Tag: historical fiction

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The Last Dress From Paris by Jade Beer-Book Review

My Review

This is a most delightful book with it’s dual time-line you’ll get pulled into two delightful stories that just seamlessly mesh.
Lucille has a special and loving relationship with her Grandmother Sylvie and will do anything for her.
When her grandmother asks her to go from England to Paris to find a priceless Dior dress she believes she’ll be home quickly and easily with the task completed.
What she doesn’t count on is needing to rent a French apartment and finding a side of her grandmother she had never know about.
The book kept me spellbound while reading about the 1950’s glamour of the fashionable Dior gowns,an opulent lifestyle a forbidden affair,well kept secrets and a heartbreaking betrayal.
So many glamorous Dior gowns each representing a special time. You can practically feel the heaviness and sumptuousness of the velvet and other lush materials of the vintage gowns in your hands.
Secrets and heartbreak comes alive in this book I was unable to put down!

Pub Date: 21 Jun 2022
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

London, 2017. There’s no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille’s assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.

Paris, 1952. Postwar France is full of glamour and privilege, and Alice Ainsley is in the middle of it all. As the wife to the British ambassador to France, Alice’s job is to see and be seen–even if that wasn’t quite what she signed up for. Her husband showers her with jewels, banquets, and couture Dior dresses, but his affection has become distressingly elusive. As the strain on her marriage grows, Alice’s only comfort is her bond with her trusted lady’s maid, Marianne. But when a new face appears in her drawing room, Alice finds herself yearning to follow her heart…no matter the consequences.

The City of Light comes alive in this lush, evocative tale that explores the ties that bind us together, the truths we hold that make us who we are, and the true meaning of what makes someone family. 

Grab A Copy Here

About The Author

Hello!

I’m Jade. I’m a novelist, a mother to two young daughters and I live in the beautiful English countryside. After decades working in glossy magazines in London, I now live in the Cotswolds. It’s where my husband and I used to spend romantic weekends plotting our future together, long before children came along, and is now where I write my books.

My latest novel, The Last Dress From Paris, is inspired by a visit I made to the Victoria & Albert museum back in January 2019 for the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition. When I left the museum that day, I knew so much more about the work of Christian Dior and how he defined an era of fashion. Much has been written of his legacy. But what of the women he dressed, I wondered. What happened to all of them and their beautiful gowns when they left the boutique for the final time? What would the women, Dior’s clients, whisper from behind the glass cabinets if they could? What would they tell me about the occasion on which they wore these dresses?

Women have always fascinated me. I think it comes from seeing first-hand how truly brilliant we can be and how wonderfully flawed. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredibly talented women throughout my career as a journalist and editor – ones who juggle the most all-encompassing careers with family and friendships and everything else that life throws at them. They often make it look so easy. But we all know it’s not. And that need to present one version of yourself to the world, while keeping the grittier, less polished reality under wraps, is a thread that runs strongly through all my novels and especially The Last Dress From Paris.

In my former job as the editor of Conde Nast Brides, I shared my working life with editors of some of the glossiest magazines in the world – Vogue, Tatler, Glamour – and I had the enormous privilege of travelling the world and sitting front row at beautiful fashion shows and working with the world’s leading florists, cake makers and stylists. But I also took a daily peek into the lives of young women who were experiencing one of the most intense times of their lives – planning their wedding days. This, above everything else, was the fascinating bit. Hearing their thoughts, fears, worries and ambitions for the future. This really powerful cocktail of glamour and reality is there, I hope, on the pages of all my books.

Take a peek inside my life on Instagram @jadebeerbrides or at http://www.jadebeer.com

Does this sound like a book you’d read?

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Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner Book Review

By the bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society.

My Review

Bloomsbury Books is an old fashioned and rare book store in 1950 that has been in existence in Englad for over a hundred years. It is run by men but the real back bone of the store are the women. This shop has fifty one rules and all the employees know them and know when an employee is not following them. It is after world war two and things are changing now in publishing and the world in general despite the men not welcoming these changes.
The book is rich with literary figures and details. I really would have loved to visit this book store, so much going on here. Full of nostalgia . Delves into women’s rights and sexism.

