The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley

 

The Camomile Lawn by Mary Wesley.

This edition published 2nd June 2016 by Vintage. Originally published in 1984.

Audio book narrated by Carole Boyd.

From the cover of the book:

Escape to the Cornish cliffs in the dizzying heat of August 1939, where five cousins are making the most of the last summer of their youth.

Oliver is just back from the Spanish Civil War and world-weary at only nineteen. Calypso is gorgeous, utterly selfish and determined to marry for money. Polly and Walter, brother and sister, play their cards close to their chests. Then there's little Sophie, who nobody loves.

Soon the world will be swept into war again and the five cousins will enter a whirligig of sex, infidelity, love and loss, but for now they have one last, gaspingly hot summer at the house by the cliffs with the camomile lawn.

A beloved bestseller from an author ahead of her time, The Camomile Lawn is a waspishly witty, devil-may-care delight.

***********

August, 1939. Cousins Oliver, Calypso, Polly, and Walter arrive in Cornwall for a holiday at the house of their Aunt Helena and Uncle Richard, reuniting with their orphaned younger cousin, ten-year-old Sophy (who has been taken in by Richard and Helena).

They plan to make the most of heady summer days lounging on the cliff-top camomile lawn, swimming in the sea, and keeping their family traditions going, but the shadow of another world war hangs heavily over them. The last summer of their youth is nearly over, and change is on the way...

Mary Wesley's provocative coming-of-age-tale begins in Cornwall, with a summer holiday shrouded in family drama, and the fear of what the future holds. The five cousins, Oliver, Calypso, Polly, Walter and Sophy, and their aunt and uncle Helena and Richard are at the heart of the story, following their lives from this last fateful summer through the dramatic days of World War two in London and Cornwall. In a lovely twist, the text is also broken up with scenes from forty years later, when some of the family members reunite in Cornwall for a funeral, which cleverly drive the story along, and provide intriguing insight through the characters' reflections on the past.

From the outset, Welsey makes it clear that this is an upper middle class family rife with complex relationships. Oliver, depressed from seeing the ugly face of combat fighting in the Spanish Civil War, is desperately in love with the beautiful Calypso. Calypso, more than aware of her power over men and defiant in her affirmation that 'she does not know how to love', wants a rich husband, which Oliver is not. Level headed Polly (my favourite) and her brother Walter (also sweet on Calypso) have secret hopes and dreams of their own. Little Sophy, feels unwanted, longs to be grown-up, and is jealous of Calypso as she also loves Oliver. And Helena is chafing under the yoke of a boring second marriage to Richard, who treats her wealth and property as his own, has a ward she does not care for, and has a loathsome wooden leg that is just like a third person in their relationship. There is a lot going on this summer holiday - not to mention a shocking development in the life of poor, neglected Sophy. 

Along the way, Wesley gradually introduces a wider cast of characters who have significant parts to play in the proceedings: Jewish couple, charismatic musician Max and his anxious wife Monika, who have escaped from Austria, and whose son is in a concentration camp; the twin sons of the local rector, Paul and David, who are of a similar age to the grown-up cousins; Scottish landowner and MP Hector Grant, who becomes Calypso's husband; and a host of minor family members, friends and romantic partners.

As tense summer bleeds into war, Oliver joins the army, Walter the Royal Navy, and the twins the RAF. Everyone is worried for their safety, with good reason, cherishing the brief hours they spend together between postings. Polly joins the War Office, undertaking hush-hush military intelligence work, and an equally secretive love life. Calypso marries wealthy Hector, promising him an heir, while having the time of her life in Blitz-hit London. Sophy is sent away to school (which she hates), and is constantly trying to unburden herself of a secret that weighs heavily on her mind. Helena trails around the country with Max, who awakens desires she did not know she had when he becomes her lover, while he keeps up the country's spirits in a musical way (and those of his multiple paramours in a carnal way). And Richard and Monika fall into a curious domestic relationship of their own, back in Cornwall.

The threads of the novel weave in slow-burn style, punctuated with war-time and family dramas. Wesley does not shy away from the horrors, hardships, and tragedies that come with war, but this is far from a grim novel. There is a lot of bed-hopping that happens under the cover of the black-out as the characters discover who they are and what they want in a way that is completely new to them. There is so much fascinating story here about coming-of-age, lost innocence, and family ties, but it is Wesley's exploration of sex, relationships, and emotional liberation that forms the meat of the novel. Despite the war-time setting, the content sometimes feels like jolly-old, bonk-buster typical of the 1980's when the novel was written, however, the attitudes are very much of an earlier era, and sometimes troubling to modern sensibilities (particularly around sexual abuse and domestic violence).

This is a novel that has long been on my 'want to read' pile and I thoroughly enjoyed finally getting to grips with it. Wesley's writing is gorgeous. I loved the way she brings the past alive through the exploits of her characters, weaving a story full of emotion, wit, and subtle humour, and the evocative use of the camomile lawn is enchanting. The characters are definitely quirky bunch, with wayward ways, but many of them became like beloved, dysfunctional family members, and I really did not want to say good-bye to them when the poignant, tear-jerking ending rolled around. By the way, if audio books are your bag, the one narrated by Carole Boyd is a delight.

The Camomile Lawn is available to buy now in various formats.

About the author:

Mary Wesley was born near Windsor in 1912. Her education took her to the London School of Economics and during the War she worked in the War Office. She also worked part-time in the antiques trade. Mary Wesley lived in London, France, Italy, Germany and several places in the West Country. She used to comment that her 'chief claim to fame is arrested development, getting my first novel published at the age of seventy'. That first novel, Jumping the Queue, was followed by a subsequent nine bestsellers: The Camomile Lawn, Second Fiddle, Harnessing Peacocks, The Vacillations of Poppy Carew, Not That Sort of Girl, A Sensible Life, A Dubious Legacy, An Imaginative Experience and Part of the Furniture. Mary Wesley was awarded the CBE in the 1995 New Year's honour list and died in 2002.

