The lost daughters of Ukraine

 

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine

A story of the strength of the human spirit, the personal cost of conflict and how love can be found even in the darkest times.

Summer 1941. War rages in Europe. The Germans march towards Ukraine. Halya, Liliya and Vika are no strangers to sorrow. They lost family during the Holodomor, loved ones in Stalin's purges, and war looms once more on the horizon.

Vika lives in fear for her children. She and her sister survived the terror famine by leaving their whole family behind. Now, years later, many believe the Germans will free them from the Soviets, but she’s not so sure. Should they stay in Volhynia or flee the approaching Eastern front?

Liliya has lost too much in her 17 years. As those around her join the resistance, Liliya wonders how she can fight for her friends, family, and country. When the choice is made for her, can she find the will to survive and protect those still with her?

Twelve-year-old Halya is struggling to discover who she is. But as the war escalates, can her mother Katya’s tactics keep her safe from the Nazi soldiers rounding up slave laborers? How can a child survive the horrors of war on her own?

These daughters of Ukraine will face devastation and loss as they fight to survive and protect the ones they love.

A gripping page-turner of love, loss and resilience for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3w1lXnT  

Author Bio – 

Erin Litteken is a debut novelist with a degree in history and a passion for research. At a young age, she was enthralled by stories of her family’s harrowing experiences in Ukraine before, during and after World War II. She lives in Illinois, USA with her husband and children.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorerinlitteken

Twitter https://twitter.com/ErinLitteken

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/erinlitteken/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/ErinLittekenNews

My review

This kind of book that fictionalises history is never easy to read - and with good reason. It is important to keep the tragedies of the past in the public consciousness.

Extremely well-written, this book is both informative and absorbing. I learned a lot about Ukraine's history and in the current political climate it is necessary to stay informed about the past to gain a greater understanding of today.

Following the three daughters of Ukraine as they dealt with all the hardships of war was hard and I admit to shedding a few sets at the end. Although there can never be a happy ending to war, the daughters do all find a way to move forward - an important message for us all.

The Cruise

 The Cruise

#THECRUISE 

Three friends set sail on a luxury cruise… will they be able to catch a husband on the open seas?

 

Leaving behind the heartache, guilt and disappointment of their real lives, three friends decide that now they’re in their sixties, it’s time they finally did something for themselves!

Swapping Christmas turkeys and BBC reruns for crystal waters, white sandy beaches and smooth golden rum, Anne, Jane and Kath throw caution (and tradition) to the wind as they set sail on a luxury two-week Christmas cruise around the Caribbean.

Will the three friends find the comfort and joy they seek aboard the Diamond Star?

 

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/CruiseK

Author Bio – 

Best-selling author of women’s fiction, Caroline James, has owned and run businesses encompassing all aspects of the hospitality industry, a subject that often features in her novels. She is based in the UK but escapes whenever lockdown allows. A public speaker, which has included talks and lectures on cruise ships worldwide, Caroline is also a consultant and food writer. Caroline writes articles and runs writing workshops, is a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association, the Society of Women’s Writer & Journalists and the Society of Authors. In her spare time, Caroline can be found walking with Fred, her Westie and in summer, wild water swimming. In winter, when not working, she relaxes with her head in a book and hand in a box of chocolates.

 

Social Media Links – 

www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Twitter: @CarolineJames12

Facebook: Caroline James Author

Amazon Author Page

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinejamesauthor/

My review

This book is an absolute delight! It is hardly surprising that Caroline James is a best-selling author as this book had me in stitches. Like all good comedies it is also tinged with pathos. Although I have never been on a cruise, the author depicted life on board so well that I could easily imagine myself there. the characters jump off the page and I felt as if I knew them well by the end of the book. There are some lovely developments and a great ending. A cracking book.

Under a Greek sun

 Under a Greek Sun

Eve Collins is looking forward to the holidays.

Her job as a counsellor has been as taxing as it has been rewarding, and she can’t wait for some downtime on the Greek island of Corfu with best-friend, Gabby. But between Eve’s brother, Ben, unexpectedly joining and Gabby’s job at the animal rescue centre keeping her busy, Eve might have to start mucking in…

When Gianni arrives in the village of Episkepsi, it’s like a model has stepped straight off the pages of Vogue Italia… with an uptight personality to match. He may be super-sexy but there are obvious chips on those broad shoulders.

As Eve and Gianni get to know each other and both start to lean into the Greek customs and avrio mentality, an initial attraction starts to turn into something more. But with so much family drama in both their lives, neither of them were looking for a holiday romance...

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/40zZ9tk

Author Bio – 

Mandy Baggot is a bestselling romance writer who loves giving readers that happy-ever-after. From sunshine romantic comedies set in Greece, to cosy curl-up winter reads she writes gorgeous heroes and strong heroines readers can relate to. Mandy splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire and Corfu, Greece and has a passion for books, food, racehorses and all things Greek! 

 Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandy.baggot

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mandybaggot

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandybaggot/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mandy-baggot

My Review

During the winter months it is stories like these that keep me going until I can set foot once again in Greece. This story has the added bonus of a super rich Italian hero. With a stressed heroine and a menagerie of animals to look after, this book doesn't initially have the makings of a romantic idyll. However, like all good stories, romance develops but is it what either of them is looking for? An easy to read story that is engaging and satisfying.

The Little Venice Bookshop

 

The Little Venice Bookshop

A bundle of mysterious letters. A trip to Venice. A journey she’ll never forget.

When Luna loses her beloved mother, she’s bereft: her mother was her only family, and without her Luna feels rootless. Then the chance discovery of a collection of letters in her mother’s belongings sends her on an unexpected journey.

