Blog Tour Review: The Girl on the Doorstep by Lindsey Hutchinson

The Girl on the Doorstep by Lindsey Hutchinson

Published: 7th August 2018

Publisher: Aria

Pages: 494

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

Left an orphan, five-year-old Rosie Harris is found and raised by Maria, a Romany gypsy. Life on the road is hard, but the little girl soon feels one of the tribe with the travellers.

As she grows older, Rosie realises she has ‘second sight’ and is able to read people’s palms and see into their futures. Needing to make a living of her own, she befriends the canal folk, known as the ‘cut-rats’ traversing the Black Country waterways with their cargo, and so offers readings to anyone who can pay.

Pursued by Jake Harding, a Romany bandolier who wants her for his wife, Rosie instead finds herself falling in love with a married man. And despite growing ominous signs that her future may be cursed, Rosie can’t quite break away from the dream of a happily ever after…

Lindsey Hutchinson is a master storyteller, and her Black Country sagas are heart-breaking, uplifting and truly addictive. 

Review

Lindsey Hutchinson latest novel set in the Black Country centres around the life of Rosie Harris. Orphaned at just five Rosie spent much of her childhood growing up with gypsy Marie and living the Romany way of life. It’s here that Rosie has the gift of “second sight” and can read palms, a skill which comes in handy when Marie dies, and Rosie is left alone once more. Seeking solace with the “cut-rats”, the name given to the cannel folk at the time, Rosie settles into life afloat and its here where she finds herself falling in love with an older, married man. Rosie’s longs for her happy ever after but is met with disaster so often she begins to lose hope. The only man who’s ever shown her love is gypsy bandolier Jake Harding, a man Rosie has no intention of marrying.

Like previous novels by Ms. Hutchinson that I have read I was soon addicted to Rosie and her plight for happiness. Life on the “cut” has really been brought to life through the vivid array of characters which Rosie meets. Most of the characters were likeable, my favourite being Margy Mitchell. The cannel folk and the gypsies all had a grit and determination to make an honest living despite being viewed by most of society as outcasts and a lower social class than people of the land and the town. I loved the loyalty and spirit which flowed through these two communities, especially down by the cannel where even strangers were given a bed aboard a boat if needed.

I loved all the twists and turns which Rosie and the wider Mitchell family faced as they all looked for work and their own piece of happiness. With so many threads developed during the story I was a little disappointed with the ending as I felt the story ended abruptly in the final chapter. I was rather hoping there was going to be a sequel as I felt there was more story which could have been told, but this is a feeling I always get when I’m really enjoying a family saga.

The Girl on the Doorstep is a wonderful tale of love, loyalty and family deceptions and it’s a novel which will keep you hooked until the very end. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys family sagas with plenty of twists, turns, laughter and tears.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me a copy to review and to Aria for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

About the Author

Lindsey lives in Shropshire with her husband and dog. She loves to read and has recently discovered photography. Lindsey is the daughter of million-copy bestselling author Meg Hutchinson.

Follow

Twitter: @LHutchAuthor

Facebook: @Lindsey Hutchinson

Buy links:

Amazon: mybook.to/TheGirlOnTheDoorstep

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2z5VMlf

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

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2KIHKL4

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

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

Order now from Amazon

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

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Blog Tour Review: Mulberry Lane Babies by Rosie Clarke

Mulberry Lane Babies by Rosie Clarke

Published: 1st June 2018

Publisher: Aria

Pages: 418

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

1941 Mulberry Lane, London. War rages but new life brings new hope. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Cathy Sharp.

Times are hard for all on Mulberry Lane as the war rages into yet another year. Desperate times push people into dangerous situations, and the residents of Mulberry Lane are not exempt.

Menacing shadows lurk on dark street corners, threatening the safety of those who are alone and vulnerable. When Peggy's twins are born early Maureen and Nellie are there to lend a helping hand.

