Tag Archive | Boldwood Books

The Lost Notebook by Louise Douglas

Aug28

A Compulsive Read

The Lost Notebook by Louise Douglas is a fabulous contemporary psychological thriller that drew me in from the start.

The opening is very intriguing as we ‘hear’ a voice confessing but we do not know who it is or why a course of action has been taken. The opening is the hook that beckoned me in.

The novel is part a study in grief and part crime suspense. A terrible tragedy happened before the novel opened. Grief is raw. Motherhood has been thrust on a character as two characters wade through loss. “She wished she knew how to get through this sadness… some routemap back to happiness.” Life feels as if it will never get better.

Following a sudden death, there is a search for the truth. Was it a natural happening? Or is there something more sinister at play?

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Duty Calls At Goodwill House by Fenella J Miller

Jul28

Strangers Become Friends

Duty Calls At Goodwill House by Fenella J Miller is a marvellous historical novel and the third book in the Goodwill House series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the other books first.

The war is continuing in 1940 as we rejoin the residents of Goodwill House. It was a pure delight to catch up with familiar faces, both civilians and serving RAF members. The reader follows the action from the village to the base to the skies.

Whilst war looms large, every day life continues. There are adjustments to be made in the running of Goodwill House. The residents have never been aloof but friendly with those below stairs. We witness the mellowing of the matriarch as love permeates the residents. It is a delight to witness the teenage twins transform from rough east enders to beloved family members.

Tragedies still happen in everyday life that have nothing to do with the war. Illness strikes and cruelly cuts down young lives, leaving gaping holes.

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Welcome To Weaver Street by Chrissie Walsh

Jul27

Community Spirit

Welcome To Weaver Street by Chrissie Walsh is a marvellous historical novel set during World War I and beyond in Liverpool.

The reader follows a newly married couple from Ireland as they land on the Liverpool docks in 1916. They are going to start a new life in England following the Easter Uprising in Ireland.

Residents of Weaver Street are a tight knit community and the couple receive a mixed welcome as personal history with the Irish colour’s some responses.

The leading lady has a warm personality, friendly nature and a kind heart which helps her to be accepted. She also has a core of resilience when life is hard. She is very much a modern woman of her time with an entrepreneurial spirit as she seeks to rise out of her roots of poverty.

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Old Friends Reunited by Maddie Please

Jul17

Grab Life With Both Hands

 Old Friends Reunited by Maddie Please is a delightful contemporary novel that will put a smile on your face.

The leading characters are three sixty year old women who have been friends since school. It is lovely to get glimpses of the girls they once were as they reminisce. It is refreshing to have leading characters who are not in the first flush of youth. They were very easy for me to relate to.

We see that life is for living. While we are still breathing, we can still grab life with both hands. We may retire from our jobs but we do not need to retire from life.

A jaded life is given a new lease, fresh inspiration and the opportunity to try new things. Life opens up after accepting an invitation to travel from Britain to reunite with school friends in France. Life in Britain seems grey in contrast to the vibrancy of France.

As the novel progresses it is a joy to see a life blossom.

Our children always need us no matter how old they are. Too often they see us as their mum and not a person in our own right with a life to live that is ours alone.

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