THE LITTLE IRISH FARM

MY THOUGHTS:

Jess is a journalist living in Dublin and enjoying life to the fullest.  Her mother continually sets her up on dates but Jess likes being single.  While working on her recent column she finds a vintage children’s book with a dedication to a little girl.  In the midst of research she finds herself at an old dilapidated farmhouse in an Irish village.  The owner of the old farmhouse is Owen, who is grumpy and mad at the world.  He wants nothing to do with her questions and refuses to answer them.  She can’t seem to figure him out and then he invites her to stay at the farm.  They soon become the talk of the village leaving Jess with a decision to make.  Does she stay at the farm and continue to search for answers or does she return to Dublin?

The Little Irish Farm, written by author Michelle Vernal is a wonderful story of following your dreams and never giving up.  I loved the amazing way that Vernal described the Irish village and the farm.  I felt transported to Ireland and feeling the warm sunshine on my face is exactly what I needed.  This wonderful tale hits all the feels and with the perfect amount of a toasty romance, I flew through the pages. I really enjoyed Jess’ story and Owen was extremely likeable as well.  They were a great combination and their chemistry was felt throughout the pages.  I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous story and I highly recommend it.

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DESCRIPTION:

THE LITTLE IRISH FARM
Author:  Michelle Vernal
Publisher:  Bookouture
Publication Date: August 28, 2024 
Pages: 369
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Jess Báre moved to the Emerald Isle to chase fairy tales. But when one takes her to an isolated farm in the clover-covered countryside, will she find the happy ending she’s been searching for? Or are some tales best left untold?

Pursuing her dream life in Ireland, twenty-something Dublin newspaper columnist Jess is now half a world away from her family and feeling pretty lonely. At least she has her childhood collection of antique fairy tales. But she longs to be out exploring all the old stories Ireland is famed for.

So when she finds a heart-breaking dedication to a little girl in a new addition to her collection, Jess knows that the story behind it would be perfect for her next column. And, when her research takes her to a tumbledown farmhouse in a tiny Irish village, she can barely contain her joy. The endless rolling hills surrounding the small cottage are just like the scenes in Jess’s favourite novels.

She even warms to the dark and brooding farmer hosting her, Owen. He may come off a little grumpy, but it doesn’t take long for Jess to be swept up by his dark eyes and quiet charms as they walk together across the fresh green fields of the farm. And Jess’s heart melts when she discovers he is hiding a tragic secret…

One wrapped up in the history of the farm, and very same little girl Jess is here to research. But, with the demands of her job calling her back to the home she hates, she must decide: does their story end here at the farm? Or could following her heart heal the wounds of a devastating past, and set her and Owen on the path to happily ever after?

ABOUT MICHELLE VERNAL

Michelle Vernal is a New Zealand author who writes stories that will take you onto the page with her characters and make you feel part of their lives. She writes with humour and warmth, and her readers describe her books as unputdownable, feel good and funny. Her writing has been likened to Maeve Binchy but with a modern-day vernacular. In 2015 she was shortlisted for the Love Stories Award. In 2020 she won the Reader's Favorite Gold Medal Award for Chick lit, and in 2021 was shortlisted for the Page Turner Book Awards.

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A PROMISE TO MY SISTER

MY THOUGHTS:

Hodaya is only twenty one and she and her family are shoved into cattle cars from their hometown of Bochina, Poland and headed to Auschwitz.  She clings to her parents for life while her little sister Bayla holds on tight to her.  Once they arrive at the horrible place of Auschwitz, Hodaya and Bayla are immediately separated from their parents.  Hodaya promises her sister that no matter what, no matter what the cost, she will always protect her and keep her safe.  When Alaric, a German soldier offers Hodaya food from his satchel, she wonders if she can trust him.  Bayla becomes ill and Hodaya feels as if she has failed her little sister.  Can they escape or is it too late?

A Promise to My Sister, written by author S.E. Rutledge is a phenomenal story of sacrifice for your family, determination to survive and never losing faith.  I was completely engrossed in this story from the very first page.  There wasn’t a page that was turned that didn’t leave a tear fall down my cheek.  I loved everything about this book from cover to cover.  It broke my heart but then put it back together again.  This unputdownable book is a favorite read on my list this year.  I am stunned that this is a debut book for this author.  Rutledge writes well beyond her years and the research and facts she wrote into her story is phenomenal.  This author is automatically on my auto buy list.  I look forward to reading many more stories from her.  Don’t pass up this wonderful book, but keep your Kleenex box close because you will need it for sure.  Definitely one of the best books I have ever read.  If I could give a ten star rating, it wouldn’t be enough. I highly recommend this book.