The mothers of Mulberry Lane stick together despite the grim conditions of war torn London and a shadowy fear that stalks their lives. Neighbours and friends look out for each other and new life brings hope and joy to the Lane.

Review

Rosie Clarke’s Mulberry Lane series is one of my absolute favourites and I think  Mulberry Lane Babies is my favourite so far, so much drama unfolded during this book that it was hard to stop reading. I devoured it in just one afternoon which was wonderful but no sadly I’ve got a long wait until the next instalment.

In this third book we have old favourites Peggy and Maureen who are both pregnant and not willing to slow down at all. With husband Laurie away in Scotland its up to Peggy to keep up the running of the pub, as well as helping daughter Janet look after young Maggie while she helps Mike recover from his horrific time in hospital. She’s also keeping a watchful eye on young Tommy Barton as his father Jack has had to return to the army.

 Maureen’s keen to carry on nursing for as long as possible and with her gran looking after little Shirley she can, but when her father falls ill Maureen realises its time to try and make peace with the old man before it’s too late.

Anne Riley is envious of her friend’s happiness and longs to find love after suffering heartbreak yet again, little does she know she will find it in the most unlikely of places.

This book also introduces us to young Ellie Turner, a young newly-wed whose been left with her mother in law while husband Peter is away at war. Ellie’s lonely and spend her times in various pubs drinking with solider until one day this land her in trouble.

The lives of these women are woven together beautifully to make the most wonderful and addictive story of life in the wartime east end. Even if you haven’t read the previous books, which you should, then this makes a wonderful read. The characters are realistic and their community spirit at this difficult time is heart-warming to read, even characters like Violet who have their flaws sow they can change, if only a little.

Despite its title Mulberry Lane Babies this book features so much more than babies, with violent attacks, romance, missing jewellery, a wedding and sadly a tragic goodbye this book has everything you could want from a wartime saga and I adored every page. Rosie Clarke’s writing is marvellous and I’m so looking forward to reading more about the lives of these women on Mulberry Lane very soon.

Thank you to Aria and Netgalley for sending me a copy to review and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

About the Author

Rosie is happily married and lives in a quiet village in East Anglia. Writing books is a passion for Rosie, she also likes to read, watch good films and enjoys holidays in the sunshine. She loves shoes and adores animals, especially squirrels and dogs.

Follow Rosie

Twitter: @AnneHerries

Website: www.rosieclarke.co.uk 

Buy links:

Amazon: mybook.to/MulberryLaneBabies

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Imz1d6

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

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2IV3x1U

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Blog Tour Review: Summer of Love by Caro Fraser

Summer of Love by Caro Fraser

Published: 31st May 2018

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Pages: 512

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

The dark days of the war are over, but the family secrets they held are only just dawning.

 In the hot summer of 1949, a group of family and friends gather at Harry Denholm's country house in Kent. Meg and Dan Ranscombe, emerging from a scandal of their own making; Dan's godmother, Sonia; and her two young girls, Laura and Avril, only one of whom is Sonia's biological daughter. Amongst the heat, memories, and infatuations, a secret is revealed to Meg's son, Max, and soon a terrible tragedy unfolds that will have consequences for them all. Afterwards, Avril, Laura and Max must come of age in a society still reeling from the war, haunted by the choices of that fateful summer. Cold, entitled Avril will go to any lengths to take what is hers. Beautiful, naive Laura finds refuge and love in the London jazz clubs, but Max, with wealth and unrequited love, has the capacity to undo it all.

Review

Summer of Love is the follow on from Caro Fraser’s brilliant The Summer House Party from last year. That was a book I adored, and I’ve found Summer of Love to be just as good if not better.

Summer of Love starts in the summer of 1949, a few years after the previous book ended. Meg and Dan Ranscombe have gone to visit their friend Harry Denholm at his new country home in Kent along with son Max and Sonia Hardon’s two daughters Avril and Laura. One fateful day a secret is revealed which leads to a horrible accident which has dreadful consequences for Max, Avril and Laura. As the story unfolds Max, Avril and Laura shake off the bonds of childhood and go their separate ways in life, only to be drawn back together a few times over the years.

