The Midwife's Secret by Emily Gunnis

 

The description and cover attracted me to this book but the begining development of the plot was confusing to me.  There are several time lines and two families which connect from 1919, 1969 and to present day. There is a priest hole in an old house and a young child is hidden away which you can imagine never ends well.

A young girl named Alice disappears in 1969 and she is never found (Not a spoiler as it's in the description of the book).

The hidden room in an old house called Yew Tree Manor reminded me of Kate Morton's book The Clockmaker's Daughter. For this scenario you may conjour images from Sarah's Key by Tatianna de Rosnay.  Not at all the exact same circumstances but if you've read those you'll get what I mean.

I liked the cover and I liked the old house as a "character" in this book.  Old houses and mysteries grab me every time.  I would not seek out more by this author based on this book but I see she has several books in publication so, maybe those would keep my interest more than this one.  This one just didn't grab me.

Publication date October 28, 2021 by Mobius Books.  Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery and Thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Ficion Challenge.

A Little Bird by Wendy James

 

Josephine "Jo" Sharpe is our main narrator in this Australian novel.  She returns home to the backwater town Arthurville with a bit of reluctance because of her family's past and also to help her father as he is in poor health. 

Mick doesn't blink an eye when Jo arrives at the unkempt home desite the fact that they haven't spoken for over two years. They rarely commmunicate and yet they coexist and skirt the big issue about her mother and baby sister disappearing over 20 years ago.

Jo was a journalist in a large city and her new job at The Chronicle has her writing fluff material such as the grandparent's day gathering and who won first prize for their crafting assignments. In the dilapidated newspaper office she comes across old newspaper clippings with a gossip column called The Little Bird.  Eventually Jo discovers her mother had a hand in this anonymous column which shared salacious community information such as who may be having an affair or who may have dented the fences in front of the drug store, all without naming names of course.  

There are multiple narrators in this story and you will be taken back to the 1990's when Jo's mother Merry up and leaves with the baby Amy. Merry was from a weathy family and was destined for university in Sydney until she ran into Mick one day.  Mick is/was a working class man who would never have crossed paths with Merry in any social setting.  As it worked out, Merry became pregnant and all the big plans went up in smoke. Her family was....displeased.

You will go back and forth between the two time lines, mysteries are revealed and finally by the end of the book you'll discover what happened to baby Amy and Jo's young mother.

Overall it was a decent read but a bit slow here and there.  I was wanting more atmospheric details about the Australian setting but there is little of that.  There is the occasional mention of the extreme heat and dusty roads but that's it.

Publication date November 30, 2021 by Lake Union Publishing.  Genre: General Fiction and Women's Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine. 

A Note From the Publisher:

Wendy James is Australia’s queen of the domestic thriller. She is the author of nine novels, including An Accusation, The Golden Child―short-listed for the 2017 Ned Kelly Award―and the bestselling The Mistake. Her debut novel, Out of the Silence, won the 2006 Ned Kelly Award for first crime novel and was short-listed for the Nita May Dobbie Award for women’s writing. Wendy has a PhD from the University of New England, and she works as an editor, teacher, and researcher. She writes some of the sharpest, most topical domestic noir in the country.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Challenge.

Her Secret War by Pam Lecky

 

Sarah Gillespie is returning home after an evening out, worried she may not arrive before her unpredictable and violent father returns from the pub. 

Her younger sister Maura is waiting and frightened as German planes have been buzzing the area.  The time period is during WW II and Ireland is meant to be neutral but bombs are dropped and her home is destroyed. Sarah is in for heartbreak during the chaos of recovery, people are missing and presumed dead.

Sarah eventually moves to England to stay with her uncle and finds work to help with the war effort.  Her uncle gets her work at a Supermarine factory where Spitfires are manufactured. There are scenes from the countryside and London, espionage is inserted into the storyline but that's the only bit that doesn't seem believeable. 

I liked the characters and the ones you were meant to dislike were well written.  The ending was well done in my opinion and definitely sets it up so a sequel could be in the works.  That said, if it ended with this book you'd probably be satisfied and make your own conclusions about Sarah's future. I would seek out a followup book if there is one.