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DESCRIPTION:

A PROMISE TO MY SISTER
Author:  S.E. Rutledge
Publisher:  Bookouture
Publication Date: August 29, 2024 
Pages: 352
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Auschwitz, 1943. I cradle my little sister’s feverish body and weep silently in the darkness. “I love you,” I whisper, “Remember, tomorrow we’re free.” And I know in my heart that whatever it takes, I will find a way out of here—for me, and for my sister…

At the imposing iron gates of Auschwitz, twenty-one-year-old Hodaya clings to her mama and papa, her little sister Bayla’s arms around her waist. But when Hodaya is sent one way and her parents the other, a plea to keep her sister safe is the last thing in her mother’s eyes. Hodaya makes a silent promise in return.

But Auschwitz is no place for a little girl, and keeping Bayla safe takes every ounce of Hodaya’s strength. She hates watching the spark in her little sister’s eyes dull, and as she hands over her daily rations of watery soup and stale bread to keep Bayla fed, she feels herself weakening by the second. But she vows to find a way out, even if it means sacrificing the young woman she once was.

Admiring the bravery of other prisoners’ revolts and imagining a world in which she joins in, Hodaya battles between her determination to save Bayla and mounting despair. But in the end, it’s the most unlikely person who reminds her to dare to hope: Alaric, a German soldier. As desperate hunger closes in, Alaric draws a parcel of warm food from a satchel and offers it to Hodaya—his expression guarded, blue eyes troubled, but his hand steady.

But can Hodaya trust a stranger, particularly a German? And as sickness takes hold of Bayla, is it already too late to keep her promise to keep Bayla safe—or will the last ounce of hope in her heart lead to an escape from the darkest of places?

ABOUT S.E. RUTLEDGE

Savannah Rutledge was born and raised in Mariposa, California – a rural, historical town at the gateway of Yosemite, USA. Her passion lies in writing historical fiction featuring imperfect, complex characters, and exploring human nature and questions of morality. Even as a child, she was taken by the dream of telling stories and bringing her imagination to life through words and art.

When not immersed in a book or her writing, she enjoys the flute, beadwork, portrait drawing, and baking. She draws much of her inspiration from music and a longtime fascination with history.

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HER MISSING PIECES

MY THOUGHTS:

Sadie Brubaker is missing from her small Georgia town.  It’s been thirteen years and still she is now where to be found.  The young local Sheriff, Chase Blackburn, refused to give up when his investigation was going nowhere.  Others gave up and he never did, and thirteen years later the whole case still haunts him.   When Sadie shows up one afternoon back in that small Georgia town, she  has no memory of what happened.  Sadie and Sheriff Blackburn team-up to piece together her past and find the answers to all her questions.  

Her Missing Pieces, written by author Susan Sands is a phenomenal story of doing whatever it takes to discover your past.  This is an amazing story full of mystery, intrigue and the perfect amount of romance.  I loved all of the people in this wonderful book from Sadie to Sheriff Blackburn and the small town they live in.  This heartbreaking story will pull at your heartstrings for sure.  This awesome read hits all the feels and is so inspiring I read it in one sitting.  Sands is so talented at capturing the reader at the very first page and taking them through a roller coaster of a story.  She writes with such finesse that it makes her an auto buy author for me.   I love that this is the first installment of a new series.  I look forward to reading the next book.  Don’t pass up this wonderful book, I highly recommend it.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

DESCRIPTION:

HER MISSING PIECES
Author:  Susan Sands 
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Publication Date: August 27, 2024
Pages: 327
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Showing up from the dead is best done in person…

Thirteen years ago, teenager Sadie Brubaker disappeared from her small Georgia town without a trace. Sheriff Chase Blackburn was a young deputy who worked the case diligently, refusing to give up even when others did. Her disappearance haunts him still, making him question the town and his law enforcement skills. Then one afternoon, astonishingly, Sadie, still heart-breakingly beautiful, arrives with no memory and a suitcase full of questions.

