June books

My best reads from June are:

Victoria Connelly - Family Portrait

Following the death of Brenna's father, landscape painter Nicholas Bellwood, she meets up with her older brother, Alex, and younger sister, Cordelia, at his home in the Lake District. They need to decide what to do with his paintings, studio, and the contents of their substantial family home. Their mother died several years earlier, after leaving her husband following years of coming second to his illustrious career. Alex and Brenna also had difficult relationships with Nicholas, though much younger Cordelia was close to him. All of them are emotionally attached to the magnificent setting of the home where they grew up, and they struggle to deal with Nicholas's belongings while they prepare for his funeral. But the reading of their father's will to them brings a huge shock for them as they discover that their father had a whole other secret side to his life. The siblings struggle to understand their emotions about the enigmatic man who was their father. Cordelia remembers seeing a family portrait that he had painted, and becomes desperate to trace it to see if it can provide answers about his true feelings for them. As the search for the painting begins, they begin to learn more about themselves and there is the chance to heal old emotional wounds from the past. A novel that explores difficult family relationships and how the lives our parents live are seen from a totally different perspective once we grow up. Interesting characters, all within the setting of one of the most beautiful areas of England.

Heidi Eljarbo - The London Forgery

I am a great fan of this author's novels, which always have a Norwegian thread. This one is the first in a series set in the 1970s. The main character is Fabiola Bennett, the daughter of Soli Hansen, heroine of the author's series about the wartime Norwegian art resistance group. Fabiola is an art historian, called to the National Portrait Gallery in London to quietly investigate a possible problem with the Gainsborough Painting of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews. What she discovers is shocking, and she knows she has to keep it hidden from public knowledge. With the help of her friends - Cary, a London police officer, and Pippa, a bookseller - she sets out on a mission to rectify the matter. But it turns out to be a tricky and even dangerous endeavour, as she encounters people from even the darkest areas of society. The mystery unfolds with dexterity and fascinating leads, rabbit holes, and twists. Meanwhile we get a glimpse into the life of the painter, Thomas Gainsborough, back in the 18th century as he paints the portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, and why he painted it the way he did. A thoroughly enjoyable read. 

Jo Leevers - The Museum of Second Chances

This newly published novel of awakenings and coming to terms with the past is thoroughly heartwarming and a great read. The main character is Evelyn, a lonely and disappointed woman in her sixties who runs a little museum in a boathouse on the Cornish coast. She spends her days trawling the beach, picking up rubbish but also hoarding items she thinks are interesting, which she displays in the chaotic museum. She views her life as a failure, having started life as a foundling, and later having ruined her chances of working in the British Museum in London. In the neighbouring boathouse, Della with her colourful clothes and hair runs an ice cream parlour, dispensing bizarre flavours of her wares. When each woman receives a letter informing them that their leases are to be ended and the boathouses sold to a developer, Evelyn is reluctantly drawn into a campaign to save them. Three younger people who want to save the boathouses step in and begin to organise their strategies - Sariah, estranged from her family and a manager at the local hotel; Angela, who works at the local leisure centre and mother to a young boy; and Jacob, who works in the local newsagents, but who has grander origins. As part of their campaign they choose four objects to display, asking people to comment on them. But as stories begin to come to light, there are secrets that have long lain undisturbed and begin to lay bare hidden truths that stir up the lives of all involved. The museum begins to live up to its name, as each of the participants is given the opportunity for new chances - but are they too much to bear?  

May books

My best reads from May are:

Pam Lecky - Footprints in the Sand

This is the second novel in the series about the delightful Victorian female sleuth, Lucy Lawrence. Lucy's widowhood has given her more freedom, especially since she received a substantial reward for her previous successful investigation. But taciturn detective, Phineas, who had led her to believe that there was something between them, seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. So when Lucy meets the dashing French Egyptologist, Moreau, she's beguiled enough by his tales of great archaeological discoveries to fund his latest dig. She sails to Egypt with her reluctant maid, Mary, and soon finds herself involved in more than she'd bargained for. Thefts in the hotel, a burglary in the museum, artefacts going missing from sites, all precipitate Lucy into another adventure. And Mary is thoroughly scandalised that her mistress wants them to go and live in a tent in the desert! Populated with colourful characters, exotic locations, not to mention tombs and spooky burial sites, Lucy's path abounds with mystery, danger, and a hint of daring romance too. But who is a friend, and who is an enemy? Another great read from the pen of this author.

