearby and they’ve been hanging out when he’s not busy. But when her best friend from back home, Bethany, comes to visit, things go a bit sideways.
Luckily Reagan has friends to back her, Gabby and Lila have her as does scary sister Kennedy, I wouldn’t mess with her. Plus her work colleague Jeremy keeps her in doughnuts and flirty banter, but is there more to it?
This second installment sees the gang deal with what it is to be a friend. Lila is putting aside her dislike of Gabby’s boyfriend and they both support Reagan when her friendship with Bethany turns toxic. Your real friends are always there for you.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Twenty-one-year-old Skye Willis lives in Eufaula, Alabama, a tourist mecca of stately homes and world-class bass fishing. Her childhood friends are either stuck at dead ends or have moved on to accomplish Big Things.
Skye’s grandmother, Verna, insists on being called “Sparrow” because she suspects her ancestors were Muscogee Creek. She dresses in faux deerskin and experiments with ancient Native American recipes, offering a myth or legend to anyone who will listen.
Skye has no idea what to do with her life. She’s smart as hell, but she has no faith or knowledge there’s something out there she was “born to do.” Nor does she know much of anything about her father, who died in Afghanistan when she was a toddler. He and his family are a mystery her mother won’t discuss.
But when Sparrow sets out to confirm her Creek ancestry through genetic testing, Skye joins in. The results hit like a DNA bomb, launching them both on a path filled with surprises and life-changing events. Skye learns a harder truth than she ever expected.
Alternating chapters between Skye’s Alabama life and an intertwining tale of greed, deceit, and control in Texas, this story offers proof that all life is a woven tapestry of past, present, and future.
Beth Dial Duke is an Amazon #1 Best Selling author and the recipient of short story awards on two continents. She is eyeing the other five. Beth lives in the mountains of her native Alabama with her husband, one real dog, and one ornamental dog. She loves reading, writing, and not arithmetic. Baking is a hobby, with semi-pro cupcakes and amateur macarons a specialty. And puns–the worse, the better. Travel is her other favorite thing, along with joining book groups for discussion. If a personal visit isn’t possible, she is fluent in Zoom. Please visit bethduke.com for more information, to request a book club visit, and to see photos of the most beautiful readers in the world!
My thoughts: this was a thought provoking and interesting read about who we are and where we come from. After getting their DNA results Skye and her grandmother, Sparrow, explore their ancestry – from Native Americans to African, deep within their DNA. They encounter some incredible stories of heartbreak and bravery from fleeing Creek tribespeople and escaped slaves, the inspiring women who came before them.
Skye also begins to question who her absent biological father really is – her mother’s answers no longer work. But does she really need him in her life? Her mother’s partner, Manny, offers her a different kind of father, one that is always there. But confronting the man who made her will affect change in both their lives too.
This was fascinating and powerful, especially the stories of Freetown and the indigenous ancestors Skye and Sparrow discover. People who had to be brave and bold in order to stay alive when colonial imperialists were literally out for their blood. Skye has to reconcile the parts of herself and build a new identity incorporating these histories. The ending is bittersweet, suggesting change in the air but at a great loss.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Fans of the Golden Girls will love this modern, romantic comedy twist! Please note, this novella was originally part of the Love in the City box set.
When your life crumbles around you, it’s hard to find something to be thankful for. Nevertheless, Gabby Marshall is determined to start anew in sunny Miami. New city, new job, and two new interesting roommates bring lots of new opportunities for a fresh start. As well as some challenges and surprises. Gabby’s putting her heart and soul into her new career, without the distraction of love getting in the way. Yet she keeps crossing paths with the gorgeous and welcoming Theo Jorgenson. Maybe Gabby could make one little exception and allow Theo in … except her new roommate and Theo are sworn enemies. Life in Miami could be promising … or it could fall apart. Again.
USA Today bestselling author Melissa Baldwin is a planner-obsessed Disney fan who still watches Beverly Hills 90210 reruns and General Hospital. She’s a wife, mother, and journal keeper, who finally decided to write the book she talked about for years. She took her dream to the next level, and is now an award-winning, bestselling author of twenty-one Romantic Comedy and Cozy Mystery novels and novellas. Melissa writes about charming, ambitious, and real women, and she considers these leading ladies to be part of her tribe. When she isn’t deep in the writing zone, this multitasking master organizer keeps busy by spending time with her family, chauffeuring her daughter, traveling, attempting yoga poses, and going on rides at Disney World. Visit authormelissabaldwin.com to sign up for her newsletter. Fans of Melissa’s books, join her Reader Tribe
My thoughts: this was a fun novella about starting over somewhere new. Gabby has moved from Orlando to Miami, leaving her broken heart behind she hopes. With a new job, new roommates and a handsome neighbour to keep her busy, she’s hoping to forget her ex-fiance and former best friend, who betrayed her. Her new pals are keen to explore the city, try new things and have fun, and so is Gabby.