Circus Of Mirrors by Julie Owen Moylan

 

Circus of Mirrors by Julie Owen Moylan.

Published 12th September 2024 by Michael Joseph.

From the cover of  the book:

In Berlin, two sisters dared to dream of a better life – but where in this dark and dazzling city will they find their true home?

BERLIN, 1926: After the death of their parents, sisters Leni and Annette only have each other.

Desperate, but dreaming of better days, Leni finds work at a notorious cabaret: the Babylon Circus.

From the dancer’s barely-there costumes, to the glimmering mirrors that cover the walls, the Babylon Circus is where reality and fantasy merge. For Leni, it’s an overwhelming new world, and she’s happiest hiding in the shadows.

Until she meets the cabaret’s resident pianist, Paul. And so begins a tentative love affair that will play out over the next forty years.

But, in a city whose divisions will define a century, can a love born within the feverish walls of the Babylon Circus ever survive?

And can the bond between Leni and Annette – tugged in opposite directions of their own – also endure?

***********

Berlin, 1926. Sisters, Leni and Annette are all that remains of their once happy family. Barely an adult herself, Leni feels responsible for six year old Annette, but hard times have found them living on Berlin's streets. Then Leni manages to find a job as a cigarette girl at the exotic Babylon Circus club: a place where the clientele clamour for the delights of the risque caberet, and are willing to pay extra for the shady services the manager Dieter can arrange 'under the counter'. 

The Babylon Circus is an education for shy and retiring Leni, but she soon begins to feel part of the club's eccentric family - especially when she meets and falls in love with the club's pianist, Paul. And so begins a romance that will shape the lives of the sisters over the next four decades...

Circus of Mirrors is the sweeping, intensely emotional story of sisters Leni and Annette, set against the backdrop of the changing faces of Berlin. The novel begins in 1926, in the political, economic and social maelstrom of the Weimar period, when the artistic and sexual freedoms associated with the Berlin cabaret scene were a stark contrast to the tough conditions Germans were enduring. Desperation finds Leni at the doors of the Babylon Circus, where Owen Moylan brings the cabaret scene alive, in all its glamorous, sordid splendour. Here Leni embarks on a love affair that will change to course of her life, and the nature of her relationship with her younger sister, Annette.

The novel then jumps forward to take in two further time periods - in the ruins of post-war Berlin, and then once again in the city as it stands on the brink of one of the darkest days of Cold War history. At each stage, we meet Leni and Annette, checking-in with how their lives have changed, and each time they are on separate sides of a personal struggle that threatens to tear their relationship asunder.

As in all Owen Moylan's spectacular books, her characters leap from the page, especially the women. She beautifully explores the pivotal decisions, and sacrifices, they have had to make in order to survive - primarily through the stories of Leni and Annette, but also through other members of the Babylon Circus family, as the world changes around them. These are real people, warts and all, and this sometimes makes them difficult to like, not least the sisters at the centre of the novel. For me, Leni is the one who deserves the most sympathy, as Annette's selfishness is rather over-powering - however, Annette is also the most complex and misunderstood of the two. In any case, when Owen Moylan eventually leads them to a place where they can finally unburden themselves, and forgive each other, I found the tears rolling down my face. 

The club provides a glorious, and poignantly nostalgic, linking thread in the novel, from frenetic heyday, to bomb-damaged bar, to burned out shell, remaining a place of significance throughout. Clever, insightful themes around love, loss, identity and belonging echo through the timelines, and Berlin stands as a character in its own right. Owen Moylan carefully chooses her 1920's, 1940's, and 1960's iterations of the city as times when significant political and social upheaval is playing out in the background of Leni and Annette's lives (an absolute joy if you are interested in 20th Century history), and yet you are only aware of these events obliquely. At any given moment it is the human characters who hold your attention, and your eye is fixed on how the turmoil of time and place affects the decisions Leni and Annette make. This is not easy to do, but Owen Moylan pulls it off with style.

This is Owen Moylan's most ambitious, and compelling, novel to date. I swallowed it whole, unable to look away for a second...

Circus of Mirrors is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Michael Joseph for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Julie Owen Moylan is the author of three novels: That Green Eyed Girl, 73 Dove Street and Circus of Mirrors. Her debut novel That Green Eyed Girl was a Waterstones’ Welsh Book of the Month and the official runner up for the prestigious Paul Torday Memorial Prize. It was also shortlisted for Best Debut at the Fingerprint Awards and featured at the Hay Festival as one of its ‘Ten at Ten’. 73 Dove Street was a Waterstones’ Books of 2023 and a Daily Mail Historical Fiction Book of the Year.

As a filmmaker Julie won the Celtic Media Award for her graduation film “BabyCakes” before going on to win Best Short Film at the Swansea Film Festival.

Her writing and short stories have appeared in a variety of publications including Sunday Express, The Independent, New Welsh Review and Good Housekeeping.

She has a Masters in Filmmaking and an additional qualification in Creative Writing & English Literature. Julie is an alumna of the Faber Academy. 

The Black Loch (Lewis Book Four) by Peter May.

 

The Black Loch (Lewis Book Four) by Peter May.

Published 12th September 2024 by riverrun.

From the cover of the book:

A MURDER.

The body of eighteen-year-old TV personality Caitlin is found abandoned on a remote beach at the head of An Loch Dubh - the Black Loch - on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis. A swimmer and canoeist, it is inconceivable that she could have drowned.

A SECRET.

Fin Macleod left the island ten years earlier to escape its memories. When he learns that his married son Fionnlagh had been having a clandestine affair with the dead girl and is suspected of her murder, he and Marsaili return to try and clear his name.

A RECKONING.

But nothing is as it seems, and the truth of the murder lies in a past that Fin would rather forget, and a tragedy at the cages of a salmon farm on East Loch Roag, where the tense climax of the story finds its resolution.