Published May 17th 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

The internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society returns with a compelling and heartwarming story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager’s unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances – most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she’s been working to support the family following her husband’s breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she’s working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

As they interact with various literary figures of the time – Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others – these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.

Grab A Copy Here

About The Author

Natalie Jenner is the author of two books, the instant international bestseller THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY (2020) and the forthcoming BLOOMSBURY GIRLS (2022). A Goodreads Choice Award runner-up for historical fiction and finalist for best debut novel, THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY was named one of the best books of 2020 by Amazon, was a USA Today and #1 national bestseller, and has been sold for translation in twenty-one countries. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer, career coach and, most recently, an independent bookstore owner in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs. To learn more, visit http://www.nataliejenner.com.

Does this sound like a book you’d read?

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First Line Friday

Happy Friday & welcome to the First Line Friday link-up! It’s time to grab the book nearest to you and leave a comment with the first line. Today I’m featuring a book about to be published in a few days. Her books are so good. Where The Road Bends by Rachel Fordham.

And The First Line Is………….

Blackwell,Iowa 1880

The small band on her ring finger glistened in the sunlight as Norah King walked the family land she had nearly lost.

About The Book

Norah’s land is all she has left, and she’ll do everything she can to save it—even marry a man she hardly knows. Days before the wedding, she discovers a badly injured stranger on her property, but rendering aid introduces complications for them both. Will Norah’s act of kindness threaten the future she’s planned? 336 pages, softcover from Baker.

Let me know the first line of the book closest to you!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend.

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The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers Book Review

I lived in North Carolina for a little while but it was not near the tobacco fields.

My Review

The tobacco industry rules in the 1940’s in Bright Leaf, North Carolina.
From the field workers to the women working in the tobacco manufacturing factories to the doctors recommending it even to expectant and new mothers to calm the nerves.
They all benefit financially from it. The tobacco wives are married to the big wigs in the tobacco industry, all smoke and are looked up to for their immaculate houses and gorgeous gowns made by a very talented seamstress.
Doctors and scientists are coming into knowledge of tobacco being detrimental to the health but deny any knowledge of the scientific findings.
What happens when they are called out on it though with concrete evidence backing up the failing health of residents and miscarriages linked with smoking?
Very eye opening and informative. Very well developed story by a debut author. I’ll be on the lookout for more from this author.

Pub Date 01 Mar 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

For the audience of Fiona Davis and Lisa Wingate, a vibrant historical debut set in 1946 North Carolina following a young female seamstress who uncovers dangerous truths about the Big Tobacco empire ruling the American South.

“Myers brilliantly seduces us with her setting—a North Carolina town of beautiful socialites, opulent dresses, and elegant soirees—before revealing a terrible secret that threatens the entire community. This is a story of courage, of women willing to take a stand in the face of corporate greed, and most definitely a tale for our times.” —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Maddie Sykes is a burgeoning seamstress who’s just arrived in Bright Leaf, North Carolina—the tobacco capital of the South—where her aunt has a thriving sewing business. After years of war rations and shortages, Bright Leaf is a prosperous wonderland in full technicolor bloom, and Maddie is dazzled by the bustle of the crisply uniformed female factory workers, the palatial homes, and, most of all, her aunt’s glossiest clientele: the wives of the powerful tobacco executives.

When a series of unexpected events thrusts Maddie into the role of lead dressmaker for the town’s most influential women, she scrambles to produce their ornate gowns for the biggest party of the season. But she soon learns that Bright Leaf isn’t quite the carefree paradise that it seems: A trail of misfortune follows many of the women, including substantial health problems. Although Maddie is quick to believe that this is a coincidence, she inadvertently uncovers evidence that suggests otherwise.

Maddie wants to report what she knows, but in a town where everyone depends on Big Tobacco to survive, she doesn’t know who she can trust—and fears that exposing the truth may destroy the lives of the proud, strong women with whom she has forged strong bonds.

Shedding light on the hidden history of women’s activism during the post-war period, at its heart, The Tobacco Wives is a deeply human, emotionally satisfying, and dramatic novel about the power of female connection and the importance of seeking truth. 

