The Return of Her Lost Knight (Notorious Knights Book 3) by Melissa Oliver @melissaoauthor @MillsandBoon #bookreview #HistoricalRomance #PublicationDay

The Return of Her Lost Knight written by Melissa Oliver, publisher Mills & Boon Historical, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

Book Blurb

Her second chance

With her lost love….

To avoid a forced marriage, Lady Gwenllian plans to escape to a convent. She couldn’t possibly honour another when her heart still belongs to Ralph de Kinnerton, the man she had to betray to save his life – only to hear of his death shortly after. So how is it possible he’s here at this Knight’s tournament? Now, the pull of their unfinished past forces Gwen to question the choice she’d made for her future…

To buy links:

The paperback is available from all good book retailers and can also be purchased online direct from Mills & Boon.

Notorious Knights – The Return Of Her Lost Knight (Mills & Boon Historical) (Notorious Knights, Book 3) – Mills & Boon UK (millsandboon.co.uk)

The ebook is available to download for kindle, kobo, iBooks.

https://amzn.to/3gPhcH4

REVIEW

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

It’s hard to believe that Melissa Oliver is a relatively new author with her first novel being published last summer. Melissa Oliver’s books are very readable, there’s a real sense of time and place and you can feel the atmosphere and tension between characters. The Return of Her Lost Knight is book 3 in the Notorious Knights trilogy, you can find my review for book one here: The Rebel Heiress and the Knight by Melissa Oliver @melissaoauthor @MillsandBoon @rararesources #HistoricalRomance #bookreview #blogtour | kraftireader (wordpress.com) and for book two here: Her Banished Knight’s Redemption by Melissa Oliver @melissaoauthor @MillsandBoon @rararesources @HarlequinBooks #HistoricalRomance #bookreview #blogtour | kraftireader (wordpress.com)

Each book in the trilogy can be read as a standalone as each instalment focuses on a new character. However, characters from previous stories do crop up in later reads so you can see a progression in their lives. I would therefore, highly recommend reading the books in order to fully understand and appreciate the era, the setting, the characters and also the books are just gorgeous you just don’t want to miss out!

Book 3 is Ralph De Kinnerton and Lady Gwenllian’s story. Six years ago this young couple were full of dreams and hopes for the future but betrayals and danger from a family source split the pair apart until an important knights tournament was to bring them back together again. However, a lot can happen in six years, for one thing Ralph was presumed dead so his return to tournament was filled with much trepidation as Ralph felt he had a ‘score’ to prove to gain his place as the rightful heir to his late father’s land. But to succeed Ralph has to remain incognito but the sight of his once best friend and childhood sweetheart, Lady Gwenllian, sets his emotions in a tailspin and his plan to gain recognition of his ‘inheritance’ becomes clouded with thoughts of Gwen.

However, wherever Gwen was his notorious cousin, Stephen le Gros, was close behind and Ralph has to keep his temper in check and his presence a secret till the time was right.

Gwen and Ralph were once so close but Gwen had to make the brave decision 6 years ago to let Ralph go for his own safety. Not many people know the true reasons for Gwen letting Ralph go and it’s something that Gwen is still very guarded about. Believing Ralph was dead has been hard to bare so finding out he was alive has brought so many conflicting feelings to the forefront of Gwen’s mind. Gwen is also hiding torment from her past that has shaped the path for her future.

Can Ralph fulfil his destiny and can Gwen learn to let events from the past go?

Another gorgeous historical romance that was filled with drama, danger, tension but there is also a wonderful endearing camaraderie between the notorious knights. I really enjoy historical romance stories it’s a journey that has the reader travelling back in time experiencing life in an unknown era with cultures to learn and sights to discover.

About the Author

Melissa Oliver is from south-west London where she writes historical romance novels. She lives with her lovely husband and three daughters, who share her passion for decrepit, old castles, grand palaces and all things historical. She is the winner of The Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Joan Hessayon Award for new writers in 2020 for her debut, The Rebel Heiress and the Knight. When she’s not writing she loves to travel, paint and visit museums & art galleries.

Twitter: @melissaoauthor

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Two Metres From You by Heidi Stephens @heidistephens @AccentPress #blogtour #bookreview #summerreading

Two Metres From You written by Heidi Stephens, publisher Headline Accent, is available NOW in ebook, audiobook and paperback format.

Book Blurb

Love might be closer than you think . . .

