PAGE~TURNERS: October 2022

Sunday, October 30, 2022

THE GIRL WITH THE YELLOW STAR

MY THOUGHTS:

Cornwall, England 1943: Gwenna Devoran is working through her grief after her husband was killed. He was fighting in the Navy. She fills the hole in her heart by housing two Jewish refugees in her farmhouse. When a train arrives filled with Jewish passengers, Gwenna is immediately drawn to Lotti. She is ten years old and her mother died protecting Lotti. Lotti needs Gwenna’s help in order to survive what lies ahead.

Wow, this was such an amazing and captivating book. I was heartbroken by the storyline and found myself reaching for the Kleenex box so many times. This gripping story had me from the very first word on page one until the very last. I was inspired by Lotti and what she endured in such uncertain times. I was also inspired by Gwenna, and so many like her, that risked everything they had to save so many innocent children. What a heart-stopping and emotional story that broke my heart over, and over again. I devoured this book in one sitting because I was breathless, waiting to see what happened next. I was fascinated and amazed at the flip of every page. This absolutely intense story is a must read. I loved it.

Thank you Natalie Meg Evans for such a wonderfully written story. I enjoyed it very much, it was truly inspiring, and I highly recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

THE GIRL WITH THE YELLOW STAR
Author: Natalie Meg Evans
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: October 28, 2022
Pages: 451
Buy on Amazon

“We have to wear the yellow star! It’s the rules!” the little girl sobs. But her mother presses a desperate finger to her mouth. “Darling, today is different. We are going to leave our stars behind and go on a long journey. We must be very, very quiet, and pray nobody finds us until we are safe in England…”

Cornwall, England, 1943. When her husband is killed fighting in the Navy, grief-stricken Gwenna Devoran tries to fill the void in her life by offering shelter to two Jewish refugees in her farmhouse high on the Cornish cliffs. But at the train station, ten-year-old Lotti is waiting all alone in her neat red coat.

Lotti’s mother died protecting her on the journey. Now Gwenna is all this little girl has. Traumatised Lotti won’t speak a word: and when an order comes for German prisoners-of-war to work the farm she’s in more danger than ever. What will happen if the Germans find out Lotti is Jewish?

When Gwenna overhears Lotti chattering happily to German captain Max Reiner, showing him her teddy bear, her heart stops. Shocked to hear Lotti finally speak, Gwenna is terrified for the little girl she’s grown to love. But perhaps she can she trust the kindness in this German officer’s gentle voice and bright blue eyes…

As Lotti heals a little more each day, Gwenna risks everything to spend more time with Max, certain he doesn’t believe in the Nazi cause. But then a rumour starts in the village: Max himself fired the torpedo that killed Gwenna’s husband.

Devastated, Gwenna’s heart is torn between loyalty to her country, the memory of her husband, and love for the little girl she secretly hopes could become her own. With Max desperate to prove his innocence, does she dare to trust him? And should she fight for the three of them to become a family – or will the war tear them all apart?

ABOUT NATALIE MEG EVANS

Natalie Meg Evans has been an art student, actor, PR copywriter, book-keeper and bar tender but always wanted to write. A USA Today best-seller and RITA nominee, she is author of four published novels which follow the fortunes of strong-minded women during the 1930s and 40s. Fashion, manners and art are the glass through which her characters’ lives are viewed. Each novel is laced with passion, romance and desire. Mystery is never far away.

An avid absorber of history – for her sixth birthday she got a toy Arthurian castle with plastic knights – Natalie views historical fiction as theatre for the imagination. Her novels delve behind the scenes of a prestige industry: high fashion, millinery, theatre, wine making. Rich arenas for love and conflict. Most at home in the English countryside, Natalie lives in rural Suffolk. She has one son.

Thursday, October 27, 2022

UNDER A BRIGHTER SKY

MY THOUGHTS:

World War II rages on across Europe and many Jewish families escaped Nazi occupied France. They fled to Switzerland. Valérie Hallez has hidden Pierre and his young son in the attic of her mother's bookshop. Valérie is a young Resistance fighter, she will do everything she can to protect the Jewish people from the Nazi’s. Pierre believes his wife and daughter have been captured. But Pierre and his son can’t continue to hide out in the attic, they need to get as far as they possibly can into Switzerland before they are found out. Valérie has her own problems being part of the Resistance. The Germans have listed her as a Resistance fighter and she knows that if they find her they will certainly kill her. She can’t let the fear of capture stop her, she has a mission to carry out and she must succeed.

