PREVIEW: The Winter Garden by Heidi Swain

Another 5-star read by one of my favourite authors Heidi Swain. I'm pleased to review her latest novel 'The Winter Garden' prior to publication thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Simon and Schuster UK.

Expected: 1 October 2020

The blurb 

Freya Fuller is estranged from her parents and has been following her childhood dream of becoming a gardener ever since. When an opportunity to design a winter garden opens up at a Victorian property in Nightingale Square, Freya jumps at the chance to make a fresh start. But while the majority of the residents are welcoming, local artist Finn seems determined to shut her out, and when Freya's family make a surprise appearance, it seems that her new life is about to come crashing down

The review

This is the third in the nightingale series and a return Heidi Swain's best. Unlike the second one 'Poppy's Recipe for Life' this one once again focused fully on the square's residents and that's what I love most about Heidi's novels that sense of catching up with much loved friends. It never ceases to amaze me, however, that one small square can have so many gorgeous and eligible bachelors.

Don't worry though if you haven't read any of the others as each one focuses on a different lead character and story so it really won't matter. Like the others though it's another heart-warming tale of new beginnings, love and friendships with delightful characters and a idyllic setting. A simple formula but one that works so well!

Heidi Swain is one of my all-time favourite authors. With her trademark charm, effortless writing style and vivid descriptions, I could clearly picture the garden, square and every single character. Once again I fell in love with the place, wanting to up sticks and move there. 

The author

Heidi Swain is a popular Sunday Times Best Selling Author of romantic fiction novels. Follow author Heidi Swain on Twitter @Heidi_Swain or find out more at www.heidiswain.co.uk.  

REVIEW: The Little Cottage in Lantern Square by Helen Rolfe

A heart-warming tale of friendship, romance and community spirit. The Little Cottage in Lantern Square is Helen Rolfe's four Lantern Square novellas collected together for the first time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Orion Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 20 August 2020

The blurb 
Hannah went from high flyer in the city to business owner and has never looked back. In the cosy Cotswold village of Butterbury she runs Tied up with String, sending handmade gifts and care packages across the miles, as well as delivering them to people she thinks need them the most.

But when her ex best-friend Georgia turns up and wants in on the action, will Hannah be willing to forgive and forget? With her business in jeopardy she needs to maintain the reputation she's established, and discover who she can trust...

Meanwhile, a mysterious care package lands on her own doorstep at Lantern Cottage. Who is trying to win her heart - and will she ever be willing to give it away?

The review
This was my favourite type of book - a heart-warming tale of friendship, romance and community spirit. I loved the village setting with its cast of colourful characters especially nosy neighbour Mrs Ledbetter. I also love a story about setting up or running a small business - in this involving bespoke gift boxes (or care packages) themed around the recipients favourite things.

It was originally four novellas, brought together for the first time. This meant the collected story took place over the course of the year so was totally realistic in terms of the romantic developments.

But, this was more about friendship than romance anyway and I particularly enjoyed the intergenerational friendship of Hannah and the residents of Butterbury Lodge, the village's care home. 

Lovely, heart-warming escapsim but a nice read rather than must read.

The author
Helen 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. Follow @hjrolfe on Twitter or visit www.helenjrolfe.com to find out more.

REVIEW: We Are Family by Nicola Gill

Here's my review of the second novel by author Nicola Gill. This was a story of sibling rivalry but in my opinion more of a nice read rather than a must read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 3 September 2020

The blurb
Laura and Jess are sisters - but that's pretty much all they have in common... Laura has a laid back attitude to life. Her home isn't spotless, and after a hard day she likes to take to bed with a block of cheese.

Jess, on the other hand, is your classic overachiever: The Big Sister, Chief of Chivvying, Queen of the family WhatsApp. Her life is picture-perfect.

Laura and Jess lost their dad when they were kids, and now their mum is gone too. And one of the hardest times in life is made harder by the fact they can't agree on a single thing, from where to scatter the ashes to whether "passed away" is even an acceptable term.

But when Laura starts pushing her own boundaries and Jess agrees to let other people in to her (not so) perfect life, the two women realise they need each other more than ever. They might not be ready to admit it, but family is everything.

The review
For me this was one of those middle ground books where I didn't love it but didn't not like it either.

