BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: What Fools We Have Been - Hank Williams

Morecambe Bay, Lancashire: After his father’s death, a son clears out his parents’ house. When he finds a series of haunting photographs of Morecambe Bay, taken by his father towards the end of his life, it sparks a journey through the scattered memories and broken connections of five generations of family history.

Flowing from the vibrant post-war Jewish community of London's east end, to the quiet suburban streets of Stanmore, and back to the Lancashire coast, the story cascades down through each generation’s shifting perspective. A wife appeases her charismatic yet destructive husband; a son reimagines the jigsaw of his mother’s life; a granddaughter tries to heal the traumas of the past.

What Fools We Have Been is an exploration of memory, identity, and the trail of damage left in the wake of wartime trauma. It asks: What is it that makes us who we are? Is it possible to repair the wreckage of the past?

 

What did I think?

What Fools We Have Been is a lovely change of pace from my usual type of book but it is just as compelling.  I loved reading this interesting story from the various points of view with a dual timeline.  It's quite short at 139 pages so it's a quick read, not just because of the page length but also because it is incredibly captivating.

I felt quite nosey looking back over the family history in the book with all of the skeletons bursting out of the closet.  It is so sad when disagreements fracture families and it's really difficult for those caught in the middle of it.  People can be so stubborn and unfortunately, it does need effort from both sides to repair the damage.

I have to share a quote from the book as Hank Williams has perhaps written my favourite phrase ever regarding memories.  When one of the characters is eating something that reminds him of a different time, he says that it tastes good to him because it is "seasoned with memories."  That is such a beautiful phrase and one I will never forget as it is so true.

Beautifully written, nostalgic and enthralling, What Fools We Have Been is a gentle, easy read and a very thought-provoking one.  

I received a gifted hardback for the Love Books Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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About the author:

Hank Williams was born in 1955 in London to Jewish parents. After university, he moved to the north west of England. For most of his career, he has worked as a management development consultant and has published three books on the subject. Since 2002, he has lived on the edge of Morecambe Bay.

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BLOG TOUR: The Nowhere Girls - Carmel Harrington

On a cold afternoon in December 1995, two young girls are found abandoned on a platform at Pearse Station in Dublin.

Thirty years later, investigative journalist Vega is determined to find out what happened to the so-called 'Nowhere Girls'. Where did their mother go? Why did no one come forward to claim them? And where are they now?

Searching for answers takes her on a journey with twists she never could have imagined. And one that could put everything else she knows at risk; including her new relationship, her career, and her life as she knows it.

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I could not put this gripping and compelling book down!  It's definitely a 'just one more chapter' kind of a book and then 'whoops I've read it all in a day'.

It is such an intriguing storyline with two young girls being left at a railway station.  What made their mother leave them and why didn't she come back?  This is the story that journalist Vega wants to investigate despite being told to leave it alone by her boss.  Vega can't leave it alone though and she won't stop digging until she finds out the truth.

This is such an addictive book with twists and turns that shocked, surprised and delighted me.  I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and I would recommend setting aside a couple of hours when you pick up this book as you won't be able to put it down.

Unputdownable and completely engrossing, The Nowhere Girls is an unmissable book that kept me riveted from start to finish.  An easy five stars and a very highly recommended read.

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Choppiness on High Seas - Arvind Wadhera

Being born into poverty and hardship in 1930s London, Matthew’s life was one of relentless struggle. One inadvertent act in defence of his mother would haunt his conscience forever.

Matthew’s journey takes him from the poverty of a cold stone granary to the opulence of Mayfair and Kensington Gardens, where he starts a family of his own. Despite working his way to the top of the business world, he remains an outsider to London’s elite. He then realises that same elite has an ugly underbelly. High society was a hot bed of depravity.

Will he correct society’s wrongs? Will the man who never succumbed to expectations be able to challenge his own destiny or will he simply accept the futility of it all?

 

What did I think?

Choppiness on High Seas is a very thought-provoking rags to riches story that is both uplifting and heartbreaking.

Gail Stephens has a very hard life, living in poverty as a single mother but she brings up her son well and is determined that he will have a better life than she did.  Matthew knows that he has his mother to thank for his strength and determination and he is forever grateful to her for giving him the foundation to become a successful businessman.

