Only You - Eva Jordan

Can true love survive betrayal?

Once upon a time, Ben and Leora fell in love and dreamt of a bright future together. But after he committed an unforgivable act, she was left heartbroken. Decades later he still had no memory of that fateful night . . .

Now, their worlds are about to collide in a way they never imagined. Drawn together again by an unforeseen tragedy, in a world that has drastically changed since they first met, Ben and Leora are about to discover whether true love really can endure. But will the couple’s reunion be more of a nightmare than a fairytale?

Only You is a powerful novel about passion, friendship and betrayal.

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, what a stunningly breathtaking book.  I am a huge fan of Eva Jordan's books and although I couldn't possibly pick a favourite from among them as they're all brilliant, Only You would definitely be a strong contender if I had to pin my colours to the mast.

This is what I would call a Humpty Dumpty book, as I was very much like Humpty sitting on my chair being immersed in some cracking nostalgia from the 80s, then SMASH! my heart broke for Leora.  Then, just when I thought I couldn't be more heartbroken, the heartbreak kept on coming and tears welled in my eyes causing the worst horror imaginable: I had to put my kindle down!

Eva Jordan provides the emotional superglue to piece together my fractured heart bit by bit but I think I left a little bit behind in the book as Leora and Ben have been on my mind since finishing this wonderful story.  Leora and Ben were meant to be together from the start but misunderstandings, a femme fatale and a bit of meddling crushed all of their hopes and dreams.

As well as Leora and Ben's love story, there's also the horror of events from the prologue hovering over the reader like a storm cloud and when it rains, it pours!  It's well worth reading the acknowledgements at the end to discover the inspiration for Leora's character and that particular lady is one heck of an inspiration.

Filled with nostalgia, heartbreak, emotion and inspiration, Only You is a beautifully written novel that completely captured my heart and hasn't let it go.  It's an unmissable story and one I really can't recommend highly enough.  All the stars for this one!

I chose to read a digital ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: Cut and Shut (Louise Miller Crime Series Book 3) - Jonathan Peace

 

June, 1989

Tensions are high - tempers short

Following a stupid, drunken car theft, the tragic deaths of three local lads uncovers a powder keg of racial intolerance and bigotry.

A vicious attack

When two Muslim brothers are violently attacked, Louise sees her hometown with jaded eyes, shocked that so many of her colleagues are reluctant to get involved or help in any way those they once called neighbours.

A terrible truth

As she investigates, Louise, accompanied by WDC Hines and psychologist Karla Hayes, discovers links between the car theft and the assault but worse; the racial tensions that now threaten to tear the community apart, have masked an even darker crime – one that has gone long undiscovered, but will have devastating consequences.

What did I think?

Cut and Shut is the third book in the Louise Miller crime series and I think that it is the best one yet.  I've loved the previous two books, but it really feels as if Jonathan Peace has upped the ante with his third book in the series.  Although you can read each novel as a standalone, I'm reading the series in order and it's very rewarding to see the character development.  

Racial tension is as taut as a bowstring in 1989 West Yorkshire and it's quite difficult to read about the misogynistic and racist mindset of the 1980s.  It's frightening that it doesn't feel like that long ago, although I feel old when I realise this book was actually set 33 years ago.

With car theft, hate crime and the discovery of some gruesome remains that even made the police vomit, there's a lot going on in this novel and I was riveted from start to finish.  There's also a little bit of crossover from the previous book which tidies up some loose ends, but it's written in such a way that any readers new to the series will not be disadvantaged.

Gripping, atmospheric and clever, Cut and Shut is a fantastic novel that brings the darkness of the 1980s back to life, as discomforting and difficult to read as it is.  Brilliantly written with a razor-sharp plot, Cut and Shut is outstanding crime fiction and a very highly recommended read.  I'm already excited to see what's in store for Louise Miller in book 4.

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

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BLOG TOUR: From Sorrow's Hold (Louise Miller Crime Series Book 2) - Jonathan Peace

December, 1988

Christmas beckons

What should be a time of excitement and joy is forever tainted when a teenager's body is found in the graveyard of Ossett's Holy Trinity Church.

A suspected suicide

As they respond to the devastating event, WDCs Louise Miller and Elizabeth Hines, together with psychologist Karla Hayes, each use their own experiences of suicide to help the wider community as it struggles to understand the terrible choice that was made.

Another missing teenager

Louise starts to believe there is something even more sinister behind the events...

 

What did I think?