I was extremely captivated by this book. This heartbreaking story about a courageous woman who risks her life for the broken families of war was phenomenal. I was so emotional about this unputdownable read and it will remain with me for a long while. I completely devoured it. This rapid read had me so emotional that I didn’t know which way to turn. Keep the Kleenex nearby because you will surely need them. I found the characters to be so well liked that I felt emotionally vested in them and their lives. This is the second book in the series The Resistance Girl but can be read as a stand-alone. I love this series and I highly recommend it. Please don’t pass this one up. It is without a doubt a must read. I wish I could rate ten stars.

Thank you Dianne Haley for such a phenomenal and inspiring story. This is one that will remain in my heart for years to come. I thoroughly enjoyed your book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

UNDER A BRIGHTER SKY

Author: Dianne Haley
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: October 24, 2022
Pages: 284

Buy on Amazon

1943, Nazi-occupied France. Clinging to her little girl’s hand, a young woman runs through the forest and stumbles in the dark. Behind her there are angry shouts in German and shots ringing through the pine trees. Her heart in her mouth, she prays desperately that her husband and son are safe, and that they will see each other again…

As the mountains come alive with bright alpine flowers, Jewish families flee into Switzerland from Nazi-occupied France. Young Resistance fighter Valérie Hallez has hidden Pierre and his little son in the dusty attic of her mother’s bookshop. At night, by flickering candlelight, Pierre tells Valérie of his fear that his precious wife and daughter have been captured. And as they both look to more hopeful days ahead, Valérie writes letters to her soldier fiancé Philippe, dreaming of the day when they can be safely reunited.

With the police going door to door hunting refugees, Pierre and his son must go further into Switzerland before they are caught. But Pierre will not leave without his wife and daughter, and nobody in the Resistance knows what has happened to them. Desperate to reunite the family, Valérie puts herself in more and more danger. But when Philippe discovers that the Germans have her listed as a key Resistance fighter, he begs her not to go back to the border. If she does, he might never see her again.

Valérie knows the Nazis will kill her if they find her, but she cannot bear to abandon the mother and child. Breaking her promise to Philippe, she crosses over into France to look for them. But one of Valérie’s friends in the Resistance is betraying secrets to the Nazis, and her life is in terrible danger. When Philippe hurries to save her life, will they both survive? And will Valérie’s efforts to reunite the family be in vain?

ABOUT DIANNE HALEY

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

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

Monday, October 24, 2022

CHRISTMAS IN PARIS

MY THOUGHTS:

Brooke seems to have survived the horrible heartbreak after her boyfriend dumped her. What she needs is a Christmas escape and there is no better place than Paris. The snow is falling beautifully on the romantic city of love, but she is determined to not fall in love. But when Brooke meets Armand with his amazing smile, she gets butterflies when he looks at her. The more time they spend together at romantic dinners and kisses at the top of the Eiffel Tower, she can’t control her heart. When Armand begins keeping things from Brooke, and lying to her, she can’t help but think that her second chance may just be another mistake. However, the spirit of Christmas may be exactly what she needs.

Oh my goodness this story of heartbreak, and second chances was absolutely perfect. I adored the detailed description of Paris in the winter Christmas season. I could almost feel the snow falling on my face as I looked up at the Eiffel Tower. The Christmas lights with romance in the air was perfect. The hustle and bustle of the season was so heartwarming. Each café was filled with love and laughter of the people enjoying their time together. This quick read had an amazing flow to the story and my heart went out to Brooke as she tried to find her place in life. The ending was perfect and I love that the author put the sport of Christmas joy right into my hands. I read this story in one sitting and I highly recommend this charming and festive read.

Thank you Tilly Tennent for such a wonderful, cozy Christmas romance. This lovely little story was so delightful and I thoroughly enjoyed your book. This is a definite must read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

CHRISTMAS IN PARIS

Author: Tilly Tennant

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: October 21, 2022

Pages: 413

Buy on Amazon

As the snow flutters down on the Eiffel Tower and fairy lights sparkle on the pavement cafés of Paris, meet the girl determined not to fall in love in the most romantic city in the world…

When Brooke arrives in Paris at Christmas, it feels like the perfect place to escape her heartbreak after being dumped by her long-term boyfriend. And while her head might be turned by the romance of couples strolling arm in arm along the riverbank, and the air scented with chocolat chaud, her heart remains firmly under lock and key – this trip is going to be about her.

But when a chance encounter leads Brooke to green-eyed Armand with his dark wavy hair and warm smile, she is annoyed to feel her heart skip a beat… And when he opens his heart to her in a candlelit restaurant and kisses her at the top of the Eiffel Tower, she throws caution to the wind. Armand isn’t her ex – and doesn’t she deserve a second chance at love?