Publication date is October 14, 2021 by Avon Books UK.  Genre: General Fiction (Adult, Women's Fiction and Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction challenge and Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft

 

This historical novel transported me to Ilfracombe and London England, Malaysia and Australia. I will say I enjoyed every bit about this novel from the travel, the character development, the WW II setting and the heartwarming storyline.

The story begins in March of 1941 with our main character Rose headed to London to meet her family for her twenty-fifth birthday. Her parents are in Ceylon but she expects to see her Uncle Lionel and brother Joe.  The war time shortages are apparent with descriptions of mock eggs and chocolate cake.  The cake had prunes and beetroot but when the nation is rationing you celebrate how you can.

Rose is still experiencing grief from a loss and her American fiance Xander isn't exactly the epitome of loving support.  Reading a discarded newspaper on her train to London, Rose, on the spur of the moment, answers an advertisement regarding a young boy who is need of a chaperone to Australia.  Walter aged four is a lonely but bright little fellow and you'll fall in love with him. Rose goes to the house in London to meet the child and this dramatically changes her life. Walter's mother was from Australia and was recently killed in an accident.  

The ship voyage, the strengthening bond between Rosie and Walter and the new family in Australia had me riveted. I loved this book and actually hope the author will add a second book to follow up.  I don't want to see these characters go away! The storyline could be picked up with Rose's life, I'd love to know what happens to Walter and so much more.

Publication date March 15, 2022 by St Martin's Press.  Genre: Historical Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction challenge and Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

The French Gift by Kirsty Manning

 

This book is set in two time periods with three different women narrating their stories. They are tied together by secrets and a mystery.

Evie Black's story is set in present day. She is Australian, was married to Frenchman Raph and has a teen son named Hugo. Raph died 18 months previously and Evie is now in charge of Raph's Aunt Josephine's estate , Villa Sanary in the French Riviera.  

Margo Bissett was a maid for the wealthy couple at Villa Sanary during the 1940's.  She is accused of murdering a wealthy American guest during a party but she was most definitely set up.  You read this immediately as this is how the book starts. She is told to hide on the terrace and when the fireworks start, Margo is meant to fire a loaded gun into the air.  This is the start of "murder" as a party game and her employers insists it's all a prop to start the game. She is arrested and her employer suddenly knows nothing about this "game."

Josephine Murant is a wealthy Parisian and accomplished author of crime/mystery novels.  She was also involved dicreetly with the resistance movement during WW II.  When she is arrested and placed in Anrath Prison she meets Margo and takes her under her wing. The conditions described are quite awful and the big twist with these two women are revealed around the 90% mark. 

Evie Black eventually figures out the mystery of her Aunt Josephine and convicted killer Margo Bissett.

Publication date is November 2, 2021 by William Morrow and Custom House.  Genre: Mystery and General Fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Challenge.

Northern Spy by Flynn Berry

"It's difficult to know how scared to be.  The threat level is severe but then has been for years." 

Bodies can still be found in bogs, searches are conducted to find informers the IRA had disappeared, at certain funerals, men in ski masks would suddenly appear in the cortage, chamber their handguns and fire shots over the coffin.  This is how many people lived in the Belfast area, wondering daily if there was a credible threat.

The story focuses on two sisters. Marian and Tessa.  Marian is not married and has been a paramedic for over six years. Her face is always so open and bemused while  her sister Tessa's expression tends to be more grave, her having to reassure people she's not worried about anything.

Tessa is divorced and mother of a 6 month old boy named Finn.  She works at the BBC in Belfast and is asked by some friends how she can work for the English. She went to university at Trinity College is a program reporter, working with political guests. 

We start with Tessa narrating and learn Marian is on a vacation to swim and explore caves in the north.  Neither Tessa or her mother can get ahold of Marian but they assume she's in cellular dead zone or simply having fun exploring.