Gemma isn’t sure what upsets her more. The fact she just caught her boyfriend cheating, or that he did it on her brand-new Heal’s cushions.

All she knows is she needs to put as many miles between her and Fraser as humanly possible. So, when her best friend suggests a restorative few days in the West Country, it seems like the perfect solution.

That is, until the country enters a national lockdown that leaves her stranded. All she has for company is her dog, Mabel. And the mysterious (and handsome!) stranger living at the bottom of her garden . . .

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating the launch of the paperback of Two Metres From You by Heidi Stephens.

This is the second book I’ve read that is very topical and uses the current global COVID 19 pandemic as part of it’s storyline. The author, Heidi Stephens, has written a romcom that focuses on the unexpected positives of life living in lockdown. If you thought a story set in these unprecedented times would be too raw please think again and try this book as I adored it. Two Metres From You is topical, funny, uplifting, heart-warming, thoughtful, community spirited and oh so romantic … I was glued to the storyline and was keen to learn what happened next and when I did get to the end I felt bereft to leave these wonderful characters behind.

Gemma has just caught her shameless boyfriend with another woman, she’s so enraged with him she packs her belongings and most importantly her dog, Mabel and sets off to the Wiltshire countryside to escape the city of London and the mess of her love life.

Her friend Caro has given Gemma the opportunity to stay in her country cottage. Wallowing in heartbreak Gemma drowns out her sorrows and crashes out on the sofa and is awoken by a handsome stranger who seems pretty knowledgeable of the cottage.

Waking up hungover in a strange house in the countryside with a strange man roaming around and now the country has gone into lockdown Gemma has no option but to stay put.

Gemma loves the city life in London with high strength WIFI, delis and friends around the corner. Acquiring temporary emotional refuge is taking some readjusting as there is hardly any WIFI and just one village shop! However, Gemma’s dog, Mabel, feels right at home with ample space to walk and new areas to discover and Mabel has even found a new friend with the stranger who happens to live in a converted barn at the bottom on Gemma’s garden. Gemma and Matthew’s unorthodox introduction certainly broke the ice in introductions and a friendship soon blossoms.

As the days and weeks of the first lockdown fly by as an outsider Gemma notices changes in the locals lives and how it is effecting their wellbeing. With home schooling, working from home, isolation of the vulnerable, loneliness and boredom Gemma devises a project to help the community survive this united ordeal.

Two Metres From You is an accomplished debut novel that will hearten your soul, make you smile, it’s very poignant in places and so very relatable with a cast of likeable characters, a swoon worthy romance and a village scene to make you want an idyllic country escape. This time away from her normality gave Gemma the chance to reassess her life and home is not necessary where you think it may be. I can’t wait to see where Heidi Stephens will take her new readers to next.

About the Author

Heidi Stephens has spent her career working in advertising and marketing; some of her early writing work includes instruction manuals for vacuum cleaners, saucepans and sex toys. For the past ten years she has also freelanced as a journalist and, on autumnal weekend evenings, can be found liveblogging Strictly Come Dancing for The Guardian. She lives in Wiltshire with her partner and Labrador, Mabel.

Two Metres from You is Heidi’s debut novel.

Twitter: @heidistephens

Website: Heidi Stephens

Instagram: Heidi Stephens (@heidistephens) • Instagram photos and videos

The Stepsisters by Susan Mallery #blogtour #bookreview #summerreading @SusanMallery @MillsandBoon

The Stepsisters written by Susan Mallery, publisher Mills & Boon, is available NOW in ebook, audiobook and paperback format.

Book Blurb

Who better to mend a broken heart than your sister?

When Daisy’s dad married Sage’s mum, Daisy was thrilled to get a new sister. Except Sage was beautiful and popular, everything Daisy was not, and she made sure Daisy knew it.

Sage found herself living in a palatial home where she felt she didn’t belong. She didn’t have her new sister’s intelligence so she used her popularity as a weapon, putting Daisy down at every opportunity. After the divorce, the stepsisters’ rivalry continued until the final straw: Daisy married Sage’s first love, and Sage fled to Europe.

Eighteen years later, Daisy never expects—or wants—to see Sage again. But brought together by an accident involving the little sister they have in common they must learn to put aside their differences. Slowly, the stepsisters begin to view the past through one another’s eyes and long buried feelings are revealed. Until their fragile truce is threatened by one careless act that could have devastating consequences….

