NetGalley Reviewer nix21230

Part of a series, but can be read standalone.  War time London and the three librarians Cordelia, Mavis, and Jane take to the streets to protest against their living conditions, standing up together against dirty landlords, rent increases and horrible living conditions.  The librarians also take books to the people, run treasure hunts within the library and provide hope to the local community. Cordelia enjoys life, but is split as to how far to take it with one of the American GIs. A bit of dancing, isn't wrong, is it? This story, is another great example of how history can come to life, be more real and provide us all with a better understanding of the struggles, perseverance and community present during the war in London.  A Better Tomorrow for the East End Library Girls by Patricia McBride will be published on 4 December 2024. #ABetterTomorrowfortheEastEndLibraryGirls #NetGalley

This is the third book in about Port Berry and I read it cold, without having read the previous two. As such it felt like I was missing some of the backstory, like I was a visitor looking in without knowing the history of the many characters that fleeted through the pages of the book. Will has returned to Port Berry to find his family and hopefully learn about his past. The warmth comes through the pages. He is also roped in by the local welcome committee and is quickly made to be part of the community.  Ginny runs the local cafe and also looks after her very unappreciative mother when she gets a chance; their relationship is pure toxicity. When Will and Ginny meet for the first time sparks fly. Different types of sparks fly later on, when Ginny finds out that Will is "stealing" her dream. With some adult level communication, much of the angst could have been avoided, and this would have been a pure, cosy, happy winter story. Winter Magic In Port Berry by K.T. Dady is releasi...

After a tragic accident which claims the life of her daughter Amanda and son-in-law, Lily is left to care for Emma, her young granddaughter.   Lily is determined to give Emma the best possible life that she can. Part of this includes to fulfil the dream Amanda had of opening a quilt shop. She had already bought the house for the shop but it requires A LOT of work.  With the mantra of " Don’t think about the end. Just tackle one thing at a time " Lily is slowly achieving the dream with support of her quilting group and the community.   Through love, hard work, perseverance, and the therapeutic act of quilting, Lily and Emma gradually heal their wounds and find hope for the future.

Kitty's back!!! If you haven't yet read "How to kill men and get away with it", you really ought to do it before starting this book! My summary of "How to kill..." was:  "Kitty Collins. Influencer. Meat princesses. Killer."  There is less influencer and less meat processing, and she's done really well not killing off any men lately. But, then there's Blaze Bundy, an anonymous influencer spreading misogyny online (inspired perhaps by A. Tate?), and her urge to kill is back... As Cassie, Kitty's friend, said: ‘Men like that think “no” is a negotiation,’ [...] ‘And if that doesn’t work, they just take what they want anyway.’ Serious topics wrapped up on a hilariously entertaining package, a distant but unexpectedly helpful mum, wrong sounding right, and supporting violence to ensure calm and safety. It shouldn't feel this good to want the bad... Huge THANK YOU to NetGalley and HQ Digital for allowing me to review an eARC of this book. ...

Dark Secrets on Dressmakers' Alley is the latest instalment in the gritty, historical saga series set in London's East End in 1924.  It builds on the first book in the series "Dangerous Times on Dressmakers' Alley" with many of the characters returning and coming further to life.  The girls are enjoying their work at Miss Susie's, the dressmaker's run by a former maid. Recently there has been a series of women being attached and robbed, even in broad daylight.  The Police seem too busy (and somewhat incompetent) so the men of the Dressmakers' Alley create a rota to keep an eye on the area and to keep their wives, girlfriends and sisters safe. The story felt a bit darker than the previous one, and some of the novelty from the first book was now just part of the back story (a Lady designing dresses, a former maid running a business, the Women's Movement, etc).    Dark Secrets on Dressmakers Alley by Rosie Clarke is available on 29 October 2024.

Madeline has fought poverty, worked her way up in life and is very close to having her 'dream life'. She has now been given the opportunity to move to the States and pursue her dream job. To do this, she needs to leave everything behind - something she's more than happy to do, until her family suddenly needs her.  Will she chose herself or her family? Her old life or a new?  Will we judge her? Most certainly. Will we want to be like her? Also, most certainly. Would we have chosen the same as her? Then? Now? The moral dilemmas posed in the story are astronomical - but perhaps would have been less so if Madelaine had been male? Thought provoking and increasingly emotional as more of the past is revealed.  Quotes from the ARC (so may not be in the final version): [...] how she had been the girl who wanted more, while he [...] only wanted enough ‘Don’t you want more?’ [...] ‘I think’ – he paused – ‘that I don’t want more necessarily. I only want enough, and I know that enough...