It reads very much like a family saga as the Stephens family progress through the years from 1930s to the new millennium.  As the book title suggests, life isn't plain sailing for the family and there are many heartbreaking moments along the way as Matthew rises through the ranks.

The portrayal of 1930s poverty is very sobering and it did make me wonder whether it is much different today.  It is very true that money can't buy everything and Matthew finds this out the hard way, despite his good deeds and attempts to make the world a better place for the impoverished.  Matthew is haunted by a desperate act from his past and it's almost like karma wants payback with interest.

Choppiness on High Seas is an entertaining family saga that takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions as we follow the Stephens' dynasty over the decades.  I think it would be a great TV drama series if it ever gets picked up by one of the streaming services.

I received a gifted paperback from Literally PR to read and review for the Online Book Review Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Self-Made Saint - Alexandra Addams

Judith Drainger has always played life by her own rules. But these days life seems to be playing her right back.

Divorced, orphaned and forcibly retired, 59-year-old Judith is determined to seize the opportunity to leave her broken home in London and move across the world to Australia. Here she reunites with her estranged adult daughter Cassandra - only to land smack bang in the emotional quagmire of her daughter's anger and abandonment issues. To make matters worse, Judith can see her new granddaughter Emily has a serious health issue, but her offers of help are ignored and rejected.

When an accident knocks her off her feet, Judith is swamped by the kindly care of her nosy new neighbors. Yet, when given a chance to become a part of their community, Judith shocks even herself by making a series of unforgivable blunders. Realizing if she's to have any hope of reuniting her family, this well-meaning but stubborn curmudgeon must learn the power of saying 'sorry' - and what it actually means to be a good person.

A tender and uplifting novel championing the complex realities of family, solidarity and friendship. 

What did I think?

I really enjoyed this fabulous debut novel from Alexandra Addams that has family, in its different guises, at its heart.

59 year old divorcée Judith Drainger has moved halfway around the world to be near her daughter Cassandra.  Cassandra now has a baby with 'That Andrew' but for the life of her, Judith can't remember her granddaughter's name.  So Judith isn't the type of person you immediately warm to but she definitely grew on me.

Judith may have moved from London to Australia but she can't escape her mother's vicious tongue, even though Marigold has passed away.  This constant sniping (in Judith's head) from her mother is what made me warm to Judith as it helps to explain why she is the way she is.  I thought Cassandra could have been a bit more welcoming but she has does have her hands full with baby Emily.

My favourite character was Judith's neighbour Martha, who you immediately think is incredibly nosy but she has a heart of gold.  I really enjoyed reading Martha's story and I loved the whole community spirit of Martha's circle of friends who welcome Judith with open arms.

With a focus on family, The Self-Made Saint is a very heartwarming and entertaining novel that I would highly recommend.

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

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When the World Tips Over - Jandy Nelson

Welcome to Paradise Springs, Northern California – a hot, dusty, half-magical, wine-country town where there are so many grapes fermenting at one time, you get drunk from breathing the air; where devil winds blow so hard they whip your sense away. A town where every fairy tale you've ever read could be set...and "home" to the family Falls.

When a strange, enigmatic, rainbow-haired girl shows up in their fantastical hometown, it sends the lives of Fall brothers Wynton and Miles and their sister Dizzy into tumult. With road trips, rivalries, family curses, love stories within love stories within love stories, and sorrows and joys passed from generation to generation, this is the intricate, luminous tale of a family’s complicated past and present. And only in telling their stories can they hope to rewrite their futures.

 

What did I think?

This is my first Jandy Nelson novel but it won't be my last as I absolutely loved it.  I feel like my heart had been put through the wringer as I was constantly expecting the worst but when the world tipped over, there was only joy left in my heart.

This is the story of the Fall family and it is told from various narrators and in such a way that it feels like a fairy tale.  As with all fairy tales there are both good and bad characters and challenges to overcome.  With the various narrators, there are different styles of writing but I loved the different voices that shone through Jandy Nelson's writing.