Tobacco barn in North Carolina field

About The Author

Adele Myers grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and has a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently works in advertising and lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, son, and their rescue dog, Chipper. The Tobacco Wives is her first novel. Learn more at http://www.adelemyersauthor.com

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

Does this sounds like a book you’d be interested in reading?

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The London House by Katherine Reay Book Review

Such an eye-catching cover and this is my first read by this author. It was every bit as good as I expected it to be.

My Review

The London House is all about uncovering secrets.
There are so many layers to uncover over time, bit by bit. Piece by piece.
Letters,documents,diaries and more official bits are found and poured through to solve a family mystery that has caused hurt,family separation and confusion for generations.
The rich character development makes for a fascinating story linking past with the present and a family that finds healing and understanding.
My first read by this author but won’t be my last.

Pub Date 02 Nov 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

GoodReads Synopsis

Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain’s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family’s reputation, Caroline flies to her family’s ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the “Waite sisters.” Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. The buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

Each letter brings more questions. Was Caroline’s great-aunt actually a traitor and Nazi collaborator, or is there a more complex truth buried in the past? Together, Caroline and Mat uncover stories of spies and secrets, love and heartbreak, and the events of one fateful evening in 1941 that changed everything.

In this rich historical novel from award-winning author Katherine Reay, a young woman is tasked with writing the next chapter of her family’s story. But Caroline must choose whether to embrace a love of her own and proceed with caution if her family’s decades-old wounds are to heal without tearing them even further apart.

Praise for The London House:

“Carefully researched, emotionally hewn, and written with a sure hand, The London House is a tantalizing tale of deeply held secrets, heartbreak, redemption, and the enduring way that family can both hurt and heal us. I enjoyed it thoroughly.” —Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The Book of Lost Names

“An expertly researched and marvelously paced treatise on the many variants of courage and loyalty . . . Arresting historical fiction destined to thrill fans of Erica Roebuck and Pam Jenoff.” —Rachel McMillan author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code


A stand-alone split-time novel
Partially epistolary: the historical storyline is told through letters and journals
Book length: approximately 102,000 words
Includes discussion questions for book clubs.

About The Author

Katherine Reay is a national bestselling and award-winning author of several novels and one work of nonfiction.

For her fiction, Katherine writes love letters to books, and her novels are saturated with what she calls the “world of books.” They are character driven stories that examine the past as a way to find one’s best way forward. In the words of The Bronte Plot’s Lucy Alling, Katherine writes of “that time when you don’t know where you’ll be, but you can’t stay as you are.”

Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, and after several moves across the globe, lives outside Chicago.

Please visit Katherine on social media, on FB at Katherinereaybooks, Instagram @katherinereay, or visit her website at http://www.katherinereay.com

Thank you for stopping by . Have a wonderful day.

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Can’t Wait Wednesday

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This is a book I’ve heard about several months ago. The author writes such heartfelt books.

This week I am looking forward to……………..

Pub Date 01 Jul 2022 by Barbour Publishers Christian, Historical Fiction,Romance

Description

Can their hearts overcome the darkness of the mountains?

To escape a forced marriage, Cora Taylor travels from England to the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of her brother, who is working as a teacher in a mission school. She hopes to find a place where her nursing skills and independent ideas will be accepted and appreciated, but nothing prepares her for the wild mixture of isolation, community, brokenness, and hope within these mountains…or in the person of Jeb McAdams.

Returning from the devastation of World War 1 emotionally damaged, Jeb McAdams struggles against the rampant mountain alcoholism to soothe his nightmares. It’s easy to hide within the mountains, or it was, before Cora Taylor arrived. Now, she seems to show up at every turn, bringing her modern ideas, curiosity, and beautiful eyes with her.

Bound by their shared war history, the pair develop an unlikely friendship, which unexpectedly hints to something more. But when Cora’s desire to help the women of the mountains crosses an unspoken line, will Jeb be able to protect this feisty flatlander from the wrath of the mountain men or will he end up losing much more than his heart? 

Do you have a favorite book y this author? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for stopping by.