The Black Loch takes us on a journey through family ties, hidden relationships and unforgiving landscapes, where suspense, violent revenge and revelation converge in the shadow of the Black Loch.

***********

After a decade away from the Isle of Lewis, former police detective Fin Macleod heads back to a place full of haunting memories, for a singular purpose. The brutalised body of eighteen-year-old TV personality, Caitlin Black, has been found on the shore of Black Loch, and Fin's son, Fionnlagh, has been accused of her murder. Despite the complex relationships that have developed in this family, Fin and his wife, Marsalli, cannot believe their son is guilty of such a crime, and hope to clear his name.

They find their son sullen and reeling from the death of the young woman it transpires he was having an affair with, despite being a family-man, the considerable age-gap between them, and the shocking fact that Fionnlagh was Caitlin's teacher. All the evidence points towards Fionnlagh's guilt, and Fin's faith in his son is shaken, but with dogged determination, he sets to work hunting for the truth - this time, as a civilian. What he discovers brings the past and present clashing together with a reckoning that takes Fin right back to his own tragic history with the Black Loch...

Peter May picks up the story of Fin Macleod ten years further down the line from the tales in his best-selling Lewis trilogy, with a dark and atmospheric story that thrums with luscious Tartan noir vibes. 

Fin's life has not turned out quite as he expected, and at the beginning of this tale he is unhappy with both his personal and professional lives. With a job that still immerses him in the shocking depravity of the human condition, albeit now as a civilian employee of the Sottish police force, and a distance between him and Marsalli he has no idea how to breach, it is time for a new direction - but the last thing he expects is that this will involve an investigation back in Lewis that touches his own family.

This is an investigation unlike anything Fin has had to deal with before. Walking a fine line between the difficulties of gathering information that would previously have been freely available as a serving police officer, questioning witnesses as someone linked so closely to the murder suspect, and the effect of Fionnlagh's arrest on his whole family, Fin is also overwhelmed by the emotional power of his own past sins - sins which are determined to force their way into the light with every step on his journey to prove his son's innocence.

The story unfurls with slow-burn twists and turns in the present, broken up with intense, first-person vignettes from Fin's past. As the threads of Fin's investigation develop, laden with the significance of his past deeds and connections, May explores a host of topics about family, friendship, secrets and lies. He also has a lot to say about environmental issues, activism, whaling (be prepared to cry when it comes to these parts of the story), and the impact of commercial salmon farming (I guarantee you will think twice about eating farmed salmon again). Every little piece of the puzzle comes together to increase the pace of the story, until you find yourself careering headlong into a blow by blow climax that leaves you breathless. 

There is an undeniable melancholic air to this novel that works beautifully with the brooding characters and backdrop of the Western Isles. I have rarely read a crime thriller that blends past and present so exquisitely, echoing themes of bitterness, regret, retribution, and the weight of things unsaid. I also loved how May examines the passage of time so well with the interplay between setting and memory, and his use of expressive Gaelic alongside English is divine.   

I have not read the Lewis trilogy, which put me at a slight disadvantage embarking on a novel that relies heavily on what happened in the past. However, as the layers of story peel away, May gives you everything you need to understand how and why the consequences of Fin's own troubled history have rippled through time, in a cracking crime thriller that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

The Black Loch is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to riverrun for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Ransom PR for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Peter May was born and raised in Scotland. He was an award-winning journalist at the age of twenty-one and a published novelist at twenty-six. When his first book was adapted as a major drama series for the BBC, he quit journalism and during the high-octane fifteen years that followed, became one of Scotland's most successful television dramatists. He created three prime-time drama series, presided over two of the highest-rated serials in his homeland as script editor and producer, and worked on more than 1,000 episodes of ratings-topping drama before deciding to leave television to return to his first love, writing novels.

In 2021, he was awarded the CWA Dagger in the Library Award. He has also won several literature awards in France, received the USA's Barry Award for The Blackhouse, the first in his internationally bestselling Lewis Trilogy; and in 2014 was awarded the ITV Specsavers Crime Thriller Book Club Best Read of the Year award for Entry Island.

Peter now lives in South-West France with his wife, writer Janice Hally.

Phineas Redux (Palliser Book Four) by Anthony Trollope

 

Phineas Redux (Palliser Book Four) by Anthony Trollope.

This edition published 10th November 2011 by Oxford World Classics. Originally published 1874.

Audio book narrated by Timothy West.

From the cover of the book:

After the death of his wife, the handsome politician Phineas Finn returns from Ireland to the parliamentary fray. In his absence the political and social world has subtly changed, parties and policies no longer fixed and advancement dependent upon scheming and alliances. His private life lays him open to the scandal-mongering press, and the wild accusations of an unhinged rival; but much more than his reputation is at stake when he is accused of murdering a political opponent.

Trollope shows a remarkably prescient sense of the importance of intrigue, bribery, and sexual scandal, and the power of the press to make or break a political career. He is equally skilled in portraying the complex nature of Phineas' romantic entanglements with three powerful women: the mysterious Madame Max, the devoted Laura Kennedy, and the irrepressible Lady Glencora (now Duchess of Omnium). 

The fourth of Trollope's Palliser novels, Phineas Redux is one of his most spellbinding achievements, and the first modern 'media' novel.

***********

Following the death of his wife, Mary, Phineas Finn is persuaded to return from Ireland and enter the parliamentary fray once more. With the promise of a government post, Phineas stands for the urban seat of Tankerville, which he eventually succeeds to, after some differences of opinion about the proper way to conduct a campaign. He settles back in to Westminster life, keen to get to grips with his renewed political career. 