Then a robbery and raid happen at a local gas station the news anchor asks for help identifying those responsible. Tessa stares at the images of the terrorists and suddenly sees her sister's face on screen, Marian pulling a black ski mask over her face.  Tessa's world dissolves.

The only negative in this narrative is the description of The Troubles as if it's a current situation.  Perhaps I missed the time frame in this book but it had the feel of being set in present time or a few years earlier.  The plot appears to be during the height of the violence and near the peace agreement which would put it around 1994, right?   That being said, I loved the book and couldn't put it down.

I see why this is a best seller with over 3,400 four star ratings.  I plan to read all of Flynn Berry's novels in the near future.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday. and Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Challenge. 

Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt

 

The description of this historical fiction grabbed me right away.  An old house in Greece, a family secret and a change to start over in another country. I've enjoyed books by Kate Hewitt before but this one is a bit different, a literary fiction which I very much enjoyed.

This novel is told in a dual timeline: In present time we read Ava's story. Her grandmother Sophia died and left her an old farmhouse in Greece. Ava is having trouble in her marriage and has recently suffered a tragedy.  She decides to leave England and move to Greece temporarily. She wonders why she left England for a place where she doesn't know anyone to restore a farmhouse no one had lived in for over 60 years.

Ava's grandmother Sophia never spoke about her ancestry or her life during WW II so there are plenty of secrets to unravel.

Sophia's story starts in 1942 in a small village in Greece.  You will read more about her family and their sacrifices from food shortages and fear of the Nazi's invading their village.  Sophia's story is one of bravery and I was happy to see Ava slowly uncover details about her grandmother's past. 

This isn't a fast paced novel and some of the "memories" are rehashed a few time but overall it's a nice historical fiction with a satisfactory ending.

Publication date August 13, 2021 by Bookouture.  Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction.  Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Marg at the Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. 

The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein

The Enigma Game is a historical fiction set in the WW II time period in Scotland and England.  I read the review at Joy's Book Blog and this interested me enough to request it from the library. 

From the book jacket:

Facing a seemingly endless war, fifteen-year-old Louisa Adair wants to fight back, make a difference, do something--anything to escape the Blitz and the ghosts of her parents, who were killed by enemy action. But when she accepts a position caring for an elderly German woman in the small village of Windyedge, Scotland, it hardly seems like a meaningful contribution. Still, the war feels closer than ever in Windyedge, where Ellen McEwen, a volunteer driver with the Royal Air Force, and Jamie Beaufort-Stuart, a flight leader for the 648 Squadron, are facing a barrage of unbreakable code and enemy attacks they can't anticipate. Their paths converge when a German pilot lands in Windyedge under mysterious circumstances and plants a key that leads Louisa to an unparalleled discovery: an Enigma machine that translates German code.

I don't often quote from the jackets but this summed it up better than I could.  The characters are engaging and I loved Louisa and Ellen.  The plot development was perfect, fast paced enough to keep me turning the pages.  Also, the description of Scotland the inn where they are staying is so vivid I could see myself at a table enjoying a pint.

This is the second book by Wein which follows Code Name Verity but it can be read out of order.  Much thanks to Joy for introducing me to this author.

Sharng with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday and Marg at The Intrepid Redaer for the 2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

The Green Road by Anne Enright

 

This is the story about the Madigan family and told from the different perspectives of the four children over a course of time. The opening chapter tells of adult son Dan sharing his decision to become a priest and his mother’s reaction of horror.  This is from the 10 year old Hanna's perspective in 1980 in their county Clare home. The 

We read about Dan and his personal problems and predicament a decade later. He is living in New York and his life as a gay man is written about fairly graphically. 

The other siblings are Emmet who becomes a UNICEF worker in Africa. His was my least favorite story and had I started with it, I’d have ditched the book. 

Hanna's adult  story involves an issue with alcohol.

Constance storyline starts as the third chapter in 1997 at Durty Nellie’s in Bunratty, county Limerick. We were fortunate enough to visit around Limerick and saw Durty Nellie’s but didn’t go in. The description of the area brought back memories. As in much Irish literature, there is tragedy in her story.