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When The Meadow Blooms By Ann H. Gabhart Book Review

My Review

This book is absolutely incredible!
I’ve always loved this author’s books and this one is my new favorite.
Her storytelling is fabulous, her imagination more than impressive. It would be interesting talking with her and finding out what inspires her stories.
A sanitarium would be a depressing place to be ,wondering if you would ever be able to leave, so would an orphanage. But this is where Rose and her two daughters are in the mid-nineteen twenties when Rose is struck with tuberculous and she has no one to care for her children. She promises she’ll be out quickly so they can be together again.
Her daughters are young, the older protecting the younger. The time slowly passes, the mother is sad and lonely despairing of never seeing her daughters again. The girls starting to forget what mother looks like but never forgetting her love for them.
Able to finally get out it seems as though it’s a dream to be able to stay at her brother-in laws farm, Meadowland with her daughters.
The girls help their mother and the youngest has a special affinity with nature and animals.
Her brother in-law is a sad man grieving his past, not wanting to talk about it and keeping his heart shut tightly to any possibility of love.
The girls at his farm start to make a big change in his heart as he’s able to let love in again. I enjoyed seeing a spiritual growth in him. It’s amazing what a crow and the man’s visitors can do to start his healing process for his heart. We don’t have to keep everything bottled up inside, healing is available if we just embrace it.
So full of emotions, you will love this book and want to read it more than once. I know this book will stay with me for a long time.

Pub May 3,22.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

GoodReads Synopsis

Widow Rose Meadows eagerly accepts her brother-in-law’s offer for her and her two daughters to live on his farm after her treatments in a sanatorium finds them needing a home. But is this scarred and reclusive man ready for all the changes these women will bring to his life? 

About The Author

Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. An award winning author, she’s published many books for both adults and young adults. Her books cover several genres from historical to small town family stories to cozy mysteries (mysteries published with author name A.H. Gabhart). Her ideas are sparked by events in Kentucky history and by experiences in her own family. Her first Shaker novel, The Outsider, was a finalist for the ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year. Love Comes Home won the Selah Book of the Year award, and These Healing Hills was the Faith, Hope & Love Readers’ Choice Women’s Fiction Book of the Year.

Ann lives on a Kentucky farm not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann enjoys hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dogs, Frankie and Marley. See more about her books at http://www.annhgabhart.com or join the conversation on her Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/anngabhart.

The author has many wonderful books published. Have you read any by her?

Thank you for stopping by, enjoy your week.

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To Tame A Cowboy (Colorado Cowboys #3)by Jody Hedlund-Book Review

My Review

The author writes in many genres and excels at all of them.
I have read all of the books in this series, all wonderful but this one is my favorite.
Brody is a broken man from his time spent in the Civil War and what he blames himself for being unable to do.
Spending time with his little niece relaxes him and makes him feel whole again.
Though he may not show it outwardly he has a tender heart , especially when it comes to the wild horses in the area who are being killed by local ranchers when their cattle don’t have enough of the lush grass for grazing.
Despite no formal training Savannah Marshall has vet smarts after working with a trained veterinarian for many years.
Wanting to please her father she agrees to marry a man of his choosing but decides against it at the last minute and runs away.
Not having a destination in mind she gets to town and sees a horse being terribly mistreated and rushes to treat it. Two tender hearts meet then, Brody with his love of animals and Savannah with her doctoring knowledge and her love of animals.
Savannah is on the run and her family wants her back but will love be able to run wild and free like the horses when she is found or will her heart be caged?
We also get a glimpse of Brody’s sister in this story, she will not be held back. She is free spirited and I love her personality.
I’ll bet there will be a book telling her story soon and I can’t wait to read it.
I loved this book!

Pub Date 03 May 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab A Copy Here

GoodReads Synopsis

Brody McQuaid is a broken man, and he knows it. While his body survived the war, his soul did not. Besides loving his little niece, his only other sense of purpose comes from saving the wild horses that roam South Park. Ranchers in the area have taken to killing the horses, which are competing with their cattle to feed on the open grass.