Shari Low - One Midnight With You

This is a heartwarming tale of two families in Glasgow who have been connected over the years. This one New Year's Eve (or Hogmanay, as the Scots call it) is pivotal in all of their lives. As the clock ticks down to midnight, four people have big decisions to make. Ailish has to face the fact that her divorce is now final, but she's never been able to move on in her life after the cheating of her ex-husband, Eric. What will her life hold for her now? Meanwhile her daughter Emmy is beginning to fear that the man she loves may be seeing someone else. Emmy's grandmother, Minnie, is having a difficult day, but is determined to bring in the New Year at Gino's Italian Restauruant, where she and her husband have had such wonderful times every year. Tonight she has a special reason why she needs to go there. And Dario, Gino's son who now runs the restaurant, has a hard decision to make which he fears may hurt the people he loves. As midnight approaches it looks like there could be much heartbreak in store. A beautiful intertwining of love and friendship between many members of a community. 

Caroline Cauchi - Daughter of the Titanic

This is a fascinating re-imagining of the life of an enigmatic woman. Helen Melville Smith, daughter of the tragic captain of the Titanic, Edward Smith, was only fourteen when her father went down with his ship. Mel grew up with the weight of her mother's grief and the eyes of the world upon her. She had to cope with the constant speculation in newspapers, rumours that her father had deserted his ship and was still alive, living a secret life. The novel is written in the shape of an interview taking place in the 1970s, when Cambridge professor Catherine is recording Mel's reminiscences after discovering a painting of her with the title An Unlucky Woman. We see Mel's life from the inside, as she enters an unusual marriage, and how she strives to create a life full of meaning and purpose and create her own persona in the face of the labels and judgement she has experienced from people who don't know her. The author dives deep into the loves and sorrows of this woman who travelled through her life under the scrutiny of others, and how tragedy moulded her but ultimately did not destroy her. Sensitively and expertly written, and an excellent read.

April books

My favourite reads from April are:

Fiona Collins - Five Days in Venice

This is a beautifully written novel, and the scenes set in Venice are atmospheric and colourful, bringing the charm and opulence of the city to life. With this backdrop, we find the heroine, Olivia, arriving to take part in a festival of writers. She's from a modest background, raised alone by her artisan father after her mother died. Olivia is apprehensive about the event, as she knows that one of the other writers taking part is the stratospherically successful and charismatic Leo Greene. She and Leo met originally in their youth, and have shared significant moments as the years have gone by. Despite their intense attraction, they have never actually been together. The last time they met, they both said unforgivable things. Now they must spend five days in each other's comany. To make matters more difficult, Olivia's godmother Gillian, who lives in Venice, is desperately ill in a hospice. This relationship has been strained since Olivia's father died many years earlier, and she has no idea why. As we follow the days when Olivia and Leo have to interact together, the novel dips in and out of their difficult encounters over the years, right up till their final quarrel. The complications of their lives and their missed connections are expertly drawn, showing fully rounded characters as their failings and disappointments play out. I became more enticed by this novel as it unfolded, and by the end I couldn't stop turning the pages.

Jeff Wheeler - The Alchemy of Fate

This is the third in this author's Invisible College series, which I can thoroughly recommend (see my previous blogs for reviews about the others). It's set in an industrial world where magic is available for a select few. Magic has been bequeathed to humans by a race called the Aesir, tall beings who love the cold. In the past they were allied with the humans, but there was a falling out and now they are enemies. The Aesir go into hibernations for long periods of time, but when they awaken the war continues. This has recently started again, and the humans who have trained in magic at the Invisible College are doing all they can to work with the military to defend humanity. Young genius Robinson has invented special lamps that detect hidden Aesir spies infiltrating their society, but they have been stolen by the military. A court case is imminent to determine ownership of the invention. Robinson's new wife, McKenna, is deaf which means she cannot create magic, which requires the ability to sing. But she's being hunted by a mysterious man who can disguise his identity - only McKenna can see through his deception. He kidnaps her, and Robinson is torn as he tries to find her but must prepare for his court case. This is an exciting and imaginitive world, with an amazing history, lore and secrets. No spoilers - but there is an astonishing revelation which I certainly didn't see coming, and which turns everything on its head. I'm looking forward to reading the fourth book (last in the series) in which the result of this revelation brings everything to its conclusion. Imaginitive and compelling.