On the plus side it was a nice enough story - two sisters who used to be close but as polar opposites don't really get along as adults but are forced together again after their mother's death. Through flashbacks to their childhood we came to understand how the sisters had drifted apart and the things that had shaped their adult characters. Despite being told from just one sister, Laura's, perspective both characters were developed really well, flaws and all. It showed how we're not all the same, not all perfect and how different personalities can actually work together rather than against each other. It was also easy reading with short snappy chapters, and I enjoyed the surprise ending which I really hadn't seen coming.

Unfortunately though I found main character Laura really quite annoying (obviously though I did love her hilarious five-year-old son Billy). The thing is that Laura's quite negative with a habit of over-reacting and misinterpreting literally every action or conversation she has with anyone. This is particularly the case with her mum or sister and the cause of all the conflict- although obviously she blames the other person wholeheartedly and never herself. It was also didn't quite ring true that Laura lets everyone walk all over her, taking on extra at work and babysitting so her friend can go shopping despite the fact her mum's just died, but then is selfish when it comes to her sister who's seemingly the only person in Laura's life that genuinely cares about her. 

I also soon became tired of the nice enough storyline as the sibling rivalry and mother's favouritism quickly became repetitive, especially as this was book was really quite long. It was really a succession of busy nothings, such as the hamster escaping, accidentally replying all, a disastrous job interview, etc set against this constant back drop of sisterly conflict. 

I would have preferred many of the minor side-plots, such as sister Jess' online troll or Billy's bully, to have been left out and more time given to the ending of the story which felt rushed. The ending jumped forward eight months meaning that many of the important things happened off-page such as the sisters reconcilling and Laura getting together with Marcus. After such a long build-up it was frustrating to then 'miss out' on all the pivotal moments.

So, all-in-all a nice read rather than a must-read and one I'd recommend for fans of light fiction that prefer an emphasis on character over plot.

The author
Aged just five Nicola Gill knew she wanted to be an author. 'We Are Family' is her second novel. Follow @nicola_j_gill on Twitter.

REVIEW: Our Story by Miranda Dickinson

I'm pleased to review the latest novel by Miranda Dickinson. Written in my favourite his and hers style, this was a light-hearted will-they, won't they romance.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher HQ for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 25 August 2020

The blurb 
Otty has just landed her dream job. She's about to join the writing team of one of the most respected showrunners in TV. And then the night before her first day, she's evicted from her flat.

Joe has been working with Russell for years. He's the best writer on his team, but lately something has been off. He's trying to get his mojo back, but when his flatmate moves out without warning he has other things to worry about.

Otty moving into Joe's house seems like the perfect solution to both their problems, but neither is prepared for what happens next. Paired together in the writing room, their obvious chemistry sparks from the page and they are the writing duo to beat. But their relationship off the page is an entirely different story, and neither of them can figure out why.

And suddenly the question isn't, will they, or won't they? It's why won't they?

The review
Since reading ‘Come Together’ by husband and wife team Emlyn Rees and Josie Lloyd many years ago, this his and hers narrative has been one of my favourites. I find the way two people, particularly of different sexes, can interpret the same event so differently absolutely fascinating.

Slightly disappointingly though was the mismatch between the two characters development. Whilst, the author really explored Otty’s character and back story, sadly the same couldn’t be said of the male lead, Joe. 

I really enjoyed the writing style and the quick-paced, sharp dialogue of each chapter. I also loved the setting of the writer’s room which not only provided an interesting insight into professional writing but also a highly-pressurised backdrop for the story. And, it was both of these elements that managed to keep my interest in what was otherwise quite a long, samey will they/won’t they storyline.

I don’t think it’s a plot spoiler to say that the whole story was leading to the two characters getting together or not. But, then disappointingly I found the ending a bit abrupt especially after the lengthy long build-up.

So, overall this was a nice, light-hearted contemporary romance with a great setting and smart writing. Not a must-read but perfect escapism nonetheless.

The author
Miranda Dickinson always wanted to be a writer....now she is the author of eleven books, including six Sunday Times bestsellers. Follow @wurdsmyth on Twitter or visit miranda-dickinson.com to find out more.

REVIEW: No Regrets by Tabitha Webb

Here's my review of the debut novel by Tabitha Webb, an acclaimed designer and entrepreneur. Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 9 July 2020

The blurb 
Good friends. Bad Choices. No Regrets.