To buy links

The Stepsisters is available to buy from most book retailers including some supermarkets. A few online links below:

https://amzn.to/3weWkOS

The Stepsisters by Susan Mallery | Waterstones

The Stepsisters – Mills & Boon UK (millsandboon.co.uk)

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of Susan Mallery’s latest novel: The Stepsisters.

I’m a relative newcomer to the work of Susan Mallery with The Stepsisters being my second read of hers. I have to say I love the author’s work and will most definitely be reading more … contemporary romance with that holiday escapism feel.

I really enjoyed this modern day family drama from Susan Mallery. We have three strong, independent ladies who are linked via the complicated relationships between a man and a woman. Daisy, Sage and Cassie once shared the same household for a few years during their childhood. At first the idea of a sister and a mother for Daisy was all she had dreamed of but the sisterly bond soon broke when baby Cassie came along and Daisy soon felt outnumbered by two girls who shared the same mother.

As time moved on Daisy’s father and Sage and Cassie’s mothers partnership broke down and the girls were split up and went to live their separate lives. Now all girls are adults and their sisterhood has continued to remain strained so when Cassie is involved in an accident and needs a place to recuperate Daisy is not impressed that her father has suggested her home is the perfect place. With Sage also back in LA the idea of all three stepsisters back in the same district seems bad but in the same house it’s fraught with disaster.

Whilst Daisy is anxious of her stepsisters return she is also struggling with emotional turmoil with her husband.

Emotions and tempers run high and the future for all three women looks very uncertain.

I liked reading about all three sisters and the author took it in turns for each character to open up and share vulnerabilities they felt in the past and present. As the girls learned more about each other a greater understanding of the dynamics between the three as children and now as grown women was appreciated. The bond they felt being flung together years ago might just be the bond they need now to gain the strength and love to cope with the next stages in their respective lives.

An entertaining read that was poignant, romantic and had that wonderful holiday escapism feel.

About the Author

#1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives―romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humour, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny and always uplifting, Susan’s books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA TODAY bestseller list, thanks to her ever-growing legions of fans.
Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats and a tattletale toy poodle. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they’re an integral component to a happy life.

Twitter: @SusanMallery

Website: #1 NYT Bestselling romance and women’s fiction author Susan Mallery

Instagram: Susan Mallery (@susanmallery) • Instagram photos and videos

The Summer Island Festival by Rachel Burton #blogtour #guestpost @rachelbwriter @Aria_Fiction @rararesources

The Summer Island Festival written by Rachel Burton, publisher Aria, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

Book Blurb

When Willow walks out on her own wedding, there’s only one place she can go…

Growing up in the island village of Seaview, Willow always dreamed of a bigger life. Then her childhood sweetheart Luc betrayed her and she ran, resolving never to look back. Now, twelve years on, her glamorous London life is a mess and the island is her only option.

But she’s not the only one back for the summer. Luc is now a world-famous heartthrob musician, and he’s finally come home to headline the Isle of Wight’s annual music festival.

As Willow untangles her messy past, she stumbles on a secret that could destroy her family, the island’s fragile community – and her second chance at love…

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Island-Festival-Burton/dp/1800246064

US – https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Island-Festival-Burton/dp/1800246064

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the latest novel by Rachel Burton; The Summer Island Festival. I have the pleasure of hosting a guest post from the author today.

ON WRITING THE SUMMER ISLAND FESTIVAL

When people ask me where I get my ideas from, I never really know what to say. Ideas seem to just appear in my head apropos of nothing (and sometimes they don’t which is very frightening as I wonder if I’ve run out of ideas). Characters in particular tend to appear fully formed, names come out of nowhere. I have a lot of work to do to understand the characters once they’ve shown themselves, but initially they are just there.

This was partly true for The Summer Island Festival. Luc, Willow and Skye just appeared in my head one day (although Willow was originally called Laurel – a name I gave to her parents’ band in the end) as did the bones of their back stories and the history of the festival that they grew up around. I knew there was something missing though, something else I needed to flesh out the plot, to be an obstacle in both Willow’s journey and her and Luc’s second chance at love.

Anyone who knows me well knows I have deep running passions for The Beatles, William Shakespeare, yoga, tea, and Midsomer Murders (for those of you who don’t know, that last one is a British TV detective series which is outstanding in its bizarreness – in one episode someone was killed by a wheel of cheese) – and it was Midsomer Murders that gave me the idea for that extra bit of plot I needed.