This is a beautifully written novel which explores the effects which our parents and our experiences and feelings from our younger days mould us as adults. Max traumatised by his feelings towards his mother leads a sheltered life pouring himself into his work in the hope this will keep his demons at bay. Laura, knowing she was abandoned by her mother as a baby longs to be loved and her naivety leads her into some difficult situations. Avril, always feeling pushed out by Laura takes the ultimate revenge when she has the chance but is still left feeling she’s alone and on the side-lines.

I loved reading how each of these characters changed over the years experiencing love, loss, betrayal, revenge and forgiveness. Caro Fraser has written a novel which is wonderfully character driven and guides us effortlessly from the restrained end of war years to the emergence of the vibrant atmosphere of the sixties. It’s a novel which covers attitudes to many social factors including racism, feminism, homosexuality to drug taking and unwanted pregnancies, all with such eloquent and engaging writing.

This is a novel not to be missed and judging by the way the ending has been left fairly open ended  I’m hoping there is more to come from the lives of Max, Laura and Avril.

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of the blog tour, Summer of Love by Caro Fraser has been a pleasure to read.

About the Author

Caro Fraser is the author of the bestselling Caper Court novels, based on her own experiences as a lawyer. She is the daughter of Flashman author George MacDonald Fraser and lives in London.

Follow Caro

Facebook: @CaroFraserAuthor

Buy links:

Amazon: getbook.at/SummerofLove

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2wIlIC8

Follow Head of Zeus

Website: http://headofzeus.com/

Twitter: @HoZ_Books

Facebook: @HeadofZeus

Instagram: @headofzeus

Blog Tour Guest Post: The Candle Factory Girl by Tania Crosse

THE CANDLE FACTORY GIRL by Tania Crosse

Published: 1st March 2018

Publisher: Aria

Pages: 536

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Work at Price's Candle Factory in Battersea is tedious for intelligent, seventeen-year-old Hillie Hardwick, but she knows she is lucky to have a job at all.

Her home life is no better, as she constantly battles with her exacting and bullying father in order to protect her mother and five younger siblings from his abuse.

Her only solace is her loving relationship with the chaotic Parker family and her best friend, Gert Parker.

When matters violently escalate for Hillie, smitten Jack-the-Lad Jimmy Baxter seems her only salvation.

But could this be the biggest mistake of her life, and should she be looking for protection nearer home?

A story that crackles with unease where courage and friendship are the only hope.

Today I am delighted to welcome Tania Crosse, author of The Candle Factory Girl to my blog to share some of her memories of Battersea in London where her novel is set. The Candle Factory Girl is published today by Aria.

Memories of Battersea

Nowadays, Battersea is considered a sought-after area of south-west London. Long gone are the nearby industries, Price’s Candle Factory included, that used to spew smoke into the atmosphere. The two hundred acres of Battersea Park that produce a haven for peace, recreation and fresh air, are a stone’s throw away. The back streets are quiet, yet bustling central London is but a short trip by bus or train, or a longer walk for the more energetic.

Our house in Banbury Street, now beautifully renovated, was on the market a few years ago for a huge amount of money. If my parents had owned it rather than renting the top part of the house, they would have been well-off indeed.

At the end of the war, because of the Blitz and then the V1 and V2 rocket attacks in 1944-5, there was a dreadful housing shortage, particularly before the ‘pre-fab’ building programme got going. So it was a wonder my parents managed to secure the tenancy of the two bedrooms on the top floor, and a sitting room and small kitchen on the middle level. There was no bathroom, and just one toilet for the whole house, down in the semi-basement.

I believe that the first few houses, including ours, on that side of the street, belonged at the time to the brewery. They were considered superior because the original servants’ quarters in the semi-basements necessitated a flight of stone steps up to the main front door. In our semi-basement, lived a dear, kindly elderly widow, a retired cook. She became our beloved Nanny Lloyd, and we spent as much time with her as we did in our own part of the house. All of which allowed me to describe Jessica’s home in such detail.