Best friends Stella, Ana and Dixie have always lived life to the full. But now they’re approaching their forties, reality is starting to kill the mood…

Stella loves her children, but misses her glittering career. Plus she can’t even remember the last time she had sex.

Ana is trying for a baby with her partner Rex. So why can’t she stop thinking about the one that got away?

Dixie is the wildest of them all. A Tinder addict who’ll never settle down. But has she accidentally found Mr Right…?

It’s time for the friends to shake things up and start having some fun. Because you only regret the things you don’t do, right?

The Review
This was full of promise - the promise of a fabulously funny and naughty tale of friendship. The story is that of three very different friends as they approach the crossroads of their 40s. My favourite was feisty Stella who adores her children but is struggling with the monotony of being a stay-at-home mum. There's also sensible Ana who's chosen her baby-daddy with her head rather than heart and good-time girl Dixie who may have to re-evaluate after unexpectedly falling for someone.

It started well with the introduction of Stella and her vague and uncomfortable feeling that her children might be better off with a nanny as at least they'd be clean and on time. "Maybe someone else could be a better waitress and Uber driver. These were not her skills." Another hilarious musing was Stella thinking about the constant need to keep tabs on her wandering two-year-old "sometimes she wondered what would happen if she let him go. Would he return in 16 years, all grown up, a veteran of several wars...thankful to Stella for her trust in his abilities, or would he be taken in by social services....thank God Jake (her husband) was a lawyer."

But, then nothing much actually happened. Well that's not strictly true - there was a lot of sex, a little humour (mostly involving Stella) and not a lot else. What did happen was predictable even from the blurb in that Stella gets her mojo back, Ana's drawn to her ex and Dixie settles down. The sex was also a bit much for me. It's not that I'm a prude (well maybe a bit) but I don't need graphic details, preferring subtle suggestion instead, and I like the action to be part of the story, not just there for the sake of it.

So, in my opinion this was sex over substance. I didn't hate it but didn't love it either so a 3.5 stars rounded down from me unfortunately.

The author
Tabitha Webb is a designer, her luxury British brand was launched in 2013, who has now turned her talented hand to writing. Follow @tabithawebbuk to find out more.

REVIEW: Us Three by Ruth Jones

Not what I was expecting from Ruth Jones of 'Gavin and Stacey' fame but I'm thrilled to share my review of her second novel 'Us Three' as I totally loved it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 3 September 2020

The blurb 
Meet Lana, Judith and Catrin. Best friends since primary school when they swore an oath on a Curly Wurly wrapper that they would always be there for each other, come what may.

After the trip of a lifetime, the three girls are closer than ever. But an unexpected turn of events shakes the foundation of their friendship to its core, leaving their future in doubt – there’s simply too much to forgive, let alone forget. An innocent childhood promise they once made now seems impossible to keep...

The Review
Ruth Jones is best known for 'Gavin and Stacey' aka outstanding and award-winning television comedy writing and as such I was expecting this to be a comedy. I was wrong but also pleasantly surprised.

This was about friendship; Lana, Judith and Catrin who swore on a Curly Wurly wrapper, aged eight, that they would be best friends forever. It's written in my favourite style with chapters effortlessly alternating between the three girls (with occasional guest chapters from one of the supporting cast) and three parts (or decades). We see how the girls navigate a lifetime of love, family life, work, betrayal, tragedy and life events that irreversibly shape each one and stretch their friendship to breaking point.

Of late I seem to have gravitated to romcoms (or thrillers), but one of my first and favourite ever authors is the late Maeve Binchy. And, in many ways, with its focus on relationships and their ever-changing dynamics, this reminded me of her and reignited my passion for this genre.

The three main characters are in their own words as different as "chalk, cheese and chocolate". But that's what made it so compelling as you see how each one handles life and the same events so differently. It also meant that I related to each one at different times. Ruth Jones describes each character so brilliantly that I felt like the fourth friend and that I'd also known them all my life.

The author
Follow @RuthJonesAuthor on Facebook.

REVIEW: Aria's Travelling Book Shop by Rebecca Raisin

I'm delighted to share my review of the latest novel by self-confessed bibliophile Rebecca Raisin. An easy, light-hearted read with a nice storyline but slightly repetitive and lacking something special.

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 8 April 2020

The blurb 
Aria Summers knows what she wants. A life on the road with best friend Rosie and her beloved camper-van-cum-book-shop, and definitely, definitely, no romance.