From Sorrow's Hold is the second book in the Louise Miller Crime Series but it can definitely be read as a standalone.  I really enjoyed the first book, Dirty Little Secret, and From Sorrow's Hold is even better so I'm very excited to see this series go from strength to strength.

Set in the 1980s, it's incredibly nostalgic but it's also shocking the way that women are treated, especially those in the police force.  Louise Miller and Elizabeth Hines are fantastic detectives but it feels like they constantly have to prove themselves to be worthy of working in a man's world.

Touching on themes of mental health and suicide, it is dark and difficult to read at times.  It is, however, important to keep reminding us of the pain that people can carry inside them and how they keep it hidden from the outside world.  I found this quite emotional to read but it is written very sensitively and respectfully.

I really enjoyed getting to know more about Louise in this book and her adopted cat provides some light entertainment to balance the dark storyline.  The plot is sharp and gripping and the writing is word perfect; I raced through it, devouring every single word and enjoying every second of it.

From Sorrow's Hold is an outstanding novel in a very exciting new series.  I'm delighted to hear that Jonathan Peace hopes to write 41 books in the Louise Miller series, covering the years 1987 to 2023, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where the series goes.  

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Dirty Little Secret (Louise Miller Crime Series Book 1) - Jonathan Peace

March 1987

Ossett, West Yorkshire

A town of flower shows, Maypole parades and Sunday football games. Behind all the closed doors and drawn curtains live hidden truths and shameful lies.

A body is found

WDC Louise Miller’s first case as detective in her hometown is hampered by the sexism and misogyny of small-town policing. Her four years on the force in Manchester have prepared her for this. Along with ally WPC Elizabeth Hines, the pair work the case together.

What truths lie hidden?

As their inquiries deepen, the towns secrets reveal even darker truths that could lead to the identity of the killer. But when a second girl goes missing, Louise realises that some secrets should stay hidden.

What did I think?

Dirty Little Secret is the first book in a new police procedural series and what a brilliant start; thankfully, there's not a long wait for book two as I'm already looking forward to reading more.

Set in Yorkshire in 1987, when policing is still very much a man's job, WDC Louise Miller is first on the scene when the body of a young girl is found in a phone box.  Remember those red boxes?  Jonathan Peace has captured the era perfectly, not just in the setting but in the misogyny of the police force.  It's shocking to think that this wasn't that long ago but I love how Louise gives as good as she gets.

The characters are so well developed that I could easily picture them in my head and I was as hooked by the characters' interactions as I was by the plot.  Some of their interactions alternated between making me cringe and making me furious as it's quite unbelievable that people got away with saying such things in the not too distant past.  I mean, just that fact that they felt the need to identify a police officer as a woman is jawdropping, but we wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with it in the 80s.  Thankfully, things have changed!

The police procedural element of the novel is brilliantly done and I really enjoyed seeing how the investigation progressed.  I had no idea what direction it would go in and the ending is fantastic - it has certainly made me even more keen to catch up with Louise and her sexist team again in the near future.

A great start to a new series, Dirty Little Secret perfectly encapsulates the area and the era whilst keeping the reader entertained and on the edge of their seat.  Recommended reading for fans of crime and police procedurals.

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

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BLOG TOUR: My Heart Went Walking - Sally Hanan

 

The only man she's ever loved is seeing her sister.

And now they have to save her together.

Sally Hanan's sublime debut mixes the prose of Sue Monk Kidd with the dialogue of Maeve Binchy. With captivating warmth, she pulls us in to how it felt to live and love in Ireland's changing culture of the '80s, and how it often made a woman's decisions for her.

"I can't bear to keep walking. But you can't keep a secret in this town unless you leave with it."

Kept apart by their love for one man, two sisters embark on their own paths towards survival, love, and understanding, until all three finally meet again in the worst of circumstances. And the reality might break them all.

My Heart Went Walking is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that sweeps from the small Irish town of Donegal to the "big smoke" of Dublin City; a book that celebrates the pull of family and the chance of redemption. It is a novel for everyone who feels connected to the Irish approach to life-that of grit and laughter-and also for everyone who loves an overriding message of hope and restoration in all things.

What did I think?

One of the best things about book blogging is finding new authors you may not have otherwise discovered and it would be a travesty to miss Sally Hanan's fabulous debut novel.  I simply adored it and I really didn't expect to love it as much as I did.

