THE AMERICAN WIFE’S SECRET

MY THOUGHTS:

Kitty Larsson spent many years as an undercover agent for the British and had seen so much life loss over the years.  When she is captured and her husband Edgar is missing she feels helpless.  She is told by the Nazis that they will surely kill him if she does not cooperate and do exactly as they say.  Kitty doesn’t trust the Nazis at all, is Edgar still alive, or are they using her to get what they want?  She knows in her heart that she cannot give up and she must hold on to the hope of knowing that one day she will see Edgar once again.

The American Wife’s Secret  written by author Chrystyna Lucy’s-Berger is a wonderful continuation to the series The Diplomat’s Wife.  This heartbreaking, outstanding story was unputdownable for me.  I couldn’t stop reading until I got to the very last page.  This story had my heart racing and my tears flowing.  I loved the character of Kitty so much, she was completely relatable.  The sacrifices that she and her husband Edgar made were devastating and I couldn’t imagine how difficult their decisions were.  I loved this series from start to finish.  This book can be read as a standalone, but my suggestion is to read the entire series.  I highly recommended this phenomenal story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Rating: 

DESCRIPTION:

THE AMERICAN WIFE’S SECRET

Author:  Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger 

Publisher: Bookouture 

Publication Date: October 20, 2023 

Pages: 375 

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Kitty held her husband close to her chest, covering his beloved body with her own. She called for help, but none came. She stared down at the face she loved so well. “Edgar! Don’t go, my darling, not now. Not after all we’ve been through… please don’t leave me here alone…”

1944. Beautiful American Kitty Larsson knows better than most that fighting the Nazis comes at a price. She’s spent years working undercover as an agent for the British and knows that doing what is right could cost her everything…

When Kitty is captured during a mission and her true identity is revealed, she learns her beloved husband, Edgar, has gone missing. The Gestapo tell her they have him, and that his life is in her hands. If she doesn’t cooperate, he will die and her worst fears will be realized. If they are telling the truth, Kitty’s secrets might be enough to save the man she loves… But what if they are lying?

Fueled by her desire to do what is right, but also to save the man she loves, Kitty knows that she won’t be able to rest until she can escape and find Edgar. Because surely, somewhere out there, he is still alive…

As the war rages, Kitty tries to think of a plan. Surely this isn’t where it all ends? She needs to know whether Edgar is safe, and to hold him in her arms once again. But, to do that, will Kitty finally have to make the ultimate sacrifice?

ABOUT CHRYSTYNA LUCYK-BERGER

Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger was born in Minnesota in 1969. A first-generation American of Ukrainian immigrants, she grew up in the culture-rich neighborhood of “Nordeast” Minneapolis. Inspired by her second-grade teacher, her writing career began with short stories, then morphed into travel narratives, and eventually novels. She has worked as a journalist and as a managing editor for a magazine publisher before jumping the editor’s desk and pursuing her dreams of writing and traveling. In 2000, she moved to western Austria and established her own communications training company. She has won several awards for her short stories and novels and now primarily writes historical fiction.

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THE SISTERS AT THE LAST HOUSE BEFORE THE SEA

MY THOUGHTS:

Isla has recently lost your beloved grandmother Jessie.  Isla cared for her grandmother when her sister Caitlin left Heaven’s Cove.  Isla is hoping to reconnect with Caitlin now that Jessie  is gone.  But when Caitlin decides she wants to sell the lovely little cottage that they spent their childhood in, Isla wants nothing to do with her.  When Jessie’s will is read Isla and Caitlin are surprised to receive envelopes with riddles inside.  They must solve the puzzles together as sisters.  When Isla meets Ben in the village they are immediately attracted to each other.  And with long walks on the beach Isla discovers that Ben was a relative of Jessie.  Was he there intentionally or was it fate that brought them together?

The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea by author Liz Eeles is a wonderful escape back to Heaven’s Cove.  Heaven’s Cove is one of my most favorite places to visit.  With its picturesque views of the sea and the amazing little village, I am always happy to return.  Eeles describes Heaven’s Cove perfectly and it makes me never want to leave.  This amazing story had the perfect plot twists at the perfect time.  When you least expect it and think you have it all figured out, the story changes.  This read in one sitting book is exactly the escape I needed.  This emotional and heartwarming book is an absolute must read that I highly recommend.  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

THE SISTERS AT THE LAST HOUSE BEFORE THE SEA

Author:  Liz Eeles

Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: October 19, 2023
Pages: 391 
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Sitting by the window with views of the shining sea, a white-haired woman seals an envelope with trembling hands and thinks of her grandchildren – two sisters who haven’t spoken for years. Will her final message bring them back together? 

