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The Emerald Twins by Helen Fripp

May24

Elastic Time

The Emerald Twins by Helen Fripp is a powerful dual timeline novel that I absolutely adored. It consumed my every waking moment.

The novel is set in 1944 and present day. The earlier period also jumps forwards in time at pivotal moments in the character’s life.

We witness the unbreakable love that transcends time and space, as we see the invisible bond that links twins – twins that were cruelly wrenched apart in Paris in 1944 by a greedy S.S. officer.

Throughout their lives, both twins searched for the other. “I’m only half when she’s not here.” They kept each other alive in their thoughts, often speaking out loud. “I don’t know where you are, but I’ve kept you alive all this time in my thoughts.”

There are some truly heart-wrenching scenes. The mother inside me wept for lives torn apart. And there were near-misses, but not close enough.

Black hearts were born, and continued in a similar vein to their father.

The reader witnesses the building of the Berlin wall in 1961. We see the far-reaching and underhand tactics of the Stasi.

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Fairest Of Heart by Karen Witemeyer

May21

Faithful & True

Fairest Of Heart by Karen Witemeyer is a wonderful Christian historical novel that I read in just two sittings. It is the first book in the Texas Ever After series which is fabulous.

This is a story based loosely on Snow White. It has been re-imagined by Karen Witemeyer whilst retaining the bare bones and putting God in the mix. It is all very cleverly done and enchants the reader from the start.

We see the importance of knowing God. “She wasn’t alone. She had a Father who would never leave her or forsake her.” We can count on God to see us through even if all others abandon us. God is faithful and true.

God rescues us from our situations. “God had seen her through the darkest night… He’d see her through the realities of the day.” Whatever we face, God is already there. God loves each and everyone of us as if we were the only person on planet earth.

Sometimes the person God needs to rescue us from is ourselves. “The destructive power of self-blame.” We can be our own worst critic. God doesn’t want anyone, including ourselves, to bring us down. He wants us to live free and live loved.

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The Dressmaker’s War by Michelle Vernal

May17

The Links From The Past

The Dressmaker’s War by Michelle Vernal is a timeslip novel that entertained me from the start. It is the third book in the Brides Of Bold Street but can be read as a stand-alone.

The action is set in 1982 and during World War II, particularly pivotal is 1945. We learn that for certain characters, Bold Street is a time portal, over which they have no control. For one young mother and her small daughter in 1963, there were life-changing consequences, resulting in a search that has never left hearts.

We see the value of good parents. Sometimes we are not brought up by our biological parents, but by others who love us and treat us with love. There are varying reasons as to why our biological parents have not brought us up, including social stigma on unmarried mothers in the past.

Young children are evacuated at the start of the phony war in September 1939. The young of Liverpool were sent to the countryside. Some were well treated but not all. Bonds were formed in adversity.

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The Girls Who Dared To Love by Diney Costeloe

May12

Engaging

The Girls Who Dared To Love by Diney Costeloe is a powerful historical novel that I loved. It is the second book in the Girls Who Dared series but can be read as a stand-alone. I, however, recommend reading book one first as this book continues where the first book finished.

Now the first World War is beginning. There is a focus on the women folk as some of the men have gone to war.

We see that the leading ladies are very much modern misses as they take control of their lives. They know what they want and who they want, and are not afraid to pursue their desires. They grab life with both hands.

Love arrows fall where they will. Parents do not always agree with their off-spring’s choice of marriage partner. They can either accept it or reject their children. The heart wants what the heart wants.

As the years are passing, old traditions are breaking down. The hierarchy of the classes is breaking down. Women too, are stepping out of traditional roles in order to make their own paths in life.

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