Una and Cullen are the best of friends and they tell each other everything...that is until Una has a secret that she can't share with him.  Una runs away from her family and a potential future with Cullen because staying in Donegal would break her heart.  Making a new life for herself in Dublin shows Una's strength of character and I can totally understand why she ran away but there are so many heartbreaking sliding door moments when her life could have changed.  

Sally Hanan's stunning fiction debut is so heartwarming and achingly poignant that I felt completely bereft when I turned the final page.  As with real life, there are so many 'what ifs' and 'if onlys' but what if everything turns out just the way it's supposed to.  Told from the points of view of Una, her sister Ellie and Cullen, the boy they both love, I devoured every single beautiful word in this delightful novel.

Filled with Irish charm and lyrical prose, My Heart Went Walking is a truly gorgeous novel of family life and unconditional love.  It's an absolute pleasure to read and a true hidden gem from the Emerald Isle.  I can't recommend it highly enough.

Many thanks to Hannah from Hargrave PR for sending me an ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Finding Suzy: The Hunt for Missing Estate Agent Suzy Lamplugh and 'Mr Kipper' (Investigations by David Videcette) - David Videcette

 

How can someone just disappear?

Step inside a real-life, missing person investigation in this compelling, true crime must-read.

Uncover what happened to missing estate agent Suzy Lamplugh, as David Videcette takes you on a quest to unpick her mysterious disappearance and scrutinise the shadowy 'Mr Kipper'.

One overcast Monday in July 1986, 25-year-old estate agent Suzy Lamplugh vanished whilst showing a smart London property to a mysterious 'Mr Kipper'.

Despite the baffling case dominating the news and one of the largest missing persons cases ever mounted, police failed to find a shred of evidence establishing what had happened to her.

Sixteen years later, following a second investigation and under pressure from Suzy's desperate parents, police named convicted rapist and murderer John Cannan as their prime suspect. However, the Crown Prosecution Service refused to charge him, citing a lack of evidence.

High-profile searches were conducted, Suzy's body was never found. The trail that might lead investigators to her, long since lost.

Haunted by another missing person case, investigator and former Scotland Yard detective David Videcette has spent five years painstakingly reinvestigating Suzy's cold case disappearance.

Through a series of incredible new witness interviews and fresh groundbreaking analysis, he uncovers piece by piece what happened to Suzy and why the case was never solved.

People don't just disappear...

What did I think?

Wow!  This book is absolutely brilliant and I couldn't put it down.  I'm a huge fan of David Videcette's fiction books so just try and stop me reading his non-fiction, true crime account of the Suzy Lamplugh case.  I remember Suzy's disappearance in the summer of 1986 as we were given personal attack alarms at school.  If Suzy had had a personal attack alarm, would this be a different story today or would anybody have been around to hear it?

The Suzy Lamplugh 'story' is well known: estate agent Suzy went to show a house to Mr Kipper one lunchtime and never returned.  You may have noticed that I put 'story' in inverted commas as David Videcette's investigation proves that the story we know of Suzy's disappearance might as well be a work of fiction.  

David, along with his fellow investigator Caroline, look at the Suzy Lamplugh case with fresh eyes.  I loved the dynamic between David and Caroline, regularly playing good cop (David) and bad cop (Caroline) and it is clear that David has a lot of respect for his fellow investigator, which is more than can be said for some of the people that they interviewed.  Re-interviewing witnesses and asking the right questions, David Videcette sheds new light on to what may have happened to Suzy that day.  I'm not going to release any spoilers here but what I read is completely jaw-dropping and totally eye-opening.  

David's investigation is impeccable, leaving no stone unturned (and no cake uneaten) in his search for Suzy.  It's no surprise (and therefore not a spoiler) that the police haven't shown an ounce of interest in what David has found.  I wonder if Suzy's parents had been alive today, whether the police would be more inclined to take notice. Paul and Diana Lamplugh were heavily involved in the case, perhaps far too much as their desperation to find their daughter led to misrepresentations and false accusations.  

Of course I could write so much more about this fantastic book but I don't want to let anything slip.  David's writing is completely flawless and you'd be forgiven for forgetting that this is true crime, if the subject matter wasn't one of the UK's most famous unsolved cases.  It's a tragedy that Suzy's family never found out what happened to her, but they were never going to find her if they were looking in the wrong place.

Finding Suzy is absolutely brilliant, it's unputdownable, jaw-dropping and eye-opening.  It's the must-read book of the year, if not the decade.  Breathtaking true crime that's not to be missed.  So very highly recommended.