Following a clue in the letters, Luna packs her bags and heads to Venice, to a gorgeous but faded bookshop overlooking the canals, hoping to uncover the truth about her mother’s mysterious past.

Will Luna find the answers she’s looking for – and finally find the place she belongs?

Purchase Links

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3Guv8lH

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3CuJl0A

Amazon Aust: https://amzn.to/3Xeqlv9

Author Bio –

 Rebecca Raisin writes heartwarming romance from her home in sunny Perth, Australia. Her heroines tend to be on the quirky side and her books are usually set in exotic locations so her readers can armchair travel any day of the week. The only downfall about writing about gorgeous heroes who have brains as well as brawn, is falling in love with them – just as well they’re fictional. Rebecca aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with. People with big hearts who care about relationships and believe in true, once in a lifetime love. Her bestselling novel Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop has been optioned for film with MRC studios and Frolic Media.

Social Media Links – 

https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaRaisinAuthor

www.twitter.com/jaxandwillsmum

https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaraisinwrites2/

https://signup.harpercollins.co.uk/join/signup-hq-rebeccaraisin

My Review

An absolutely lovely read. The characters and their stories are delightful and I couldn't stop turning the pages until I'd finished. This book is perfect for romance lovers, anyone who enjoys books - the grouchy bookseller is a star - and of course lovely Venice. All in all a perfect combination and a story well-told.

Murder in Florence

 

Murder in Florence

A brand-new cozy crime series set in gorgeous Tuscany...It's murder in paradise!

A glamourous film star…

Life as a private investigator in the suburbs of Florence isn’t always as glamourous as Dan Armstrong imagined it to be, until he is asked to investigate a recent spate of violent attacks on a Hollywood movie set in Florence. The star of the show, movie-star royalty Selena Gardner, fears her life is in imminent danger…

Foul play on set…

As Dan investigates, he discovers secrets and scandals are rife within the cast and crew. But with no actual murder, Dan believes these attacks could simply be warnings to someone…until the first body is found.

A dangerous killer on the loose.

Now Dan and his trusty sidekick Oscar are in a race against time to catch the murderer. But the more Dan uncovers, the more the killer strikes and Dan finds himself caught in the line of fire too! Is this one case Dan and Oscar will regret?

A gripping new murder mystery series by bestselling author T.A. Williams, perfect for fans of Lee Strauss and Beth Byers.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3YyhANi

Author Bio – 

T A Williams is the author of over twenty bestselling romances for HQ and Canelo and is now turning his hand to cosy crime, set in his beloved Italy, for Boldwood. The series will introduce us to retired DCI Armstrong and his labrador Oscar and the first book, entitled Murder in Tuscany, will be published in October 2022. Trevor lives in Devon with his Italian wife.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAWilliamsBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TAWilliamsBooks

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/TAWilliamsNews

My Review

Another engaging book in the series! Set in luscious Florence, murder knows no bounds when a film crew set up shop. As Dan finds himself caught up in the middle of it all, everybody is under suspicion. This means he has to put his feelings on hold for a special person but is she hiding a secret? 

This series is getting better and better as the reader gets to know the characters. Stunning location and set. Bravo.

The Paris Maid

 

Paris, 1944. “Traitor!” yells the crowd as they push me down onto a stool. “Nazi collaborator.” Tears blur my vision as the razor grazes my scalp, waves of blonde hair falling to the ground. As men paint a swastika across my face, I hold onto one small glimmer of hope. They have no idea who I am.

Louise Basset works as a housemaid at The Ritz Hotel, home to the most powerful Nazis in France. As she changes silk sheets and scrubs sumptuous marble bathtubs, she listens and watches, reporting all she can to the Resistance. The only secret she never tells is her own.

Everything changes for Louise on the day a young Allied pilot, hunted by the Nazis, is smuggled into the hotel. As he and Louise share a small carafe of red wine hidden amongst her cleaning bottles, she feels her heart begin to open. But if Louise trusts someone with the truth, what will happen?

Years later, her granddaughter Nicole looks up at the ornate façade of the infamous Paris hotel. She is reeling from her recent discovery: a black-and-white photograph of her grandmother as a young woman, head shaved, branded a traitor. Devastated by her new legacy and about to start a family of her own, Nicole searches for answers.

When a French historian calls Louise by a different name, Nicole realizes there must be more to her grandmother’s story. Was the woman who taught Nicole so much about family and loyalty a resistance fighter, or will her granddaughter have to live with the knowledge that she is descended from a traitor? And will Nicole be able to finally move forward with her life if she can uncover the truth?

An utterly heart-shattering and gripping novel about love, betrayal and how one courageous young woman paid a terrible price to save those she loved. From top-ten bestseller Ella Carey, fans of Fiona Valpy, The Nightingale and Rhys Bowen will never forget The Paris Maid.

Author Bio:

Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. A Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past, Ella has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.

Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.

http://www.ellacarey.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyauthor/

https://www.instagram.com/ellacarey_author/

https://twitter.com/Ella_Carey

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Ella Carey here: https://www.bookouture.com/ella-carey

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0BRQQXRZRsocial

Audio:

UK: zpr.io/HUt3bRnq9dNZ
US: zpr.io/hK8UezPXf6Et

Listen to a sample here:

https://soundcloud.com/bookouture/the-paris-maid-by-ella-carey-narrated-by-charlie-norfolk

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnz

My review

Although I enjoyed both stories in this dual timeline historical novel, I found the historical element more engaging. Perhaps this was because I am a fan of historical fiction or perhaps because the book is more heavily weighted towards the historical story. Nicole, I have to say, didn't particularly grab me as a character yet her grandmother did.

The unravelling of secrets toward the end was very well done and the setting of the Ritz seemed very well researched.

Perfect for fans of WW2 fiction.