The forgotten daughter

From a tender age, Flora felt unloved and unwanted by her parents, but she finds safety in the arms of caring nanny Pru. But when Pru is cast out of the family home, under a shadow of secrets, and with a young baby boy of her own to care for, it shatters little Flora. 

But over the years, Flora and Pru meet in secret – unbeknown to Flora’s parents. Pru becomes the mother to flora she never had, and Flora grows into a fine young woman. When Flora signs up to become a nurse with the St John’s ambulance, she begins to shape her life. But the drum of war beats loudly and Flora’s world is turned upside down when she receives a letter asking her to join the Red Cross in Poland. 

With the fate of the country in the balance, it’s a time for bravery. Flora’s determined to be the strong woman she was destined to be. But with horror, loss and heartache on her horizon – there's a lot for young Flora to learn . . .

The Forgotten Daughter by Mary Wood is the first book in The Girls Who Went To War trilogy.

Mary lives in Blackpool and enjoys researching the history of her home town, coming up with some surprising facts and excited to uncover material for future books. 

Born the 13th child of 15 children, Mary experienced life at the raw end. Though she says of her childhood that though poor they were happy and were rich in love. 

Mary writes full time now having ended her 9 - 5 working life in the Probation Service. This experience gave the grittiness she brings to her writing as Mary says she feels compelled to tell it how it is. 

Website

https://www.authormarywood.com

Twitter

Authormary

My Review

I am really excited to read the first in a new series from Mary Wood. This book pulls no punches and deals with some distressing themes such as rape and incest. These, however, are always dealt with sensitively and are integral to the plot. When Flora is essentially cast out by her well-off family, she turns to her nanny Pru who becomes a substitute for the mother's love she never received from her own mother.
I found the descriptions of wartime France really heartbreaking. The book is full of contrasts - unbearable suffering and loss tempered by the ties of friendship and love. This is a stunning start to the new series and I can't wait to read the next part as we catch up with the friends that Flora made in France who have become such an important part of her life.

Murder in the dark

Without a motive, how do you identify the killer? 

Imagine a quaint little bookshop. Outside the snow is falling. Inside the shelves are stacked with books by authors waiting to be discovered. What could be better?

When Tilly Edgely lands a position working at Ashton’s bookshop in Cambridge she thinks she’s found her perfect job. But one winter’s morning, when she arrives to open up, she discovers the body of her boss suspended from the ceiling, hanging by a rope around his neck. 

DCI Barrett and DI Palmer are called to the scene and quickly find themselves searching for a twisted killer whose identity and motive are nearly impossible to trace. 

But just when they think they have the murderer in their sights, another body shows up throwing the case wide open…

Who is behind the killings and why? 

The police have their work cut out and key to unlocking the gruesome mystery might be found right under their nose. 

But one thing is for certain, this killer will leave you hanging…

 

Betsy Freeman Reavley is the author of Beneath the Watery Moon and A Worm in the Bottle. Carrion, her latest psychological thriller will be released in November 2014.
She was born in Hammersmith, London. 
As a child she moved around frequently with her family, spending time in London, Provence, Tuscany, Gloucestershire and Cambridgeshire. 
She showed a flair for literature and writing from a young age and had a particular interest in poetry, of which she was a prolific consumer and producer. 
In her early twenties she moved to Oxford, where she would eventually meet her husband. During her time in Oxford her interests turned from poetry to novels and she began to develop her own unique style of psychological thriller. 
Beneath the Watery Moon is Betsy Reavley’s beautifully written first release and tells the macabre story of a young woman battling against mental illness. 
Beneath the Watery Moon is published by Not So Noble Books and is available as an eBook from Amazon. 
Betsy Reavley's second novel Carrion is a psychological chiller that address the link between grief and mental illness. 
Reavley says "I think people are at their most fascinating when they are faced with life's real horrors." This is what I love to write about. 
Betsy Reavley currently lives in North London, with her husband 2 children, dog, cat and chickens. You can follow her on Twitter @BetsyReavley


My review

I liked the premise of this book and when I read it, it didn’t disappoint. Although the story begins with a gruesome hanging, it is pretty much a cosy mystery as the police and bookshop worker Tilly try to catch a twisted murderer who seems to kill without a motive.
I particularly enjoyed the twists and turns. The attention to detail was pleasing and I loved Tilly’s relationship with her flatmate. All in all a great read that will keep you on your toes right to the end.

Christmas miracles at the little log cabin

Christmas Miracles at the Little Log Cabin

Do you believe in Christmas Miracles?

Holly is looking for a change and even though not everyone agrees with her career choices, she’s determined there’s more to this life than the long hours she works as an editor in New York City. What she doesn’t expect is to meet Mitch, a recluse who’s hiding more than she realises.

Mitch does all he can to avoid human contact, spending his days in the little log cabin out in the woods behind Inglenook Falls where he owns a Christmas tree farm, so when Holly falls into his life, he’s not sure how to react. All he knows is that something needs to change if he ever wants to get his life back on track.

Along with friends Cleo and Darcy, Holly is determined to bring joy back to Mitch’s life, but will he appreciate their interference? And when a business proposition throws everything up in the air, will it do more harm than good and ruin lives forever?

Both Holly and Mitch must learn that on the surface people aren’t always what they seem…but if you dig a little deeper, they can take you by surprise.