The mother is Rosealeen and it's interesting to read how each of her children view her and the relationship they have with their mother.  A lovely Irish setting for the most part and a story of an ordinary family and everyday life.

 Linking up with

 Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Reader Challenge 

Joy at Joy's Book Bog for British Isles Friday.

Marg of The Intrepid Reader blog is the host for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge in 2021. T he sign up page may be located HERE so check it out if you'd like to join in.

Happy  reading!

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

We begin this story in 1870, Wichita Falls, Texas, with Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd looking over the newspaper stories he will share at his reading in town.  As the DVD is out, and no I have not seen it yet, I do know the main character is played by Tom Hanks.  His is the voice I hear when I read this narrative.

He is approached by Britt Johnson, a freed black man, to deliver a a ten year old white girl to her surviving family.  The U.S. Army recently rescued the girl but they no longer retain responsibility to return those captured to their families. She was taken captive by Kiowa Indians, her parents and siblings slaughtered, and she had lived with them these past six years.  She loved her Indian mother and her life with the Kiowa and has forgotten about her past.  Forgotten her native German language, does not know English and is as feral and fierce as her adoptive indigenous family.

Cicada, birth name Johanna has escaped twice and is hellbent to return to the Kiowa. While Captain Kidd does not know about Indians, he does know about girls as he raised two daughters.  He accepts the undertaking and it's quite a journey between these two. An old Confederate war veteran aged 72 and a 10 year old girl full of mistrust. 

It's quite a journey through northern Texas and Indian country and I hung on to every word.  As a matter of fact, the ending of this book brought tears to my eyes and it's been a long time since a book elicted such emotion at the conclusion. 

I am very much looking forward to the movie now.  It will be interesting to compare the book to the movie. 

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

Marg of The Intrepid Reader blog is the host for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge in 2021. T he sign up page may be located HERE so check it out if you'd like to join in.

Happy  reading!

Wunderland by Jennifer Cody Epstein

The time period for most of this book is WW II, the viewpoint and setting is Germany. Usually I gravitate toward England and occasionally France for novels set in the WW II era. This was, at times, difficult to read.

The first chapter starts in 1989, the setting New York. Ava Fischer sits on her bed crying after learning about her mother's death and past life. Ava had banished her mother, Ilse von Fischer, from her life ten years prior. You'll learn why as you read on.  She receives a box from Ilse's attorney with her mother's ashes and a cache of letters addressed to Renate Bauer.  Bauer isn't a name Ava has ever heard and doesn't know who the woman.  Why would her mother be writing to Bauer?

Ava discovers unsettling things about her mother's involvement with the Ilse BDM (Bund Deutscher madel) in Nazi Germany.  The chapters go back and forth mainly between Ilse and Renate in the early 1930's. Ava's chapters are interspersed.

Ilse and Renate were very good friends. They shared secrets, books, loved one another without question. There was one scene where they defied the German soldiers and went into a Jewish bakery together. The boycott of Jewish businesses didn't bother these two young ladies as they strode past the soldiers in search of sweets. Such boycotts were ridiculous for these headstrong teenagers.

But as you read on there is a sadness that such a wonderful friendship could be severely strained and eventually fractured over one being Jewish. Perhaps it’s the political climate in America today but this book had my mind drifting to the hate crimes and gang mentality I currently see in the news. While it was well written it was at times hard to read.

Reading how Ilse and Renate's friendship was tested because Renate was Jewish was uncomfortable. Reading how relationships could change in a snap because of one's heritage was sad.

Foodie book - no way. There were delectable bakery items and a traditional German meal mentioned.
Buttery poppyseed cakes, stolen, fruit pies, apple cakes, doughnuts, Schweinebraten in a crackling glaze of paprika, mustard and caraway seeds.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

Marg of The Intrepid Reader blog is the host for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge in 2021. T he sign up page may be located HERE so check it out if you'd like to join in.

Happy  reading!

Outlander revisited

 Anyone who has been a fan of the Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon knows her next book is about to be published!  Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone is book nine in the series.  I am not certain if that is the last book to wrap up this saga but I am anxious to read it and continue the journey.

