Her Darkest Hour

‘You and me – we’re sisters, not enemies. We’ve got a real enemy at our door and we need to focus on that – together, united. I don’t want to be fighting you as well.’

In the small French town of Colmar, swastikas hang from lampposts, tanks are lined up outside the town hall, and twenty-one-year-old Marie-Claire is in love. She will do anything for her childhood friend Jacques, including spying on her German boss, Dietrich Kurtz. Anything to make Jacques see her in a new light, as something more than just a silly little girl.

But when Jacques rejects her, everything changes. Mortified and stung, Marie-Claire feels the need for revenge. She turns her back on those she loves and is catapulted into a new life.

Her little sister Victoire is aghast at her sister’s traitorous behaviour, not least because Marie-Claire is endangering Victoire’s own life-threatening mission, hiding Jewish refugees in their mother’s wine cellar. And when Marie-Claire marries Kurtz, Victoire knows her relationship with her sister has been poisoned for ever.

But when Victoire learns someone she loves is in terrible danger, her only choice is to trust the sister who betrayed her. Kurtz, Marie-Claire’s cruel and heartless husband, has key information and Victoire must persuade Marie-Claire to obtain it, even if it means risking Marie-Claire’s life. As secrets come to light and close bonds are broken, will the sisters be able to heal old wounds?

An unforgettable and unputdownable story of two sisters ripped apart by World War 2. Fans of The Nightingale and The Ragged Edge of Night will fall in love with Her Darkest Hour.  

Author Bio:

Sharon Maas was born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1951 and educated in Guyana and England. After leaving school she worked as a staff journalist at the Guyana Graphic and the Sunday Chronicle in Georgetown.

Sharon has always had a great sense of adventure and curiosity about the world we live in, and Guyana could not hold her for long. In 1971 she set off on a year-long backpacking trip around South America. In 1973 she travelled overland to India through Europe, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and spent two years in an Ashram in South India. 

 https://www.sharonmaas.com/

https://twitter.com/sharon_maas  

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2X1lW1l

Apple Books: https://apple.co/35ZGKdA

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2zEYnU5

Google Play: https://bit.ly/361JE1q

My Review

An absolutely gripping account of life under German Occupation in Colmar, North-east France. From being a young girl on the brink of womanhood, we see how one slight can have repercussions that will endanger not just the life of Marie- Claire but also her family and those she knows. This is a harrowing account and it is difficult not to feel sorry for Marie-Claire, even though she brings much of the suffering upon herself. I went from thinking her a silly girl, to a heartless woman bent on revenge but then Sharon Maas allows us to see inside the character and her real motivation. What happens at the end will leave you with a sense that in war there are no winners but some people have more to lose than others.

As Greek as it gets

Let the hot Greek sun melt all your troubles away… A laugh-out-loud read full of warmth, joy and summer feeling!

Alice Clark is delighted when her boyfriend Max proposes. From her dead-end job to her straight-up-dead houseplants, her life hasn’t exactly turned out how she imagined, so she can’t wait to start some wedding planning.

But the intimate affair she imagined soon grows wildly out of control, along with Alice’s doubts. Just as 

things reach breaking point between the couple, Alice’s best friend whisks her away for an escape to a sun-kissed Greek island.

Sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and a cocktail – or three – and Alice soon finds herself letting loose and relaxing into the Greek way of life. When she visits a gorgeous village nestled in the hilltops overlooking the sea, and meets a friendly local woman with a very special business – and a very handsome son – Alice is surprised by how drawn she feels to these people and this life.

As the sun sets on her Greek holiday, Alice knows she has some big decisions to make. Will finding herself mean losing the life she had planned? Or could it be the start of something else entirely?

A feel-good read perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Jenny Colgan and Sophie Kinsella.  

Author Bio:

I live in Lancashire with my long term partner Derek and have had a lifelong love of writing, encouraged by winning a school writing competition at the age of 11.

I always assumed that ‘one day’ I would write a book, always having a busy household and a job, the idea remained firmly on the back burner but never forgotten.

