boldwood books – Vegan Book Blogger

ABOUT THE BOOK

Winter Magic on Railway Lane

Join the residents of Railway Lane for one last magical adventure…

Globetrotting Libby Jacobs has lost her job but is looking forward to spending more time in her home village of Cranfield.

She dreams of turning her chocolate making hobby into something more permanent. There’s only one problem – Ethan Connolly.

Despite being soul mates growing up, Libby hasn’t been close to Ethan since their disastrous date at the school prom. But now he’s back and he has just what Libby needs… a large kitchen! But can they even bear to be in the same room together?

Ethan never stays in Cranfield too long as it reminds him of his parents’ terrible marriage. But when disaster strikes, he’s forced to stay and help realise his grandad’s dream of a Christmas train. Can the whole village help Ethan create a seasonal spectacular in time?

Can Libby confront her secrets and realise her dreams?

And can Ethan ever stop running from his past and trust his heart?

Perhaps the magic of winter on Railway Lane might just give Libby and Ethan a second chance after all.

MY THOUGHTS

I enjoy holiday books, and this one takes us through Halloween and Christmas. Having read one of the other books in the series I was familiar with some of the characters but always look forward to meeting new ones too.

I love the location this takes place in, so charming and how exciting to once again return to Railway Lane and its charming cottages. Being made redundant at work has Libby Jacobs with her feet firmly planted on the ground as she was an airline flight attendant and now, she’s not.

Returning home doesn’t leave her with a lot of down time as she had thought it would. She decides to pursue her dreams of becoming a chocolatier. Her former childhood friend and past love Ethan is also home again, and he has just what she needs, a large kitchen to pursue her dreams of chocolate making.

As memories surface from times past can this second chance at love really work or will it drift away like those first snowflakes? Reading about the steam engine and its resurrection was so much fun and it really makes me want to take a train trip.

We see a depth to the characters as they weigh their options and don’t just jump into getting back together again. The romance was sweet. I enjoyed the holiday descriptions. Though this is the last book in the series I look forward to seeing what the author will come out with next.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/wintermagicsocial

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alison Sherlock is the author of the bestselling Willow Tree Hall books. Alison enjoyed reading and writing stories from an early age and gave up office life to follow her dream. Her series for Boldwood is set in a fictional Cotswold village.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alison.sherlock.73

Twitter https://twitter.com/AlisonSherlock

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

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alison-sherlock

Have a lovely day. Thank you for stopping by today.

Today I am happy to bring you my blog stop for The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by debut author Erin Litteken

In the 1930s, Stalin’s activists marched through the Soviet Union, espousing the greatness of collective farming. It was the first step in creating a man-made famine that, in Ukraine, stole almost 4 million lives. Inspired by the history the world forgot, and the Russian government denies, Erin Litteken reimagines their story.

In 1929, Katya is 16 years old, surrounded by family and in love with the boy next door. When Stalin’s activists arrive in her village, it’s just a few, a little pressure to join the collective. But soon neighbors disappear, those who speak out are never seen again and every new day is uncertain.

Resistance has a price, and as desperate hunger grips the countryside, survival seems more a dream than a possibility. But, even in the darkest times, love beckons.

Seventy years later, a young widow discovers her grandmother’s journal, one that will reveal the long-buried secrets of her family’s haunted past.

This is a story of the resilience of the human spirit, the love that sees us through our darkest hours and the true horror of what happened during the Holodomor.

May we never forget, lest history repeat itself.

A share of proceeds will be donated to DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

My Review

This book is absolutely incredible. If you enjoy reading dual time spans and learning from what you read may I suggest this to you?
The book is fictional though the subject matter is about past events taking place in Ukraine.
The story follows an Ukrainian family and their struggle for survival as the country is forced to go through Holodomor. I had never heard of this or learned about this in school . Holodomor is a forced starvation from 1932 to 1933 killing up to 5 million people. It was carried out by the Soviet Regime.
The characters in the present day story are linked to the characters in the past by a discovered journal telling of the hardships suffered in the past.
The thing really impressing me was the resilience and strength the characters show through adversity.
This is a very interesting book that shows strong courage and unwavering hope. We are assured there is light after the darkness.
Highly recommended!

Pub Date 16 May 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3MTkVBr

About The Author

Erin Litteken is a debut novelist with a degree in history and a passion for research. At a young age, she was enthralled by stories of her family’s harrowing experiences in Ukraine before, during and after World War II. Her first historical fiction title, drawing on those experiences, will be published by Boldwood in June 2022. She lives in Illinois, USA with her husband and children.

Social Media Links –

Twitter https://twitter.com/ErinLitteken

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

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-litteken