That made me want to revisit the first book - Outlander - which started it all. 

Outlander has many of the features I love to read about – time travel, a bit of romance, it’s a historical fiction, genealogy, Scotland and lots of dialogue! I read this the first time after picking up a copy from the used book section at my local library. I was hooked! In the beginning you are getting to know Claire and Frank Randall. Frank is obsessive about his genealogy and they are in Scotland checking out the area where his ancestor, Black Jack Randall, went to battle in 1745 at Culloden.

Claire was a combat nurse, separated from Frank by war and her duties. She is reunited with her husband and they went on a second honeymoon in Scotland, getting reacquainted with each other again after a long separation. During one of their outings they visit a dolman. Something special in one of the rocks at a dolman they visited attracts Claire and, upon touching the stone, she is transported back in time – same place, but 200 years earlier. Naturally she thinks she’s landed herself in a BBC production of some costume drama when she sees the Red-coated British uniforms and Scots in full kilt and sporran get up running from them.

Meeting Frank’s ancestor, Jonathan Wolverton Randall, is shocking (for obvious reasons) but to see him as the spitting image of her husband (Frank) is quite unnerving – especially since he isn’t kind and compassionate like Frank. She is saved from certain rape and interrogation by Capt. Randall by a Scot named Murtagh. He takes Claire to a cottage where she meets Jamie Fraser for the first time. The seven or so Scottish rebels are as puzzled by Claire as she is by them. They think she’s a spy for the English. Randall thinks she’s a spy for the Scots or France. Viewed by all with suspicion makes it difficult for her to escape. Claire ends up marrying Jamie so she may become a Scottish citizen and thus, untouchable by the English and protected. Still – even with her attraction to Jamie, she plans to try and get back to her own time.

There are so many interwoven story lines within this book with all the characters; I hung on to each chapter and was left hooked on these Outlander books. Happily for me, there were 4 more in print when I first started reading it so I quickly moved on to the other stories. I am awaiting the last book of this series to come out for what is promised to be a tear jerker finale.

I've only seen a few episodes of the television series and it didn't rock my world so I can only speak about the books.

Happy Reading!

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday and Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

Before She Was Helen by Caroline Cooney

The story unfolds at a retirement commmunity in North Carolina and Helen is our main character.  Helen is not her real name so you will read about "Clemmie" and realize Helen is an assumed identity, one she has had for decades. Hence the title Before She Was Helen.

Something traumatic happened to Clemmie years ago and she went into hiding, hoping her past would remain hidden. There are some sad stories in this narrative and while I love a mystery, this one was a bit too much on the cozy mystery genre for me.  It's a good storyline and if you have patience with the over 55 community and the geriatric issues of physical health and conversations, you may like this mystery.

 Publication date was May 4, 2021 by Random House - Ballentine.  Genre: General Fiction, Mystery, Thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

The Vines by Shelley Nolden

The setting is North Brother Island in New York.  This place actually exists and you find some interesting information online about the medical facility there as well as info about Mary Mallon, aka Typhoid Mary.  The author incorporated Mary Mallon in as a character who is quarantined at the facility due to her perceived illness.  She interacts with our main character Cora. 

 

The story involves generations of doctors in the Gettler family and spans over a 100 year period. There is more of a horror element to the experimentation the doctors perform on Cora and through it all, Cora lives alone on this island for decades. Cora's blood has qualities which make her immune to disease. Medical ethics are certainly in question here.

The back and forth chapters in the different timeframes was confusing at first.  The book starts with Finn Gettler sneaking onto the island and seeing Cora.  He is well aware of his father and grandfather's medical research but he doesn't know of the heinous experiments performed on this woman. There are surprises about Finn's family and while I did finish the book, there were some times I almost made it a DNF and moved on.

If you are engaged with the story then you'll be pleased to know there will be a followup book.  I personally won't be looking to continue the storyline.  

Publication date is March 23, 2021 by Freiling Publishing. Genre: historical fiction; mystery; thriller

Much thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review and all opinions expressed here are mine.