Light hearted and entertaining this is the first book of three about Gabby and her roommates, and it introduces us to them and their lives in sunny Miami. I liked all of them, fun, smart women who want to get the most out of their lives. Come back next Monday for book two!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
None can resist the ravages of time. Knowledge is lost. Memories fade.
But some things must never be forgotten.
Over 400 years ago, twelve great warriors united the beleaguered armies of men and scoured the war-torn lands of evil, pushing the enemy back into the underground pits and caverns from whence they came. To ensure their legacy, each of the Twelve founded fortress monasteries to impart their unique knowledge of war and politics to a select few, the Knights of the Twelve.
But now the last of the Twelve have long since passed from history to legend and the Knights, their numbers dwindling, are harbouring a dark and terrible secret that must be protected at all costs.
Merad Reed has spent half his life guarding a great crater known as the Pit, yearning for some escape from the bleak monotony. Then the arrival of Aldarin, one of the few remaining Knights of the Twelve, sets off a chain of cataclysmic events that will change Reed forever.
To the north, Jelaïa del Arelium, heiress to the richest of the nine Baronies, must learn to navigate the swirling political currents of her father’s court if she hopes one day to take his place. But the flickering flames of ambition hide the shadow of an even greater threat.
Alex Robins was born in Norwich, England back when it was still trendy to wear lycra tracksuits and bright pink headbands. Norwich School Library was where he first discovered his love of reading, an old converted undercroft packed to the rafters with books. The first fantasy series he read was The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis & Tracey Hickman, quickly followed by The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and David Eddings’ The Belgariad.
At the age of twelve Alex moved across the channel to Nantes in France. Speaking very little French, the first few years were difficult and sometimes lonely as he scrambled to get a grip on the intricate grammar and vocabulary of the French language. His taste in books branched out from epic fantasy to science-fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and historical fiction, but he always came back to his favourite fantasy authors when looking to escape the outside world.
After degrees in agronomy, project management, and computer sciences, Alex founded his own company dedicated to online voting. He met his wife during a game of badminton and they spent several years getting trounced in various regional tournaments before getting married. Alex now lives in the sunny Loire Valley in western France, surrounded by imposing castles, sprawling vineyards, and two children. After reading fantasy books for the last thirty years he decided to write one. The Broken Heart of Arelium is his first novel, and the first in the War of the Twelve series.
My thoughts: like lots of grimdark fantasy this starts with actual monsters, crawling out of the Pit, and ends with more human monsters, hiding in plain sight. Though there are also heroes – Reed, the last member of the Old Guard, Aldarin the Knight and Jelaïa, the heir to Arulian’s barony. The three of them must stand firm against monsters of both kinds.
There is a lot of fighting, it felt a bit like one long battle scene with talking in between, which isn’t hugely my thing. I wanted more history, more world building and magic. But that’s me. If you like lots of pitched fighting and desperate heroics, this is definitely for you.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
When Sam’s not working on her fledgling business, she spends her time secretly video-gaming. Her crush is famous gamer Blaze, and she’s thrilled when she’s teamed up with him in a virtual tournament.
But what Sam doesn’t know is that Blaze is the alter ego of Luke, her shy colleague – and he has a secret crush too.
Luke has a crush on Sam. Sam has a crush on Blaze.
How will this game of love play out?
A fun, feel-good romance for fans of You’ve Got Mail, Helen Hoang, Jasmine Guillory and Lindsey Kelk.
My thoughts: I’m not a gamer by any stretch of the imagination but I am married to one, although he’s not as passionate as Sam and Luke are, or should I say Blaze and Bravura! But between their work space friendship and the unknowing one they’re having online, things can either go horribly wrong or very, very right.
This was a funny, sweet, light hearted rom com, a bit You’ve Got Mail for the new century and a bit Sleepless in Seattle but with a Sri Lankan protagonist. Sam’s honouring of her late mother through her business was lovely, even if her dad struggled to fully understand it. I really liked Sam and her cheeky flatmate/cousin. They were lots of fun, and the office receptionist was a hoot, trying to matchmake from behind her desk.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
If you had to make an impossible choice to save your long-lost daughter, you would… wouldn’t you?