Evie Woods - The Violin Maker's Secret

This was an amazing novel, right up my street. I love a mystery, a love story, people finding themselves, and all wrapped up in classical music! Add a dash of history and a little paranormal into the bargain. Devlin buys a violin from airport Lost Property in the mistaken belief that his girlfriend would like it. As she was expecting an engagement ring, but he's not ready, the pair realise that they are not suited after all. Devlin knows there's something special about this instrument, but when he sees a news story, he begins to suspect that it's a valuable stolen instrument. He enlists the help of his old history teacher, Walter, now retired, in the hope he can help him discover its origins. Walter's shaken from a dark moment by the task, and gets caught up in the search. They take it to Gabrielle, who is running running her father's stringed instrument dealership now that he's gone. As their paths become irrevocably entwined when they embark on a journey of discovery, the three become strangely attached to the violin as they search for its maker. But there's someone sinister tracking their moves, who is desperate take back by any means what they believe is theirs, and with no qualms about who gets hurt. As the chase crosses countries, the novel dips into the history of the violin, while new dark secrets are revealed, and the lives of Devlin, Gabrielle and Walter will never be the same. Riveting, enthralling, imaginaive, I absolutely devoured this book.

March Books

These are the books that I most enjoyed reading in March:

Julie Johnson - The Wind Weaver 

I enjoyed reading this first book in a fantasy series, a tale of magic and ancient legends. Rhya has been raised by a human guardian, but she is actually half fae, mostly feared by humans. When her guardian is killed and she's sentenced to death, she's rescued by the formidable Captain Scythe, a fearsome fighter. He and his troop of men carry her off to the hidden world of Caldera. There she learns of her true nature, and the prophecy of which she is a part - that there are four mystical fae beings, strong in magic, each capable of manipulating one of the four elements - air, fire, water and earth. She also discovers the astonishing truth about her captor. But her life is still in danger, and there are even darker forces hunting her, also threatening those she is learning to love and trust. Exciting, with dark twists and turns, this captured my imagination despite being occasionally a little long-winded. I'm intrigued to read more of the series.

Denise Robertson - Remember the Moment

I decided to revisit one of the excellent novels by the much-missed novelist and TV agony aunt, Denise Robertson. The detail of her settings and roundness of her characters is second to none. The little touches she adds about what the main character reads and views in the news, while living their own stories, bring the era to life. We also experience what they're eating, wearing, striving for, and this creates a vivid and lively story. The heroine, Emma, is in her thirties and she believes she knows what she wants from life. She's a sharp businesswoman, heading a firm in Manchester while running her late mother's dress shop along with her mother's elderly business partner, Poppy. But she lives a secret life - she's having an affair with her younger colleague, Keith, who's married with a young family. She believes that he will eventually leave his wife and make a life with her. But when she receives a telephone call from nineteen-year old Stephen, with the challenging accusation "What did you mean to my father?", her life is turned upside down. She's never heard of him, or his father, but bizarrely she's been named as a co-beneficiary in his will, alongside Stephen and his sister Avril. Eventually she must face the situation, and travels to Durham in order to unravel the mystery. There she clashes swords with Robert, their solicitor, while trying to sort out her relationship with Keith. A skillful and deep book with many twists and turns.

Sue Moorcroft - Over the Sea to Skye

This is the third of the author's Skye Sisters trilogy, focusing on Valentina, the eldest of the three adopted sisters. The English sisters have all ended up living in Scotland - the younger two, Essie and Thea, on the picturesque Isle of Skye, while Valentina lives in Inverness with her family. Her marriage to Gary having broken down, she leaves her job and escapes for the summer with her young son, Barney, to her recently purchased holiday home on the island to be near her sisters. On the journey, she meets American tourist Xander, who's searching for his roots in Skye and has brought his nephew MacDonald with him. Valentina tries to make life as normal as possible for her son whilst nursing her emotional wounds. But her restorative holiday is knocked off-course when a disturbing accident means that she is summoned back to Inverness to deal with Gary's family and his new partner, the much-younger Minerva. Life becomes a nightmarish balancing act, trying to forge a new life while doing what she feels is right for the welfare of her son. There's also an unexpected communication from someone who could be related to her. And surely the added complication of attractive American Xander who is showing her attention is something she doesn't need right now? Another excellent novel of family, sisterhood, and what love really means.