But when Armand begins to blow hot and cold, she wonders if she has been taken for a fool. Why does he lie about where he has been? Who is the mysterious tall blonde French woman who always seems to be watching Brooke? And when Armand leaves Paris without warning as Christmas Eve approaches, will Brooke be able to find out what he is hiding? Brooke will need the courage to leave her own past behind if she is to find magic this Christmas…

ABOUT TILLY TENNANT

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop assistant, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and hasn’t stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor and part-time lecturer.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her fifteenth Tilly Tennant novel. Christmas bestseller A Very Vintage Christmas has just been made into a movie for Lifetime Channel.

Tilly also writes young adult fiction as Sharon Sant.

Sunday, October 23, 2022

THE LOST LETTERS OF IRELAND

MY THOUGHTS:

Edwina needs a second chance, a new beginning. After her last breakup she knows that she has to make a major change in her life. She hears about a cottage that is for sale in the tiny village of Sandy Cove. She can’t help but feel as if it’s the new beginning and fresh start she longs for. She uses all of her savings to buy the cottage, which is in need of a lot of fixing. Edwina is walking along the white sandy beach and finds an old bottle that washed up on shore. Inside there was a message that was written about twenty years ago. She reads the heartbreaking story in the bottle and makes it her new ambition to find the person who wrote the letter.

I thoroughly enjoyed the continuation of this amazing series. It was nice to reconnect with the people of Sandy Cove. I love the escape to the Irish coast and returning to the quaint little village. I felt like I was back with family and friends. This heartwarming story of redemption and romance in Sandy Cove was absolutely delightful. I loved reuniting with the characters from the previous books in the series. The author did a fantastic job of tying up the ending just beautifully. This book was captivating from the beginning and had the perfect amount of romance and humor. I love second chance stories and this one did not disappoint. I highly recommend this charming read.

Thank you Susanne O’Leary for such a wonderful, brilliant and completely delightful story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

THE LOST LETTERS OF IRELAND
Author: Susanne O’Leary
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: October 20, 2022
Pages: 284
Buy on Amazon

A totally captivating story about long-lost family secrets and new beginnings, that will whisk you away to the village of Sandy Cove on the gorgeous Irish coast.

Heartbroken and feeling lost after the end of her last relationship, Edwina is looking for a fresh start. And when she hears that a coastguard cottage in the tiny village of Sandy Cove is for sale, she knows it could be her chance. She remembers the village from her childhood with its beautiful sandy white beaches, and wonders if using her life savings to buy the cottage might give her a new beginning in the Irish town beside the sea.

Not long after she arrives, Edwina discovers a message in a bottle during one of her walks along the coast. Written twenty years ago and washed ashore at Wild Rose Bay, it tells the story of a desperate young man, driven to despair after a terrible accident that left him separated from his true love. Touched by his heartbreaking letter, and haunted by its contents, Edwina resolves to find the person who wrote it.

As she begins her search, Edwina meets Shane O’Flaherty, a charming local doctor with green eyes, with whom she feels an instant connection. As the pair walk the cobbled streets of the village together, Edwina’s feelings grow stronger, and she begins to wonder whether Sandy Cove might be the place she can finally call home…

But when she uncovers the identity of the person who wrote the letter all those years ago, everything Edwina thought she knew about Shane changes in an instant. Has she unearthed a secret that should never have come to light? And will it force her to leave the place where she thought she had finally found happiness?

ABOUT SUSANNE O’LEARY

Susanne O’Leary is the bestselling author of more than twenty novels, mainly in the romantic fiction genre. She has also written three crime novels and two in the historical fiction genre. She has been the wife of a diplomat (still is), a fitness teacher and a translator. She now writes full-time from either of two locations, a ramshackle house in County Tipperary, Ireland or a little cottage overlooking the Atlantic in Dingle, County Kerry. When she is not scaling the mountains of said counties, or keeping fit in the local gym, she keeps writing, producing a book every six months.

Thursday, October 20, 2022

MURDER ON BOARD

MY THOUGHTS:

Kitty Underhay is looking forward to catering a birthday party for the Chief Constable’s daughter. She is celebrating her 21st birthday on a luxury paddle steamer. But when Kitty discovers that the man that her fiancé had been tailing, Gunther Freiburg, is found dead on the floor of the engine room, she knows the celebrations are over. She also knows that one of the party guests is responsible for Gunther’s death, and she must find out who killed him and why. As the birthday festivities continue with the candles on the cake, a diamond necklace is stolen right off the birthday girl’s neck. Mayhem on the steamer is in full swing and Kitty must solve the murder and catch a thief before the ship docks.