My heroine, Hillie, however, and her friend, Gert, live on the opposite side of the street. Sadly, this terrace of modest yet characterful houses built later in the Nineteenth Century was demolished in the 1970s and replaced with modern flats. Such a pity as all the similar properties in the adjoining streets have been restored and now offer popular residences.

Price’s Candle Factory, too, has gone. Some of the buildings fronting onto York Road now have commercial use, but between them and the river behind is now residential, so skilfully done that it is difficult to know which is newbuild and which is factory conversion.

Battersea Park, as much part of our lives as it is for Hillie, her friends and family, has also undergone changes. I knew it when the pleasure gardens were there, a prettily landscaped funfair created for the 1951 Festival of Britain. I remember the tree walk, a wooden structure leading through the lofty branches above the park. Above all, I adored the famous Guinness Clock, waiting with such excitement for it to burst into life every fifteen minutes. I have no recollection of the aviaries and deer enclosure. I am guessing they were removed when war broke out. The pleasure gardens, tree walk and Guinness Clock have all gone, too, and the park is so cosmopolitan that you can hear spoken almost any language you can name.

Clapham Junction also holds strong memories for me. I often travelled with my mother by bus or train. I remember waiting on the platform, enthralled as I watched the gigantic steam engines hiss into the station like fiery dragons. Many of the trains were diesel driven, but they weren’t the same.  Then there were the ‘banana arches’, warehouses beneath the raised tracks along the back entrance to the station. Memories still haunt me of walking past on dark, misty evenings, clutching my mother’s hand. It was so creepy that I shudder at the thought even now. So I had to bring them into the story, a perfect place for – well, I won’t tell you. I don’t want to spoil it for when you read the book!

My own family life was very happy, and nothing like that of any of the characters in the book. Yet I felt drawn to set The Candle Factory Girl in the same street. But I will leave you with one thought. When my parents rented those rooms in Battersea, they barely had a penny to their names. So how did they own their own home by the time they retired, and now lie together in a country churchyard in a small Berkshire village. Perhaps there’s another book in there somewhere...?

Blog Tour Review: The Runaway Wife by Rosie Clarke

The Runaway Wife by Rosie Clarke

Published: 1st February 2018

Publisher: Aria

Pages: 426

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

Love, marriage, obsession, betrayal and treachery in 1920s London – a powerful and gritty saga perfect for fans of Kitty Neale, Josephine Cox and Rosie Goodwin.

The hedonism of London in the roaring '20s is a world away from Annabel Tarleton's ordinary country existence. Until a chance meeting with the charming Richard Fortescue at a society ball changes her life for ever.

Swept off her feet by the dashing Richard, and his renowned fortune, Annabel soon realises that all that glitters isn't gold. Her bid for freedom has come at a terrible price and she finds herself trapped inside a marriage that behind closed doors is cruel and brutal.

Annabel has no choice but to flee, and will do everything to save herself, and her unborn baby, from destitution. But the very rich and very powerful expect to get what they want – and Richard wants only one thing – Annabel...

Review

The Runaway Wife was a book which I was really looking forward to reading. Firstly because it’s written by Rosie Clarke who is fast becoming one of my favourite authors in the saga genre and secondly it was set in the 1920s and 1930s a period of history I love reading about for all the glitz and glamour. It’s a book which didn’t disappoint and was devoured in just a couple of days as I tend to get lost in Ms. Clarke’s writing.

Annabel and her family are feeling the pressure of money troubles after their father lost most of their money in bad investments during the stock market crash. They still have their home but its at the point of falling down around them. Annabel is a woman with intelligence, tenacity and charm longs to go out into the world and find a job. But her mother has other ideas Annabel must marry well like her brother Ben and secure some money for the family, Annabel has too much of a sense of duty to disobey her mother.  Which is how she finds herself married to Richard Hansen, instead of the man she has fallen in love with working class Paul Keifer, a printer.  Richard is a man who is rich, handsome and completely charming on the outside, much approved by Annabel’s mother. Alone in their marriage Annabel soon learns Richard is a cruel and violent man who will stop at nothing to get his own way. Fearing for her own life Annabel decides she’s had enough and runs away…after all any life is better than one with Richard.