February books

The following are my best reads from February:

Wendy Walker - Blade

This fast-paced thriller attracted me because I've always been a fan of figure skating (I even learned to figure skate as an adult). The author writes from knowledge, having been on a special program for elite skaters as a teenager in the USA. The novel is told in two timelines - the heroine, Ana, is a lawyer working on defending children accused of serious crimes. She's  called upon professionally to return to The Palace, the elite skating programme in Colorado that she had attended years earlier, to defend a young student there. The body of one of the coaches, Emile, has been found frozen in a nearby field. All the clues point to thirteen-year-old skater Grace, who turns out to be the daughter of one of Ana's former fellow skaters on the programme. The girl hotly denies the accusasions. When Ana begins to question Grace and build her defence, we see flashbacks to her own time training there. There are many people she remembers from her teenage years, both on the staff and former students who now work at the facility. Dark secrets begin to emerge, and as the threads of the past intertwine with the present, there are some buried matters that must be faced by all as the truth finally emerges. A fascinating and heart-racing read.

Angela Britnell - Arlette's Story

This novel is an intriguing depiction of what it was like to live in France during the Nazi occupation in World War II. Arlette lives on her family's farm in the south of France with her widowed father and brother. When Marshal Petain surrenders the north of the country to Hitler's occupation, they are subject to increasingly strict rules, but believe they are better off than their compatriots. Saul, a young Jewish medical student is assigned to them as a farmhand, as he is no longer allowed to pursue his studies. Arlette soon finds her feelings for him deepening. But as the Nazi restrictions become more severe, the produce and the livestock from the family's farm are requisitioned, leaving them with little. When they receive a decree for Saul to report to the railway station, they are aware of the rumours about the nightmarish work camps where other Jewish people have been sent. Arlette's brother is off fighting for the Resistance, but she and her father are determined Saul won't be surrendered to their occupiers. A novel of courage, resilience, tragedy and defiance in the face of a cruel occupying force, well-written with page-turning pace which makes it a compelling read.

Marc Levy - The Heart of Everything

This is the first time I've ready a book by acclaimed French author Marc Levy, and I can say that it definitely won't be the last. I was utterly charmed by the book. Concert pianist Thomas's life is totally turned upside down by the unbelievable appearance of his father, Raymond, who died five years previously. Only Thomas can see him, and he doesn't look like a ghost. He pops up in unusual situations - even sitting on the lap of someone in the audience when Thomas is performing a concerto, throwing him off his stride. Raymond has an unusual request - the secret love of his life, Camille, has just died, and he needs his son's help to be reunited with her for eternity. Despite his parents having been divorced, this is an astounding revelation for Thomas. Eventually he's persuaded to make a quick trip to the USA with his father's ashes, to Camille's funeral, with instructions of how to achieve his father's last wish. To complicate matters further, he has to hide his true identity from Camille's daughter. Funny and touching, it's a tale of a father and son trying to mend their relationship beyond the grave, making up for lost time, and looking to the future. A thoroughly satisfying read.

January books

My best reads from January are:

Emily Howes - The Painter's Daughters

Eighteenth Century English artist Thomas Gainsborough painted his daughters, Mary and Margaret many times, clearly with great affection. But there are many rumours and stories about dark family secrets. In this expertly written novel, the author has crafted the story of the family from her own research. Told mostly from the perspective of younger daughter Peggy (Margaret), it reveals with tenderness the relationship she has with her elder sister Mollie (Mary), and how the family copes with the older girl's health concerns as they grow up. A plausible past history and its connection to Mollie's condition is expertly woven, bringing to life the rules of fashionable society of the time, and how people from different classes fit into that hierarchy. The characters are vivid, their failings and fears deftly created into a fascinating novel, written with accomplishment. History brought into vibrant existence, making an excellent read.

Jeff Wheeler - The Violence of Sound

This is the second in the author's series about the Invisible College, an adult novel rather than his usual young adult writing. In the novel's universe, mortals in an Edwardian-style era use magic and artefacts that have been passed down to them in the past from the exotic Aesir people. The Aesir, who inhabit the frozen north, go into long periods of hibernation. During their most recent awakenings they have waged a bitter war with humankind, its origins now unknown. Now the Aesir are active again and war has resumed. The Invisible College trains talented humans in the practices of magic, through sound. Having suffered an Aesir-created fever as a child, McKenna is profoundly deaf, so magic is unavailable to her. But she has learned to speak expertly through the tuition of Robinson, who is now her husband. They both believe that one day she will be adept enough to create magic. Robinson has invented a brilliant detection system for detecting Aesir, who have the ability to take over a person's mind and body, and become what's known as a Semblance. But the military have stolen this invention, discrediting Robinson's ability. And McKenna is experiencing disturbing symptoms, longing for the cold. Both she and Robinson begin to suspect that she is harbouring an Aesir presence within, but it's not like a usual Semblance. Her life is in danger if it's discovered, and they already know that they are both under threat from an unknown source. A book full of excitement, mystery, and magic. Jeff Wheeler yet again weaves a fantastical tale with expertise.