When her mother dies, Sadie discovers her entire life is a lie. Her “mother” found her traumatized and injured at a bus stop—a teen with no memory and created an instant family. Sadie knew she had amnesia but never why, so she sets out for the town she doesn’t remember, determined to dig up the answers.

Sadie and the sheriff work together to solve the puzzle pieces of her life so she can understand who she was, decide who she wants to be, and if they can have a future together.

ABOUT SUSAN SANDS

A self-described late bloomer, Susan Sands began writing her first novel at age forty. She compares her challenging journey to publication as “raising another child—a difficult one.”

Susan has published five southern, contemporary women’s fiction novels set in Alabama. She describes her humorous small-town stories as fun, romantic, and filled with big family love. Susan also writes authentic place-as-a-character southern fiction with a humorous voice in addition to her Alabama series.

Susan has three grown children and lives with her dentist husband in Roswell, GA. She has a degree in elementary education, is a member of the Georgia Romance Writers, the Romance Writers of America, the Atlanta Writer’s Club,  Womens Fiction Writers of America (WFWA), and the Broadleaf Writers Association. She participates in book festivals, book clubs, and writer’s conferences around the South. Susan is the recipient of the 2017 Georgia Author of the Year award for romance.

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THE FORGOTTEN ITALIAN RESTAURANT

MY THOUGHTS:

Callie travels to Caccipulia, Italy with one purpose in mind, to find out everything she can about her beloved Grandmother. Holding tight to the restaurant menu in her hand, she knows there is much to be discovered. Callie sits in a café hanging onto the old menu that holds all the answers. When Callie meets Oliver, a local café owner they have an immediate connection and Callie thinks that Oliver holds the answers to all the questions she has. The more time they spend together, she discovers that during the war there was a family that fed Jewish people that were hiding in safe houses throughout the village. She knows in her heart that her grandmother was part of that family but she can she find the truth? The Forgotten Italian Restaurant, written by author Barbara Josselsohn is a phenomenal story of never giving up until you find the truth. This amazing time slip from present day to World War II, is an unforgettable treasure. Josselsohn is amazing at capturing the readers heart from the very first page and holding on to it until the last page is turned. The seemless transition between the past and the present made this an unputdownable novel. This wonderful story is definitely on my top 10 list for my 2023 reads. I highly recommend this ten star read. I loved it!

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

THE FORGOTTEN ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Author:  Barbara Josselsohn

Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: August 21, 2024
Pages: 308 
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Italy, 1943. The girl rushes down the winding streets, tucking the handwritten menu into the wicker basket and thinking only of the code hidden on the delicate paper. Will anyone forgive her for what she’s about to do to save the man she loves? 

Present day. Arriving in sun-drenched Caccipulia, Callie grips the faded restaurant menu in trembling hands. Found hidden in her family home, she is certain it will lead her to the truth about her grandmother’s life in Italy during World War Two. Why did her Nonna run away from this beautiful small town, never to return? Lost and alone in the world, could it help Callie understand who she is?

Local café owner Oliver’s dark brown eyes light up when he sees the menu. During the war, one brave family secretly fed desperate Jewish families hidden in safe houses through the village. Callie’s heart soars at the thought that her own dear grandmother was involved.

Diving into the town’s history during long walks down cobbled streets, Callie begins to feel at home under Oliver’s soft gaze. She wonders if she could build a life here with him. Until they push aside magenta flowers on a monument at the heart of the village, and uncover a secret that changes everything…

A grave mistake was made one dark night as the Nazis stalked the village, putting the whole town in terrible danger. When Callie finds out what her grandmother did, will it change the way Oliver feels about her? Will she stay and right the wrongs of the past, or be forced to leave Italy too, just like her Nonna?

ABOUT BARBARA JOSSELSOHN

Barbara Josselsohn is an award-winning writer who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. Her novels include The Bluebell Girls, The Lilac House, The Last Dreamer, and her newest release, The Lily Garden. She has published hundreds of articles about family, home and relationships in national and regional publications, and also teaches novel writing at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach or the mountains whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her family: her husband, her three kids, and her indefatigable shih-poo! 

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THE TUSCAN SISTER

MY THOUGHTS:

Lucrezia has recently lost her father and retuning to her childhood home in Tuscany is not something she is looking forward to.  She wants to confide in her sisters and tell them the truth as to why she really left all those years ago.  Her father has left a mountain of debt and her home is at stake.  She is determined to save the only home she has ever known and will do everything possible to keep from losing it. When Lucrezia runs into her long lost love, Vanni all the feelings she had for him resurface.  He wants to help her save her family’s home and in doing so she must uncover the truth to the lies she has always believed.