The inspiration for my first novel came to me on a holiday to a Greek village. My daughters had left home and suddenly the time had come to write that book! 

 https://twitter.com/suerobertsautho

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2SR9fos

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3blKpDB

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3fDKlCz

Google Play: https://bit.ly/35ROWwh

My Review

As I should have been reading this book right now on a greek beach, my back garden has to be second best. This book provides a wonderful escapist trip to Greece and I found myself devouring the easy to read style - so much so that I finished it in a day. I couldn't wait to find out what decision Alice would make and to be honest, my heart was in my mouth on a couple of occasions.
There were a couple of things that got me wondering. I did a jeep safari tour myself in Crete and I'm pretty sure the guide wouldn't allow a tourist to drive. There was also poetic licence in the book regarding weddings in Greece as I'm sure a period of residency would be required. However, as a greekophile I really enjoyed the book, its settings reminded me of places I've visited and I engaged totally with the characters and their journey. Looking forward to the next one.

Escape to the French Farmhouse

Del and her husband Ollie moved to a beautiful village in Provence for a fresh start after years of infertility struggles. But six weeks after they arrive, they’re packing the removal van once more. As Del watches the van leave for England, she suddenly realises exactly what will make her happier…a new life in France – without Ollie. 

Now alone, all Del has is a crumbling farmhouse, a mortgage to pay and a few lavender plants. What on earth is she going to do? Discovering an old recipe book at the market run by the rather attractive Fabian, Del starts to bake. But can her new-found passion really help her let go of the past and lead to true happiness?

A heart-warming tale about reclaiming your life, set amongst the lavender fields of Provence. Perfect escapism from the author of Late Summer in the Vineyard and The Honey Farm on the Hill.

Author Biography

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, first

for BBC Radio 5, before moving on to Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and

Radio 2’s The Steve Wright Show. In 2013 Jo won the RNA Katie

Fforde Bursary. Her debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a

runaway bestseller in ebook and was awarded the 2014 RNA Joan

Hessayon Award and the 2014 Festival of Romance Best Ebook

Award. Jo lives in the Vale of Glamorgan with her husband and

three children.

My Review

Absolutely perfect escapism and just what is needed at the moment. I found myself engrossed as I followed Del's journey. The recipes from the lavender book sound delicious, providing a culinary feast for the reader. Add in the descriptions of rural France and this book is a winner.

Jo Thomas has the ability to allow the reader to look inside her characters. I immediately bonded with Del and found myself travelling with her on her journey. Wonderful read.

The Brave Daughters

A moving and emotional family drama set between France and Britain from bestselling author, Mary Wood.

They would fight for their country, at all costs . . .

When Sibbie and Marjie arrive at RAF Digby, they are about to take on roles of national importance. It’s a cause of great excitement for everyone around them. Perhaps they will become code-breakers, spies even? Soon the pair embark on a rigorous training regime, but nothing can prepare them for what they’re about to face . . .

Amid the vineyards of rural France, Flora and Ella can’t bear the thought of another war. But as the thunderclouds grow darker, hanging over Europe, a sense of deep foreboding sets in, not just for their safety but for the fate of their families . . . With danger looming, as the threat of war becomes real, Flora and Ella are forced to leave their idyllic home and flee. Can they make it to safety, or will the war have further horrors in store for them?

The Brave Daughters is the fourth book in the Girls Who Went to War series by Mary Wood.

About the author

 

Born the thirteenth child of fifteen to a middle-class mother and an East End barrow boy, Mary Wood’s family were poor, but rich in love. Over time, she developed a natural empathy with the less fortunate and is fascinated by social history. Mary raised four children and has numerous grandchildren, step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. An avid reader, she first put pen to paper in 1989, and is now a full-time novelist.

Website

https://www.authormarywood.com

Twitter

Authormary 

My Review

In the last three books, we read the stories of wartime friends, Flora, Ella and Mags., whose lives become intertwined. In this book, it's the turn of their children as the families flee their home in France as stormclouds loom. As always with Mary's books, there are some moments that make difficult reading as she depicts the atrocities of wartime.  The girls, like many people of the time, endure many personal hardships but it is these that make the happier moments sing from the page. 

I loved catching up with the friends and seeing their lives and children several years on. Bravo!

A ration book wedding

                                                                                       

A Ration Book Wedding

Because in the darkest days of the Blitz, love is more important than ever.