Curl up this Christmas for plenty of snowflakes, roaring log fires, a marriage proposal, unlikely friendships and second chances as we return to the much-loved characters in the New York Ever After series.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Miracles-Little-Cabin-After-ebook/dp/B07HJ78RWY

Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Miracles-Little-Cabin-After-ebook/dp/B07HJ78RWY

Author Bio – Helen J Rolfe writes contemporary women's fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community. Characters often face challenges and must fight to overcome them, but above all, Helen's stories always have a happy ending.

Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen's books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries around the world. So far, locations have included Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Connecticut, Bath and the Cotswolds.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/helenjrolfewriter

https://twitter.com/HJRolfe

www.helenjrolfe.com

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/helen-j-rolfe

My Review

At the beginning, I thought there was an awful lot of information just dumped into the story. Inevitably as this is book 4 in a series there needs to be some backfilling but I wonder if it might have been possible to drip-feed this to the reader rather than offloading it all at the start. This is a minor point however as the rest of the story flowed brilliantly. The setting is superb and the characters jump off the page. It has a real Christmassy feel to it without being sugary. A Christmas tree farm, a bedraggled loner who shuns society, a woman who is trying to work out what is important and of course snow. Lots of it! It's a really lovely story about broken people who begin to heal with a little Christmas miracle thrown in. The locations are so vivid I could imagine myself in the wool shop and the Inn and of course the little cabin. Food, friendship and forgiveness are the essence of this book and sum up Christmas perfectly. Now I have to go back and read the others.

Bells and Bows on Mistletoe Row

                                                                               

Bells and Bows on Mistletoe Row

It’ll take a miracle to make Juliet’s Christmas merry, but Mistletoe Row is the place to be when you need some Christmas magic. The last person Juliet Bell expects to see when she returns home for Christmas is Harrison Bow.Especially with the most beautiful woman in the world by his side. Twenty years ago, Juliet and Harrison had the shortest romance in history, consisting of one date – and one blazing row. But Juliet will never admit when she’s wrong, and Harrison doesn’t forgive easily, so they haven’t seen, or spoken to one another since. Harrison Bow vowed he’d never visit his grandfather at The Grange, again, or drive along Mistletoe Row, the scene of one of the unhappiest times of his life. He hasn’t been back for twenty years and he’s only here now because his brother pleaded with him to come. At least with his executive assistant joining him, he’ll be able to do some work. But Juliet’s sister, Zoe and Harrison’s brother, Luke have some surprises in store for their elder siblings, and so it seems does Fate. After Harrison risks his life to save Juliet, the least she can do is be nice. The problem is, Harrison is hotter than the log fire in The Mistletoe pub, and when she’s surrounded by twinkling lights and softly falling snow, it doesn’t take long for her to realise she’s in love with the man she thought she hated. Even if he doesn’t appear to be in love with her.

 Purchase Links - https://newbook.at/Bells-and-Bows

Author Bio –

Having lived and worked in London for several years, Emily returned to her home town of Hastings where she now spends her days writing... and chatting on social media. Emily is a Member of the SoA, a PAN member of the RWA and a Pro Member of ALLi. She's an Amazon bestseller and a Kindle All Star. Emily loves writing and her stories are sure to bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart.
Emily says, "I write about friendship, family and falling in love. I believe in happing endings." When she isn't writing, she can be found enjoying the stunning East Sussex coast and countryside, or in a wine bar with friends, discussing life, love and the latest TV shows. Chocolate cake is often eaten. She dislikes housework almost as much as she dislikes anchovies - and will do anything to avoid both.

Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/emilyharvalewriter https://www.twitter.com/emilyharvale https://www.instagram.com/emilyharvale

My Review

I truly loved this book. The writing draws you in from the start and the setting is just perfect. It's all the little touches that make this book so special though. With luscious descriptions of food, fabulous clothes, ice-skating on a frozen pond, it doesn't take long to feel the Christmas vibe. This book is all about the importance of family, misunderstandings and forgiveness. Funnily enough, it's not so much Harrison and Juliet who grabbed my attention so much as the minor characters; Harrison's crotchety grandfather and his vile assistant. A lovely book to make you hope for snow even if you don't usually like it. This book will stay with you.

Christmas at Black Cherry Retreat

                                                                             

Christmas at Black Cherry Retreat

What if you had nowhere to call home for Christmas? 
When Fee Winter books a winter break at the remote Black Cherry Retreat in the small town of Pine Ridge, Tennessee, it’s with the idea that the peace and quiet will help her recuperate from her hectic life as a photographer.

But what she didn’t bank on was meeting Tom Chambers and his huge, interfering yet lovable family. With them, could Fee finally experience the warmth and support that’s been missing from her own life – and maybe even find a place to call home in time for Christmas?

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Black-Cherry-Retreat-Choc-ebook/dp/B07JL3CNDX

US - https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Black-Cherry-Retreat-Choc-ebook/dp/B07JL3CNDX

Author Bio –

Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she's visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband she's a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years she’s been multi-published and sold over 25 novels. She also writes short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

Social Media Links –

www.facebook.com/angelabritnell

www.twitter.com/angelabritnell

www.angelabritnellromance.com

https://www.instagram.com/angelagolleybritnell/

My Review

If ever there were two troubled souls, then Fee and Thomas are top of the bill. There is a great deal of psycho-analysis of their state of mind after each of them has suffered trauma. As with all good romances, this starts off on the slow burner and gradually heats up a notch only to be left simmering for a good while. They are both naturally defensive, reluctant to let anyone in and have trust issues. Little by little, we see the barriers gradually being eroded. Readers generally know the outcome but this story is all about the journey. The setting is evocatively described and a perfect backdrop to the emotions of the protagonists. A Christmas read that will have you praying for a happy ending and wanting to knock the couple's heads together in equal measure.

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