Annabel is a great character, she hard-working, honest and has any easy nature which seems to put those around totally at ease and I loved how much she changed throughout the novel. At the beginning she has her hopes and dreams but ultimately is controlled by her mother. After her marriage to Richard begins to go wrong she grows in independence and is determined to make her own decisions about her future.

I found The Runaway Wife to be a realistic and well-rounded portrayal of life in the roaring twenties. Every detail has been thought of and described from the glamourous costumes and hairstyles of the rich and famous to the everyday details of making the families bread on the farm. Written at a time when society was beginning to be more equal with the rich people facing the losses of the stock market and women demanding their right to vote this was a very exciting and uneasy time in history and I think Rosie Clarke has managed to capture this atmosphere perfectly in her novel.  It’s a book which brings together all classes of people with this well written and gripping story. I loved that is was a bit grittier than your usual saga featuring some more unpleasant aspects of life.

I really enjoyed The Runaway Wife and think anyone who has an interest in this period in history will enjoy this book.  Thank you to Rosie Clarke for writing another brilliant story and thank you to the publishers Aria for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

Blog Tour Review: A Wedding at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

A Wedding at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

Published: 1st December 2017

Publisher: Aria

Pages: 274

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb 

Love, marriage, birth, death and betrayal in the East End of London make up life in Mulberry Lane. Perfect for fans of Nadine Dorries, Cathy Sharp and Donna Douglas.

Maureen Jackson knew life as a trainee nurse wouldn't be easy, but she didn't expect her hospital to be badly bombed on her first shift. Plus Maureen still has her family and friends in Mulberry Lane to keep her busy – she's needed as much there as she is by her patients.

Running the pub on the corner of Mulberry Lane, Peggy Ashley is used to taking in all sorts of waifs and strays. But the arrival of a dashing American captain has got tongues wagging about Mulberry Lane's favourite landlady...

Janet Ashley's husband is back from the frontline. Which is more than so many of the wives of Mulberry Lane. But her beloved Mike is a completely different man from the one she fell in love with – and what's more he doesn't remember her, or their young daughter. How do you cope when your darling husband is a virtual stranger?

As WW2 continues around them, the women of Mulberry Lane know that community spirit and friendship is the key to surviving the Blitz.

Review

A Wedding at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke is the second book in her popular Mulberry Lane series and I think it was just as absorbing and heartfelt as the first. If you haven’t read the first book then don’t worry you’ll soon be totally immersed in Ms. Clarke’s amazing storytelling and the lives of Maureen, Peggy and Janet.

Maureen has left Mulberry Lane to train as a nurse despite her injured sweetheart Rory begging her to stay by his side in London. For the first time in her life Maureen is doing exactly as she wants following her dream of helping others through her nursing, but with Rory begging her to marry him every time she visits her heart begins to be torn in two.

Peggy is still running the Pig and Whistle pub at the end of Mulberry Lane and is providing comfort for all those around her. Things with husband Laurence are particularly cold and all Peggy wants is someone to give her some comfort.

Janet has been reunited with missing husband Mike but their reunion has been bittersweet as Mike has no memory of his wife or young daughter Maggie.

Each of these women faces moments of heartbreak and joy throughout this book and the way Ms. Clarke writes it’s as though I was right there with them feeling every emotion with them.  I was a glad that one of them manages to find happy ending but for how long nobody knows.

I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to spoil this wonderful read, just that I highly recommend it to anyone who is fans of Lynsey Hutchinson, Nadine Dorries or Diney Costello. I adored every page and am so looking for the next instalment with these wonderful characters.