Phineas sets about reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances, taking in the changes in personal circumstance and the political landscape. He becomes embroiled in the continuing, bitter marital troubles of close friend (and former love), Lady Laura Kennedy, opening himself up to false rumours about a romantic entanglement with her - rumours which send his renewed political ambitions awry. Disenchanted, Phineas gets into a spat with party rival Mr Bonteen at his club, a man he has never liked. When Mr Bonteen is brutally murdered later that same night, Phineas stands accused of the crime.

Scandal ensues, and while, to Phineas' dismay many of those he thought he could rely on consider him guilty, he still has powerful friends and allies fighting his corner - primarily the charismatic Madam Marie Goesler, devoted Lady Laura, and the tireless Lady Glencora Palliser (now the Duchess of Omniom), who will stop at nothing to prove his innocence...

Following the disappointing doldrums of The Eustace Diamonds, Trollope is back in mighty Victorian form with book four in the Palliser series, Phineas Redux. Phineas returns to his political career after the tragic death of his young wife, Mary, picking up the threads of his former life from book two, Phineas Finn, to dramatic effect. Curiously, what happens in this story is also closely tied to events in book three, The Eustace Diamonds, in an unexpected twist...

In a nut shell, the bright lights of Phineas' political prospects are dimmed by rumours about his personal involvement in the marital troubles of Lady Laura, stirred up those among the press with lingering resentments towards our genial Irishman. When Mr Bonteen is found battered to death, after an altercation with Phineas, he stands accused of the murder. 

Meanwhile, Lizzie Eustace has been repenting, at less than happy leisure, her rash decision to marry the odd Reverend Emilius. She has managed to recruit Mr and Mrs Bonteen to her cause to rid her of her troublesome husband. Mr Bonteen's efforts to prove Rev Emilius is a bigamist are co-incidentally beginning to bear fruit at the time of his demise, also putting the preacher under suspicion of his murder - unfortunately he appears to have a cast-iron alibi.

Phineas is in trouble, and distraught that so many of the people he thought were his friends believe him guilty of the crime. But he has staunch supporters on his side to aid him in his time of need - especially the wonderful Madam Marie Goesler, once another of Phineas' prospective marriage partners, who still has affectionate skin in the game.

There is drama galore in this novel, with lashings of lovely story lines for familiar faces from all the previous Palliser books. The complex tangle of Phineas' former romantic adventures prove to be both central to his downfall and the fervent attempts to save him from his predicament, with Trollope's female characters taking starring roles again. Glencora, now risen to the dizzying heights of a Duchess is as enjoyable as ever, but it is Marie Goesler that shines out for me, with her gumption, intelligence, and immense courage in her efforts on Phineas' behalf - she still loves him, of course, but can he be persuaded to finally admit that he loves her too? Sadly, Lady Laura is somewhat of a problematic character in this book though, and I sense Trollope up to his old 'morality tale' tricks when it comes to her fate - her ridiculous mooning after Phineas really got on my nerves after a while, especially as she was the instigator of her own downfall for the greater part.

Trollope beautifully explores reputation, rumour, bribery, and the power of the press to sway opinion in this novel, making it just as relevant today as ever. The intricacies of the court case, hinging on clues around a coat, a key and the provenance of the murder weapon, are truly edge-of-your-seat stuff, and Trollope is at the top of his game when it comes to humour, wit, and romantic suspense. The sub-plots add nicely to the whole, and I loved the ending. 

This is my favourite of the Palliser series since book one, Can You Forgive Her?, by a long way, and it was an absolute pleasure to enjoy the spectacle through the voice talents of (dear) Timothy West - who has become a firm favourite. 

Onwards to book five, The Prime Minister!

Phineas Redux is available to buy now in a variety of formats.

About the author:

Anthony Trollope (1815-82) became one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of Trollope's best-loved works revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire, but he also wrote penetrating novels on political, social, and gender issues and conflicts of his day.

A Duke Of One's Own by Emma Orchard

 

A Duke of One's Own by Emma Orchard.

Published 22nd April 2024 by Boldwood Books.

From the cover of the book:

Summer, 1816. A notorious rebel is about to meet her match...

Lady Georgiana Pendlebury is no stranger to breaking the rules of polite society. But when a so-called ‘friend’ invites her to a clandestine party, Georgiana is shocked to discover the event is more scandalous than even she could have imagined. So when a mysterious stranger offers help, she accepts, not realising their encounter will turn her life upside down.

Later that summer, Georgiana is invited to attend a house party at an infamous castle in Yorkshire. The gathering is a loosely veiled effort to arrange a marriage for the Duke of Northriding, who desperately needs an heir. Duke Gabriel Mauleverer has a terrible reputation as a rake, and Georgiana is happy to be a guest purely for the entertainment, but upon arrival, she is shocked to discover that the Duke is none other than the stranger who rescued her weeks earlier.

As the other ladies vie for the Duke’s attention, Georgiana is desperate to avoid their shocking secret getting out. But she finds herself caught, unable to avoid Gabriel’s gaze. Are they a threat to each other? Or could they be the answer to each other’s greatest desires?

***********

Summer, 1816. Lady Georgiana Pendlebury's rebellious nature has got her into a scrape or two, but her next adventure might just be a scandalous step too far. Having shrugged off her chaperone, she dons a mask and man's clothing to attend a private gathering, but it is not until she arrives that she realises this is much more of a risque affair than she was prepared for. To put it bluntly, this is an orgy. Having been abandoned by the 'friend' that invited her here, she knows she should flee, but is frozen to the spot. A handsome man with silver streaked hair offers to rescue her from her predicament, and in a moment of unrestraint she finds herself leaping over the bounds of propriety in a most enlightening way.

Later that summer, Georgiana is invited to a house party at the Yorkshire castle of an infamous duke, in the company of a friend of the family. She is surprised to discover that a bevy of marriageable young ladies have also been invited. The word is that Gabriel, Duke of Northriding, known for his rakish reputation, is looking for a wife to provided him with an heir, and Georgiana looks forward to watching the marriage game play out from the side-lines - until the moment she meets the Duke. Their eyes lock, and they both realise that this is not their first encounter.