As with most books like this, each reader will have a favourite strand of the story and, whilst you might wonder why we are exploring the other strands, it all comes together beautifully at the end.  I think this is a book I will read again, now that I know the conclusion, to really appreciate the cleverness of the prose.

Mesmerising, heartwarming and always having the possibility of something magical happening, When the World Tips Over is a highly unusual and completely unique book that has the feel of an instant classic about it.  I can see this being a book that is studied in schools in the future and it deserves every single one of the five stars I have awarded it.

I received a gifted paperback for the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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The Stargazers - Harriet Evans

'Don't you think there should be a name for people like us?' he said. 'Who look up and who dream of more, who dream of escaping? Who never lose faith, no matter how hard it becomes?'

'Stargazers,' I said. 'That's what we are'

It's the 1970s, and Sarah has spent a lifetime trying to bury memories of her childhood: the constant fear, the horror of her school days, and Fane, the vast, crumbling house that was the sole obsession of her mother, Iris, a woman as beautiful as she was cruel. Sarah's solace has been her cello and the music that allowed her to dream, transporting her from the bleakness of those early years to her new life with her husband Daniel in their safe, if slightly chaotic, Hampstead home and with a concert career that has brought her fame and restored a sense of self.

The past, though, has a habit of creeping into the present, and as long as Sarah tries to escape, it seems the pull of her mother, Fane Hall and the secrets hidden there cannot be suppressed, threatening to unravel the fragile happiness she enjoys now. Sarah will need to travel back to Fane to confront her childhood, and search for the true meaning of home.

Deliciously absorbing and rich with character and atmosphere, The Stargazers is the story of a house, a family, and finding the strength inside yourself to carry on.

 

What did I think?

You can't help but be drawn to The Stargazers by its beautiful cover and it's as beautiful inside as out.  This is the story of the Fane family and the stately home that has been in their family for decades but is crumbling to dust around them.

Set in a dual timeline where we meet Iris in 1922 and her daughters Sarah and Victoria in 1969 to 2020.  Iris has been driven mad by Fane Hall falling into the hands of her father's brother, Uncle Clive.  It's her house!  As she keeps telling everyone, and it would have been her house if only she had been born a boy.  Iris's obsession with Fane Hall has driven a wedge between her and her daughters and it has also fractured the relationship between the sisters.

It is absolutely heartbreaking to see how Iris treats her daughters.  All that matters to her is Fane Hall and she is determined to get her Uncle Clive out of her house.  It's a deep-rooted simmering feud but it has taken over the whole of Iris's life and she has missed out on so much.

Sarah is living her best life in her new home with her husband, Daniel and their two daughters.  Sarah doesn't know how to be a mother and my heart really went out to her as she struggled to adjust to motherhood while Daniel entertains his entourage of local ladies who hang on his every word.

There is so much going on in this book from school bullying that horrified me to an incident with a tree that I am still laughing about now.  It's one of those books that make you experience the full spectrum of emotions and there are some stunning surprises in store for the reader that I didn't see coming at all. 

The Stargazers is beautifully written with an intriguing plot and a powerful message about home, which really is where the heart is.

I received a hardback copy to take part in the Tandem Collective readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Wedding Dress Repair Shop - Trisha Ashley

Can her heart be mended too?

Garland Fairford has her dream job as a historical Costumier in London and is engaged to a handsome and successful playwright, Marco.

Whilst working on an exhibition of dresses owned by a Victorian actress, Garland meets a long-lost relative - Honey Fairford. Having no family, Garland is delighted, and intrigued to discover Honey is planning to open a wedding dress museum in Lancashire.

When Garland loses her fiancée and her job in the same week, she is excited to accept Honey's offer to work at the museum. Escaping London, and her old life, Garland is then shocked to be confronted with a ghost from her past - Thom.

As Garland starts to repair the beautiful vintage wedding dresses for the museum, as well as her relationship with Thom, could this finally be the chance for her own happy-ever-after?

 

What did I think?

I am absolutely astonished that The Wedding Dress Repair Shop appears to be the first Trisha Ashley book I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's incredibly heartwarming and very intriguing with a family mystery to uncover as well as the story of each wedding dress that has been donated to the museum.