There is an episode called ‘The Ballad of Midsomer County’ which is absolutely one of my favourites. It takes place at a folk festival and revolves around a famous folk singer called Johnny Carver who killed himself years before. The first time I watched it, I spent the entire episode convinced that Johnny Carver would reappear, that he’d faked his own death to disappear from the music scene which was destroying him. This isn’t what happens in either Midsomer Murders or The Summer Island Festival so I haven’t spoiled anything for you!

But it gave me the beginnings of an idea, the mystery that could lie behind Willow and Luc’s story, another layer, an additional problem to stop them from being together.

How can you disappear from your life though? How easy is it really in these days of GPS and 5G and Facebook and rolling news? I’m fairly sure it would be quite hard. Years ago, though, before all those things existed, if you had enough money it would probably have been easy enough, surely? So rather than have a contemporary character disappear maybe I needed to set part of the story in the past.

And along came Storm Tyler, lead singer of King Silver – a band that became, for a short time in the mid-80s stratospherically famous until they imploded and Storm disappeared for so long that many people thought he was dead.

The rest is history – well, in all honestly the rest was seven edits and two years of work but eventually I got there and my crazy idea about a folk festival, inspired by Midsomer Murders and with a lot of hard work from the team at Aria Fiction/Head of Zeus, became the book you can hold in your hand today. I hope you enjoy Willow and Luc’s story and the race against time to find Storm Tyler!

I’m really looking forward to reading this novel, thanks so much to the author, Rachel Burton, for joining me on the blogtour.

About the Author

Rachel Burton has been making up stories for as long as she can remember and always dreamed of being a writer until life somehow got in the way. After reading for a degree in Classics and another in English Literature she accidentally fell into a career in law, but eventually managed to write her first book on her lunch breaks.

She has spent most of her life between Cambridge and London but now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and their three cats. She loves yoga, ice hockey, tea, The Beatles, dresses with pockets and very tall romantic heroes.

Find her on Twitter & Instagram as @RachelBWriter or follow her blog at rachelburtonwrites.com. She is always happy to talk books, writing, music, cats and how the weather in Yorkshire is rubbish. She is mostly dreaming of her next holiday….

Social Media Links – Twitter: @rachelbwriter ; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rachelburton74/ ; website: rachelburtonwrites.com

Love and Miss Harris by Peter Maughan @PeterMaughan5 @farragobooks @randomttours #loveandmissharris #bookreview

Love and Miss Harris written by Peter Maughan, publisher Farrago, is available NOW in ebook and paperback format.

Book Blurb

Titus Llewellyn-Gwlynne, actor/manager of the Red Lion Theatre, has lost a backer who was going to fund a theatrical tour – when unexpected salvation appears.

Their home theatre in the East End of London having been bombed during the war, The Red Lion Touring Company embarks on a tour of Britain to take a play written by their new benefactress into the provinces.

As they make their vagabond, singing way, they remain unaware that they leave behind in London a man consumed with thoughts of revenge. Revenge which follows them obsessively from town to town, ending in its final act before the last curtain.

This charming series transports the reader to a lost post-war world of touring rep theatre and once-grand people who have fallen on harder times, smoggy streets, and shared bonhomie over a steaming kettle.

To buy links:

https://amzn.to/3hVjo0G

Love and Miss Harris by Peter Maughan | Waterstones

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the latest novel by Peter Maughan: Love and Miss Harris.

I have to be honest and admit it did take me a little time to get into the story BUT once I did I was totally invested in the show, so to speak, that author Peter Maughan has written.

Peter Maughan has created a nostalgic comedy that has it all; drama (lots of it), humour (some a little bit cheeky), romance, danger, inspiring but most of all it was utterly charming.

This is my first introduction to the work of Peter Maughan and from the colourful cover to the descriptive settings and a cornucopia of characters I was all set for a great reading experience.

The story is set in post WWII and Love and Miss Harris is the name of a play that is set to grace the theatres up and down the south of England. It just needs actors and a manager to put the show on the road. In comes Titus Llewellyn-Gwlynne who has a book full of names he can call on for assistance. With the cast set and a double decker bus transformed into a prop/wardrobe/actor transporter the quaint villagers of England won’t know what’s hit them!