Vasundra Tailor - The Promise of Rain

This is a fascinating novel that took me to places that I knew little about. GP Anna has grown up in London as the daughter of an Indian father and Zimbabwean African mother. In their family documents she finds an envelope inscribed with Indira, her middle name, and inside is a pendant also with that name. Her mother, Theresa, reveals that it was left with her father when he was abandoned as a baby. Anna is shocked at this, previously only knowing that Mathew was adopted, not that his origins were unknown. Compelled to make a journey of discovery, she feels desperate to uncover her full identity. While involved in helping a patient find refuge from domestic abuse, she connects with another woman with a similar mixed-race background, working in the same field. Through her new acquaintance, new opportunities for her personal fulfilment open up. On the family's next visit to Zimbabwe, Anna begins searching for clues to her father's past, despite his reluctance for her to do so. Her journey leads her from Africa to India, not knowing whether she's going to find what she's looking for, or whether it will tear her family apart. An interesting and different novel.

December books

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My three favourite reads from December are:

Sue Moorcroft - A Skye Full of Stars

I always read a few Christmas novels at this time of year, and this book was a particularly good one. Second in the Skye Sisters Trilogy, it follows middle sister Ezz as she starts her new promoted position as manager of Rothach Hall on the Scottish Isle of Skye. Her sister Thea also works there, as head gardener. They and their elder sister Valentina were all adopted, and are very close. Now it's approaching Christmas, and the family who own the Hall have decided to visit for the season - Grete and her son Mats with his two young children. Eric, Grete's husband, is staying in Sweden to work. Ezz has always liked Mats, but is surprised when she discovers he's now divorced. The children's mother has a new partner, and Mats is trying to shield them from the difficulties of the divorce. As a current of attraction begins to flow between Mats and Ezz, both are distracted by their own family concerns. Can the backdrop of clear starry skies, magnificent snowy landscapes, and Scottish seasonal traditions melt everyone's hearts and inspire them to come together for a heartwarming Christmas?

T.W.M. Ashford - The Final Dawn

This is the first in a science fiction series. Engineer Jack lives on Earth at a time when the sun has developed violent solar flares that are beginning to devastate the planet's climate. All countries have come together to research ways of finding a new home for the inhabitants. The plan is to save a select few in several spaceships named Final Dawn. But the scientists don't know if there are any other inhabitable planets, and how long it will take to reach them. Jack never completed his pilot's training, but when he hears that they need a test pilot for a new invention that might be the answer to finding a new home, he volunteers. His reward will be a ticket for himself and his wife on the Final Dawn ship. But the experiment results in him floating in space in an unknown part of the Universe. When he's rescued, he's astonished to discover that his saviours are sentient Automata robots. They agree to help him to discover a way back to Earth, while they make their own way to a refuge planet where they can be free and not slaves to 'Fleshies'. As their journey unfolds, Jack begins to bond with his unlikely rescuers. Full of humour, action and adventure, with villains to evade and new horizons to discover. The story is great, and I look forward to reading the next in this series.

Helen Buckley - Strictly Christmas Spirit

Another enjoyable seasonal read. Emily once had a brief appearance as a professional dancer on TV programme Strictly Dancing with Celebs. But seven years on, she's unknown, working as manager of a drop-in centre in London for the homeless and those struggling with life. Constantly juggling finances and desperately understaffed, the last thing she needs is to deal with the most unlikely volunteer worker. Bad-boy Hollywood actor, Blake, has been sent there to work out his community service order for drunken damage to a hotel room. Blake sees it as a way to restore his image with the public, nothing more. Blake and Emily rub each other up the wrong way almost immediately. But as they prepare the Christmas festivities, there are plenty of people who need help. While Emily works her fingers to the bone, Blake begins to listen to the stories of the people coming to the centre. Somehow he begins to engage with his job. Both Emily and Blake have dark times in their past that they are reluctant to expose. Guilty secrets, distrust, overwork and disappointment surface as the sparks begin to glow between them. When Christmas arrives, their time together will end - or will all they have learned about themselves and each other bring something more lasting?