As the competitive young ladies of the haut ton vie for the Duke's attention, Georgiana is desperate to protect her secret. She attempts to keep her distance, but the powerful attraction between them cannot be denied. Is she in real danger, or could this man be just what she has been looking for?

I am not a big reader of Regency romances, but in search of a light read, this book caught my eye, and I decided to take the plunge. The story follows the enjoyable course of the will-they-won't-they, Bridgerton-esque love story of Georgiana and Gabriel, who have unexpectedly met their match in each other, set against a lovely Gothic backdrop.

Orchard hits the sexy Regency vibe from the word go, having a ball with time and place. She gets into her stride with atmospheric lingering glances, and heaving bosom moments as the cat and mouse romance proceeds in the Yorkshire wind and wuthering, while the back-biting theatrics of the ton plays out. Inevitably, passion overflows, and events overtake the couple, leading to a change of venue and dramatic scenes in Regency York that are the consequence of Georgiana's rebellious past, which added a lovely bit of intrigue.

The dynamic between Georgiana and Gabriel is full of sexual tension, and their relationship develops emotional depth as they get to know each other, upping the swoon-worthy factor. There are several, moderately spicy, open-door scenes, which I thought were well written, and just graphic enough not to be cringeworthy - with a sprinkling of coy language to evoke the Regency feeling. Orchard cleverly subverts the 'rogue overpowers innocent young thing' trope too, exploring consent in a historical setting and putting Georgiana very much in charge of her fate. She also touches on some interesting themes about the double standards for men and women in Regency society, family, friendship, legacy, loss, motherhood, and different shades of sexuality to set you pondering.

As the story unfurled, referencing past events, I was occasionally struck by the feeling that this book was not the first one to feature Georgiana and her family.  A little light research told me that there are earlier books too, which I look forward to seeking out, but you can easily read this one as a standalone.

This was such a fun and engaging Regency romp, full of wit, humour, romance, and raunch. It was just the job as a rainy weekend read. Emma Orchard, you have a new fan! 

A Duke of One's Own is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

About the author:

Emma was born in Salford and studied English Literature at the universities of Edinburgh and York. She was a copy editor at Mills & Boon, where she met her husband in a classic enemies-to-lovers romance. Emma has worked in television and as a Literary Agent, and started writing in 2020.

The Secret Orchard by Sharon Gosling

 

The Secret Orchard by Sharon Gosling.

Published 12th September 2024 by Simon and Schuster.

From the cover of the book:

Can a return to the past be the start of something new?

Bette and Nina Crowdie have never been close – the ten-year age difference doesn’t help, and Bette’s rarely been home since she left for university at eighteen.

When their father passes away and unexpectedly splits the family farm between them, Nina is furious and afraid. She’s been working at the farm for the past five years. It’s the only home her young son, Barnaby, has ever had, and she’s convinced that Bette will sell at the first chance she gets. When they discover the huge debt their father has been hiding, Bette reluctantly agrees to help her sister. But that means they have to find a way to work together, and Bette must face up to the real reason she left all those years ago.

Could a long-forgotten diary and the discovery of a secret orchard on their land help save the farm – and the sisters’ relationship?

***********

Sisters Bette and Nina have never been close. The ten year age gap between them when growing up on their father's Scottish farm was insurmountable, and their lives have taken very different paths - Bette leaving as soon as she could to pursue a legal career in London, and Nina staying behind to work on the farm, where she now lives as a single mother with her young son, Barney.

Now their father has passed away, and his funeral brings Bette back to Scotland, where she has not been in years. Nina feels nothing but resentment and bitterness about Bette's long absence, wishing her gone before she even arrives - and Bette plans to stay no longer that necessary, plagued with memories of her youth she would rather forget. 

But the sisters' reunion is going to be longer than they anticipated. Once the funeral is over, they find that rather than leaving the farm to Nina, their father has split ownership of the property between them. And the surprises continue to come when they learn he has left considerable debts that somehow need to be settled. Feelings are running high, and prospects of saving the farm look bleak - until they discover the existence of a secret cliff-top orchard on their land, that they had no idea was there.

It turns out that this is a very special orchard indeed, with a very unusual history. Could this be the solution to their troubles, and a way to breach the distance between them at the same time?

The Secret Orchard is an enchanting, and immersive, story that combines a historical mystery with heart-wrenching family dramas, and all the romantic suspense of not one, but two smashing love stories!

The tale begins with an intriguing prologue that hints at the complicated history of the orchard, and then unfurls through the twists and turns of the emotionally supercharged story of Bette and Nina's attempts to save the farm. Spending time together in their joint crusade gradually brings them closer together, aided by the presence of the adorable Barney, and there are heart-warming moments galore as their relationship thaws - especially once they are able to open up to each other about their separate heartaches, and forgive each other for years of perceived slights. 

Alongside the transformation in their relationship, the opportunity for second-chance love comes calling for both sisters, in an enjoyable mix of enemies to lovers AND friends to lovers storylines that hit that magic sweet spot - once the necessary rocky trials of misunderstandings, challenging set-backs, and unforeseen disasters perpetrated by the unscrupulous, have been overcome, of course. 

This is character-led gorgeousness of the type Gosling does so well, and it works beautifully with the clever threads of mystery about the orchard's past, and the care needed to bring it back to life. There is so much engaging detail about cider making and its history too, which I found absolutely fascinating. The location oozes atmosphere, and you can almost smell the sea and taste the apples. The characters and community are fabulous, and the echoing themes weave into so many parts of the story with accomplished flair. 

Utter escapist loveliness, and another winner from Sharon Gosling. 

The Secret Orchard is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author: 

Sharon started her career as an entertainment journalist, writing non-fiction books about film and television. She is also the author of multiple children's books. Sharon and her husband live in a small village in northern Cumbria.