Savannah Marshall is a veterinarian on her family’s Colorado ranch. She longs to keep her father happy following the tragic death of her older brother, including marrying a man of his choosing. But days before her wedding, she gets cold feet and disappears to South Park. As she learns more about the destruction of the horses, she joins Brody in an attempt to save the wild creatures. But when Savannah’s family and the resentments of the area cattlemen catch up with them both, Brody and Savannah will have to tame their fears if they’ve any hope to let love run free. 

About The Author

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over forty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes clean, sweet romances with plenty of sizzle. Find out more at jodyhedlund.com.

KNIGHTS OF BRETHREN SERIES:

Enamored

Entwined

Ensnared (Coming June, 2022)

Enriched (Coming July, 2022)

Enflamed (TBD)

Entrusted (TBD)

FAIREST MAIDENS SERIES:

Beholden

Beguiled

Besotted

LOST PRINCESSES SERIES:

Always: Prequel Novella

Evermore

Foremost

Hereafter

NOBLE KNIGHTS SERIES:

The Vow: Prequel Novella

An Uncertain Choice

A Daring Sacrifice

For Love & Honor

A Loyal Heart

A Worthy Rebel

WATERS OF TIME SERIES:

Come Back to Me

Never Leave Me

COLORADO COWBOYS SERIES:

A Cowboy for Keeps

The Heart of a Cowboy

To Tame a Cowboy (Coming May, 2022)

Falling for the Cowgirl (Coming October, 2022)

Book 5 (Coming February, 2023)

BRIDE SHIP SERIES:

A Reluctant Bride

The Runaway Bride

A Bride of Convenience

Almost a Bride

ORPHAN TRAIN SERIES:

An Awakened Heart: A Novella

With You Always

Together Forever

Searching for You

BEACONS OF HOPE SERIES:

Out of the Storm: A Novella

Love Unexpected

Hearts Made Whole

Undaunted Hope

Forever Safe

Never Forget

HEARTS OF FAITH COLLECTION:

The Preacher’s Bride

The Doctor’s Lady

Rebellious Heart

MICHIGAN BRIDES COLLECTION:

Unending Devotion

A Noble Groom

Captured by Love

BIO FICTION:

Luther and Katharina

Newton & Polly

Have a fabulous day. Thanks for stopping by.

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The Watchmaker’s Daughter BY Dianne Haley- Blog Tour

Today I am excited to bring you my stop for The Watchmaker’s Daughter Blog Tour. A completely gripping and heart-wrenching novel about love and bravery in a time of terrible danger. Fans of The Alice Network, The Nightingale and We Were the Lucky Ones will be swept away by The Watchmaker’s Daughter.

My Review

Debut author Dianne Haley has written a superb book.
There have been many WWII books written and they are good but one that has a different topic covered such as this one really catches your attention.
What keeps your attention is the page after page reading of danger,heart wrenching heartbreak the characters face though not of their own causing. Such injustice done to children just trying to escape to a better life.
You get very invested in the character’s lives,holding your breath as you read the risks they are taking through espionage and secret communications.
France has fallen to the Nazi’s and Switzerland’s people know they could be next but a long time jeweler needs the business with the Germans to survive. As his daughter does bike deliveries for him she, unknown to her father ,smuggles messages for the French Resistance, hidden among his watch deliveries. 
It is a huge risk she is taking but she does it while thinking of Philippe, her childhood sweetheart who is a soldier based in secret military fortresses in the mountains.
When unexpected danger strikes will she stay safe, will her father?
Highly recommended!

Pub Date 25 Apr 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Grab Your Copy Here

Good Reads Synopsis

I have to help them,’ Valérie says, her eyes filling with tears at the thought of the frightened children shivering in the rain and hiding from the Nazis. ‘I know you do,’ Philippe replies as he pulls her tight, ‘And I love you so much for that. But will you promise to be careful? Remember how precious your life is too?’