But when Aria finds herself falling – after one too many glasses of wine, from a karaoke stage – into the arms of Jonathan, a part of her comes back to life for the first time in years.

Since her beloved husband died Aria has sworn off love, unless it’s the kind you can find in the pages of a book. One love of her life is quite enough. And so Aria tries to forget Jonathan and sets off for a summer to remember in France. But could this trip change Aria’s life forever…?

The Review
Consisting of all my favourite ingredients - love, friendship, adventure and entrepreneurship - this could've/should've been my perfect book but it just wasn't. 

Rather than inspiring this was very repetitive. Main character Aria lost her beloved husband to cancer and now lives and works in a camper van travelling wherever and whenever she pleases selling her books along the way. These were two main themes to the storyline that of opening yourself up to love again after tragedy and van life. Both of which were wonderful themes but we were literally reminded of them every single chapter or paģe which became very tiresome after a while.

There were some funny bits such as Aria's not so inconspicuous appearance at her love interest, Jonathan's, author talk. But, overall this is best described as 'nice - the storyline is fairly unremarkable, the characters fairly ordinary and the romance rather lukewarm, it's also pretty predictable. This is the second in the series, it works as a standalone but maybe had I read the first I would've been more brought into the characters.

It's an easy, light-hearted read with some pleasing aspects but at the same time it's definitely not a must-read in my opinion.

The author
Follow Rebecca Raisin on Twitter or find out more at www.rebeccaraisin.com

REVIEW: Family for Beginners by Sarah Morgan

In my opinion this was a nice warm-hearted read, realistically portraying the highs and lows of family life as well as love and loss without ever becoming too downhearted or sad.

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 2 April 2020

The blurb 
When Flora falls in love with Jack, suddenly she’s not only handling a very cranky teenager, but she’s also living in the shadow of Jack’s perfect, immortalised wife, Becca. Every summer, Becca and Jack would holiday with Becca’s oldest friends and Jack wants to continue the tradition, so now Flora must face a summer trying to live up to Becca’s memory, with not only Jack’s daughter looking on, but with Becca’s best friends judging her every move…

The more Flora tries to impress everyone, the more things go horribly wrong…but as the summer unfolds, Flora begins pushing her own boundaries, and finding herself in a way that she never thought she needed to.

And she soon learns that families come in all shapes and sizes.

The review
It's very difficult to review something when you don't have a strong opinion either way. And, unfortunately that's exactly where I find myself with this book. There was nothing not to like - it was a well-written, warm-hearted read - but at the same time it didn't quite capture my imagination either.

This was the story of Flora embarking on a relationship with widower Jack, and the emotional challenges that come hand-in-hand with a father of two - it's not just him but the whole family who needs to fall in love with you too. As such it wasn't meant to be a love story but a story of family dynamics.

However, to go from Jack and Flora accidentally meeting, to being introduced to the family and moving in together all within the space of a few chapters seemed way to quick. I wanted the build-up as without it, like Izzy, Jack's teenage daughter, I just couldn't believe in the relationship and see how the two were remotely compatible and understand why Jack would knowingly upset his fragile family dynamic for someone he'd only just met.

That said I did like the fast pace. The book started with the lure of an untold secret about Becca, Jack's dead wife, and so needed to progress quickly through Flora trying to live up to this image of Becca as the perfect, wide, mother, friend and career-woman, to the big reveal that Becca was actually as flawed as the rest of them. Every page and word were relevant - there was definitely no filler.

I also loved the ending and the reveal, which without wanting to give too much away showed great depth and likeability to Jack's character - it was just a shame that we had to wait until the end to see it and understand him or his relationship with Flora. And, this was the other problem in that whilst I really liked Izzy, I didn't warm to either Jack (for the reasons just given) or Flora. Izzy described Flora as someone you don't want to but can't help liking because she's so nice. But, I had no such problem, for me Flora was too nice, too much of a people-pleaser, too vanilla to really champion. 

All-in-all this is a nice story realistically portraying the highs and lows of family life as well as love and loss without ever becoming too downhearted or sad. However, once again its very much a nice read rather than a must-read.

