Sunday 17 June 2018

Blog Tour Review: The Foyles Bookshop Girls by Elaine Roberts


The Foyles Bookshop Girls by Elaine Roberts
Published: 1st June 2018
Publisher: Aria
Pages: 295
Available on Kindle
Rating: 5/5

Blurb
London, 1914: one ordinary day, three girls arrive for work at London’s renowned Foyles bookshop. But when war with Germany is declared their lives will never be the same again…

Alice has always been the ‘sensible’ one in her family – especially in comparison with her suffrage-supporting sister! But decidedly against her father's wishes, she accepts a job at Foyles Bookshop; and for bookworm Alice it's a dream come true. But with the country at war, Alice’s happy world is shattered in an instant.

Determined to do what she can, Alice works in the bookshop by day, and risks her own life driving an ambulance around bomb-ravaged London by night. But however busy she keeps herself, she can’t help but think of the constant danger those she loves are facing on the frontline…

Alice, Victoria and Molly couldn’t be more different and yet they share a friendship that stems back to their childhood - a friendship that provides everyday solace from the tribulations and heartbreak of war.

Perfect for fans of Elaine Everest, Daisy Styles and Rosie Hendry.

Review

Elaine Roberts’ debut novel The Foyles Bookshop Girls is a delightful tale of friendship and family during the outbreak of World War 1. Alice, Victoria and Molly all work in the famous Foyles bookshop in London and have been friends for many years, despite having very different lives.
Alice lives in Bloomsbury Square with her middle-class mother, father and three siblings. Life under her father’s roof is strict but Alice copes by escaping to the work in the bookshop three days a week. Molly lives with her working-class parents and brother in a much cosier and warmer house, but she spends much of her time with womaniser boyfriend Tony. Poor Victoria lost both her parents and the love of her life four years ago, she’s struggling to keep a roof over her head and keep her younger sister and brother under control. When the war breaks out all their lives change, and their friendships are put to the test as each woman watches someone they love, go off to fight.
This is one of those books which creeps up on you and draws you in, until you just must finish it. I was surprised by just how much this book did this as I wasn’t initially expecting to love it as much as I did.  The first few chapters are a bit slow but after the fifth I was well and truly hooked on this captivating story, I’m just sad now I must wait to find out what happens next.
Elaine Roberts seems to me to have perfectly captured the atmosphere at this time in history. Before the war breaks out woman are rallying to introduce votes for women which would give them more freedom in time when men were very much in control, something Alice’s younger sister Lily is desperate for as she struggles to conform to her father’s strict way of life.  As the war breaks out you can feel the younger men’s optimism at going on the “adventure” to fight in the war as the older generation covey the message of doing the right thing for the country, the innocence of Charlie as he set off to war was quite distressing to read as at seventeen you could tell he wasn’t ready for the trauma ahead of him. As the war progresses it’s the women that keep the country going and provide emotional and physical support for those in need. I loved that Alice and Lily became part of this and at times risked their lives to help those in danger, it showed just how strong these women’s characters were.
Alice was definitely the hero of this book as the majority of the storyline focuses on her family and her blossoming romance with police officer Freddie. I loved how much she changed throughout the book, changing from a meek and mild woman who dreaded confrontation to one who is brave enough to challenge her father, this was my favourite part of the book.
Victoria does have some of the plot devoted to her life, but I felt Molly was often overlooked and didn’t add anything to how the story progressed. With two more books planned in this series I’m hoping each of these girls will have one focusing on them, so we can learn more about them.
Elaine Roberts has done a wonderful job with The Foyle’s Bookshop Girls, writing a novel which is engaging and full of atmosphere and emotion and its one which I can highly recommend to anyone who loves this genre.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Aria for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of the blog tour.


About the Author



Elaine Roberts had a dream to write for a living. She completed her first novel in her twenties and received her first very nice rejection. Life then got in the way until she picked up her dream again in 2010. She joined a creative writing class, The Write Place, in 2012 and shortly afterwards had her first short story published. Elaine and her patient husband, Dave, have five children who have flown the nest. Home is in Dartford, Kent and is always busy with their children, grandchildren, grand dogs and cats visiting.

Follow Elaine

Twitter: @RobertsElaine11
Facebook: @ElaineRobertsAuthor


Buy links:

Amazon: mybook.to/TheFoylesBookshopGirls

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2IKyFQU

iBooks: https://apple.co/2HnGG9K

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2xNqm2v


Follow Aria
Twitter: @aria_fiction
Facebook: @ariafiction
Instagram: @ariafiction


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