Many thanks to David Videcette for sending me a digital ARC to read and review.  This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Princess of Felling - Elaine Cusack

The Princess of Felling describes Elaine’s childhood and adolescence growing up on Tyneside in the 1970s and 1980s. The book pays homage to her home town of Felling on Tyne and is an extended, loving letter to her late parents.

This illustrated poetic memoir features a Foreword by Michael Chaplin, photographs of Felling taken in summer 2018 by Rossena Petcova and unique maps by poet and artist Steve Lancaster.

The book contains reminiscences by Felling folk plus guest appearances by Nick Heyward, David Almond, Tracey Thorn, Sir Kingsley Amis, The Reverend Richard Coles, Lady Elsie Robson, U.A. Fanthorpe, Gyles Brandreth and more.


What did I think?

I've lived in Wardley, neighbouring 'The Felling', since I was 3 years old, so I was very intrigued by The Princess of Felling by Elaine Cusack.  Of course, you don't have to live in, or even know where Felling is, to enjoy the book as it's part personal memoir of a child of the 70's, part homage to Felling, part musical influences and part portrait of family life in the North East with a sprinkling of poetry in between.

I was hooked from just reading the introduction as Elaine talks about being the Princess of Felling in her very own castle when she was a child.  I had seen Elaine's 'castle' ruin on many occasions and always wondered what it was, well now I know!  There were so many things that resonated with me in Elaine's story; I suppose being a child of the 70's too, I have some things in common with Elaine.  A lot of Elaine's stories brought a smile to my face, especially when she was reminiscing about her Nan; my Nanna always had a bottle of Puroh milk too and I remember her using it to make rice pudding.  Such happy memories!

Following in Elaine's footsteps, I also left my primary schoolfriends in Gateshead and took the short trip across the Tyne to go to senior school in Newcastle.  I went to Central High whereas Elaine went to Church High but we had similar experiences with our accents making us stand out from the posh lasses.  I'm sure like Elaine, I wasn't even that Geordie to begin with but I sounded like I'd just come out of the pit in comparison to the Ponteland crowd.  It does make me smile remembering that and it's funny that it wasn't something on which any of my friends ever remarked, it was just something that made me feel different but I wasn't changing my accent for anybody and Mam will always be Mam!

Elaine has also shared a few poems in her book and I think Skin Stains is the best poem I have ever read.  Now I'm not a poetry lover as they don't normally make sense to me but I got every single word of Elaine's writing.  Poetry for the people!  

What a fabulous collection of poetry and reminiscences!  I learnt a few things about the area that I didn't know and remembered things that I was surprised were still stored in my memory.  Just Elaine reminding me about the call of 'Allyooken' brings back such happy memories of a time gone by when we played out in the street until dark, running off far and wide in a game of hide and seek.  'Allyooken' was a call to return to the street for those who were still hiding and hadn't been found.  I can't even say 'Allyooken' without singing it: Aaaaaaaalyooken!

The Princess of Felling is a chart-topping literary mix tape; there's something for everyone in this fabulous memoir.  It's not only about Elaine's life and the history of The Felling (the 'The' is obligatory if you live there), there's the fabulous poetry and reminiscences of the music scene in the 80's (from Elaine's appearances in the audience of The Tube that was filmed in Tyne Tees studios).

Elaine's writing is so full of love for her family, her home and her music that some of it inevitably rubbed off on me and brought some of my long forgotten memories to the fore.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Elaine for dusting off and digging out some of my old memories.  The Princess of Felling is an outstanding memoir and an absolute must read if you're a child of the 70's (but still a mighty fine read if you're not).

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy your copy in person from selected outlets including Hexham’s Cogito Books, Felling Volunteer Library, Newcastle Central Library, Happy Planet Studio and Gallery in Whitley Bay and online from Elaine’s publisher www.limelightclassics.com.

About the author:

Find out more about Elaine’s writing and forthcoming gigs by visiting www.dipdoomagazoo.wordpress.com, www.ticketsource.co.uk/cusackmansions and by liking her Elaine Cusack writer page on Facebook.










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The Rave (Valley Park #2) - Nicky Black

It’s 1989, the second Summer of Love, and Tommy Collins is doing what he does best: organising all-night raves on a shoestring, and playing a game of cat and mouse with the police. But Detective Chief Inspector Peach is closing in on him, and his dreams of a better life are beginning to slip through his fingers.

DCI Peach finds it all a nuisance, a waste of his force's time, until he finds his teenage daughter unconscious at one of Tommy's raves. Then the chase becomes personal, and his need to make Tommy pay becomes an obsession.

