Tag Archive | Boldwood Books

A Love To Last A Lifetime by Clare Swatman

Jan29

Serenely Beautiful

A Love To Last A Lifetime by Clare Swatman is a serenely beautiful contemporary novel about love.

Love comes in many forms – the love of parents and children, between friends, husbands and wives, and an all-consuming love.

This all-consuming love happens once in a lifetime to two characters in different generations. Both have been wrenched away from the love that consumed and both have memories to keep them warm. Would the love have remained if left to run its’ course? Or would it have fizzled? We shall never know. Outsiders decided it was good boy vs. wild boy, and every parent wants their daughter to marry the stable influence – but is that enough to be a love that lasts a lifetime?

There is the love between three friends. We all want to have friends who love us enough to tell us the truth in love. Friends who want the best for us and who will support us through all of life’s highs and lows.

We see the heartbreaking topic of early onset dementia. A character has faded but just occasionally we get glimpses of the lively girl she once was. Dementia affects all those around us. “That mum, the one who made me feel safe, protected, was still in there somewhere, hidden beneath the cruel cloak of dementia… I missed her.”

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One Day With You by Shari Low

Jan28

Of Love & Tears

One Day With You by Shari Low is a beautiful, heartbreaking contemporary read that will tug at your heartstrings.

My emotions were all over the place as I read. It is a book that celebrates friendship, family and new life whilst mourning endings with regrets for what might have been.

Life is fragile. We get one go at it. One reckless mistake can destroy lives. Our choices need to be made well. We do not live our lives in isolation, our choices affect others for good or bad. We must let go of guilt and regret as they will destroy us from the inside out.

Family is so much more than blood relations. In the story, family are those who come to our aid in our darkest moments and also our happiest moments.

All the characters were realistic, likable and well-drawn. There are some huge, beautiful hearts. I love the neighbours in their sixties. Their banter is hilarious. Their kind hearts are vast and their capacity to love is huge.

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My Sister’s Secret by Diane Saxon

Jan25

Not A Book To Miss

My Sister’s Secret by Diane Saxon is a marvelous contemporary psychological suspense that gripped me from the start.

Four sisters bonded closely by a childhood secret. They live very different lives but are always there for each other. A day in the past unites them, but about which they do not talk. If ever they did, then the floodgates would open.

Terrible childhood events haunt a character – one day aged nine years old would remain forever. She kept quiet and he got away with it. Every day since, the guilt and the fear have eaten her up. Never again must an innocent life suffer if she can help it.

All the characters were well drawn, likable and realistic. The reader is horrified by the amount of suffering the four lead characters have faced. The past never leaves them.

We see the fierce protection of a mother’s love. There are no lengths to which she will not go in order to protect her children – no matter how old they are.

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Your Place Or Mine? by Portia MacIntosh

Jan19

Delightfully Fun

Your Place Or Mine? by Portia MacIntosh is a delightful contemporary offering that made me smile from the start.

I always adore Portia MacIntosh’s novels. They are very charming and make me feel good. Your Place Or Mine? is wonderfully light-hearted and highly amusing. I found myself chortling out loud at times. It is a delicious rom-com that is highly entertaining and would make a marvelous movie.

The story is written in the first person enabling the reader to become intimately acquainted with the lead character. She has a kind heart and a generous spirit, and is a fun-filled character.

We see a beautiful bond that has been severed by death. Grief is raw. I loved this description: “Grief is how we keep loving people when they’re not here anymore.” We mourn deeply because we love deeply. We see the devastation in a heart that loss brings. In contrast we witness family squabbling over money and possessions left behind. This is ugly. The character with the pure heart and soul is very beautiful.

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