Ever since her sister Caitlin left the village of Heaven’s Cove, Isla has cared for their beloved grandmother Jessie in her cosy red-brick cottage by the sea. Now, heartbroken after Jessie’s death, Isla hopes to bond again with her sister. Until Caitlin insists she wants to sell the cottage they spent their childhood in.

But their grandmother, who always had a twinkle in her eye, had other plans. At her will reading the sisters are handed an envelope containing a cryptic riddle in Jessie’s handwriting. Certain their grandmother, who loved puzzles and crosswords, wanted them to solve it together, Isla begs Caitlin for more time.

Then Isla meets tall, brooding Ben in the village, come from America seeking answers about his own family history. One of his ancestors was close to a relative of Jessie’s… did Jessie mean for them to meet?

As Ben and Isla walk together on the wild Devon beaches, they discover a heartbreaking generations-old story of a woman who chose her family over true love. But Isla and Caitlin are no closer to solving their grandmother’s riddle: and when Caitlin finally shares a shocking secret about her life back in London, selling their grandmother’s home seems the only way forward.

Without their grandmother to guide them, will the sisters ever rediscover the meaning of family? Or will Isla be forced to leave Ben, and Heaven’s Cove behind forever?

 ABOUT LIZ EELES

Liz began her writing career as a journalist and press officer before deciding that she’d rather have the freedom of making things up as a novelist. 

Being short-listed in the Corvus ‘Love at First Write’ competition and the Novelicious search for a new women’s fiction star gave Liz the push she needed to keep putting pen to paper …. and ‘Annie’s Holiday by the Sea’ (her first published novel) is the result. 

Liz lives on the South Coast with her family and, when she’s not writing, likes to spend time walking by the sea, and trying to meditate. Her ambition is to be serene one day …. she’s still got a long way to go.

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MEET ME AT CHRISTMAS

MY THOUGHTS:

Stella Fisher is working and living in London as a writer and researcher.  Her dad passed away and this is “the year of firsts” without him.  She returns home to Leipers Fork, Tennessee to help her mother navigate the first Christmas without her father. Stella isn’t looking forward to the trip home for many reasons.  One is the fact that her younger sister Lily eloped, and the last person she expected to see is Henry Dutton, the man she left behind. With his cold and stand-offish reception she is ready to turn around and head right back to London.  She soon realizes that the reason she is there is to help her mother, so, leaving in an instant may be what she wants to do but exactly what she cannot do.  She enjoys the holiday season with the snow falling ever so beautifully in her picturesque town.  The lights twinkling inside the homes and businesses and the buzz of the locals on the streets, maybe this is exactly the kind of Christmas she needed.  

Meet Me at Christmas by author Jenny Hale is the perfect Christmas story I have been waiting for all year.  Hale does it again, with a perfectly written story of making you feel like you just walked into Christmas.  At the turn of each page, all my senses were sent into overdrive.  With the sights, sounds, and feels of Christmas it made me want to start unpacking the decorations and put up the tree.   This story has all the feels from laughter, love, tears and of course the smell of fresh cookies.  I loved everything about this book, especially the detailed description of Leipers Fork, Tennessee. I am so ready for the Christmas season to begin and now that I read Jenny Hale’s new Christmas book the snow can start falling.  This unputdownable story played out like a warm and cozy movie in my mind.  This book would make a wonderful gift for yourself and all of your friends and family that love to read.  This is definitely going to be a repeat read for me.  I loved everything about this book and I highly recommend it. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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DESCRIPTION:

MEET ME AT CHRISTMAS
Author:  Jenny Hale
Publisher:  Harpeth Road Press
Publication Date: October 17, 2023
Pages: 271
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Traveling writer and researcher Stella Fisher is working in London when she's called home to her family’s farmhouse in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee to help her mother through the first Christmas without her father. Compounding the situation, her younger sister Lily has run off to get married without telling anyone.

When Stella arrives home, she doesn’t expect to find Henry Dutton, the man she’d left behind. As she could guess, after her heartbreaking exit so many years ago, he isn’t speaking to her. What she doesn’t realize, however, is there’s a much bigger reason to blame for his unfriendly reception. She quickly becomes the one person he believes can fix everything, but she isn’t sure about that. She thought she’d buried her past, yet the look in his alluring blue eyes brings it all right back to the surface.

Under the glitter of the holiday trees at the local lot called Christmas, Stella uncovers more than she’d ever imagined. Will she be able to return to her old life? Or will the unexpected be the biggest Christmas gift of all?