The Rave is a fast-paced, gritty portrayal of life on the edges of society at the end of a decade that changed Britain forever.

What did I think?

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to read The Rave, the follow up to Nicky Black's debut and one of my favourite books, The Prodigal.  I thought I loved The Prodigal but I think The Rave is even better as Nicky Black perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the North East in the late 80's.  Jobs and money were scarce but we sure knew how to party!  You don't have to read The Prodigal before The Rave as they both read well as standalones but you really don't want to miss either of these Geordie gems.  

Tommy Collins likes to push the boundaries of the law; he organises raves but he draws the line at selling drugs until local thug Paul Smart tries to get in on the scene.  Paul Smart is Tommy's wife's uncle but Smart is the type of guy who would sell his granny, so Tommy can't expect any favours for being part of the family.  When Tommy gets drawn into Paul Smart's web, my heart rate increased as the tension was ramped up to almost unbearable levels.  DCI Peach has more reason than most to want to put an end to Tommy Collins' rave scene but Tommy isn't the real enemy with Paul Smart pulling strings behind the scene.  Will any of them get out of this alive to tell the tale?

As much as this is the type of gritty crime drama we have come to know and love from Nicky Black, what you can't prepare yourself for is the amount of humour that has been woven into this dark and serious storyline.  I went from almost having palpitations as the police closed in to laughing my socks off within a few pages; I won't ever be able to look at a coathanger without laughing ever again. Nicky Black's writing is so colourful and multi-dimensional that you can almost hear each character speaking and you begin to recognise their individual traits...the characters' character, if you will.  It really brings the book to life and I love that feeling of being immersed in the story.

The Rave is an absolutely superb crime thriller that has it all: tension, drama, grit and outstanding Geordie humour.  Without doubt a 5 star read and worthy of every single star.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

The pen name Nicky Black is a combination of two writers - Nicky Doherty and Julie Blackie. Julie was a script writer for many years, and Nicky has created two novels based on Julie's TV and film scripts. Both are stories set on the fictional estate of Valley Park in Newcastle, and the criminal world that inhabits it. 

The Prodigal was a bestseller in 2015 and The Rave was published on 14th August 2018.

Nicky is a proud eighties throwback and cat lady and lives in North Tyneside.

BLOG TOUR: The Cliff House - Amanda Jennings

Some friendships are made to be broken

Cornwall, summer of 1986.

The Davenports, with their fast cars and glamorous clothes, living the dream in a breathtaking house overlooking the sea.

If only… thinks sixteen-year-old Tamsyn, her binoculars trained on the perfect family in their perfect home.

If only her life was as perfect as theirs.

If only Edie Davenport would be her friend.

If only she lived at The Cliff House…

Amanda Jennings weaves a haunting tale of obsession, loss and longing, set against the brooding North Cornish coastline, destined to stay with readers long after the final page is turned.

What did I think?

Amanda Jennings is a new author for me, although I did buy a copy of In Her Wake quite some time ago; it's sitting in my bookcase winking at me right now and I'm silently promising to read it soon.  I suppose I am in quite a good position to review The Cliff House as I cannot compare it to Amanda Jennings' previous works, but I'm struggling to start my review as I feel slightly breathless and completely bereft since turning the final page and the only word that comes to mind is 'WOW'.  So here's my 'words fail me' review.

Set in 1986 with teenage main characters, this is a haunting tale of obsession and hidden envy that slowly creeps under your skin, inch by inch like the tide coming in.  Tamsyn can only dream of living in The Cliff House until she meets Edie Davenport one day and is invited into their perfect world.  Only it's not as perfect as it appears through Tamsyn's binoculars and she now has a front row seat as the idyllic lifestyle of the Davenports starts to implode.

Tamsyn is such a brilliant character; grieving from the death of her father, she is haunted by a raven that promises more death and destruction to follow.  Tamsyn is written in such a way that she quickly swings from innocence to menace as the raven's prophesies play out in her mind.  I loved these quick snapshots of darkness; they appeared out of nowhere and for a moment I felt myself straying into this dark alternate reality but then being snapped back almost in the blink of an eye.

Reading The Cliff House is like diving into a warm and inviting pool: smooth, immersive and all-encompassing to the point where I had to keep reminding myself to come up for air.  It feels like an innocent story of a forgotten summer at first, but suddenly it has the feel of menace and danger but, by then, I was powerless to resist as I too had fallen in love with The Cliff House.