Sharing with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Fiction Reading challenge. 

A Bit About Britain's History by Mike Biles and Clanlands by Heughan and McTavish

Starting with the best book first we have A Bit About Britain's History by Mike Biles. It seemed appropriate to use my favorite and treasured bookmark I picked up at Cheddar Gorge back in 1999. 

This isn't a comprehensive history book yet richly detailed to keep your interest.  The writing isn't dry as one might think when conjuring up ideas of our school history tomes. The delivery of the historical information is very engaging and the humor kept me turning the pages. The time periods are broken down in eight chapters starting with ancient Britain, early medieval, Tudors, Stuarts running to the modern history.  

I loved reading about the Romans and the timeline at the end of the book breaks things down, sort of a basic crash course on which period you may want to explore more.  I learned more about Britain's history and the development of government from this book and found subjects I want to know more about. Why couldn't history classes in school/college be this delightful?!

If you have a history buff or Anglophile in your family this would make a dynamite gift for birthday or Christmas.  Mike Biles has a wonderful and informative blog as well called A Bit About Britain.

 

I enjoyed this book so much that I ordered another of Mike Biles' books.  This time I selected a Kindle version. My paper copy of the history is littered with post-it bookmarks for reference.  As soon as I have access to internet again (sigh) I will download and enjoy the holidays and high days book.

 

 

Clanlands by Sam Heughen and Graham McTavish

This book starts off quite funny but it wore thin for me after several chapters. What I expected was a history and virtual tour of important Scottish sites such as Glencoe, Inverness and Culloden as well as educating me about Scotland.  Heughan and McTavish are friends having worked on the Outlander television series together for many years. This relationship is a bromance and it certainly shows in the writing.

While it was amusing to hear Sam call Graham Lady McTavish and crack on him about how much he eats and his love of latte, likewise reading how Graham cracks on Sam about his whisky comsumption and his brand he sells, the number of times he goes shirtless, etc....after a while you want to say...C'mon guys....

I enjoyed the Outlander books but didn't love the television series.  I have a feeling this book grabbed the attention of the TV fans and I would probably give the series Men in Kilts a try.....but this book couldn't keep my attention.

Sharing with Joy for British Isles Friday and Shellyrae at Book'd Out for her Nonfiction  Challenge.

Genre/category: Travel (for Clanlands)

 

The Nonfiction Reader Challenge hosted by Shelleyrae at Book'd Out.  Check out the sign up post and info HERE. The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2021. You can join in anytime!

The Letter by Ruth Saberton

 

This book has been on my Kindle for some time and I finally decided to give it a chance.  The setting is Cornwall and that was probably the biggest selling point for me when I purchased it.  There are two story lines here, one set in current  times and the other a romantic mystery set in 1914.

First we meet Chloe Pencarrow, a widow of two years who has moved from London to Cornwall, hoping to get away from the constant memories of her deceased husband Neil.  It's well established that Chloe is still deeply grieving for her husband who died from cancer at age 32.  

Chloe is an artist and teacher but she has put her love to paint on hold these past two years.  When she moves to Cornwall and away from looks of pity and unsolicited advice from her mother she finally has a chance to breathe.

Matthew  Enys is a historian and huge fan of the Cornwall poet Christopher "Kit" Rivers. Matt is doing restoration work at Rosecraddick manor, trying to salvage a part of Kit's life and perhaps bring his poetry to the attention and distinction of other famous war poets.  Kit's image is imortalized in a stain glassed window in the church.  Little is known about his life other than he was heir to a Rosecraddick manor and surrounding lands, a very upper class family yet a very down to earth young man. 

Chloe, with her eye for artistic detail, notices a daisy in the stained glass, something so glaringly out of place that it has to represent something very important about Kit. As she helps Matthew go through old documments and treasures she accidently stumbles upon a great clue.  In her rental there is an old floorboard which was a hiding place.  Chloe pries it up and finds a diary and letters in an old biscuit tin.  At this point in the novel we land in 1914 before the first world war.