Unbeknown to the touring theatre there’s a gangster from London hot on their tale bringing a darkness to the story.

Peter Maughan has crammed so much into this story, each character has their own back story showing multi-layers to their personality with a few hiding a vulnerability to their persona.

I’m delighted to hear that there will be a sequel to Love and Miss Harris when we will see them travelling furtherafield.

A nostalgic caper that will charm and delight.

Author biography
Peter Maughan’s early career covered many trades, working on building sites, in
wholesale markets, on fairground rides and in a circus. He studied at the Actor’s
Workshop in London, and worked as an actor in the UK and Ireland, subsequently
founding a fringe theatre in Barnes, London. He is married and lives currently in Wales.

Twitter: @PeterMaughan5

Always and Forever Glendale Hall by Victoria Walters @Vicky_Walters @HeraBooks @rararesources #bookreview

Always and Forever Glendale Hall written by Victoria Walters, publisher Hera, is available NOW in ebook and is due in paperback later on this month.

Book Blurb

What if we’re all just searching for something?

Anna Stewart is lost. After barely surviving a car accident as a teenager, Anna is scared of settling. Flitting between jobs, boyfriends and homes whenever she gets bored, she has no idea what the future holds. Then her brother Brodie, minister of Glendale, suggests she moves to the beautiful Scottish village, lining up a housekeeper job for her at Glendale Hall.

Out of options, Anna agrees to the move, knowing that she can always run away again. Once at the hall, her culinary skills impress everyone, and she agrees to give Hilltop Farm’s new manager, Cameron, cooking lessons. Sparks fly between Anna and the handsome Scot, but Cameron is looking for love – something that Anna definitely isn’t.

But it’s wedding season at Glendale Hall, and Anna is about to discover that her new home has a way of working its magic on even the coldest of hearts. Will she really be able to just walk away, or could Anna have finally found a place to belong?

It’s summertime in the beautiful Highlands village of Glendale – pack your bags and come on holiday with this gorgeously uplifting, romantic read. Fans of Milly Johnson, Heidi Swain and Holly Martin will love this charming romcom.

Purchase Links:

AMZ: https://amzn.to/31xhdY0

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3sCeDf8

Apple: https://apple.co/2PJNQi9

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

Victoria Walters is fast becoming one of my go to authors for feelgood fiction. Always and Forever is Book 4 in the Glendale Hall series and it’s another read to sit back and enjoy.

Glendale Hall has been such a lovely series full of warmth, inspiration, community spirit, friendship and love. All this and set in the most idyllic village in the Scottish hills. The residents will welcome you with open arms and make you fall in love with a little bit of Scotland that will stay in your heart, always.

Each story in the series can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the books in order as the characters lives to progress and it’s such a lovely collection of stories.

This is Anna’s story. We met Anna briefly in the last story at Brodie and Emily’s wedding. Anna is Brodie’s younger sister who left home at 18 and has been running from job to job, bedsit to bedsit, fleeing from the demons in her past. She is a complication character; a risk taker, carefree, independent but she hides her vulnerability well with her vivacious personality. It’s not until you get to know Anna that you learn she is alone fighting her own thoughts and she refuses to let anyone get close to her.

When her life takes another turn and she’s jobless and homeless Anna feels she has no option but to take the temporary job offer in Glendale that her brother Brodie has mentioned to her. Anna thrives on city life so the country life in the Scottish hills does not appeal to her one bit.

Cameron has been working at Hilltop Farm in Glendale since returning back from university. He has his old friends in the village but he prefer his own company. Cameron is another complicated character with grief and guilt laying heavy on his mind. It’s not until he meets Anna that he slowly removes the walls around his heart. But these walls are strong and some refuse to budge.

Can two tortured young people learn to let go of the past and help each other gain the strength to move on?

Victoria Walters has written another gorgeous instalment in this feelgood series. I liked Anna’s character she was so multi-layered you couldn’t help but love each side to her personality. Anna blended in well with the friends we’ve already met in Glendale and she brought a certain vibrancy and youthfulness to the group. Glendale has been such a wonderful series of stories that I hope one day the author will reunite us with the residents we have grown to love.

Author Bio – Victoria Walters writes up-lifting and inspiring stories. She’s the author of three novels, THE SECOND LOVE OF MY LIFE, SUMMER AT THE KINDNESS CAFÉ, and COMING HOME TO GLENDALE HALL. She has been chosen for WHSmith Fresh Talent and shortlisted for an RNA award. Victoria was also picked as an Amazon Rising Star, and her books have won wide reader acclaim.

