BLOG TOUR: Never Tear Us Apart - Rowan Coleman

A spellbinding tale of love, strength and sacrifice from the Sunday Times bestselling author. Based on the gorgeous island of Malta in WWII, this is a story about the power of fate, and how sometimes, in order to find yourself - and to find love - you must first lose everything else. . .

Fate has brought them together. Will time tear them apart?

2025

Named after a star, war correspondent Maia knows how to find the brightest stories - the tales of survival and strength - hidden amongst the dark realities of combat.

Now, travelling to Malta to visit her estranged father, with one more chance to build a relationship with her last remaining relative, she's here to find her own story: never having found somewhere - or someone - she can call home, she's desperate for answers that might show her where she truly belongs.

But when she arrives on the beautiful mediterranean island, she realises her long-lost family is full of more secrets than she could possibly have imagined. . .

1942

Maia wakes up to find herself on an island under siege, a city in ruins - and knows she must have been sent here for a reason.

Who has she been sent to save? Or is it Maia herself that needs saving? And just when she's finally found what she's been seeking . . . will time separate them forever?

Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Santa Montefiore and Dinah Jefferies.

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, Rowan Coleman!  Never Tear Us Apart is an absolutely stunning novel that made my heart ache with love for the characters.  This is a dual timeline like no other and I adored it.

It's so beautifully written with the island of Malta being brought to life both in the present day and in the midst of World War II.  Maia has a foot in both timelines after she has a car accident in 2025 and wakes up in 1942.  It's historical fiction with a hint of fantasy seamlessly woven into the prose so any realists shouldn't be put off by the time travel storyline.

I'm not going to go into the plot for fear of inadvertently giving away any spoilers but it is extremely good.  I tried not to ask myself too many questions whilst I was reading so I could just sit back and enjoy the amazing literary ride.   I'm going to give Rowan Coleman a virtual chef's kiss for this exquisite book. 

Imaginative, emotional and breathtaking, Never Tear Us Apart is an unforgettable and highly original novel that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.  This is one of those books where five stars just doesn't seem enough.  I wanted to read it again the moment I finished it.  Don't miss it!  

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: The Battle of the Bookshops - Poppy Alexander

A charming literary-themed novel about a young woman determined to save her great-aunt’s beloved bookshop from extinction by the shiny new competition—which also happens to be run by the handsome son of her family’s rivals.

The cute, seaside town of Portneath has been the home of Capelthorne’s Books for nearly a hundred years…

The shop, in the heart of a high street that stretches crookedly down the hill from the castle to the sea, may be a tad run-down these days, but to Jules Capelthorne, the wonky, dusty world of literary treasures is full of precious childhood memories. When her great-aunt Florence gets too frail to run it alone, Jules ditches her junior publishing job in London and comes home to make the bookshop’s hundredth birthday a celebration to remember.

Jules quickly discovers things are worse than she ever imagined: The bookshop is close to bankruptcy, unlikely to make it to its own centenary celebration, and the lease on the building is up for renewal. With a six-figure sum needed, the future looks bleak.

To make matters worse, the owner of the property is the insufferable Roman Montbeau, from the posh, local family who owns half of Portneath. The Montbeaus and Capelthornes have feuded for years, and Roman has clearly not improved since he tormented Jules as a child. Fresh from a high-flying career in New York, he is on a mission to shake things up, and—unforgivably—proves his point about Capelthorne’s being a relic of the past by opening a new bookshop directly opposite—a shiny, plate-glass-windowed emporium of books.

Jules may not be able to splash the cash on promotions and marketing like the Montbeaus, but she’s got some ideas of her own, plus she has a tenacity that may just win the hardest of hearts and the most hopeless of conflicts.

Let the battle of the bookshops commence…

 

What did I think?

Poppy Alexander is back with another fabulous book for book lovers everywhere!  I loved reading The Littlest Library so I was delighted to be back in Middlemass village for more bookish escapades.

It's a fresh and charming take on Romeo and Juliet with a long-standing feud between the Montbeaus and the Capelthornes.  Roman Montbeau and Jules Capelthorne are the latest generation to continue the family feud which is complicated by the fact that they really fancy each other.  Of course they can't admit their feelings as their families are at war!

When Jules' Great Aunt Flo has a fall, Jules returns home from London to help her run the only bookshop in the picturesque town of Portneath.  Roman returns home from New York at the same time but his reason is kept under wraps for a while.  As the pair frequently bump into each other, Jules start to warm to Roman but then he goes and opens a rival bookshop.  Roman's shiny new bookshop is sure to put Capelthorne Books out of business but Jules isn't going to go down without a fight.

Oh this story is simply adorable!  A book about books is always going to appeal to me and The Battle of the Bookshops is outstanding.  I loved the Shakespeare references that are hidden like Easter eggs throughout the book and it's not just Romeo and Juliet ones.  I'm not that familiar with Shakespeare but I noticed quite a few and I loved finding them.

Incredibly romantic and completely charming, The Battle of the Bookshops is an unmissable and unforgettable book.  I will definitely be reading it again as I adored it.  Very highly recommended.  An easy five stars.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Poppy Alexander is the author of The Littlest Library, Storybook Ending, and 25 Days 'til Christmas. She wrote her first book when she was five. There was a long gap in her writing career while she was at school, and after studying classical music at university, she decided the world of music was better off without her and took up public relations, campaigning, political lobbying, and a bit of journalism instead. She takes an anthropological interest in family, friends, and life in her West Sussex village (think The Archers crossed with Twin Peaks), where she lives with her husband, children, and various other pets.

Links:

Website: https://poppy-alexander.com/

Instagram: @poppyalexanderbooks

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