The Friend Zone Experiment by Zen Cho

 

The Friend Zone Experiment by Zen Cho.

Published 8th August by Pan Macmillan.

From the cover of the book:

From the outside, Renee Goh’s life looks perfect. She’s thirty and beautiful, running a glamorous–and successful–fashion company in London, and dating a hot pop star.

Until she’s dumped. Estranged from her family in Singapore, too, happiness soon feels a world away. A chance encounter with her first love, Yap Ket Siong, makes her question what she really wants. Then Renee’s father calls from Singapore and offers her the chance to become the successor of the family business, one of the largest conglomerates in Southeast Asia. Her father’s approval would mean everything - if she can fight off the competition of her unpredictable older brothers.

Just as she’s focusing on her future and a possible move back to Singapore, sparks seriously start to fly with Ket Siong, shaking her resolve to keep him in the friend zone. But he left her heartbroken at university - will either of them dare to share their feelings the second time around? Or will family business mean they can’t bank on each other...

***********

Renee Goh's life appears picture perfect. At just thirty-years-old she is running her own successful fashion company in London, and seems to be living the high life. However, appearances can be deceptive. She lives to work, is estranged from her wealthy family in Singapore, and has been unceremoniously dumped by the Taiwanese pop star she thought was 'the one'. 

But Renee does not have time to mope about the downturn in her mostly non-existent love life. Just as she is wiping her tears, her father calls to say that he is stepping down from running his business empire, the Chahaya Group, and he is considering her as the next CEO - providing she can prove that she is able to work alongside her unscrupulous brothers... the very brothers who tried to ruin her business prospects when she still lived in Singapore.

This will be a challenge, but the need to have her father's approval lingers. She is going to have to disregard past grievances if she wants this opportunity, but is it asking too much of her when she discovers this will also mean schmoozing with a controlling ex she has not seen for ten years?

As professional as Renee is, her emotions are all over the place. So when she unexpectedly bumps into another face from the past, Yap Ket Siong, her first love who broke her heart, and discovers the connection between them is just as strong as it used to be, passion boils over. But Ket Siong is dealing with dangerous problems of his own, pursuing vengeance for wronged friends and family. Neither of them is in the right place for a relationship, but could they be still be friends?

I came to this story expecting a simple rom-com affair, but it actually turned out to be a highly enjoyable page-turner along the lines of Crazy Rich Asians meets Succession meets K-Drama, threaded with a tender romance - and let me tell you that I am definitely here for this winning combination!

Renee is a great character, who has had to break away from her super-wealthy Singaporean family, going against tradition and the wishes of her domineering father to pursue her dreams. She lives a glamorous, hard working, successful (if lonely) life in London, despite the interference of her despicable, wayward brothers. Now she has to rethink her entire future if she wants a shot at taking on the big prize - the chance to take over her father's huge business empire.

Her story burgeons with themes around family estrangement and dysfunction, ambition, and sibling rivalry of the worst kind, set against swish locations in London, with a cast of beautiful, very rich characters from the world of Southeast Asian big business. She has a lot of challenges to navigate, which highlight issues around being a female in a male-dominated corporate world mired in double standards - particularly when it comes to the behaviour of wastrel older brothers, and sleazy ex boyfriends. But Renee is not to be underestimated. Zen Cho engineers some lovely twists and turns as she journeys towards what she really wants - and there are some truly magnificent moments that will have you punching the air with glee!

Layered on top, comes an intriguing thread around corruption, corporate misdeeds, activism, and what can happen when dreams are shattered from Ket Siong's side of the story, which adds an unexpected thriller element. There is lots of mystery and menace of the K-drama kind around this part of the tale, and Zen Cho really keeps you guessing about where the shady shenanigans will lead. I really enjoyed how she also contrasts the family dynamics of Renee and Ket Siong through this thread - they could not be more different, and there are some heartwarming developments that come with the final payoff.

The clever love story between Renee, and the adorable Ket Siong, ties everything together and follows the second chances/friends-to-lovers trope to my heart's desire - albeit that the bumps in the road on their will-they-won't-they journey to happiness are more dramatic than those served up in a more conventional rom-com plot. Flashbacks to their university days are used beautifully too to give you all the back story you need about the sleazy ex, why Renee and Ket Siong parted, and the events that dashed Ket Siong's dreams. 

I really was not sure what to expect from this book, but it gave me all the laughter, tears, and story that I wanted. I took Renee and Ket Siong completely into my heart, and there are some fabulous supporting characters. There is scope for a sequel, so my fingers are crossed that Zen Cho will revisit their tale to tell us what happens next!

The Friend Zone Experiment is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Zen Cho was born and raised in Malaysia and now lives in Birmingham. She was a finalist for the Astounding Award for Best New Writer for her short fiction and won the Crawford Award. Her debut novel, Sorcerer to the Crown, won the 2016 British Fantasy Society Award for Best Newcomer. She is also the author of The True Queen and Black Water Sister.

Skelf Summer: The Opposite Of Lonely (Skelfs Book Five) by Doug Johnstone

 

The Opposite of Lonely (Skelfs Book Five) by Doug Johnstone.

Published 14th September 2023 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Even death needs company…

The Skelf women are recovering from the cataclysmic events that nearly claimed their lives. Their funeral-director and private-investigation businesses are back on track, and their cases are as perplexing as ever.

Matriarch Dorothy looks into a suspicious fire at an illegal campsite and takes a grieving, homeless man under her wing. Daughter Jenny is searching for her missing sister-in-law, who disappeared in tragic circumstances, while grand-daughter Hannah is asked to investigate increasingly dangerous conspiracy theorists, who are targeting a retired female astronaut … putting her own life at risk.

