BLOG TOUR: The Golden Hour - Kate Lord Brown

The Golden Hour is an epic dual timeline story which interweaves glory-seeking desert archaeologists, priceless treasures, Nefertiti’s tomb and the decadent cabarets of WW2 Cairo with restless expat lives in bohemian Beirut. 

 

Archaeologist Lucie Fitzgerald's mother is dying – she's also been lying. As her home, the 'Paris of the East', Beirut, teeters on the brink of war in the ‘70s, Polly Fitzgerald has one last story to tell from her deathbed.  It’s the story of her childhood best friend Juno and their life in 30s Cairo. Lucie travels home to be with her dying mother and discovers the truth about her family, Juno's work and their shared search for the greatest undiscovered tomb of all - Nefertiti's. 

 

From the cities to the deserts, this transporting and moving story of a lost generation transformed by war is a study of great love and sacrifice in all its forms, the perfect novel for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.

 

What did I think?

I love ancient Egyptian history so The Golden Hour was an absolute must-read for me and it completely exceeded my expectations, absolutely blowing me away with its amazing setting and its intriguing storyline.

With a dual timeline set in Egypt 1939 and Lebanon 1975, Kate Lord Brown sweeps the reader away to distant shores and introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters.  Juno and Polly have been friends since their childhood in England and the pair are reunited as married women in 1939 in Egypt.  Now that Polly is terminally ill, it is time to tell her daughter Lucie about the past and the story is quite emotional and shocking but it is also courageous and empowering.

The characters are so well developed and I adored Juno who refused to take no for an answer as she forced her way into the male-dominated world of archaeology.  It is Juno's dream to discover Nefertiti's tomb and I loved the portrayal of Nefertiti as a strong woman in her own right rather than the wife of Akhenaten and stepmother/mother-in-law of Tutankhamun.  

I thoroughly enjoyed the archaelogical part of the story but it is Juno and Polly's history that kept me completely riveted to the pages.  I was devastated more than once by this moving tale but I also felt uplifted and empowered by the strong female characters.

Poignant and powerful, The Golden Hour is a sweeping story that took my breath away with its exotic setting and rendered me speechless with its stunning plot.  It is giving me goose bumps just thinking about it now and I will be recommending it and reading it many many times.  Unmissable and unputdownable; an easy five stars.

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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FREE BOOK PROMO: Sugar and Snails - Anne Goodwin

I'm reposting my review today of Anne Goodwin's fabulous debut novel, Sugar and Snails.  If you sign up to Anne's newsletter in February, you can grab a free copy!  So make sure to sign up HERE

At fifteen, she made a life-changing decision. Thirty years on, it’s time to make another.

When Diana escaped her misfit childhood, she thought she’d chosen the easier path. But the past lingers on, etched beneath her skin, and life won’t be worth living if her secret gets out.

As an adult, she’s kept other people at a distance... until Simon sweeps in on a cloud of promise and possibility. But his work is taking him to Cairo, the city that transformed her life. She’ll lose Simon if she doesn’t join him. She’ll lose herself if she does.

Sugar and Snails charts Diana’s unusual journey, revealing the scars from her fight to be true to herself. A triumphant mid-life coming-of-age story about bridging the gap between who we are and who we feel we ought to be.

What did I think?

I do love to read books based in the North East; I get that little skip of pride in my belly seeing places I've been and streets I've walked down in print.  I also visited Cairo many years ago which created my love for Egyptology, so I was getting a double whammy in this book.  Unfortunately for me, Cairo doesn't feature greatly, as it is about the event that happened there in Diana's past rather than the city.  Location aside, Sugar and Snails is such an exceptional and unique book that deals with some difficult subjects in a sensitive and honest manner.  Anne Goodwin has created a character in Diana that you instantly care about because of her insecurity, but Diana is stronger than she thinks and the reader has the honour of joining her on a journey that sees her fear peeling away like the layers of an onion.