Family Affairs at Orchard Cottage Hospital by Lizzie Lane, is the second instalment in the Orchard Cottage Hospital historical saga series. It is set in rural Somerset, England, in 1931. I had not read the previous book, and despite some gaps in the back story it was a very enjoyable and captivating read.  Doctor Frances Brakespeare continues to settle into her new life, but continues to face both professional and personal challenges. Not everyone is happy with her "progressive" outlook on medicine and giving women a choice when it comes to their bodies. Her relationship with Reverend Gregory Sampson is going from strength to strength with hime providing comfort and support when everything piles up, including her past. As Frances unravels her family's past, she confronts the consequences of hidden truths and the importance of forgiveness. Family Affairs at Orchard Cottage Hospital is an engaging story that explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of human con...

A Lady's Lesson in Scandal by Darcy McGuire is the second book in the "The Queen's Deadly Damsels" series. Set in Regency England, the novel follows the adventures of Millicent Whittenburg, a spy in training for the Queen. Lady Phillipa has very recently started training Millie, to be part of her secret cadre of undercover agents, all working on the orders from the Queen herself. Millie is just hours away from being forced to marry a man the same age as her father - all instigated by her power hungry, horrible step-mother Patricia. Together with Lady Phillipa, a plan is put in place, but it doesn't seem like it'll go as expected.. Major General Beaufort Drake is way more decent than they expected. A Lady's Lesson in Scandal is another fab story and I'm guessing there'll be at least one more instalment to come. Highly recommended. Pub Date:12 Oct 2024 Previous book: The Secret Life of a Lady - link to my review #ALadysLessoninScandal #NetGalley

The Party Line is another fantastic book by the writing machine that is Carolyn Brown - she's got over 130 published books so far! First things first, the party line has nothing to do with politics, but all to do with the old fashioned telephone exchanges where a real person operator would connect you to the person you wanted to speak with. Small towns have their secrets, and Aunt Grace was supposedly the keeper of a very bid one. In this warm and feel good story we get a bit of mystery, small town gossip, admiration and romance. All nicely mixed up to create an enjoyable story. Aunt Grace has recently passed away leaving everything to Lila, the niece she treated like her own granddaughter. The neighbour, Jasper, was Grace's oldest friend and he was always like a grandfather to Lila, and he's providing great support to Lila as she deals with the loss of her aunt. Connor is another person who brings depth and extra meaning to the story.  Highly recommended. Other books by Ca...

Harper Ford is back with her no-nonsense, straight to the point writing, It's another hoot of a book!! Sending THAT email to everyone within the company.... go Heidi, go!!! Unfortunately for Heidi, it means she now has to lead a support group for menopausal women at her workplace, when she rather just stays in the background and gets on with her stuff in between hot flushes, memory loss, anger and tiredness...  It turns out that the group is not as bad as Heidi feared and they quickly build trust and share stories of their struggles during this natural part of all women's lives. The group also helps Heidi to take charge of her own life and symptoms, and to seek the professional help she needs; to try different things until she finds something that works for her.  Admittedly, it is a work of fiction, but there are lots of relatable events in this book for anyone experiencing peri-menopause or menopaus - it's good to know that we're not alone! The quote below if from one ...

Travel writing and historical events are blended together in this beautiful and inspiring story told over two timelines.  1927. Violet is a student at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women and she clearly an early journaller, writing down her thoughts on life as well as documenting her work at the school. Once she realises she's pregnant and not yet married, she decides to escape the school before it's too late. She embarks on an epic journey to Nepal to be with the father of the child, a fellow student from the gardening school (the male part of it...).  2020. Daisy has come across Violet's journals and when she finds herself divorced and the children have flown the nest, she decides to follow her dream of retracing the footsteps of her great-great-aunt Violet. I normally dislike Covid being part of fiction books, but in this one, Fiona Valpy has skilfully used it to strengthen the story, to make it more believable.  Lovely feel-good story with botanics thrown in a...

This is a fab story about overcoming societal expectations, slowly believing in yourself, going for it, and finding success and love.  Mrs Eisenberg is definitely a force to be reckoned with and freely shares her life wisdom with young Toni.  Life lessons from Mrs Eisenberg: We often overestimate how much we can accomplish in a day but underestimate how much we can achieve in a year. it never occurs to rich people that they might actually lose at something. When you’re poor, the opposite is true: it never occurs to you that you may win. Stand up straight and own your answer when speaking, because if you don’t believe in you, no one else will either. Have the courage to live a big life even without a safety net. And a final one: I didn’t want you to need me. I need you to want me. I loved how this story provided romance, business, and life lessons all beautifully mixed together. PS. Don't skip over the Foreword as there are some gems there too!