The Tuscan Sister, written by author Daniela Sacerdoti is a heartbreaking and amazing story of returning home to family.  I loved the storyline and the family saga made this an unputdownable rapid page turner.  Sacerdoti’s vivid description of Tuscany made this a much needed escape.  I loved the rolling hills and I could actually smell the roses and rosemary wafting in the air.  This story of returning home is a masterpiece and gives the reader hope of going back.  I truly enjoy this author’s writing style, with awesome and smooth flow to her stories.  I really enjoyed Lucrezia’s story and found myself cheering her on.  I wanted her to find happiness at home.  I loved this amazing story of love and family and is one that I highly recommend.

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Rating: 4.5 out of 4.

THE TUSCAN SISTER
Author: Daniela Sacerdoti 
Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: August 21, 2024
Pages: 319 
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Lucrezia takes a deep breath as her childhood home comes into view, nestled between the rolling Tuscan hills. Now her father has died, she is finally able to return. But her sisters never knew the reason she was sent away, so will they welcome her back?

Walking across the warm terracotta tiles of her family house, the scent of roses and fresh rosemary in the air, Lucrezia feels at peace for the first time in years. But she knows that to truly feel at home again, she must tell her sisters the devastating truth about why she left…

Before she can, she discovers her father left debts that threaten to cost them the house. With nowhere for her sisters to go, Lucrezia becomes determined to save their home. And when her childhood love Vanni unexpectedly arrives soon after, she finds herself gazing into his deep brown eyes, having imagined this moment for years. Can they save her family home together?

But then one day Lucrezia glimpses a familiar figure in the rose garden, and her heart stops. Maybe she didn’t imagine what her father told her she did, all those years ago… Suddenly, there is more than one secret to uncover before she can truly return home. Is everything Lucrezia thought about her family a lie? And if it is, is she too late to heal the wounds of the past?

ABOUT DANIELA SACERDOTI

Daniela Sacerdoti is the author of the bestselling Glen Avich series which has sold over one million copies in ebook to date, Sacerdoti’s debut novel Watch Over Me was named the eighth bestselling Kindle book of all time in 2015, when she was also ranked as the eleventh top-selling Kindle author. She lives in a small village in the middle of nowhere, with her Scottish husband, two children, a Cocker spaniel and a foundling kitten (who was definitely a witch in a past life).

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THE RESISTANCE SISTERS

MY THOUGHTS:

Hana, Zuzi and Orla loose their beloved father when he is murdered by the Nazis.  And then when she lost her fiancé she knew that her life would never be the same.  But as she and her sisters watch her beloved town be slowly taken over by the Nazis, she knows that she is the only one that can keep her family safe.  Hana and her two younger sisters join the resistance each having their own mission.  Zuzi is part of a secret female combat unit and Orla is a nurse in an underground hospital.  Hana risks her life in the war ravaged streets to save her family.  But as the war rages on more and more lives are taken and the devastation is unbearable.  Hana and her sisters are running out of time to save those they love.

The Resistance Sisters, written by author Anna Stuart is an amazing story of incredible people that risked their own lives to save others.  Stuart always pulls the reader into the story and makes them feel like they are walking the war torn streets.  I loved this story of resilience, sacrifice and heart wrenching that moved me to tears.  This gripping heart warming story had me desperate to read through to the very end, in one sitting.  I was completely overwhelmed by the characters and they left me gasping for breath as they carried out the missions of the resistance.  This wonderful historical fiction will definitely stay with me for a very long time.  I loved it and I highly recommend it.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

DESCRIPTION:

THE RESISTANCE SISTERS
Author:  Anna Stuart
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: August 19, 2024
Pages: 444
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1944, Poland. ‘Take this message, keep it hidden.’ Shaking, I tuck the torn slip of paper in between the loaves of bread. I pray I can make it through the bombed-out streets and into the tunnels beneath this broken city without being caught. If this secret falls into the wrong hands, my sisters’ lives are at stake…

This heart-wrenching and unforgettable World War Two novel is inspired by the incredible true stories of the brave women who fought in the Warsaw Uprising.