With a body lost at sea, funerals for those with no one to mourn them, reports of strange happenings in outer space, a funeral crasher with a painful secret, and a violent attack on one of the family, The Skelfs face their most personal – and perilous – cases yet. Doing things their way may cost them everything…

Tense, unnerving and warmly funny, The Opposite of Lonely is the hugely anticipated fifth instalment in the unforgettable Skelfs series, and this time, danger comes from everywhere…

***********

The Skelfs are trying to get their lives back on track after the events of Dark Hearts that nearly claimed their lives. Having rebuilt following the fire that damaged their home, Dorothy, Jenny, and Hannah have taken time to reflect on what the future holds for them. Dorothy has ideas about taking the funeral business in an eco-friendly direction, Jenny is dealing with the fallout of the conflict with her sister-in-law Stella over Craig's remains, and Hannah is looking towards the stars...

On the private investigations front, cases come their way that tap into their reflections - Dorothy is determined to find the person behind a case of arson aimed at a travelling community; Hannah is embroiled in finding someone responsible for harassing a famous female astronaut; and crucially for Jenny, she is compelled to track down Stella to fulfil a deathbed request. The threads of these investigations are about to lead them all into danger once more...

Doug Johnstone has done it again, with a cracking fifth instalment of this series that throws a whole new set of trials and tribulations at the Skelf family we have come to know and love. Dorothy is once more opening her arms to waifs and strays, which adds a great new character to the Skelf fold in the form of Brodie, a young man carrying the burden of unacknowledged grief, and which gets her into literal deep water in a crusade against those who abuse their powers. In an unexpected turn, Hannah finds herself caught up in a case which has unsettling undercurrents of off-kilter power dynamics, which she is slow to appreciate under the spell of one of her idols. Meanwhile, Jenny has to confront her demons, and sees the disturbing truth about controlling influences in the process too.

This book is a slickly conceived culmination of all that has come before, and as the storylines from the perspective of all three generations of Skelf women play out, Johnstone spins his magic to have them looking forward to a potentially more positive future. Of course, this being a Johnstone novel, the transition is far from easy, and it is marked with heart-rending emotional turmoil in the way he does so well. There are all the twists and turns you could want, with murky mysteries to be solved, caustic confrontations with authority, bruising brushes with danger, and the grittiest of crime stories, set against an Edinburgh that comes alive at the hands of someone who knows all her many faces. This is glorious storytelling.

The theme of abuse of power runs rife through this book, sometimes in ways which are not easy to detect beneath facades of wealth, celebrity, and positions of trust; along with Johnstone's trademark examination of the lives of those on the fringes of society; but what strikes me most about this fifth book is the overwhelming message he imparts about human connection. From grand notions of the insignificance of humankind in the big, wide cosmos, to the most intimate moments of kindness and understanding between strangers, Johnstone touches on so many ways in which we are all connected with each other. This resonates beautifully with the lovely title, The Opposite of Lonely, with all its shades of meaning.

A little mention here too for the truly brilliant way Johnstone shines a light on loss, grief, and the whole process of what happens to our remains after death in the Skelf books - I went down a rabbit whole about eco-funerals and water cremation after reading this story, and it provoked a really interesting family conversation about the many issues involved. Death can be a difficult topic to talk about with loved ones, so well done Mr Johnstone.

I consumed this book from cover to cover, and it is my favourite of the Skelf series so far. I cannot wait to see what fate holds for this family next.

The Opposite of Lonely is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support the very best of indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

**Review originally published September 2023.

About the author:

Doug Johnstone is the author of sixteen novels, many of which have been bestsellers. The Space Between Us was chosen for BBC Two’s Between the Covers, while Black Hearts and The Big Chill were longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year. Three of his books – A Dark Matter, Breakers and The Jump – have been shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize. 

Doug has taught creative writing or been writer in residence at universities, schools, writing retreats, festivals, prisons and a funeral home. He’s also been an arts journalist for 25 years. He is a songwriter and musician with six albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. 

He’s also co-founder of the Scotland Writers Football Club and lives in Edinburgh with his family.

The Murmers (The Annie Jackson Mysteries: Book One) by Michael J. Malone - Book Blitz

 

The Murmers (The Annie Jackson Mysteries Book One) by Michael J. Malone.

Published 14th September 2023 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

In the beginning there was fear.
White-hot, nerve-shredding fear.
Terrifying premonitions of deaths.
And then they started…
The Murmurs…

On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die.

How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as 'the murmurs'…

With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson.
And this time, it will never let go…

A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors…

***********

When Annie Jackson begins a new job at a care home for the elderly, she is plagued with first day jitters, but she has no idea that this fresh start will bring with it a nightmare. When meeting a resident called Steve, Annie is overwhelmed with the feeling that he is going to die very soon, but when she tries to share her fears with him, he brushes her concern aside. The very next morning brings news that Steve has died in the very way Annie has foreseen.

A terrifying ability has awakened within Annie, and as she tries to cope with a stream of visions of death that will not leave her in peace, she begins to wonder if this power is somehow related to the childhood she cannot remember. With the help of her twin brother Lewis, Annie searches for clues to help her unlock the mystery of the years before a fateful crash that killed her mother and left her with amnesia. What they discover harks back to family secrets, and a curse that has inflicted her female bloodline with terrifying premonitions, bringing with it the danger of madness, fear and suspicion.

In this intricately plotted mystery, Michael J. Malone skilfully blends the boundaries between past and present, echoing through time the shattering legacy of both Jacobean witch trials and the Highland Clearances on Annie Jackson's family. Annie knows little of her family history, as her parents both died in tragic circumstances, and her own memories have been wiped clean by the car accident that killed her mother. However, when haunting nightmares of drowning herald the onset of premonitions of death, she begins to question whether she has been told all there is to know about her family, and embarks on journey that reveals far more about sins of the past than she could ever imagine.