Everything is going right for Garland Fairford and she must feel very lucky to have both a job and a fiancé that she loves, but it quickly becomes clear that not everything in Garland's garden is rosy.  Garland's fiancé Marco is a self-centred swearword of a man and I absolutely detested him and his treatment of Garland.  

Luckily for Garland, a distant relative (Honey Fairford) provides her with the perfect escape when her life in London goes pear-shaped.  You might expect from the book title that Garland opens a wedding dress repair shop but she doesn't, she ends up repairing wedding dresses for Honey's new museum.   Garland doesn't have a shop open to the general public so I have to say that I was a little perplexed about the choice of book title, however, it is a wonderful story and the Wedding Dress museum sounds amazing.

I loved the excerpts from Honey and Garland's ancestor's journal that are sprinkled throughout the book.  Rosa-May's story is set in 1815 as her new husband prepares to fight in the Battle of Waterloo and it ties in nicely with the wedding dress museum storyline.  The stories about each wedding dress are so poignant and one particular wedding dress story brought a tear to my eye, I feel emotional now just thinking about it.

Beautifully written and a joy to read, The Wedding Dress Repair Shop is a heartwarming and alluring novel that delighted me from start to finish (even the bits with nasty Marco in).  It may be my first Trisha Ashley book, but it certainly won't be my last - I loved it.

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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About the author:

Trisha Ashley's Sunday Times bestselling novels have sold over one million copies in the UK and have twice been shortlisted for the Melissa Nathan award for Romantic Comedy. Every Woman for Herself was nominated by magazine readers as one of the top three romantic novels in the last fifty years.

Trisha lives in North Wales. For more information about her please visit www.Facebook.com/TrishaAshleyBooks or follow her on Twitter @trishaashley.

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Hyphenated Relations - Daniel Maunz

Sam Daly is leading a life of quiet isolation following the death of her husband, Mike. She is content to merely put in her eight hours at work each day before heading home to lose herself in a book, only to restart that cycle the following morning. But Sam's self-imposed cocoon is threatened after her eccentric father-in-law Harold stumbles back into her world to announce that he is getting remarried to the mysterious Marcie Porter, who is burdened by her own complex family history.

The last thing Sam wants is to get involved with Harold's new endeavour. But after getting wind that Marcie's four children intend to sabotage the wedding, Sam is reluctantly drawn into a new family drama and all that comes with it, whether it be the development of unexpected alliances or butting heads with ruthless enemies. While navigating these landmines, Sam finds herself struggling to come to terms with the painful past she had been holding away at arm's length for so long.

Through these trials and tribulations, Sam is also forced to confront the one question that she had sought to avoid since her husband's passing—whether she is done with the notion of "family" after all.

 

What did I think?

Wowzers!  What a book!  I didn't just like it, I LOVED IT!  I laughed (a lot), I cried (a little) and I enjoyed every single second aboard this hugely entertaining emotional rollercoaster of a novel.  Just like Daniel Maunz's outstanding debut novel, Questions of Perspective, Hyphenated Relations is a book that will stay with me long after turning the final page.

This is a character driven novel with family at its huge heart.  The characters are an eclectic bunch and I loved all of them, even the sneaky, conniving ones.  Sam is the main character and she is suffering from the most painful of emotions: grief.  It seems as if a large part of Sam died when she lost her husband, although she escapes through her love of books (which made me love her even more).  

Sam has distanced herself from her former father-in-law so it's quite a shock to her system when he comes back into her life in the funniest way.  Humour is evident throughout the book, even though some serious subjects are touched upon and it very much reflects the ups and downs of real life.  

I don't think I fully appreciated the wonderful front cover until I was partway through the book and saw the initials on the leaves of the tree.  It makes me emotional just looking at it to write my review as it makes me grateful to think of the people who have touched my life in my own family tree.

This is one of those books that make you want to read it again as soon as you finish it.  I'm already missing all of the characters and I want to re-experience their stories again; I'm sure I'll even laugh in the same places and maybe even find some humour I missed when I was rapidly devouring this wonderful book as if I had been starved of words for weeks.

