THE BRAND NEW SAGA SERIES BY MAGGIE MASON – MEET THE HALFPENNY GIRLS. . . ‘In the grand tradition of sagas set down by the late and great Catherine Cookson’ Jean Fullerton on Blackpool Lass Down on their luck, all the have left is friendship . . . It is 1937 and Alice, Edith and Marg continue to face hardships every day, growing up on one of the … Continue reading The Halfpenny Girls by Maggie Mason #BookReview #Sphere #4.5*

‘Immersive, thrilling and packed with wonderful characters…I absolutely loved every page of this incredible book’ Jill Mansell, bestselling author of Maybe This Time 1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.  Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns … Continue reading The Rose Code by Kate Quinn #BookReview #HarperCollins #NetGalley #5*

A Mother Forever is the moving story of one woman’s journey through the hardest trials of her life and how the love of friends and family pulls her through. From the bestselling author of The Woolworths Girls Elaine Everest, this book tells the tale of Ruby and how it all began . . . 1905: Ruby Caselton may only be twenty-five years old but she already has the … Continue reading A Mother Forever by Elaine Everest #BookReview #PanMacmillan #4.5*

A Korean War widow’s difficult mother dies before revealing the identity of her daughter’s father and his cultural heritage. As Dee sorts through what little her mother left, she unearths puzzling clues that raise more questions: Why did Leora send money every month to the Basque Relief Agency? Why is her own daughter so secretive about her soon-to-be published book? And what does an Anglican … Continue reading The Sheep Walker’s Daughter by Sydney Avey #BookReview #ChalfontHousePublishing #TorchflameBooks #NetGalley #4*

August, 1939. Three young women watch the headlines in fear of another devastating war with Germany. A war that could force them to choose between friendship and country. Determined to find her place in the Home Office’s Air Raid Precautions Department, Nora is hopeful that they will be able to avoid another war. Meanwhile, Hazel’s irrepressible optimism is disguising two closely guarded secrets from her … Continue reading The Whispers of War by Julia Kelly #BookReview #Orion #NetGalley #4*

What is a twelve year old girl to do when she finds herself in the silver boom town of Tombstone, Arizona, in 1880, and her only home is a brothel and her only parent is a drug-addicted mother? If she is Carissa Beaumont, she outsmarts the evil madam and figures a way out. After tricking the madam, Miss Lucille, into summoning a doctor for her … Continue reading Blood and Silver by Vali Benson #BookReview #Tellwell #4.5*