Amanda Jennings, what a disturbing and hauntingly beautiful tale you weave; The Cliff House is simply breathtaking with outstanding, evocative prose and vividly painted scenery that I can still close my eyes and bring to mind long after turning the final page.  Completely stunning and highly recommended.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Generation Game - Sophie Duffy

Philippa Smith is in her forties and has a beautiful newborn baby girl. She also has no husband, and nowhere to turn. So she turns to the only place she knows: the beginning.

Retracing her life, she confronts the daily obstacles that shaped her very existence. From the tragic events of her childhood abandonment, to the astonishing accomplishments of those close to her, Philippa learns of the sacrifices others chose to make, and the outcome of buried secrets.

Philippa discovers a celebration of life, love, and the Golden era of television. A reflection of everyday people, in not so everyday situations.

What did I think?

I didn't really know what to expect from The Generation Game and I think, because I had no preconceptions, that it turned out to be a wonderful trip down memory lane and a heart-wrenching story to boot.

Philippa Smith reminisces about her life as she welcomes her new baby into the world in 2006.  Philippa is an older mother and refuses to see her husband in the hospital, so I was immediately intrigued.  With no other visitors coming to see her, we look back over Philippa's very colourful life with amazing references to tv game shows, both in the chapter titles and hidden within the prose.

You can't help but feel sorry for young Philippa as she is dragged from pillar to post with her mum, Helena.  Helena isn't very maternal and is happy to leave Philippa with sweet shop owner, Bob, when she has the opportunity to move to Canada with her new man.  As Bob becomes both mother and father to Philippa, he is helped by hilarious neighbour, Wink, who is addicted to game shows in particular The Generation Game.  Bob and Wink become more of a family to Philippa than Helena has ever been.

Funny, sad and unbelievably nostalgic, The Generation Game is a love letter to the 1980's; beautifully written, if I wasn't smiling I was struggling to hold back tears whilst reading it.  It reminded me that appearances can be deceptive and there is often a reason for people behaving the way they do.  Nobody knows what private anguish is going on behind a person's public facade and there are always two sides to every story.  You can read Philippa's full story in The Generation Game whilst reminiscing about some of the key moments from the past 40 years.

The Generation Game is like a little British history lesson in a nutshell, with the bonus of also being a superb examination of how complicated family life can sometimes be.  A beautifully simple but tremendously clever debut from Sophie Duffy.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

Sophie currently lives in Teignmouth, Devon with her husband and three children. The Generation Game was inspired by her childhood growing up in a sweet shop in Torquay. 

Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophiestenduffy

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The Glittering Art of Falling Apart - Ilana Fox

1980s Soho is electric. For Eliza, the heady pull of its nightclubs and free-spirited people leads her into the life she has craved - all glamour, late nights and excitement. But it comes at a heavy cost.

Cassie is fascinated by her family's history and the abandoned Beaufont Hall. Why won't her mother talk about it? Offered the chance to restore Beaufont to its former glory, Cassie jumps at the opportunity to learn more about her past.

Separated by a generation, but linked by a forgotten diary, these two women have more in common than they know . . .

What did I think?

This was an amazing book and I absolutely loved the dual storyline of Cassie in the present day and Eliza in the past.  The way that Eliza’s story unfolds through her diaries that Cassie found made this such a poignant and believable story.  Although the story is about Cassie discovering Eliza’s diaries, it is Eliza’s story that takes precedence and Cassie is the medium through which we must discover it, warts and all.

Eliza left home at 17, drawn to the bright lights of Soho, but finds a reality harsher than she expected.  The author is not afraid to touch on the old seedy side of Soho, covering subjects such as drug addiction, exploitation of models and prostitution.  Many youths of the 80’s will recognise songs that are mentioned in the book, which ensure that the reader is fully immersed in the era.  Reading about Eliza’s decline was sometimes difficult as I had really come to care about her. 

Following a devastating family tragedy, Eliza then discovers her mother’s estranged family who own stately Beaufont Hall in Buckinghamshire.  Her Aunt is quite cold towards her and it takes the unearthing of a shattering family secret to find out why.  Despite this, Eliza manages to build a lovely relationship with her cousin and shakes off her old life in Soho like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. 

Some might say that the ending was a little predictable, but it was the absolutely perfect ending to this tragic story and Eliza’s final letter did actually bring tears to my eyes.

This is a book full of family secrets and devastating events that really pulled at my heart-strings.  Even though it made me cry, I really loved this book and would read it again.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Orion, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

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