Told through the tense chain of events that follow Annie's realisation that she has the ability to foretell death, flashbacks to family conflict between Annie's mother and her two sisters, and excerpts from the memoir of Annie's distant relation Moira Mclean written in 1818, this story oozes Gothic vibes. Malone delves into history to bring alive episodes within Annie's family tree that show how passion, jealously and fierce rivalry entwined with age old suspicion gave birth to a hatred that cursed future generations. And in a stroke of pure genius, he embroiders the effects into a gripping mix of domestic drama and cracking crime story in the present.

As the separate storylines in time and place unfurl, Annie finds herself embroiled in a search for the truth about the murders of young women in the Scottish Highlands which leads her into terrible danger. In parallel, the secrets that lie thick around her own parentage, and the origin of the curse that has left such a toll on her, and the women before her, are revealed. Everything comes together in a mighty collision as the tangled threads resolve themselves in a powerful moment of shocking clarity - with a glorious little parting kick in Moira's memoir.

Malone's themes run thick and fast, and a sense of foreboding holds you tightly throughout. He explores faith, deeply held superstition, madness, fear, and an unwillingness to confront the truth, through every part of this tale. I particularly enjoyed how he plays with power, charisma, and the subversion of religion to ramp up that disquieting feeling in the pit of your stomach, and cleverly uses themes of different kinds of witch hunts appropriate to each time period.

This book hits the all-consuming sweet spot between being terrified by what you are reading and yet unable to look away for a second. It gave me the absolute chills, in the best possible way. I am delighted to find that this is the first in a series of mysteries for Annie too, as I desperately need more of this fabulous Tartan Noir in my life.

The Murmers is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support the very best of indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

**Review originally published September 2023.

Thank you to Orenda Books for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog blitz.

About the author:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers.

His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines, After He Died, In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation soon followed suit.

A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller.

Michael lives in Ayr.

Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee

 

Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee.

Translated from the Korean by Sandy Joosun Lee.

Published in paperback 1st August 2024 by Wildfire.

From the cover of the book:

In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.

For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at the store is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including DallerGut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life.

***********

Somewhere deep in our collective subconscious there is a town where people and animals go to purchase their dreams. The Dallergut Dream Department Store, owned and run by the larger-than-life Dallergut, is 'the' destination for those desiring somnolent adventures. Its five floors offer dreams of many kinds, and its staff are always on hand to find something that fits your needs, even if you are not quite sure what they are. But be quick, as the best dreams sell out fast!

New hire Penny has a lot to learn about how the dream business works. As she navigates the complexities of dream design, marketing, and steering customers towards the experiences right for them, she becomes part of the Dallergut family.

This charming, speculative novel, which has been a best-seller in South Korea, has two beautifully constructed elements that weave together perfectly. The first is the magical setting that exists to provide humans and animals alike with dreams. It is a backdrop filled with vivid characters, some of whom are drawn from the realms of fantasy, all working together in a bustling, if unconventional, economy that runs on the capacity of dreams to provide an emotional pay-off. And the second, is the philosophical exploration of the power of dreams in helping us deal with our journey through life.

Penny introduces you to the Dallergut Dream Department Store and the surreal world around it. As she learns her craft, you are at her side to get to know all about the personalities, foibles, and particular skills of the other staff members, as well as how the dream trade operates. The world building is intricate, and incredibly well thought out, though it does take a little brain stretching to get your head around some of the more abstract aspects - just suspend your disbelief in the spirit of the story and go with the magical realism flow... it is worth it. The personalities are especially lovely, and their interactions are full of pathos and humour.

What makes this story a cut above is the way Miye Lee gets into the nitty gritty of the philosophical aspects of the story about different kinds of dreams and the effect they have on the dreamer. There are examples of common repeating themes that I am sure we have all dreamt ourselves, and highly individual, custom designed dream packages, in all shades of light and dark - and there are intensely emotional vignettes about the dreamers who experience them, and how they impact their lives. The dreams of a darker kind (and their designers) are particularly fascinating, especially how they help dreamers work through trauma, grief and heartache.

This is book that is funny, sad, and surprisingly touching. Miye Lee has a way to evoke tears and laughter, and make you think about deep subjects all at the same time (think Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman), and Sandy Joosun Lee's translation clearly maintains every ounce of spellbinding story-telling and sentiment. 

I found this an enchanting novel. Its cultural references may be very Korean, but its themes are universal. I am really looking forward to the second half of the duology, Return to the Dallergut Dream Department Store (coming November 2024), to catch-up with Penny and the Dallergut gang.

Dallergut Dream Department Store is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Wildfire for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Miye Lee was born in Busan in 1990. After graduating from the Busan National University School of Materials Science and Engineering, she worked as a semiconductor engineer at Samsung Electronics. Her debut novel Dallergut Dream Department Store published entirely funded through a crowdfunding service in Korea in 2020 and has since drawn many enthusiastic responses and favourable reviews.

About the translator:

Sandy Joosun Lee is a translator and interpreter based in Seoul. Her translations include Won-pyung Sohn's Almond (HarperVia 2020). She also works in animatronics, translating and developing animated content, which includes The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021) and Star Wars: Visions (2023).

 August 2024 Reading Round-Up

Sixteen lovely books consumed in August.

You can find you way to my reviews of this selection by clicking on the pictures below.

Second Chances at the Board Game Cafe by Jennifer Page

Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie

The Trap by Ava Glass

Cabaret Macabre by Tom Mead

Junction of Earth and Sky by Susan Buttenwieser

One Grand Summer by Ewald Arenz

The Stolen Hours by Karen Swan

Prey by Vanda Symon

Talking at Night by Claire Daverley

The Right Place by Sophia Money-Coutts

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie

Death in the Air by Ram Murali

Fledging by Rose Diell

Pursued by Death by Gunnar Staalesen

The Liars by Katherine Fleet

The Drownings by Hazel Barkworth

More great books on the way in September!

If you have enjoyed my pics, why not stop by my Instagram account for more?

You can find me at @brownflopsy.