Tag Archive | Rachels Random Resources

One Midnight With You by Shari Low

Aug27

Lasts Long After Midnight

One Midnight With You by Shari Low is a heartfelt contemporary novel that I really enjoyed.

The action is set over twenty four hours on the 31st December as we follow a cast of characters all coping with varying emotions. The book is broken down into two hour chunks as we alternate between varying points of view.

Many characters are dealing with loss. Loss comes in many forms – loss of a job, loss of a loved one, loss of relationship. Everyone deals with loss differently. Some cope by looking backwards but then we will miss out on today. Sometimes we need to let go of the past and embrace a new tomorrow.

We see the characters struggling with the death of lifelong partners. Grief looks different for everyone. We must grieve in the way that is best for us. “Gut wrenching sorrow… She was dealing with it the way only [she] would – she still chatted to [him] as if he was in the room.” There is no right or wrong way to grieve.

A character has stopped living after her relationship ended. With the help of friends, she has an epiphany on New Years Eve. “I don’t just want to be alive, I want to feel alive.” Life is for living, not for just existing.

We see the importance of prioritizing. “Prioritise the right things.” People, not possessions are what matter most.

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The Map Maker’s Promise by Catherine Law

Aug18

Secrets

The Map Maker’s Promise by Catherine Law is a comprehensive dual timeline novel that entertained me from the start. The story is fiction but is grounded in fact.

The action is set during the 1940’s and in 1985. The two time periods alternate as the setting moves from London and the south, to Invernesshire. Scotland is a peaceful location, with its’ fresh air, beautiful scenery and isolation. The residents of a small community function as a family, offering support to each other.

War-torn London is stifling. Friendships and work colleagues are not always supportive. Those who should set examples, take advantage of the young and innocent. A life is ruined forever after a character abuses his position.

During the 1940’s, unmarried mothers were viewed as a disgrace. We follow a young woman who is shipped off to Scotland rather than subjecting the family to gossip and shame. The character always feels ‘less-than’ and is ashamed of her situation. She keeps quiet about one awful night that will haunt her forever.

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Felicity’s War by Jean Fullerton

Jul11

The Indomitable Spirit

Felicity’s War by Jean Fullerton is an absolutely marvellous historical novel that held my attention from the start. It is the third book in The Stepney Girls series but can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend reading the previous books for character continuity and progression.

The action is set in the east end of London during 1941, and therefore, at the height of the Blitz. The indomitable bulldog spirit is alive as the people pull together. Up all night as the bombs fell, the community still goes about its’ daily duties. Ordinary life continues.

There are those who take advantage. We witness the black marketeers and looters in action. As if housing being destroyed wasn’t enough, the criminals take advantage and the food prices rocket.

Leading lady, Fliss, is a woman ahead of her time. She writes for a newspaper, is active in the Labour party, wears trousers and campaigns for fairer prices for food. She even finds time to organize a peaceful protest which turns ugly due to an over-zealous young policeman. Despite being a thoroughly modern miss, cupid’s arrow can still hit its’ mark.

The police force has much to contend with – even more so in wartime than peacetime. Some go about their tasks with due diligence. Others are like a bull in a china shop.

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Old Girls On Deck by Maddie Please

Jul4

Bermuda Triangle

Old Girls On Deck by Maddie Please is the most delightfully fun contemporary novel that warmed my heart.

Maddie Please has created a wonderful set of characters who meet up and interact on a cruise ship. The leading ladies are sisters and both in their sixties. They make friends with an octogenarian who shows them how to have fun.

Growing older does not have to mean settling. Whilst we still have breath, life is for living.

The sisters re-evaluate their lives. One has been a captain’s widow for five years. She has spent her life in the shadow of her husband. Now it is time to stop hiding behind his memory and start to live and find herself again. Her opinions and knowledge are worth listening to.

The other sister is thankful for her steadfast husband of thirty five years. Now that he is newly retired, she realizes there is a whole world out there to explore. Life is much more than pottering in the garden and television dinners.

The reader is treated to the sights and sounds, the smells and flavours of the Mediterranean. We can almost ‘feel’ the heat and ‘taste’ the delicacies.

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