Victoria is a full-time author. She lives in Surrey with her cat Harry, and loves books, clothes, music, going out for tea and cake, and posting photos on Instagram.

Find out more about Victoria by following on Instagram at @vickyjwalters, on Twitter at @Vicky_Walters or by visiting her blog at:https://victoria-writes.com/.

Rose’s Ever After by Chrissie Bradshaw @ChrissieBeee @rararesources #blogtour #bookreview #CollieryRowsSaga

Rose’s Ever After written and self-published by Chrissie Bradshaw is available NOW in ebook, kindleunlimited and paperback format.

Book Blurb

Rose has a promising future stretching out before her until a cruel twist of fate seizes it. Will she overcome her heartache as she tries to build a new life? Rose returns to the safe haven of Linwood colliery and her warm-hearted family. As she settles into life in the colliery rows, Rose makes an astounding discovery and a long lost family member appears who makes demands on them all..

Chrissie Bradshaw’s emotionally gripping historical reads have a northern Catherine Cookson vibe with a modern attitude. ‘Rose’s Ever After’ follows on from ‘Rose’s Choice’ yet it can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel

Read ‘Rose’s Ever After’ to follow the twists and turns of Rose’s eventful life. Will the rugged path ahead, full of challenges, lead her to a new ‘happily ever after’?

Purchase Links

Amazon UK for e-book and paperback – https://tinyurl.com/bek7673s

Amazon USA for e-book and paperback – https://tinyurl.com/85rs2bwy

About The Author

Chrissie, 2016 winner of the Romantic Novelist’s Association Elizabeth Goudge writing trophy, is a seasoned tea drinker who writes contemporary and historical family sagas.

Chrissie has always loved match-making a book to a reader. Writing the kind of book she loves to read takes this a step further. When Chrissie is not writing or reading, you will find her walking her dog on the beach, travelling or spending time with her family and friends. She would love to hear from readers.

Chrissie enjoys tweeting on @ChrissieBeee

Her instagram account is chrissie_bradshaw_author

Her blog is www.chrissiebradshaw.com

and she has a Chrissie Bradshaw author page on Facebook.

Visit www.chrissiebradshaw.com to read more about Chrissie or sign up to her newsletter

Chrissie sends out newsletters whenever she has news or something to offer and when you subscribe you receive a free prequel to The colliery rows series called ‘Rose’s War’ Just click here and scroll to the green button on my home page. http://www.chrissiebradshaw.com

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the launch of the next instalment in The Colliery Rows Saga, Rose’s Ever After.

I read book one (Rose’s Choice) of The Colliery Rows saga back in July 2020. The Colliery Rows is a family saga set around a small coal mining village in Northumberland. I was drawn to the novel as I too was born in a coal mining village and I am also a pitman’s daughter so I was intrigued to read and learn about the social impact of coal mining families during and after WWII.

Rose’s Ever After returns to the North East of England, to 1955, with Rose a young mum now and happily married to her childhood sweetheart, Danny. Rose loves being a mum but misses working with her first love, animals. When an opportunity arises to help out at a local farm that cares for elderly pit horses Rose jumps at the chance to use the skills she’s learned in the past. In the 1950’s it was still frowned upon for mothers to work but Rose is hoping to prove that she will be a better mum to young Lily if she can use her time wisely doing something she loves.

However, Rose was to face opposition from many corners and her life was set to receive a terrible blow.

We follow Rose’s journey through life facing heartbreak, hardship, shattered dreams but along the way a seed of hope of a new worthwhile challenges gives Rose a new purpose in life.

Rose is one of those characters in life that has had to endure a rollercoaster of turmoil and emotions. She is also a bright, young woman that is hardworking and loyal to her family. My heart was repeatedly torn with the onslaught of life’s hurdles that the author had thrown Rose’s way and I kept thinking and pleading to the author no more. Rose dealt with each blow in her own quiet, dignified way and gained an inner strength.

Once again Rose and the rest of the Kelly family captured my heart and I was championing for better days to come Rose’s way. I enjoyed learning about life in rural northern England in the 1950’s and 1960’s and the author incorporated poignant historical events brining the story to life even more.

A story of love and life’s struggles with a wonderful heart-warming aspirational ethos within.