Hana’s home has gone up in flames; the little bakery at the heart of the city is no more. Smoke curls into the sky and the buildings around her burn. But Hana has already lost far more – her blue-eyed fiancé was wrenched from her arms at the start of the war and her brave father was murdered by the Nazis. She’s determined to protect her younger sisters but every day more people are being killed…

Hana realises that one person alone won’t win the war and she has to accept her sisters are playing their own part in the resistance. Fiery Zuzi is working as part of a secret all-female combat unit while gentle Orla is a nurse in the underground hospital. As the women of Warsaw plan to rise up against the enemy, Hana risks her life to navigate the dangerous streets. The torn piece of paper she clutches in her hand has the potential to save her precious family.

It’s time to fight back. But when the moment they’ve been waiting for comes, will Hana and her sisters finally win back their freedom? Or will they lose their own lives as they fight for their futures…? 

ABOUT ANNA STUART

Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. She was hooked on books from the moment she first opened one in her cot so is thrilled to now have several of her own to her name. Having studied English literature at Cambridge university, she took an enjoyable temporary trip into the ‘real world’ as a factory planner, before returning to her first love and becoming an author. History has also always fascinated her. Living in an old house with a stone fireplace, she often wonders who sat around it before her and is intrigued by how actively the past is woven into the present, something she likes to explore in her novels. Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers.

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THE ORPHAN LIST

MY THOUGHTS:

Munich, 1943, the war rages on across Europe and children continue to be taken from their mother’s. Margarete Weiss works in a home for mother’s.  She thinks her purpose is to create a safe place for young German mothers to have their babies.  But soon she realizes why she is actually there.  The Nazi secret party is taking newborn babies from their young German mother’s as soon as they are born.  She must put a stop to it and is willing to risk her own life to keep the babies with their mothers.  Italy 2005, Magarete is 90 years old and is being interviewed by a reporter named Kristel.  Margarete shares the information with Kristel she has kept hidden for so many years.  But information always comes at a cost.

The Orphan List, written by author Ann Bennett is an emotional and heartbreaking story of the things that happened during the war that no one wants to talk about.  This well written and phenomenal story of events of some of the darkest times in our history.  Bennett is outstanding in researching the facts of history and putting them into words that people can understand.  This emotional story had me reaching for the tissues as the tears ran down my face.  I couldn’t bring myself to read this book in one sitting because of the emotional impact.  I had to take a break to catch my breath.  This phenomenal story was well written and I was inspired by the characters.  I highly recommend this book.

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

DESCRIPTION:

THE ORPHAN LIST

Author:  Ann Bennett
Publisher: Bookouture 
Publication Date: August 15, 2024 
Pages: 360 
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Munich, 1943. My heart breaks as I watch the smug couple carry the tiny bundle into their sinister black limousine. Carefully I write the baby’s name into my secret notebook. No matter the danger, I will do everything I can to reunite him with his mother… 

As the darkest shadows of the war spread, nurse Margarete Weiss is sent away to work in a mother and baby home in a beautiful corner of the German countryside. As she approaches the fairy-tale castle with manicured grounds and fair-haired young women laughing in the sunshine, she imagines she will be helping to create a haven for young German mothers to have their children. But when she discovers what is really going on inside the castle walls, she knows she needs to do whatever she can to put a stop to the horror she witnesses, even if it means risking her own life…

Italy, 2005. 90-year-old Margarete sits in her chair in her care home, her hands trembling as she looks into the face of the young reporter, Kristel, sitting in front of her. Kristel’s bright blue eyes and intelligent smile are so familiar, and as Kristel explains she is here to talk to her about the children taken from their mothers during the war, Margarete knows her faded blue notebook with its list of names might hold the answers that Kristel needs.

But as Margarete shares the names with Kristel, her heart beats fast inside her chest. She knows that sharing the truth about those terrible days is the right thing to do, but it also shines a spotlight on her own painful secrets. The notebook will provide Kristel and Margarete with answers… But at what price? And can the two women help each other find the peace they so badly need?

ABOUT ANN BENNETT

Ann Bennett was born in a small village in Northamptonshire and now lives in Surrey. Her first book, A Daughter’s Quest, originally published as Bamboo Heart, was inspired by her father’s experience as a prisoner of war on the Thai-Burma Railway. The Planter’s Wife (originally published as Bamboo Island) a Daughter’s Promise and The Homecoming, (formerly Bamboo Road) are also about the war in South East Asia.

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