It’s a warm early summer’s evening when Mia’s doorbell rings. She opens the door to see a teenage girl standing in the shadow beyond the porch light—and in an instant she knows who it is. Daisy, the daughter she gave up as a baby. Daisy steps forward, as she says tearfully “I’m sorry I didn’t call first. But something happened. And I really needed… you.”
Seventeen years before, knowing she couldn’t possibly give her beautiful little girl Daisy the future she deserved, Mia made the hardest decision of her life—to give her up. And Suzanne seemed the perfect adoptive mother: calm, stable, and full of love for the daughter she’d always dreamed of having.
The two mothers promised to keep communication open, so Daisy could have Mia’s love and support along with Suzanne’s. But as the years passed, Mia moved away, and their visits happened less. Now Daisy is almost a stranger to Mia—angry, closed and broken—nothing like the tiny girl she once couldn’t bear to say goodbye to.
But now Daisy has arrived on Mia’s doorstep, and she says she has a terrible secret. One she can never tell Suzanne. And she believes the only person who can help her is Mia. Her birth mother.
Mia, however, has secrets of her own. Ones she is afraid to let Daisy or anyone else know. And while Suzanne desperately seeks a way to bring her child home, can Mia overcome her past to help the girl they both call their daughter in her darkest hour before it’s too late?
Totally gripping emotional women’s fiction from the author guaranteed to make readers cry. Kate Hewitt’s story will grab you by the heartstrings and never let you go. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain and Jojo Moyes.
Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives. WebsiteFacebookTwitter
My thoughts: this really affected me, probably because my mum is adopted (partly, my Grandad adopted her and my aunt when he married my Nan, their mum) and so I know a bit about it. Also the story is very moving.
Daisy is going through a crisis, and because her relationship with Suzanne is full of friction, she doesn’t confide in her, turning instead to her birth mother Mia. This throws up a lot of issues for both mothers, pushing them to assess their own pasts and mothering styles.
A lot comes tumbling out of the closet, not just skeletons and everyone has to deal with the impact of their secrets on themselves and each other. Suzanne and Mia have to find a way to reconcile themselves as Daisy needs them both in her life.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
1957, France. Florence and Lilli meet at finishing school in Lyon. Despite some differences, they forge a firm friendship that promises to last a lifetime. But a terrible betrayal prematurely tears them apart. Years later in England, Florence has become the woman her friend knew she could be – creative, bold, and independent. The exact opposite of Alice, a young woman troubled by a recent trauma, whom Florence is determined to help bring out of her shell. Just as Lilli once did for her. When Florence discovers that the novel she’s reading is written by Lilli and is based on their time at school, the two stories begin to unfold together. Past events illuminate the future, and it becomes clear that long-held secrets can’t stay buried forever.
Caroline Bishop began her journalism career at a small arts magazine in London, after a brief spell in educational publishing. She soon moved to work for a leading London theatre website, for which she reviewed shows and interviewed major acting and directing stars. Caroline turned freelance in 2012 and a year later moved to Switzerland, where her writing veered towards travel and she has contributed to publications including the Guardian, the Independent, the Telegraph and BBC Travel, writing mainly about Switzerland, and co-wrote the 2019 edition of the DK Eyewitness Guide to Switzerland. For two years Caroline was editor of TheLocal.ch, an English-language Swiss news site, and it was during this time that she became fascinated with aspects of Swiss history and culture, particularly the evolution of women’s rights.
My thoughts: this was a wonderful read about the power of friendship, taking a chance and learning to forgive yourself. Flo might be in her eighties but she’s not slowing down, coming across a book written by her old friend Lilli, inspired by their time at a French finishing school in the 50s.
Reading it sparks all sorts of memories and sends Flo off on a journey into the past. Her teenage dog walker Alice is dealing with a huge loss – the death of her best friend Ella, one she blames herself for. As she gets to know Flo and begins to come out of her shell, she too has to confront the pain she’s been running from.
I loved Flo and Alice, and Alice’s mum Carla too. All three women were trapped by their pasts in different ways and needed to let go in order to heal and move on. As they set off to find Lilli, there’s important conversations to be had and new beginnings to find. Lilli has rewritten the past and Flo hopes it’s not too late to find her friend and look to a brighter future.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 