Thank you so much to Aria for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

About the Author

Rosie Clarke was born in Swindon, but moved to Ely in Cambridgeshire at the age of nine. She started writing in 1976, combining this with helping her husband run his antiques shop. In 2004, Rosie was the well-deserved winner of the RNA Romance Award and the Betty Neels Trophy. Rosie also writes as Anne Herries and Cathy Sharp. Find out more at her website: www.rosieclarke.co.uk

Blog Tour Review : The Lost Sisters by Lindsey Hutchinson

The Lost Girls by Lindsey Hutchinson

Published: 1st September 2017

Publisher: Aria

Pages: 442

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

Orpha Buchanan and Peg Meriweather had a very different start in life. Orpha surrounded by wealth and riches, Peg dumped on a doorstep as a baby with nothing to her name but a scruffy blanket and tatty clothes. But one thing they had in common from their very first day, was a mother who despised them and wished them gone.
Hortense Buchanan wasn't made to be a mother. Bullied herself when she was a child, she continues the tradition with her own children, loving money and finery more than her own flesh and blood. When her daughter Orpha runs away from home, Hortense celebrates, never once worrying for her safety.
Circumstances bring Orpha and Peg together, and before long they're as close as family, making their way in the hustle and bustle of a booming Birmingham and the smoke-filled Black Country. But before long, Hortense realises that her daughter stands in the way of the one thing she really cares about, and the bitter legacy of the Buchanans looks set to destroy them all...

Review

The Lost Girls by Lindsey Hutchinson is just the type of family saga that I love to read, it was one where after just a few pages I was completely immersed in the story of the Buchanan’s.

Hortense Buchanan was not a woman cut out to be a mother, bullied by her own mother she has no love for her first born daughter. She takes the poor baby and leaves her on a doorstep in a neighbouring town, then claimed that gypsies took the little girl. When she is blessed with a second child Hortense is no different and makes poor Orpha’s life a misery. Until one day when Hortense so jealous of her own daughter throws her out and says she’ll kill her if she returns.

For many girls of fourteen this would have been a disaster and they probably would of ended up in the workhouse or worse but for Orpha it’s a relief to be away from her dreadful mother. Luck shines on the young girl and she finds herself taken in by some kind people who give her a roof over her head, money in her pocket and a taste for the delights of chocolate making.

Eventually Orpha decides that she must try to be reunited with her father who she misses very much, but this time fate decides to throw Peg Merriweather in her path. Peg is a little older than Orpha but the resemblance between them is unmistakable, both sharing sparkling emerald eyes. Having found her long lost sister, Orpha finds a home at last but it’s not long before thoughts turn to her father once more. Again Orpha sets off to reunite her family but this time she unravels more drama and secrets surrounding the Buchanan family.

I loved this book, I’ve read quite a few family saga books this year and this one is my favourite so far. I just loved the way that just when you think everything has all settled down for the characters another twist occurs and there’s more drama. I loved all the drama, even the bits which are a little far-fetched were thoroughly enjoyable. Despite being a long book I never felt the story dragged as so much was going on with the many characters.

This book has to have one of the worst mothers ever written about, Hortense Buchanan is a disgrace! Never have I known someone stoop so low just to get some money, she was a truly horrible character with little or no remorse for her actions. Saying that I thought she was very well written and a great character to have in the book. I like Orpha and Peg but Hortense was the one I enjoyed reading about the most.

The Lost Sisters is a book about revenge, families, murder, redemption, secrets and lies and even a little romance. It has a darker tone than many family saga books and there is a lot of violence so it may not appeal to all readers. For me it was a winner and not just because of the chocolate.

Thank you so much to Aria and Netgalley for the review copy and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour. I’m looking forward to reading more books from Lindsey in the future.

About the Author

Lindsey lives in Shropshire with her husband. She has a son and a daughter and three beautiful grandchildren. She is the daughter of million-copy bestselling author Meg Hutchinson.

Follow Lindsey

Twitter: @LHutchAuthor

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