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The Memory Box: Heartbreaking historical fiction set partly in World War Two, inspired by true events

430 pages Mobius Books August 5 2021 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jenny Tanner opens the box she has cherished for decades. Contained within are her most precious mementoes, amongst them a pebble, a carving and a newspaper cutting she can hardly bear to read. But Jenny knows the time is finally here. After the war, in a mountainside village in Italy, she left behind a piece of her heart. However painful, she must return to Cinque Alberi. And lay the past to rest.

After a troubled upbringing, Candice Barnes dreams of a future with the love of her life – but is he the man she believes him to be? When Candice is given the opportunity to travel to Italy with Jenny, she is unaware the trip will open her eyes to the truth she’s been too afraid to face. Could a place of goodbyes help her make a brave new beginning?

MY THOUGHTS

What a heartfelt and emotional book this was.


A young woman, not having the best upbringing is low in self-confidence. She works at a nursing home and feels like someone finally cares about her, her new boyfriend. She has made a connection with the oldest resident there, a woman named Jenny Tanner. Jenny is over 100 years old and knows time is running out for her. She has a memory box with special mementos that signify times in her life that are important to her.

Jenny has made a strong connection with her nursing assistant, Candice Barnes. With time slipping away Jenny knows it’s a now or never kind of thing and she must return to the place of her birth, Italy, she has some places she must revisit and some things she must make right. Her memories will not let her not due this, and she will with Jenny’s help.


Told in flashbacks of Jenny’s younger life and its importance and modern times. As Candice spends more time with Jenny, we see an awareness she develops about her current situation. I enjoyed seeing the growth and development Candice shows.

The past and present meet in this glorious book, so emotional and heartfelt and full of beautiful surprises. This is a book that had been passed over many times on my reading shelf because I wasn’t sure how I’d like it. I’m here to say if you have books, you’ve been putting off get to them and you may just love them like I did this one.
Highly recommended!

Pub Date 05 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathryn Hughes was born near Manchester, UK in 1964. After thirty years working as a secretary and bringing up two children, she finally realised her dream of writing a book. Her debut novel, The Letter, set in her home town, was first published in 2013 and since then has become an international best-seller, translated into 30 languages. Her other books include The Secret and The Key. This summer sees the release of her fourth book, Her Last Promise, a sweeping tale of a daughter’s quest to unravel the secrets of her mother’s disappearance.

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