The story of Daisy and Kit 

It's 1914. A young woman named Daisy was sent to Cornwall for health reasons.  She was visiting her godfather in Cornwall when she and Kit meet unexpectantly at the beach. They end up getting better acquainted, have a whirlwind romance and their dedication to one another was almost too much.

They keep their relationship secret, planning on spending their lives together once Kit can speak to his class conscious parents. When the war begins Kit does what every young man did then, he enlists. It was necessary to overdo the romantic dedication here, in my opinion, so you can keenly feel the loss of young women who lose their fiances and husbands. The novel then leaps back to the present day and you can see the mystery of Kit and Daisy from an entirely new perspective.

This book addresses PTSD and the consequences for those who are battle scarred physically and mentally. It addresses grieving from the families in the 1914 era and also Chloe's grief over losing her husband to cancer at a young age.

I would certainly read more by this author and I found the book very engaging.

Sharing with Joy's Book blog for British Isles Friday and Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Ficion Challenge.

In Times of Rain and War by Camron Wright

 

This is a historical fiction set in London during WW II. Our main characters are Wesley Bowers and  Audrey Stocking.  Wesley is an American Marine who is assigned to the British military learning about unexploded bomb disposal. 

Audrey has her secrets; she is a German Jew who is living in London using a false identification. She meets Wesley when he's sent to defuse a bomb.  Audrey is trying to blend in and survive all the while missing her family in Germany. She and Wesley form a friendship and develop an attraction to one another but their relationship may never have chance to develop. Wesley's chance of surviving his bomb disposal detail  is an average of 10 weeks. Audrey is hiding her identity but military intelligence officers may discover her.

It's harrowing to think of the life expectancy of the soldiers who performed these duties. Such self sacrifice and bravery, much to be admired. This novel addresses PTSD and what war can do you  emotionally as well as physically. 

As a side note, if you ever get an opportunity to watch a Masterpiece Theater program called Danger: UXB starring Anthony Andrews, it's very good. There is a more up to date movie about bomb disposal called The Hurt Locker and both can have you on edge during the crucial bomb defusing scenes.

Publication date is 6 April 2021 by Shadow Mountain Publishing.  Genre: Historical Fiction.

Much thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.  I was not compensated for my review and opinions are mine.

Sharing with Joy's Book blog for British Isles Friday and Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Ficion Challenge.

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Kate Quinn has done it again.  If you liked her novel The Alice Network you will fall in love with this novel.  It's detailed, informative and has me yearning to know more about the men and women who worked in secrecy for their goverment to help break codes during WW II.

This historical fiction centers around Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire. You will go back and forth between London and the Bletchley Park during the years 1940 and 1947.  The three main characters are Olsa Kendall, a high society debutante who is dismissed as a silly rich girl, yet is fluent in German and French and is an ace code breaker.

Mab Churt is a dynamite 5'11" woman with a mission to better herself from her poor east London childhood.  She has a few secrets which are slowly revealed. Mab is also recruited to break German codes.  The third woman is Beth Finch and I can tell you ahead of time, you are really going to hate her mother! Beth starts off as a wallflower but her skills and dedication are astounding.  

Three women from such different backgrounds who would never cross paths otherwise form an interesting friendship.  To complicate their very complex lives comes the discovery of a traitor in their agency. It's a surprise, how it all works out. 

The Enigma codebreakers worked tirelessly to serve ther country and can't talk about it to anyone.  All the workers recruited, both military and civilan, signed an oath of secrecy.  They couldn't talk to one another about what they worked on if they were assigned to different departments or Huts.  As you can imagine, this would create problems in their personal relationships outside of Bletchley Park. 

The characters were very well developed; the supporting characters included Prince Phillip (before his betrothal to Elizabeth), the mathmatical genuis Alan Turing and many historical figures woven into the storyline. 

This advanced copy of The Rose Code was provided to me from LibraryThing and I was not compensated for the review.  I loved this book.  Be sure to look for a copy when it's published  by Harper Collins on June 18, 2021.

Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the 2021 Historical Reader Challenge and Joy for British Isles Friday.

Happy  reading!