Diana Dodsworth is a junior lecturer at a university and, with a select group of only a few friends, it is clear that she likes to keep herself to herself.  One night at a dinner party she meets Simon and it is clear that there is an attraction there but there's something holding Diana back.  Despite Diana constantly pushing him away, Simon is undeterred and their relationship grows.  When Simon is offered a position in Cairo he wants Diana to come out to visit him but Cairo holds painful memories for her and she is loathe to apply for a passport to join him.  As Diana's past is revealed, it becomes apparent why she doesn't want to travel to Cairo and I felt such terrible anguish for her.  Will their relationship survive the distance?

This was such a heart-rending story and it is very difficult to review without spoilers.  Suffice to say my heart was breaking at the pain Diana has endured in her life.  From parents who didn't understand her, and even took her on a trip to Lourdes to cure her, to confusing teenage years when every teenager just tries to find out who they are.  Some passages are difficult to read and I had a clenching tummy on more than one occasion, but my discomfort was quickly surpassed by my feelings for Diana's wellbeing.  Diana feels so alone and scared but when she overcomes her fear she finds out that true friendship is more than skin deep.

So hopeful and heart-rending, Sugar and Snails is an amazingly brutal and honest story about one person searching for their place in life.  Diana is perhaps more honest than most people can ever hope to be and I applauded her bravery throughout the book.  Sugar and Snails is emotional and intelligent and well worth 5 stars from me.

I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

Anne Goodwin is the author of two novels and a short story collection. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, about a woman who has kept her past identity a secret for thirty years, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize. Throughout February, subscribers to her newsletter can read Sugar and Snails for free: https://www.subscribepage.com/sugar-and-snails-free-e-book  CLOSES 28 FEB 

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Website: annegoodwin.weebly.com 

Twitter @Annecdotist

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Shadows on the Nile - Kate Furnivall

'I'll find him. I will.'

It's 1932 and 27-year-old Jessica is living London life to the full when her younger brother Tim, an ancient Egyptian archaeology expert, goes missing. Teaming up with Sir Montague Chamford - who can resist neither a damsel in distress nor the chance of adventure - Jessie vows to find her beloved brother.

Following the clues Tim has left in his wake, Jessie and Monty head to Egypt. In the relentless heat of the desert, romance is kindled between them, but danger also lurks in every shadow. And then Jessie starts to wonder how much Monty really knows about her brother's disappearance . . .

A dramatic story of adventure, excitement, love and romance can all be found in the SHADOWS ON THE NILE

What did I think?

After immensely enjoying Kate Furnivall's The Liberation and checking out her back catalogue, I added Shadows on the Nile to my wishlist, as I have a keen interest in Egyptian history.  I recently popped into my local library and the breathtaking cover of Shadows on the Nile was shining in front of my eyes like the golden rays of the sun god Ra.  So I put my feet up with a nice glass of wine and prepared to be whisked away to Egypt.

With a dramatic, heart-wrenching first chapter, the story starts in 1912 with 7 year old Jessica being awoken by a noise in the night followed by a frightened squeal from her little brother.  Waking up the next day, it's as if events of the previous night never happened and Jessica's life continues as normal.  Fast forward to 1932 when Jessica's brother, Tim, goes missing after attending a séance.  Jessica follows Tim's trail to the location of the séance and meets Sir Montague Chamford.  Monty joins Jessie in her search for Tim and I was quite suspicious of his motivations - what is he hiding or what doesn't he want Jessie to find?

Whereas we would hop on a plane, Jessie and Monty have an 80 hour journey across Europe to Cairo.  This is where Kate Furnivall excels in her writing: the sights, sounds, smells, heat and dust of Cairo are described in such exquisite detail that you feel as if you are there.  I have been to Cairo before so my imagination does have a head start, but it really is exactly as Kate Furnivall describes it.  The golden glint of Tutankhamun's death mask and the majesty of the pyramids are truly brought to life in Shadows of the Nile.

Jessie's family history plays a massive part in the story, but I can't say too much without spoiling it for others.  Suffice to say, Jessie's search for Tim leads to a confrontation with the past, a past that may have been buried but history has shown us that so many well buried secrets are unearthed in Egypt.

Another superbly atmospheric story from Kate Furnivall that swept me away to the Nile valley.  Through her breathtakingly beautiful prose, Kate Furnivall paints a stunning and vivid picture of this incredible ancient country.  This is historical fiction at its finest and I highly recommend Kate Furnivall's books.

I borrowed this book from my local library and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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