It's February 1942 and the Americans have finally joined Britain and its allies. Meanwhile, twenty-three-year-old Francesca Fabrino, like thousands of other women, is doing her bit for the war effort in a factory in East London. But her thoughts are constantly occupied by her unrequited love for Charlie Brogan, who has recently married a woman of questionable reputation, before being shipped out to North Africa with the Eighth Army.

When Francesca starts a new job as an Italian translator for the BBC Overseas Department, she meets handsome Count Leonardo D'Angelo. Just as Francesca has begun to put her hopeless love for Charlie to one side and embrace the affections of this charming and impressive man, Charlie returns from the front, his marriage in ruins and his heart burning for Francesca at last. Could she, a good Catholic girl, countenance an illicit affair with the man she has always longed for? Or should she choose a different, less dangerous path?

Purchase Links 

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ration-Book-Wedding-Perfect-Gibson-ebook/dp/B081DDLWQD

US - https://www.amazon.com/Ration-Book-Wedding-Perfect-Gibson-ebook/dp/B081DDLWQD

Author Bio – 

Jean Fullerton is the author of thirteen novels all set in East London where she was born. She also a retired district nurse and university lecturer.  She won the Harry Bowling prise in 2006 and after initially signing for two East London historical series with Orion she moved to Corvus, part of Atlantic Publishing and is halfway through her WW2 East London series featuring the Brogan family.

Social Media Links – 

Website: http://jeanfullerton.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jean-Fullerton-202631736433230/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter:  @JeanFullerton

My Review

The great thing about sagas is that the reader is already familiar with the characters in this book. We've followed the stories of the sisters in the brogan family and in this book it's the turn of family friend, Francesca. Secretly in love with her best friend's brother, Charlie, she knows that there is no chance for them as Charlie is married to Stella and has a baby boy.

With little choice but to make a life for herself, she embarks on a whirlwind courtship with the delectable Count, who is also. an Italian.

Jean Fullerton skilfully evokes the wartime era of the East End and seeing the war through Francesca's eyes adds another dimension. A really enjoyable addition to the series.

Dreaming of Italy

Up for a dream promotion, Emma won’t let anything get in her way – not even love. 

Working for a major Hollywood film company isn’t all glitz and glam. But when Emma gets sent to tour around Italy to scout the perfect location for a new blockbuster movie, she’s not going to complain. Especially when it could make or break her career…

Historical adviser for the project Mark is a distraction that Emma does not need. As they explore the beauty of Italy, Emma starts to fall for the mysterious Mark, and soon finds herself torn between her job and her heart.

From the wild, northern mountains of Piedmont, down the vibrant coast of Cinque Terre and through the rolling hills of Tuscany, Emma’s journey becomes one of self-discovery as she questions her priorities in life.

About the author

Firstly, my name isn't T A. It's Trevor. I write under the androgynous name T A Williams because 65% of books are read by women. In my first book, "Dirty Minds" one of the (female) characters suggests the imbalance is due to the fact that men spend too much time getting drunk and watching football. I couldn't possibly comment. Ask my wife...
I've written all sorts: thrillers, historical novels, short stories and now I'm enjoying myself hugely writing humour and romance. Romantic comedies are what we all need from time to time. Life isn’t always very fair. It isn’t always a lot of fun, but when it is, we need to embrace it. If my books can put a smile on your face and maybe give your heartstrings a tug, then I know I’ve done my job.
I‘ve lived all over Europe, but now I live in a little village in sleepy Devon, tucked away in south west England. I love the place. That’s why you’ll find leafy lanes and thatched cottages in most of my books. Oh, yes, and a black Labrador. 
I've been writing since I was 14 and that is half a century ago. However, underneath this bald, wrinkly exterior, there beats the heart of a youngster. My wife is convinced I will never grow up. I hope she's right.

My Review

This may be the last book in the 'Dreaming of ...' series but what a wonderful finale! The reader is taken on a virtual tour of Italy, the writing bringing alive the scents and tastes of Piedmont, The Cinque Terre and Tuscany. For several hours I thought of nothing except rolling hills, delicious Italian food and would Emma and Mark get together. Just what we need in these times - a glimpse of a happier time and place.