ABOUT JENNY HALE

Jenny Hale is a USA Today, Amazon, and international bestselling author of romantic contemporary fiction. Her books have sold worldwide, have been translated into multiple languages, and adapted for television. Her novels Coming Home for Christmas and Movie Guide Epiphany Award winner Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses are Hallmark Channel original movies. She was included in Oprah Magazine’s “19 Dreamy Summer Romances to Whisk You Away” and both Southern Living’s “30 Christmas Novels to Start Reading Now” as well as “Beach Reads Perfect for Summer 2020.” Her stories are chock-full of feel-good romance and overflowing with warm settings, great friends, and family. Jenny is at work on her next novel, delighted to be bringing even more heartwarming stories to her readers. When she isn’t writing, or heading up her romantic fiction imprint Harpeth Road, she can be found running around her hometown of Nashville with her husband, two boys, and their labradoodle, taking pictures—her favorite pastime.

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A SECRET FOR THE LIFEBOAT SISTERS

MY THOUGHTS:

Gaby Morrow loves her life at Port Promise Bay with the breathtaking turquoise sea lapping at the shore.  Living in Thistledown Cottage is exactly where she wants to be with her husband and two children.  But things soon change, her happy life and happy marriage is not as it appears.  Her husband Killian leaves for work on the lifeboats, or so he says.  Gaby wants to believe Killian but deep down inside she knows he is lying to her.  When Gaby receives the call she never wanted, she knows Killian’s rescue mission has gone terribly wrong.  Her sister’s help her through the most horrible time of her life, but how will her life be and is she strong enough to keep her family together? 

A Secret for the Lifeboat Sisters by author Tilly Tennant is the third installment in The Lifeboat Sisters Series.  I was so excited to return to beautiful Port Promise Bay. This amazing book is Gaby and Jillian’s story.  I was completely enthralled with this story from beginning to end.  This rapid read kept me totally engaged with the characters.  I felt connected to Gaby and what she had to go through.  The plot twist and turns kept me flipping pages at a rapid rate.  If you’re looking for a great escape to Port Promise Bay, and a story filled with unconditional love, this is the book to read.  This is a wonderful addition to this amazing series that can be enjoyed as a standalone.  I loved everything about this book and I highly recommend it.  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

DESCRIPTION:

A SECRET FOR THE LIFEBOAT SISTERS

Author:  Tilly Tennant 

Publisher: Bookouture 

Publication Date: October 12, 2023

Pages: 361 

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As the sun warms the sand of Port Promise Bay and the sea is stained turquoise, Gaby Morrow is about to discover that her life is going to change forever…

As she looks through the window of Thistledown Cottage, her perfect home with its flower-filled garden and views of the sparkling, white-tipped waves, Gaby Morrowshould feel like she has it all. She watches her two gorgeous children race down to the golden beach and waves goodbye to her husband Kilian, his chestnut hair tousled as he heads off for another day working on the lifeboats. To her friends and family Gaby’s life looks wonderful, but deep down Gaby knows that this is a lie.

Recently Kilian has grown distant, a terrible tragedy at sea causing him to withdraw. Try as she might, Gaby can’t get her beloved husband to open up, and she knows Kilian has been lying about where he has been going. Gaby wants to believe she can trust him. But when she discovers that he has been keeping a secret that will change all their lives, will she ever be able to feel the same again?

Gaby’s sisters rally round in her hour of need and remind her of everything she has that is worth fighting for. But just as she makes her decision, she sees helicopters circling the sea and the call she has dreaded her whole life comes in. Kilian’s rescue mission has gone wrong. Will Gaby’s life be turned upside down all over again? And has she only realised what is truly important when it’s too late?

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.

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THE ROYAL DAUGHTER

MY THOUGHTS:

Ella receives a box with a name written on it, and she believes that it is her grandmother’s name.  Inside is an old black and white photograph of a woman and a child and a piece of sheet music.  The photograph was taken in Greece on the beautiful island of Skopelos.  When Ella’s boyfriend, Gabriel convinces her to go to the Greek island to uncover the truth behind the photograph and tells her that he will wait for her to return. Ella finds out the heartbreaking story of Alexandra and how she and her father were forced to move to London.  But, the more time Ella spends in Greece the more she uncovers the horrible truth of what happened to her relatives so many years ago.  She also realizes how much she loves the island and wonders if she should return to London or if Greece is her new home.

The Royal Daughter written by author Soraya Lane is the third installment in The Lost Daughters Series. I absolutely love how this author can transport you from wherever you are to the beautiful Greek Isles.  The detailed description of the picturesque island of Skopelos makes me want to visit Greece.  I loved the dual timeline of this novel, it worked well and was never confusing.  I enjoyed all the characters of this novel and found myself feeling heartbroken for Ella.  I loved the unexpected ending. This is a wonderful addition to this amazing series that can be enjoyed as a standalone.  I loved everything about this book and I highly recommend it.  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

DESCRIPTION:

THE ROYAL DAUGHTER
Author:  Soraya Lane
Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: October 12, 2023 
Pages: 295 
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“My darling B, my heart, my soul. I only wish we’d had longer. Longer to search for the daughter that I should never have given up. The daughter that I should have been brave enough to keep, brave enough to tell you about, brave enough to tell the world about.”