The author
Follow @SarahMorgan_ or find out more at sarahmorgan.com

REVIEW - A Springtime Affair by Katie Fforde

Having wanted to read this author for ages I'm delighted to share my review of the latest novel by Katie Fforde. There's nothing not to like about this book - it's the sort of book that you can just relax into and enjoy. However, that said it definitely falls into the good read rather than must-read category. 

Many thanks to The Bookbag for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 20 February 2020

The blurb 
It’s the season of new beginnings for Helena and Gilly. Gilly runs her own B&B business from her much-loved family home, which she doesn’t want to part with – at any price. But that's before she meets handsome estate agent Leo, and soon she begins to wonder whether selling up might not be such a bad idea after all.

Meanwhile Gilly's daughter Helena has a budding romance of her own. A talented weaver, she's becoming very close to her new landlord, Jago, who's offered to help her at an upcoming craft fair. It’s what friends do, and they are just friends. Aren’t they?

With spring in full bloom, Helena and Gilly begin to ask themselves the same question: Might their new loves lead to happily ever after?

The Review
I've wanted to read author Katie Fforde for ages and this was pretty much exactly what I was expecting - a warm, cosy read focused on romance, family and friendships. This provided two romances for the price of one, but it was actually the family element as opposed to the romance that I really enjoyed.

This was a story of new beginnings for the two main characters, mother and daughter, Gilly and Helena. Gilly is a fifty- something woman running a B&B business after a difficult (marriage and) divorce have left her fighting to keep hold of her much- loved family home, much to the disappointment of her son who introduces her to estate agent Leo in a bid to get her to sell up. At the same time, talented weaver Helena, also running her own small business, is embarking on a budding relationship with her new landlord. But, will either of them get their happily ever after?

For me the heroine of the story was Gilly and the romantic perspective of a mature, self-deprecating female as opposed to an optimistic, love-struck twenty-something was really refreshing for me. The author perfectly and sympathetically captured the conflicting emotions and reactions, of both Gilly and her two adult children, to Gilly's first romantic encounter as a mature and single lady. I was also fascinated by her son's selfishness in believing his mother no longer had dreams and a life of her own to live, instead wanting her to devote herself (and her finances) to looking after his own family. As such it was great to see Gilly embracing a new life, post-divorce and children, running a business, dating not one but two handsome gentlemen and taking up new hobbies such as gliding.

In fact, I always love an entrepreneurial subtext to any story, one of strong, independent women doing it for themselves and running their own successful small businesses. And, this didn't disappoint on that front as I particularly enjoyed reading about the day-to-day running of Gilly's B&B and Helena travelling around the country to sell her woven crafts at various fairs.

All-in-all there's nothing not to like about this book - it's the sort of book that you can just relax into and enjoy. However, that said it definitely falls into the good read rather than must-read category. There's enough going on and enough intrigue from a cast of likeable characters to maintain interest and enjoyment throughout but it lacks a little of the extra spark needed for a full five-stars.

The author
Follow @KatieFforde or find out more at www.katiefforde.com

REVIEW - The Dilemma by B A Paris

I'm delighted to share my review of the latest thriller by author AB Paris. This was different to my usual reads – more of a ‘thrilling’ drama than a ‘thriller’ per se but I really liked it. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and publisher @HQStories for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.

Expected: 9 January 2020

The blurb 
It’s Livia’s 40th birthday and she’s having the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding she never had. Everyone she loves will be there except her daughter Marnie, who’s studying abroad. But although Livia loves Marnie, she’s secretly glad she won’t be at the party. She needs to tell Adam something about their daughter but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together.

Adam wants everything to be perfect for Livia so he’s secretly arranged for Marnie to come home and surprise her on her birthday. During the day, he hears some terrible news. He needs to tell Livia, because how can the party go on? But she’s so happy, so excited – and the guests are about to arrive.

The Dilemma – how far would you go to give someone you love a last few hours of happiness?

In my opinion
This was different to my usual reads – more of a ‘thrilling’ drama than a ‘thriller’ per se but I really liked it. But, then that should probably not come as any surprise as, whilst new to me, B A Paris is a million-copy bestselling author.

Anyway it’s Livia’s 40th birthday and she’s having a much-wanted party to make up for her shot-gun wedding. During the day, her husband Adam hears some terrible news. He needs to tell Livia but she’s so happy, so excited – and the guests are about to arrive. The Dilemma – how far would you go to give someone you love a last few hours of happiness? In Adam’s case probably too far but that’s what made this totally compelling, from beginning to end.