This is the third book in the series, and it should really be read after the previous two. The idea behind the Mercury Travel Club is fab - themed trips with like-minded people. The latest idea - a treasure trail around Scotland sounds like a success! Angie is building her relationship with Micheal, but will her terrible communication skills ruin it before it has really started? Charlie has his dream wedding, and the travel agency a new possible opportunity. Patty is back on dry land and getting more and more involved in the travel agency.  Interesting characters, a few laughs and a dodgy competitor. Less travel, more every day life.  #TheHighLife

This is an amazing, engaging and funny historical novel! Miss Hannah Simmons is doing her best to blend in, to not be noticed, she dresses is muted grey and brown colours and rarely speaks.  Operating in plain sight has become her best disguise, until Duke Robert Killian takes notice of her. They are both tasked with secret missions - one working for the queen and the other one for the prime minister. What can possibly go wrong?  Highly recommended! The second book in the series, "A Lady's Lesson in Scandal" is currently scheduled to be released on October 2024.

Soraya M. Lane is a master at making history come alive. The Berlin Sisters is another proof of her amazing story telling and research skills. As with all her novels this one is inspired by real-life events. I especially like how she shows that not all Germans were blinded by the Hitler campaign.  Ava is doing her duty and working for Joseph Goebbels alongside her father, a high-ranking official. Her sister Hanna is working as a nurse risker her own life to save others.  It comes as a chock to Ava to find out that her family is betraying the country by hiding jews in their own home and smuggling others to safety. She has early on been told that they are not supposed to question the Führer, and that they must follow the rules. Learning about her family's actions she's confused, as she feels she's done something wrong, when all she's ever done is try to be the perfect German girl, just as she was told to be! Thought provoking, heartfelt and hopeful, this story sheds light...

Entertaining, heartwarming and inspirational. Following some amazing travelling in her early retirement, the now recently widowed Maggie is feeling a little lost and unclear what she should do with her time.  Enjoying an evening out with her daughter Hannah, at an old favourite place, all doesn't seem to be as she remembered it. It turns our the owners have returned to India and their son has taken over. However he is a tech geek and not a trained chef... Maggie realises that the kitchen is struggling and jumps in to rescue the evening.  Afterwards she's full of positive energy and she's taking charge trying to help the restaurant to survive - and to get back her own purpose in life. Full of inspiration, hope, community spirit and an annoying baddie... The Unretirement by Penny Mirren is currently set to be published 23 May 2024. #TheUnretirement #NetGalley

Dangerous Times on Dressmakers' Alley is the first book in a new series and it's an amazing starter!!! Set in London's East End in 1923, we are treated to a captivating, strong storyline with great characters (especially Winnie Lady Diane and Susie) whilst at the same time learning about history in a very enjoyable and believable way. I am looking forward to the future books in the series.  Dangerous Times on Dressmakers' Alley by Rosie Clarke is currently scheduled to be published on 5 April 2024. #DangerousTimesonDressmakersAlley #NetGalley

Having thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Ryan's previous book, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle I was thrilled to get my hand on The Underground Library - from sewing to books, two of my favourite things! In this story we follow three strong women, all finding purpose and solace in the library.  When the library in Bethnal Green in London is hit by the bombs during the second world war, they are threatened with closure, but the deputy librarian Juliet and the other staff have other plans. They are determined to keep the library going, to provide a safe and welcoming place for the locals, helping them escape from the horrors of the nightly bombings.  With more and more people taking shelter in the underground station, Juliet and her team move as many books as they can there and the underground library is born providing a social place for everyone to meet. Based on various true event, with the freedom of a fiction writer, Jennifer Ryan has created another amazing story which drags you ...

What an absolutely amazing book! Catherine Ryan Hyde must have had great fun writing this one, sharing  her longterm interest in astrophotography (I LOVE the cover!) and her exceptional research skills (and possibly personal experience?). With Ru only being 13 years old and having lived a rather sheltered life where everyone focused on how "freakishly smart" she was, she had done very few things girls her age would have done - making friends, finding hobbies, etc. When she's sent off to collage she befriends Gabriel (17 years old), who just like her has trouble making friends. they develop a solid sibling-like bond. Gabriel doesn't seem bothered by her intelligence but instead focuses on being her support, on teaching her about "normal" life. To escape being forced to live with her Aunt, Ru convinces Gabriel that they should take off on a road trip. Together they try to tick off as many items as possible from Ru's bucket list, including to see the Aureli...

Cass has agreed to help her father out by taking on a photography project in the Caribbean Island of Dominica -- the 'simple' mission is to to use an old, hand-drawn map to find a rare stone carving, and to take photos of it. The island has recently been hit be a severe hurricane, leaving destruction in its wake and Cass find herself part of the rescue mission. She creates close bonds with some of the other members of the rescue mission, including her father's contact Ranulph who she travelled to the island with.  In true "romance novel tactic" they both doubt that the other ones is interested and misunderstandings develop to later be resolved. Entertaining, uplifting story of finding courage and love, with the added benefit of getting to know Dominica and life there - and finding out Fforde's connection to the island. This title will be published on 15 February 2024. #IslandintheSun #NetGalley