London, present day.  As Ella looks down at a faded black and white photograph of an unknown woman and child alongside a yellowing piece of sheet music, she wonders how the two things can possibly relate to her own family. The items were left for her family at Hope’s House, a home for unmarried mothers whose babies were adopted.

Soon Ella learns that the photograph was taken on the picturesque Greek island of Skopelos, nestled in the turquoise calming waters of the Aegean sea, and that the woman in the photo holds the key to her family’s heritage. As she opens up to her new flame Gabriel, he tells her that she should go to the island to unravel the mystery and that he will wait for her.

Though Ella is torn she decides to go and once there, she discovers a heart-wrenching story of a royal family forced to leave their country for a new life in London, and of a girl with a unique talent for music who captured the heart of a young violinist but was forced to leave him and London behind for the sake of her family.

When Ella discovers the sacrifice made by the two young lovers and comes face to face with her forgotten Greek family, will their story give her the courage to follow her own heart back to London and Gabriel, or will the beauty of the island capture her heart and lead her to a new love altogether?

ABOUT SORAYA LANE

Soraya Lane graduated with a law degree before realising that law wasn't the career for her and that her future was in writing. She is the author of historical and contemporary women's fiction, including the #1 Kindle bestselling novels The Last Correspondent and The Secrets We Left Behind. 

Soraya lives on a small farm in her native New Zealand with her husband, their two young sons and a collection of four legged friends. When she's not writing, she loves to be outside playing make-believe with her children or snuggled up inside reading.

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THE GIRL FROM THE RESISTANCE

MY THOUGHTS:

It’s 1941 and the Nazi’s have moved in on Holland.  Trudi is helping her Jewish neighbors survive by hiding them in her home.  Rosy and Louisa witness their parents being taken away by the horrible soldiers, they stay hidden behind a bookcase in order to survive.  Trudi is only eighteen years old and living with her is their only hope, and Trudi’s only hope for survival is for her to join the resistance.  Frans and his cousin Piet risk their lives to help the Jewish children that have been left behind, a way out.  Trudi must find Frans and Piet and ask them to help Rosy and Louisa.  When the girls are offered a safe place to live, Trudi knows she must do everything she possibly can to move them to the safe house.  Her only option is to move them in the dead of night, and risk her life and the lives of Rosy and Louisa.

The Girl From the Resistance by author Imogen Matthews, is a heartbreaking true story that is sure to have you flying through the pages from cover to cover.  This amazingly suspenseful story is unputdownable and will definitely stay with you long after you finish the book.  My heart broke for the wonderful, believable characters.  I held my breath as my heart pounded faster and faster with every footstep they took in the dark night.  This is a definite must read for all historical fiction fans.  So happy to discover that this is the first book in a new series, looking forward to the next book. I highly recommend it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

DESCRIPTION:

THE GIRL FROM THE RESISTANCE

Author:  Imogen Matthews
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: October 10, 2023 
Pages: 293 
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1941, Nazi-occupied Holland. Trudi can hear the muffled sobs of two heartbroken little girls as they peer wide-eyed from their hiding place behind the bookcase. Rosy and Louisa’s parents have been dragged away by soldiers. Now Trudi is the only one who can keep them safe…

When Nazis break down the front door of eighteen-year-old Trudi’s home and seize the Jewish couple hiding in her attic, she’s devastated, and is suddenly solely responsible for their two innocent children. The whispered rumours about the resistance are her only hope. A man called Frans and his cousin Piet risk their lives every day, helping scared and abandoned Jewish children escape into the countryside. Under the cover of night she races to beg for their help.

When the girls are offered a safe house, Trudi is relieved. But with soldiers on every corner of the cobbled streets, getting there will be extremely dangerous… Trudi must dress up in a German nurse’s uniform and convince anyone who asks that she is transporting two children to hospital.

Trudi will have to give up everything to protect Rosy and Louisa. She will have to lie to her friends and family, and learn to fire a weapon that could take someone’s life. The only consolation is Piet’s dark eyes and handsome face as he stands beside her helping to plan her next steps.

But Trudi suspects someone close to her told the Nazis about the hiding place in the attic, and they’ll stop at nothing to make sure the girls do not escape…

ABOUT IMOGEN MATTHEWS

Imogen Matthews is an Oxford-based, award-winning author and journalist with an interest in forgotten stories from WW2 Holland. Imogen was born in Rijswijk, Holland, to a Dutch mother and English father who moved the family to England when Imogen was very young. All her life, she listened to her mother’s stories about her life in Holland, in particular the hardships she faced during the Hunger Winter in 1944-5, which has had a profound impact on her writing.

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