This wonderful whodunnit was so much fun. I love a great cozy mystery and the Kitty Underhay series never disappoints. The characters are always fun, and the super sleuthing is so entertaining. This story kept me guessing to the very end, and I was completely surprised by the ending. Mystery, romance and suspense, perfectly unfold within the pages. This fabulous series is a definite must read for all cozy mystery fans. This story can be read as a stand-alone, however I recommend the series in its entirety. Filled with wonderful characters and charming settings, this story is a favorite and I definitely recommend it.

Thank you Helena Dixon for such a wonderful and completely delightful mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

MURDER ON BOARD

Author: Helena Dixon

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: October 19, 2022

Pages: 284

Buy on Amazon

Kitty Underhay is drowning… in murder.

Kitty Underhay hopes for plain sailing as she caters a 21st birthday party for the Chief Constable’s daughter aboard a luxury paddle steamer. So her heart sinks when she learns that the man her fiancé Matthew has been tailing on orders from Whitehall, Gunther Freiburg, is aboard. And she’s even more horrified when she steps below deck to discover Gunther, dead in the engine room. One of the Chief Constable’s party must be responsible for his demise, but who, and why?

And the evening is on course for further disaster. As the lights go out around the candlelit cake, a terrible scream rings out over the merry hubbub. A priceless diamond necklace has been snatched from around the birthday girl’s neck… Something fishy is going on, but is this the work of the same sailing assassin, or is it a red herring?

With the local inspector in deep water having to investigate his own boss, Kitty and Matt dive in to help. But when Kitty’s eavesdropping puts her in mortal danger, will everything turn out shipshape, or will it be her turn to go swimming with the fishes…?

ABOUT HELENA DIXON

Nell Dixon was born and continues to live in the Black Country. Married to the same man for over thirty-five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, a crazy cockapoo and a tank of tropical fish. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. Her addictions of choice are coffee and reality TV. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 with her book Marrying Max, and winner of Love Story of the Year 2010 with her book, Animal Instincts. She also writes historical 1930’s set cozy crime as Helena Dixon.

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

THE WOMAN OUTSIDE THE WALLS

MY THOUGHTS:

Hamburg, 1942 Anna is seventeen years old and is hiding her pregnancy from her parents. The father of her unborn child is dead and Anna is putting her baby up for adoption. She has convinced herself that it’s the best thing to do for her baby, herself and her family. But when her son is taken from her immediately after he is born, she is devastated. Now Anna is living in London, she is ninety years old and she has held the secret of her past for her entire life. She is ready to free herself from the pain of her decisions, but will her truth set her free or continue to consume her until her last breath?

This heartbreaking story was so emotional. I was completely taken back by the unexpected storyline. World War II, like every other war, forced people into decisions that scared them for their entire life. So much brokenness and lost lives, not just the physical loss of life, but the emotional loss that people experienced. This gripping story of loss and redemption was one that will hold your attention to the very end. The descriptive storyline will make you feel as if you are right there among the characters. My heart goes out to Anna and the tough decisions she was forced to make, all alone and at such a young age. This well written story was a rapid read that I highly recommend.

Thank you Suzanne Goldring for such a wonderful and moving story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

THE WOMAN OUTSIDE THE WALLS
Author: Suzanne Goldring
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: October 18, 2022
Pages: 370
Buy on Amazon

I always knew it would come out one day. They are finding everyone who has stayed hidden. They would have come to me in the end.

Hamburg, 1942 Seventeen-year-old Anna knows she can never tell her proud parents the truth about where she is going. She must hide the fact that she is pregnant, that the father of her unborn child is dead and that she is on her way to a special maternity home, where her baby will be given to a perfect family. She tells herself that this is the best solution. She doesn’t expect to feel the rush of love for her beautiful baby boy in the white blanket, or the devastation when he is snatched from her, never to be seen again.

Desperate to forget her grief, she sees an advert for a secretary in a prison, far away in the east. Days later, she leaves Hamburg, travelling eastwards by train, feeling as if a whole new life is about to begin. It is the biggest mistake she will ever make.

London, 2016 Ninety-year-old Anna sits on the edge of her bed, hands trembling, eyes brimming with tears, as she looks at the picture of the soldier in the newspaper. Her friends and neighbours know her as a kindly old lady who bakes cakes and always has time to listen to their troubles. They don’t know about the hated green uniform she burned, the memories of the prisoners she tried to help and the bombed and blackened city she once called home. But now the time for a reckoning has come, will revealing the truth free Anna or destroy her?

ABOUT SUZANNE GOLDRING

Following an eventful career as a public relations consultant, specialising in business and travel, Suzanne Goldring turned to writing the kind of novels she likes to read, about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. Whether she is working in her thatched cottage in Hampshire or her seaside home in North Cornwall, Suzanne finds inspiration in the secrets hidden by everyday life.