Entertaining, emotional and humorous, Hyphenated Relations is an unforgettable novel that has reminded me that life may be short but it is precious.  Don't let this wonderful book fly under your radar - Daniel Maunz is a true literary star and one of the best things about book blogging is being introduced to such amazing authors that I may not have otherwise discovered.

Very highly recommended - DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK (yes, I'm shouting from the rooftop, it's THAT good)!

Many thanks to Daniel Maunz for sending an ARC across the Atlantic; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: The Daughter-in-Law - Fanny Blake

When Hope’s only son Paul met and married Edie, Hope was delighted that he had found love and was settling down to make his own family. Hope has loved bringing up her own child, and is happy to step in and help out now and again – but is always worried about overstepping the line between grandmother and mother.

 

Edie was hoping that having children with Paul would fulfil her as much as her busy job as a barrister has. But the reality is far from her dream. And with her mother-in-law Hope constantly poking her nose in where it’s not wanted, she finds herself frustrated and alone.

 

Both women could be each other’s greatest ally, but both have secrets that could ruin their relationship. Secrets neither wants Paul to uncover…

 

What did I think?

I love books about family secrets so The Daughter-in-Law really appealed to me and as an added bonus, it's written by Fanny Blake, who really knows how people tick. 

Going on holiday with your son's family and two small children is always going to be stressful and Hope can't seem to do anything right as far as her daughter-in-law Edie is concerned.  I disliked Edie immediately, she is so self-centred and she doesn't realise how lucky she is to have Hope on hand to help her out with the children.  I felt sorry for Paul being stuck in the middle between his mum and his wife.

Both Edie and Hope are keeping secrets from Paul and we all know that secrets never stay buried.  Their secrets are huge and I kept changing my mind about which one Paul should feel more betrayed by.  

Fanny Blake really gets under the skin of her characters and I loved discovering all their flaws and fears.  Every reader will pick a side at the beginning but as the story develops there'll be more swapping sides than the English Civil War.  

The Daughter-in-Law is hugely enjoyable and very compelling and I was completely absorbed by the family drama that was unfolding before my eyes.  This is classic Fanny Blake and I loved it.

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: The House That Made Us - Alice Cavanagh

One Day meets Up: The House That Made Us is a love story – and a life story – told through a series of photographs and based on a true story

 

When Mac and Marie marry and find a home of their own, Mac takes a snap of themselves outside their newbuild bungalow, the garden bare and the paint on the front door still wet. It becomes a tradition, this snap, and slowly the photographs build into an album of a fifty-year partnership.

 

Every year they take a photo and though things change around them – the garden matures, the fashions change, they grow older – the one constant is their love. Every year, come rain, come shine, from the Seventies through the decades, every photo tells the story of their love.

 

Until the last photo, where the couple becomes one, and their story comes to an end…

 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I am a total blubbering mess after reading this outstanding book.  Knowing that it was based on a true story, I was reaching for my tissues just reading the dedication at the front, and that wasn't the only tear I shed.  Yes, it's heartbreaking but it is filled with so much love and I enjoyed every beautiful moment.

I simply adored Mac and Marie and how their story played out over a series of photographs in a treasured album.  It's an album that has found its way into new hands where each photo is discovered for the very first time.  It's a dual storyline of sorts, as the photo album is being looked at in the present day and each photo tells a story from the past.   

The characters are larger than life and Mac and Marie instantly found a way into my heart.  It's nostalgic at times as the decades pass and colour choices fade but Mac and Marie's love grows stronger.  Every anniversary they take a photo in front of their house and I couldn't read fast enough to discover their story, whilst simultaneously dreading the final chapter as I was so emotionally invested.

Emotional doesn't even begin to describe The House That Made Us and to say that Alice Cavanagh put me through the emotional wringer is an understatement, however, it's an emotional journey I feel privileged to have been on.

Beautifully written and filled with heart and soul, The House That Made Us is a stunning novel of a full and happy life, with inevitable tears at the end (and the beginning and everywhere in between).  Have your hankies at the ready as you discover Mac and Marie's story for yourself.  An easy five stars and more - completely unmissable and very highly recommended.

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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