1942: Gazing out of her shuttered bedroom window towards the snow-covered Alps, Valérie Hallez feels like a traitor to her beautiful country. France has fallen to the Nazis, and everyone knows that Switzerland could be invaded next. But her father Albert is a local watchmaker who relies on German trade. As she helps him entertain German customers, she sees their Nazi insignia sparkling in the firelight. And guilt fills her heart as she listens to her crackling radio which speaks of terrible camps in Germany. So when a friend asks her to hide Jewish refugee children who will be sent back to the Nazis if they are discovered, Valérie knows she must join the fight against evil…

In defiance of her father, Valérie smuggles messages for the French Resistance, hidden among his watch deliveries. And when darkness falls, she runs through narrow cobbled streets to hide children in his old workshop. Her heart is broken by their terrified faces, and it pains her to feel so distant from her father. But she finds comfort in letters from Philippe, her childhood sweetheart who is a soldier based in secret military fortresses in the mountains. And in his brief hours of leave, they snatch precious moments on their favourite bench by Lake Geneva.

Then a hidden document that could alter the course of the war tells her Philippe is in grave danger. And Valérie faces an impossible choice. Will she betray the Resistance to save the man she loves?

A completely gripping and heart-wrenching novel about love and bravery in a time of terrible danger. Fans of The Alice Network, The Nightingale and We Were the Lucky Ones will be swept away by The Watchmaker’s Daughter.

About The Author

Author social media

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dhaley30

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dianne-Haley-Author-105318942048374

Website: www.diannehaley.com

Originally from the north of Scotland, Dianne now lives with her husband in Edinburgh and has two grown-up children. After a thirty-year business career in London and Edinburgh when Dianne wrote between projects, she is now writing full-time.

Dianne and her family have been visiting the area round Lake Geneva since 1992 and love the Alps in all seasons. The inspiration for her series set in WW2 Switzerland came from a drive through Geneva’s old town on a rainy October evening, the cobbled lanes a perfect setting for secrets and hiding places.

Thank you for stopping by the blog today. Have a wonderful day!

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Drawn By The Current(Windy City Saga #3) Review

My Review

Drawn by the Current is another amazing book in the Windy City Saga by Jocelyn Green.
The reason I love this author’s book so much is that though historical fiction they are based on true events. We find a wonderful mixture of fact and fiction effortlessly mixed into this book with plenty of research into details to back up her writing.
Another one taking place in Chicago she reawakens the tragedy of the SS Eastland, a passenger ship used for touring, capsizing on 24 July 1915. Many lives were unfortunately lost. close to 1,ooo. The author’s writing honors these passengers and crew members lives.
I was captivated while reading this page-turner , may we never forget the victims of this tragedy.
This is one of my absolute favorite authors. This story is worth staying up late for.


Pub Date 01 Feb 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own. 

GoodReads Synopsis

A birthday excursion turns deadly when the SS Eastland capsizes with Olive Pierce and her best friend Claire on board. Hundreds perish during the accident, and it’s only when Olive herself barely escapes that she discovers her friend is among the victims.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Olive returns to her work at an insurance agency and is soon caught up in the countless investigations related to the accident. But with so many missing, there are few open-and-shut cases, and she tries to balance her grief with the hard work of finding the truth. Is she just overwhelmed, or is someone trying to impede her investigations? When clues surface that impact those closest to her, how deep will she dig?

Newspaper photographer Erik Magnussen begins helping Olive with her cases, and they develop a fast friendship. Just when Olive begins to unravel the secrets, more setbacks arise. It will take everything she’s got to find the truth and stay ahead of those who want to sabotage her progress.

About The Author

Jocelyn Green is a former journalist who puts her investigative skills to work in writing both nonfiction and historical fiction to inspire faith and courage.

The honors her books have received include the Christy Award in historical fiction, and gold medals from the Military Writers Society of America and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.

Complex and nuanced characters, rich historical detail and twisting plots make her novels immersive experiences. Her fiction has been praised by Historical Novel Society, Romantic Times, Library Journal, historians specializing in her novels’ time periods, as well as popular and acclaimed authors Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Jody Hedlund, Sarah Sundin, Joanne Bischof, Julie Lessman, and more.

Jocelyn loves Broadway musicals, the color red, strawberry-rhubarb pie, Mexican food, and well-done documentaries. She lives in Iowa with her husband, two children, and two cats she should have named Catticus Finch and Purrman Meowville.

Visit her at jocelyngreen.com.

Amazon buy link here

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend.