Love in Provence by Jo Thomas

 

Love in Provence by Jo Thomas.

Published 6th June 2024 by Penguin.

From the cover of the book:

Escape to the beautiful lavender fields of Provence this summer...

Del moved to the south of France three years ago and hasn’t looked back. She’s found new friends, new purpose, and new love with gorgeous Fabien.

But just as harvest on her little lavender farm is due to begin, Del gets some shocking news. With no time to dwell as she welcomes a new crew of lavender pickers, she unexpectedly waves goodbye to Fabien for the summer.

Usually cooking – the thing she loves best – would help soothe her troubles, but Del doesn’t remember how . . . And then chef Zacharie comes to town, dropping another bombshell!

Over one summer in Provence that’s full of surprises, friends old and new rally round. Can they complete the harvest and pull the community back together? And if Fabien returns, will Del finally get her happy-ever-after?

***********

After three years in the South of France, Del feels like she has found happiness on the lavender farm Le Petit Mas with gorgeous younger man Fabian, splitting her time between the lavender, indulging her love for cooking at Henri's bistro, and enjoying the company of all the friends she has made in Provence.

Just as things seem to be falling in place for Del, Fabian and this little community, the Mistral wind blows in a turn in their fortunes. Out of the blue, bad news arrives, followed closely by Henri's contentious son, chef Zacharie, who has ambitious plans for the bistro that don't include Del, and Fabian is called away for the summer. Del is not sure how she will cope with the lavender harvest about to come in, or with the loss of income from the bistro, and just as she needs to be on her game to feed the pickers who are about to arrive, she suddenly forgets all the cookery skills that Henri has taught her... Can the community of friends, old and new, pull together to make the summer a success?

For her latest lovely, escapist gem, Jo Thomas returns to the story of Del from her earlier book, Escape to the French Farmhouse. But do not worry if you have not read about Del's previous French adventures, as Thomas includes just enough about her past life to fill you in with everything you need to know to immerse yourself completely in this book.

Just as Del thinks she is sailing in smooth waters, Thomas throws a host of new challenges her way, which make her realise that she has perhaps, been spreading herself too thin and neglecting the important things in her life - something she vowed she would never do. As a result her insecurities start to rise to the surface, especially when it comes to the age gap between her and Fabian.

For me, it is the way the new characters among this season's lavender pickers begin to blossom that makes this story - 'digital nomad' Jen, older gay couple Graham and Keith, quiet Maria and her brash Aussie boyfriend Marco, and promising lawyer Ed. Over the course of the book we gradually learn about their own relationship troubles, empty nest worries, and quests for belonging, and in pulling together to support Del they find their own way forward too - not necessarily in the directions they had anticipated. 

As expected, Thomas focuses the themes she writes about so well, love, friendship, finding your way, second chances, community... and of course, food... weaving them through a story that runs the gamut of your emotions. There are misunderstandings and mishaps galore, tense confrontations, and anger inducing rotters to contend with, but everything turns out well in the end with lashings of lovely bonding over yummy food, and Thomas' trademark twist of a reconciliation you never see coming. Ahh...

I took the lavender pickers to my heart (except for Marco) and really did not want to let them go at the end of the story. I really hope Jo Thomas revisits Provence once more, as I really need to know what happens next! Heart warmed, and tears shed... and recipes at the end to keep the delicious French vibes going. All round another winner from Jo Thomas!

Love in Provence is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Penguin for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Jo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, including time at Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Radio 2's The Steve Wright Show.

Jo's debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller and won both the RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the Festival of Romance Best eBook Award. Her book Escape to the French Farmhouse was a #1 bestselling eBook. 

Jo loves to explore new countries and discover the food produced there, both of which she thoroughly enjoys researching. Jo lives in Pembrokeshire with her husband and three children, where cooking and gathering around the kitchen table are a hugely important and fun part of their family life.

The Island Love Song by Emma Cowell

 

The Island Love Song by Emma Cowell.

Published 6th June 2024 by Avon.

From the cover of the book:

Escape to the beautiful Greek Island of Hydra with this moving novel, filled with family secrets and romance...

Emma Cowell, author of THE HOUSE IN THE OLIVE GROVE, returns with her brand new, emotional and romantic novel set on an idyllic Greek Island.

Hydra, the picturesque Greek island, is a paradise for most, yet for sisters Ella and Georgia, it is a place where their darkest secrets dwell. And now the time has come for them to confront their past as they return to Greece to scatter their mother’s ashes.

Ella is haunted by a love song that was written for her by the man who broke her heart years earlier and she longs to find peace so she can move on with her life.

Georgia pretends everything in her life is perfect, but she is plagued with guilt. If what she’s kept hidden for decades was revealed, their family would never be the same again.

The island is urging the sisters to confront the truth, but can they build a future on the ruins of their past?

***********

Sisters Ella and Georgia have never resembled each other, either in looks, or temperament: olive-skinned, Ella is a free-spirited photographer who travels the world and has never put down roots; while fair-skinned Georgia is a stay-at-home mother who keeps a tight rein on herself, careful to cultivate an image of the perfect, conventional existence. They seem to have always rubbed each other the wrong way, but the shared love of their mother and of Georgia's daughter Phoenix, who resembles her Aunt Ella, has kept them tied together.

When Ella and Georgia's mother dies, they are brought together with a bump. They must set off on a journey with Phoenix to fulfil her last wish - to scatter her ashes on the Greek island of Hydra. Hydra is a place that both sisters have been reluctant to return to, despite spending happy childhood holidays there, because of the difficult memories the island now holds for them - Ella due to the heartache she feels over the musician lover who abandoned her in her darkest hour, something she is constantly reminded of by the hit song he wrote about their relationship; and Georgia because of guilty acts she wishes she could forget. But Hydra has been waiting for their return... the time has come for them to confront the past, reveal the secrets they have kept from each other, and find a way to move on.

Emma Cowell's third enchanting novel, The Island Love Song, returns to beautiful Greece, this time for a heartfelt story on the picturesque island of Hydra. The story unfurls mostly through the narratives of Ella and Georgia, immersing you in the past and present of the difficult relationship that has developed between them, interspersed with delicious little snippets of prose from Hydra that thrum with mythological vibes of Gods and Goddesses looking upon the fate of the sisters from Olympian heights.

It is tricky to talk about how beautifully Cowell weaves the threads of the story without giving the game away, but essentially this is a tale of how the weight of secrets has built barriers between the sisters, resulting in tricky family dynamics that have them taking barbed pot-shots at each other every time they meet. Being forced together on Hydra brings matters to an explosive head, as multiple, shocking skeletons in this family closet start to work their way out into the dazzling sunshine, especially when a face from the past intrudes upon an already tense situation. 

Cowell delves beautifully into the opposing natures of the sisters, with heartsore Ella contemplating 'what could have beens', and a neurotic Georgia terrified of what she might lose, while a wise beyond her years Phoenix sits in the middle. A lot of cleverly contrived drama results, on an island which may or may not have a magical influence on the Greek tragedy-esque spectacle playing out on its stunning rocky stage. Luscious themes of family (both blood and found), motherhood, loss, love and fate echo through the story, which are used to build layers of mystery around decades of secrets, and there are very clever twists and turns to be negotiated on the way to the most poignant of endings. I absolutely adored how Cowell uses music to heighten the emotional content throughout, in suitably pitch perfect style, and the thread about 'twin flames' will pierce you to the very core. 

I loved this story from start to finish. It is Cowell's most complex novel, and my favourite of her books to date. Sweeping, escapist, tender, and drop dead gorgeous. Tears were well and truly shed!

The Island Love Song is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Emma lives in Cornwall with her husband, Tony, and their fur baby, a Russian Blue called Papoushka Gerald Cowell. A former actress and BBC presenter, segueing from being paid to talk for a living into writing was a natural progression, since story telling has been at the heart of her career to date. Outside of work, Emma is a keen angler and is attempting to learn Greek to maintain her love affair with the country where she has set her novels. She is yet to achieve a level of proficiency outside of tavernas and bakeries.

The Fascination by Essie Fox (Paperback Release)

 

The Fascination by Essie Fox.

Published in paperback 6th June 2024 by Orenda Books.

From the cover of the book:

Victorian England. A world of rural fairgrounds and glamorous London theatres. A world of dark secrets and deadly obsessions…

Twin sisters Keziah and Tilly Lovell are identical in every way, except that Tilly hasn't grown a single inch since she was five. Coerced into promoting their father's quack elixir as they tour the country fairgrounds, at the age of fifteen the girls are sold to a mysterious Italian known as ‘Captain’.

Theo is an orphan, raised by his grandfather, Lord Seabrook, a man who has a dark interest in anatomical freaks and other curiosities … particularly the human kind. Resenting his grandson for his mother’s death in childbirth, when Seabrook remarries and a new heir is produced, Theo is forced to leave home without a penny to his name.

Theo finds employment in Dr Summerwell’s Museum of Anatomy in London, and here he meets Captain and his theatrical ‘family’ of performers, freaks and outcasts.

But it is Theo’s fascination with Tilly and Keziah that will lead all of them into a web of deceits, exposing the darkest secrets and threatening everything they know…

Exploring universal themes of love and loss, the power of redemption and what it means to be unique, The Fascination is an evocative, glittering and bewitching gothic novel that brings alive Victorian London – and darkness and deception that lies beneath…

***********

Identical twin sisters Keziah and Tilly are like two peas in a pod, but an incident when they were five-years-old meant Tilly never grew another inch. Their manipulative, drunken father spotted a business advantage in their physical disparity, travelling countryside fairs for them to be gawped at while he peddled his addictive remedies to the unwary. When Keziah and Tilly are fifteen, their father sells to a mysterious man known only as Captain - a move which introduces them to a very different kind of family, and a chain of events that brings danger and darkness their way...

Theo's mother died in childbirth, so he was raised by his callous, grandfather Lord Seabrook - a man with very particular vices. Theo's only friend is his kindly old governess Miss Miller. When his grandfather remarries, he banishes Theo and Miss Miller from Dorney Hall and forbids them ever to contact him again. Theo's hopes of becoming a surgeon are dashed, and his future looks bleak, until he finds employment with Dr Summerwell at his Museum of Anatomy in London, and meets Captain and his unusual, theatrical ‘family’.

The story is told beautifully via the narratives of Keziah and Theo, who capture your imagination from the very first page. Through them Essie Fox brings the darker sides of Victorian entertainment alive from the points of view of the performers (both willing and unwilling), their clientele, and those who enable their weird, wonderful, and often debauched, pursuits. This is a world where the public are titillated by anyone deemed a 'freak', and willing to part with their cash for a glimpse of something shocking - or maybe more, if the price is right.

Against this backdrop, Fox conjures up deliciously Gothic storylines full of period feel that immerse you in the era. She fills them with characters that leap from the page as living, breathing people to stir your emotion. There are villains and heroes enough to make this novel a highly entertaining Victorian melodrama, and Fox's writing ties you irrecoverably to the fates of Captain's little family, and the troubled Theo. 

Fox weaves themes of loss, obsession, love, acceptance, and reconciliation throughout, and explores some very interesting aspects of the notion of 'fascination'. I love the way she also examines so many facets of the world of medicine during the Victorian age, and the myriad practices that existed on its fringes too, forcing you to think about the performance aspects of their work - and the macabre acts indulged in by some of those acknowledged as doctors. And the way she holds the secret of Theo's feelings of kinship with those deemed 'freaks' until almost the very end was very cleverly done.

I adored everything about this book, especially the way Fox channels some of my beloved Victorian authors in constructing a story that easily holds you as fast as anything Wilkie Collins could have written. The nod towards the adventures of the notorious Fanny Hill, and the history of the author's family, is a delight too. If Gothic done well is your bag, then this is absolutely the book for you!

The Fascination is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Orenda Books HERE.

**Review first published for the hardback release of this book in June 2023.

About the author:

Essie Fox was raised in rural Herefordshire, on the borders between England and Wales.

After studying English Literature at Sheffield University - where she fell in love with the Victorian novels that would go on to inspire her writing - Essie moved to London and worked for the Telegraph Sunday Magazine, then a job in book publishing ... before a career in commercial illustration under the name of Sarah Bengry.

Always an avid reader, Essie is now writing Victorian gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the 2012 National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. This was followed by Elijah's Mermaid, and then The Goddess and the Thief. The Last Days of Leda Grey was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month.

A new novel, The Fascination, is coming out in June 2023. This story features the Victorian country fairgrounds, the glamour of the Drury Lane pantomimes, and an anatomy museum in London's Oxford Street.

Essie has been a guest on many UK radio stations, has lectured at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and at the National Gallery in London, as well as appearing at many literary festivals and events.

The Bookshop Ladies by Faith Hogan

 

The Bookshop Ladies by Faith Hogan.

Published 6th June 2024 by Aria.

From the cover of the book:

Joy Blackwood has no idea why her French art dealer husband has left a valuable painting to a woman called Robyn Tessier in Ballycove, a small town on the west coast of Ireland, but she is determined to find out.

She arrives in Ballycove to find that Robyn runs a rather chaotic and unprofitable bookshop. She is shy, suffering from unrequited love for dashing Kian, and badly in need of advice on how to make the bookshop successful.

As Joy becomes entangled in the daily dramas of Ballycove, uncovering the secrets behind her husband's painting grows increasingly challenging. When she finally musters the courage to confront the truth, her revelation sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community she's grown to love.

***********

On a foggy Parisian night that should have been all about celebration, dying art dealer Yves confesses to his wife Joy that he has a secret daughter. Joy is left bereft, and feeling betrayed. When she discovers that he has bequeathed a valuable painting to a young woman called Robyn Tessier, who lives in Ballycove on the west coast of Ireland, she suspects this must be the daughter she knew nothing about. She makes the difficult decision to head to Ireland and find out all she can about Robyn. 

In Ballycove, Robyn is struggling to make a go of the chaotic bookshop that was her dream. Introverted and unsure of herself, she is badly in need of advice, but neither her close family, nor her friend Kian (who she has secretly been in love with for as long as she can remember) can help her turn the business around. Then elegant American widow Joy arrives in Ballycove, and she is just the person who could make the difference to not just Robyn's life, but those around her too. 

Joy finds a place she feels she can belong, but only if she can keep the truth of who she is, and why she is in Ballycove, to herself. But secrets will out, and when they do the fallout means choosing between revealing all or leaving behind the little community she has come to love.

Welcome to Faith Hogan's latest heart-warming novel, The Bookshop Ladies, which is full of everything I hold dear about her enchanting books. The story begins on the streets of Paris, where a terrible accident brings forth a shocking confession, but before long we are walking lanes that overlook the sea on Ireland's west coast, returning to small town every fan of Hogan's books will know well - Ballycove. And what a joy it is to be back at the heart of one of my favourite little communities.

This time, the book centres on Ballycove's quirky bookshop, where Robyn, unaware of her central role in the drama that is about to play out, is worried that her dreams will soon be over. Unable to see a way past her business troubles, she also holds out little hope for herself on the love front, as she is never going to confess to her friend Kian that she loves him - especially once he falls for her childhood nemesis (I am looking at you Imogene).

However, this is Ballycove, where the path to happiness may not run smooth, but life's little journeys can reach rewarding destinations. Hogan floods her storylines with her trademark themes of family, friendship, and forgiveness, as Joy becomes the catalyst for some profound changes in her own life and the lives of Robyn, Robyn's mother Fern, Great Uncle Albie, Uncle Leo, and a few characters waiting in the wings to delve into the emotional depths, and ratchet up the romantic suspense. There are even some surprising rotters, who add a little taste of criminal intent to the proceedings. 

Hogan also runs lovely themes around art, and of course, books through the entire story which I thoroughly enjoyed. I adored how she explores the secrets that can lie in the heart of paintings, and hidden treasures on dusty bookshelves that are imbued with memories. She uses these ideas quite beautifully to tie in with threads of guilt, loss, reconciliation, belonging, and finding yourself, in that special way she has too. 

I always know I am going to get my heart strings firmly plucked with one of Hogan's wonderful books, and this was no exception. Tears were shed, laughs were had, and hearts were well and truly warmed on the way to the cracking finale. If only we could all up sticks and move to Ballycove. I cannot wait for my next visit.

The Bookshop Ladies is available to buy now in hardcover and ebook formats.

Thank you to Aria for sending me proof of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Faith Hogan is an award-winning, million copy best selling author. She is a USA Today Bestseller, Irish Times Top Ten and an Amazon UK Number 1 Best Selling writer of ten contemporary fiction novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley Hot Reads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women's fiction which is unashamedly uplifting, feel-good and inspiring.

Her new summer read The Bookshop Ladies is out in June 2024 and it's a great big welcome back to Ballycove for her readers.

She writes twisty contemporary crime fiction as Geraldine Hogan.

She lives in the west of Ireland with her family and their Labrador named Penny. She's a writer, reader, enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger - except of course when it is raining!

 May 2024 Reading Round-Up

It was a packed month in May, with eighteen stunning books on the menu.

You can find your way to my reviews for these gems by clicking on the pictures below.

Murder under the Midnight Sun by Stella Blomkvist

The Coming Storm by Greg Mosse

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichel

The Quality of Love by Ariane Bankes

Two for Sorrow by Nicola Upson

The Honeymoon Affair by Sheila O'Flanagan

Geneva by Richard Armitage

Love Game by Emma Rae

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr

The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows by Anne Corlett

Hera by Jennifer Saint

Toxic by Helga Flatland

Escape to the Tuscan Vineyard by Carrie Walker

The Maiden by Kate Foster

A Summer Wedding at the Cornish Manor by Linn B. Halton

The Stolen Daughter by Florence Olajide

Mary I: Queen of Shadows by Alison Weir

More great books next month!

If you have enjoyed my pics please head to Instagram to see more.

You can find me at @brownflopsy

Mary I: Queen Of Sorrows (The Tudor Rose Trilogy Book Three) by Alison Weir

 

Mary I: Queen of Sorrows (The Tudor Rose Trilogy Book Three) by Alison Weir.

Published 9th May 2024 by Headline.

From the cover of the book:

A DESTINY REWRITTEN. A ROYAL HEART DIVIDED.

Adored only child of Henry VIII and his Queen, Katherine of Aragon, Princess Mary is raised in the golden splendour of her father's court. But the King wants a son and heir.

With her parents' marriage, and England, in crisis, Mary's perfect world begins to fall apart. Exiled from the court and her beloved mother, she seeks solace in her faith, praying for her father to bring her home. But when the King does promise to restore her to favour, his love comes with a condition.

The choice Mary faces will haunt her for years to come - in her allegiances, her marriage and her own fight for the crown. Can she become the queen she was born to be?

MARY I. HER STORY.

Alison Weir's new Tudor novel is the tale, full of drama and tragedy, of how a princess with such promise, loved by all who knew her, became the infamous Bloody Mary.

***********

In the third book of Alison Weir's excellent Tudor Rose trilogy, she turns her attention to Mary I, a figure well known for a grisly reign - hence the familiar nickname 'Bloody Mary'. But who was she really? Based on Weir's typical in depth research, she approaches this book with the intention of examining whether Mary I really deserves the reputation associated with her, and the resulting mix of fact and fiction is an absorbing read.

Weir brings Mary alive in these pages, making her as human as she possibly can, beginning with her childhood and painting her as the adored child of devoted parents. This is a Mary who was studious; loved to dance and play music; revelled in the attention of her charismatic father; and was secure in her fate as a future Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, who would unite England and Spain under a devout Catholic banner. It is easy to feel sympathy for her when what followed shattered all her illusions - the trauma of her parent's broken marriage; the distress of her father's alienation from what she was brought up to consider the 'one true faith'; the way she was supplanted in his affections by a step-mother she despised; and the loss of her birth rite.  

As the years pass, Weir continues to show great empathy towards Mary's situation, and brings out her softer side through her relationships with the kinder of Henry's later wives, the love she developed for both Elizabeth and baby brother Edward, and her yearning for an affectionate husband and motherhood. It was fascinating to read about her closeness with Anna of Cleves and Henry's surviving wife Katheryn Parr, which I did not know about previously. The Mary portrayed here had every right to feel indignant about the way she was treated - alternately brought into the royal fold and cast our again, especially when the brother she once loved ascended to the throne. Her life shrinks during Edward VI's reign like never before, and in many ways, these are the years that shape her womanhood the most. Feeling betrayed, denied the right to marry a husband she considered a suitable match, and constantly under pressure to convert to the new protestant Church of England, she begins to see herself as a martyr. 

Finally Mary achieves her place as England's first Queen regnant, an honour which can never be taken away from her. There are positive aspects to her reign, which Weir touches upon, and at times, she was the darling of her subjects, but however hard our esteemed author tries, it is difficult to like the woman Mary becomes in her later years, and therin lies the rub. No matter how much you appreciate the turns of the wheel of power that unsettled her, the unfairness heaped upon her, and the beliefs instilled within her, she develops into a person ruled by religious fanatism, hypocrisy, suspicion, bitterness, and foolish decisions. Perhaps she might not deserve the 'bloody' epithet forever tied to her name in terms of actual numbers of people killed, but the political and territorial fallout that resulted from her marriage is undeniable; and her callous, single-minded persecution of 'heretics' (who had, after all, been required to embrace protestant beliefs) leaves a bad taste in the mouth, especially given her refusal to abandon her own faith. It is interesting to read, in Weir's excellent Author's Note that she ultimately feels the same way about Mary having revisited her story. Mary I: Queen of Sorrows indeed, and they were not all her own...

It is always a joy to immerse myself in an Alison Weir book, and this one is no exception. At over five hundred pages, this engaging novel simply flew by, and it provides rich fodder for a number of thought provoking subjects that beg to be discussed - making it the perfect book for a reading group setting. I cannot wait to see who Weir turns her attention to next!

Mary I: Queen of Sorrows is available to by now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Alison Weir is a bestselling historical novelist of Tudor fiction, and the leading female historian in the United Kingdom. She has published more than thirty books, including many leading works of non-fiction, and has sold over three million copies worldwide.

Her novels include the Tudor Rose trilogy, which spans three generations of history's most iconic family - the Tudors, and the highly acclaimed Six Tudor Queens series about the wives of Henry VIII, all of which were Sunday Times bestsellers.

Alison is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces.

The Stolen Daughter by Florence Olajide

The Stolen Daughter by Florence Ọlájídé.

Published 31st May 2024 by Bookoutre.

From the cover of the book:

My heart races as gunfire startles me from my sleep, and my lungs fill with smoke as I realise my village is being burned to the ground. I tremble as I discover my family is missing, but before I can find them, I am taken. With tears streaming down my face, I wonder if I’ll ever see my parents and little brother again…

Western Africa, 1848. In a small Yorùbá village, fourteen-year-old Ṣìkẹ́mi refuses to live by the elders’ rules. All she wants is to learn how to hunt and defend herself, like the boys. But her father is quick to remind her that soon she’ll be expected to grow up and marry.

But Ṣìkẹ́mi’s world shatters when her village is ambushed by slave raiders. She watches in horror as she’s separated from her family before she is sold to Madam Tinúbú, a rich and powerful slave trader. With her heart in pieces, Ṣìkẹ́mi’s days are filled with back-breaking labour and constant fear of brutal punishment.

Desperate, Ṣìkẹ́mi looks for a way to escape her nightmare and find her family. When someone tries to poison Madam, she sees a chance to save her mistress’s life. As a reward, Madam grants Ṣìkẹ́mi’s request to train as a warrior and join her guard. Madam sees something in Ṣìkẹ́mi that she could use, and something she desperately needs to keep her power…

But Ṣìkẹ́mi has a plan of her own. Even if everything is taken away from her, her spirit will never be broken. And nothing will stop her from being reunited with her family. Not even Madam.

Inspired by true events, The Stolen Daughter is a gripping and unputdownable story about facing your fears, overcoming unimaginable hardship, and the courage and strength of women in a world ruled by men. Fans of Marie Benedict, Sadeqa Johnson and Suzette D. Harrison will be swept away.

***********

1848, The Yoruba Kingdom, West Africa. Fourteen-year-old Ṣìkẹ́mi longs for the freedom enjoyed by the boys of her village. All she wants to do is be like them, and her defiant behaviour is always getting her into trouble. She cannot understand why her lot should be one of marriage and motherhood, when she is just as good at hunting and bushcraft as they are.

When the peace of the village is shattered by the arrival of slave raiders, Ṣìkẹ́mi's frustrations are thrown into sharp relief. Torn away from her family and traded as a slave, she is bought by Madam Tinúbú, a rich and powerful woman at the heart of the West African slave trade. Ṣìkẹ́mi's only concern now is to stay alive.

By chance, Ṣìkẹ́mi comes to Madam's attention after saving her from an attempt on her life. As a result, her capricious owner spots an opportunity to use her for her own ends. Ṣìkẹ́mi is given the chance to train as the warrior she has always longed to be... and she begins to lay plans to find her way back to her parents and younger brother.

I loved Florence Ọlájídé's fascinating memoir, Coconut, about how her life has been shaped to give her a foothold in two cultures - Britain and Nigeria. So when I heard she had written her first novel, The Stolen Daughter, I could not wait to read it.

The Stolen Daughter is the epic story of Ṣìkẹ́mi, a young girl snatched from her family and forced into slavery in nineteenth century West Africa. Ṣìkẹ́mi is a bold and courageous character, and Ọlájídé uses her struggles beautifully to fashion a tale that totally immerses you in the life of a young woman swept along on a tide that she cannot control. Ṣìkẹ́mi refuses to be cowed, and her intelligence, intuition, and sheer force of will are powerful weapons in the long game she must play. At times she does get lost in the manipulative schemes of others, which allows the story to take lovely twists and turns, especially when it comes to friendship, the possibility of love, and the things she is prepared to do to win her freedom. I adored her, taking her completely into my heart, which tied me completely to every one of the triumphs and tragedies that mark her journey.

Through Ṣìkẹ́mi's story, Ọlájídé touches on so many aspects of the history of this region, primarily around the slave trade and the relationships between the divided ethnic groups of the Yoruba Kingdom and the 'white man'. Rather than follow the well worn path of a slave taken across the ocean to toil for the British empire, or in the Americas, Ọlájídé turns her eyes to the workings of the slave trade within Africa itself, which makes this an eye-opening read. 

Ọlájídé delves into the mechanics of slave raids; the vicious infighting between tribes; and the enormous wealth garnered from the slave trade that fed the political ambitions of families in power. It is horribly fascinating to read about, and she does not shy away from addressing the complicity of the West Africans who exploited their own people for personal gain, nor the excruciating complexities of the relationships between them and Britain that led to the eventual formation of Nigeria. 

There is an intriguing thread to the novel which explores the role of women in Yoruba culture, which I found really thought provoking. There are many powerful female characters in the story, some of whom are intimately involved in supporting the political machinations of their families as financial backers through the slave trade. And yet, they are never allowed to exceed their 'place' in the patriarchal structure they inhabit. This is strictly a man's world, and the women are never allowed to forget this, often through violent means. Much to ponder upon there... 

And speaking of pondering, I highly recommend a read of Ọlájídé's poignant reflections on the legacy of the slave trade today, particularly the stigma that still abounds in Nigeria in respect of families who were touched by its reach. 

The Stolen Daughter is an impressive fiction debut. It is a fine example of my absolute favourite kind of historical novel - one which totally consumes you with a well-written story, teaches you about uncomfortable history, and makes you take a good hard look at the lessons the past can teach us. 

The Stolen Daughter is available to buy now in ebook and paperback formats. Buy link: Amazon UK

Thank you to Bookoutre for providing me with an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to take part in this blog tour.

About the author:

Florence is an educator and her passion is improving children’s lives. She caught the teaching bug at thirteen when she organised the neighbourhood kids into evening classes so they could support each other with homework. 

Three years later, just shy of her sixteenth birthday, she entered the University of Lagos, Nigeria to begin her teacher training. In 1981, she graduated from the University of Lagos, Nigeria with a Nigerian Certificate in Education. 

She was a headteacher of a London inner city primary school. She is the co-founder of Inspired Futures and has a passion for seeing children achieve the best they can and ensuring that schools provide them with a first-class education. 

Florence was shortlisted to attend Penguin Random House’s WriteNow London workshop in 2018. She is the author of the memoir Coconut.

 

A Summer Wedding At The Cornish Manor (Escape To Cornwall Book Three) by Linn B. Halton

 

A Summer Wedding at the Cornish Manor (Escape To Cornwall Book Three) by Linn B. Halton.

Published 9th May 2024 by Aria.

From the cover of the book:

This summer, save the date for Renweneth Farm's very first wedding!

As the seasons change, so do the lives of those who call the farm home. Bustling with activity in anticipation of a busy Spring, it's all go with Jess and Riley's wedding on the horizon and Renweneth Manor's restoration in full swing.

But while the farm business flourishes, Jess and Ivy need to learn to navigate unforeseen challenges - financial worries, two disgruntled locals, and even a blast from Riley's past. In the midst of it all can Ivy juggle a new and unexpected arrival with her booming business, and can Jess keep track of her perfect day?

Join Jess and the team at Renweneth Farm as they struggle to make the pieces of the intricate puzzle that bonds them together, fall neatly into place.

***********

The seasons are flying by and the little community at Renweneth Farm is growing. With The Courtyard Hub now a hive of activity and the bakery doing well, its time for Jess to move onto the next phase - restoring Renweneth Manor, and a big task lies ahead if it is going to be anywhere near ready to become the family home she and Riley hope it will be. With building works underway, and a wedding to plan, there is more than enough to keep everyone busy, so when fate decides to throw in an extra few curve balls, Jess begins to wonder if she can stay on top of everything and get the happy-ever-after she deserves.

For the final lovely instalment in the Escape to Cornwall series, Linn B. Halton takes us back to the bustling community at Renweneth Farm, where, thanks to Jess' vision, local businesses are thriving - and her own love life has taken an unexpected upturn in the shape of man-of-her-dreams, builder Riley.

Wedding bells are now in the air for the couple, but the path to the altar is about to be strewn with more than a few bumps. Business problems, clashing personalities (Prudie I am looking at you), housing issues, and growing numbers in the local community are causing all sort of headaches, and that is before we even get started on the nitty gritty of wedding arrangements, closure from previous relationships, and breaches to be healed in families, before the nuptials roll around. 

As always, Halton packs this story with a wonderful community of characters, and balances her storylines about family, friendship and forgiveness with lots of engaging detail about house renovations and the ups and downs of running a small business. This is something I really enjoy about her stories, as it gives you a lot to think about at the same time as having your heartstrings plucked - and plucked they will be on the way to the warm and fuzzy ending.

Full of love, laughter and life, this book will make you yearn to live in beautiful Cornwall at Renweneth Farm too. It is a perfect book to snuggle up on the sofa with, and ignore the unseasonable rain outside!

A Summer Wedding at the Cornish Manor is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

From interior designer to author, when Linn B. Halton's not writing, or spending time with the family, she's either upcycling furniture or working in the garden. Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK's Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards. 

Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her 'rock', Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she's an eternal romantic. Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the Society of Authors. Linn writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

The Maiden by Kate Foster

 

The Maiden by Kate Foster.

Published in paperback 29th February 2024 by Mantle.

From the cover of the book:

Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2024
Shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger 2024
Winner of the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year 2023

Inspired by a real-life case, Kate Foster's The Maiden is a remarkable story with a feminist revisionist twist, giving a voice to women otherwise silenced by history.

In the end, it did not matter what I said at my trial. No one believed me.

Edinburgh, October 1679. Lady Christian is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover, James Forrester. News of her imprisonment and subsequent trial is splashed across the broadsides, with headlines that leave little room for doubt: Adulteress. Whore. Murderess.

Only a year before, Lady Christian was newly married, leading a life of privilege and respectability. So, what led her to risk everything for an affair? And does that make her guilty of murder? She wasn't the only woman in Forrester's life, and certainly not the only one who might have had cause to wish him dead . . .

***********

October 1679. In a storm of scandal, Lady Christian Nimmo, wife of a prosperous Edinburgh textile merchant is arrested and charged with the murder of her lover, Lord James Forrester. Branded an adulteress, murderess, and whore, how did this apparently respectable woman find herself under sentence of death for killing her womanising, wealthy uncle.

Inspired by this fascinating, real life case, Kate Foster reimagines what might have led Lady Christian to throw off strict societal bonds to become involved with a man linked to her own family, and to become embroiled in the mystery of his murder within the grounds of his grand family seat, Corstorphine Castle. The story covers the period between October 1678 and November 1679, and unfurls through the narratives of Lady Christian and a character called Violet, a prostitute from one of Edinburgh's brothels - with flashbacks to Christian's childhood, and fascinating snippets of articles from the Caledonia Broadside newspaper reporting on the trial.

Foster weaves the stories of these two women together to create a compelling, page-turner of a novel about power, passion, and female rage, set against the vivid backdrop of 17th century Edinburgh. With jaw-dropping skill, she plays off Christian (the entitled wealthy woman trapped in a loveless marriage and tempted into an ill-judged affair with her manipulative uncle), and Violet (the latest in a long line of Forrester's mistresses installed in the castle's turret) against each other in a contest that it takes them a while to learn the rules of. 

Christian and Violet carry the story in equal measure, and Foster writes them many glorious shades of grey, comparing and contrasting their life experiences and motivations, and delving into the fateful consequences of their decisions. The shocking history of Forrester's scheming plans is gradually revealed, while Christian's trial plays out in the present, and Foster keeps the suspense going nicely about her version of the hows, whys and wherefores of what led up to events on the day the despicable man died, and what the eventual outcome of the trial will be. There is also a delicious little twist that binds the women together, I really did not see coming. 

Within this beautifully written novel, Foster explores a whole host of intriguing themes about money, social position, secrets, false narratives, complicity, and the choices women are forced to make in order to survive. She examines female desire and knowledge about sex in terms of class and gender in a most thought provoking way too. And I loved how she injects so much meaning into her title, The Maiden, making it about so much more than the looming instrument of execution that appears on the book's cover.

This is an impressive debut, well worthy of its place amongst the titles longlisted for this year's Women's Prize for Fiction, and an absolute must read if you enjoy novels that explore the hidden stories of women in history. I cannot wait to get started on her second novel, The King's Witches (publishing on 6th June)!

The Maiden is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, 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:

Kate Foster has been a national newspaper journalist for over twenty years. Growing up in Edinburgh, she became fascinated by its history and often uses it as inspiration for her stories. The Maiden won the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect 2020 prize for new writers. She lives in Edinburgh with her two children.

Escape To The Tuscan Vineyard (Holiday Romance Book Two) by Carrie Walker

 

Escape to The Tuscan Vineyard (Holiday Romance Book Two) by Carrie Walker.

Published 23rd May 2024 by Aria.

From the cover of the book:

Pack your bags and uncork the laughter in this delightful romantic escapade!

After getting her heart broken in her early twenties, Abi Mason vowed to live by a simple (but non-negotiable) rule: no second dates. Who needs a boyfriend, or anything else for that matter, when you have a career to think about?

But life has other plans: with some unexpected time on her hands, Abi finds herself on holiday in Tuscany. Among sun-dappled vineyards and olive groves, Abi meets dashing American Tony, and it seems the universe is conspiring to force her out of her comfort zone...

If Abi can break her own rules, could this unexpected Italian fling lead her to a happiness she never dared to dream of?

Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk, this effervescent tale will whisk you away on a hilarious and heartwarming adventure you won't want to end!

***********

Make-up artist Abi was only in her twenties when her happily ever after went awry. She is unwilling to let herself fall for another man, so sticks rigidly to her no-second-dates rule. A bit of fun... a one-night stand... that is all she needs. Who needs a boyfriend anyway, when she has ambitious career plans? 

But when her big break working behind the scenes of a big movie falls through, she decides it might be time for a holiday away from her busy routine, and it just so happens that her friend Holly has been begging her to come for a visit in intoxicating Italy. 

A holiday on a Tuscan vineyard is everything Abi was looking for - sunshine, scenery, and delicious food. She even hits it off with a handsome Italian-American stranger right away, throwing in some welcome spice too. What she does not expect is that Tony turns out to be the man who might just persuade her to break her rigid dating rules. Is it time to open her heart to love once more...?

Carrie Walker carries you off to beautiful Tuscany for a rom-com escape filled with Italian delights! As Abi allows herself to relax and enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of her adventure, Walker brings Italy alive with wonderful descriptions of landscape, culture, food and drink that will have you longing for a holiday on the hillside in San Gimignano.

But the real beauty of the story lies in the characters. Abi makes a great protagonist, and Walker writes nicely about the personal and professional sides of her life. There are really engaging storylines of romantic suspense with man-of-mystery Tony; a puzzle to be worked out around shenanigans on Abi's work front; compelling dramas at the vineyard, that can only be solved by a pulling together of the local community members who become Abi's friends; a fabulous 'revenge' twist in glamorous surroundings that will have you chuckling; and a full on, heart warming finale. Perfect!

It is a joy to be at Abi's side as she is finally able to confront her ghosts, remember who she used to be, and find a way to open her heart to the prospect of love once again over the course of her holiday, via the bumps in the road that are part of every good rom-com journey, of course. Walker touches with sensitivity on some deep subjects in the process too, especially when it comes to family, friendship, loss, and the dark side of the entertainment industry.

I consumed this little gem in one delectable bite, and thoroughly enjoyed my jaunt to gorgeous Tuscany. I cannot wait for my next holiday with Carrie Walker!

Escape to the Tuscan Vineyard is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

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

About the author:

Carrie Walker is a Brummie born rom-com lover with a lifelong passion for travel. She has lived in a ski resort, by a beach, in the country and the city, and travelled solo through Asia, South America and Europe. Her own love life was more com than rom until she met her husband a few years ago and settled down with him and her dog Ziggy in a small pub-filled village in Essex. Escape to the Swiss Chalet is her debut novel.