Whilst this focuses on a 24hr period, with each chapter moving forward hour by hour, the author beautifully weaves in the back stories of all the characters; the foundations of Adam and Livia’s marriage, Adam’s strained relationship with his son, Livia’s estranged parents and the dynamics of childhood friendships as those friends marry and have children of their own. And, in doing so, some really difficult and thought-provoking subjects are tackled including teenage/unplanned pregnancies, illness, death, betrayal and realising your children are not necessarily the angelic innocents you’d hoped. 

Most of all, however, it’s a heart-breaking and powerful story of love (both family and romantic) which shows that together you can overcome most things. It’s emotionally captivating, tapping into your worst fears, and cleverly exploring how different people handle grief and tension in such different and sometimes unfathomable ways. It’s about good intentions, behaving in a shocking way but with the best of intentions.

I liked that the story was told from the two alternating perspectives of Adam and Livia - it’s one of my favourite styles of writing. It means that both characters become equally familiar and understood as the story develops. As well as the main characters, I also found the secondary characters just as likeable, relatable and integral to the story. The chapters were also nice and short which made for an easy, un-put-down-able read.

I’m still struggling to decide whether to this should be 4 or 5 stars. However, I’ve gone with a 4 purely based on the fact that the genre is more drama than thriller - which whilst a pleasant surprise was not what I’d originally anticipated. A superb read though nonetheless and definitely recommended.

The author
Follow @BAParisAuthor on Twitter.

Book Review - Coming Home to Island House by Erica James

A beautiful story about relationships set at the start of the second world war. Thoroughly enjoyable and worth a read, however, for me it was kind of just 'nice' as in it wasn't one of those books that you just can't put down but I certainly wouldn't be adverse to reading another one of author Erica James' romance novels.

Many thanks to The Bookbag for giving me the opportunity to read this book direct from the publishers.

First published in the UK: January 2018

It's the summer of 1939, and after touring an unsettled Europe to promote her latest book, Romily Temple returns home to Island House and the love of her life, the charismatic Jack Devereux. But when Jack falls ill, his estranged family are called home and given seven days to find a way to bury their resentments and come together.

With war now declared, each member of the family is reluctantly forced to accept their new stepmother and confront their own shortcomings. But can the habits of a lifetime be changed in one week? And can Romily, a woman who thrives on adventure, cope with the life that has been so unexpectedly thrust upon her?

My Review

Much to the disgust of the village and his estranged children Jack Devereux has a new wife, the 'scarlet woman' Romily Temple. But, can his death and final demand that his children spend seven days together at childhood home, Island House, bring about a reconciliation and forgiveness from his much loved family? With sadistic Arthur, grief-consumed Hope, remorseful Kit and fiery Allegra this seems like an impossibility but then war is declared and the family find themselves pulling together.

This is a compelling story about relationships - the good, the bad and even the ugly (usually those involving Arthur). There's a real mix of characters, and plenty of them, but what I particularly liked is the author's gift for character development. Throughout the book you really start to understand each character, and the experiences that have shaped the way they behave and the relationships they have developed. It also means that none of the characters are what they may seem initially, in particular Romily who may seem to be an independent, vivacious gold-digger but is actually warm-hearted, generous and the driving force behind trying to reconcile the family.

The setting of 1939 and the start of the second world war, provides an interesting and added dimension to the story. Not to mention some truly sad and all-too-real accounts of injured soldiers, evacuees, Jewish persecution and letters home from the western front. In fact despite this being a fairly long book I was disappointed that it ended before the war finished. In fairness the fates of Jack's children had all been nicely determined by the book's end. But, those of some of the other characters such as Romily or half-Jewish half-German baby Annelise had not and with the war still raging you couldn't help feeling that the book ended before the end and wondering for example if Annelise's parents would survive and be reunited with their child.

Whilst fairly long for women's fiction, it's an easy read because of its short chapters which tend to focus on a particular character each time. It's a beautiful epic story which was thoroughly enjoyable and worth a read. However, it was kind of just 'nice' as in it wasn't one of those books that you just can't put down or has left me rushing to read any of the author's 21 other books but I certainly wouldn't be adverse to it either.

Follow author Erica James on Twitter @TheEricaJames or find out more at ericajames.co.uk.