The Tea Planter's Secret by Clare Flynn (The Ceylon Series Bk 2)

                                                        

Ebook:  365 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Storm Publishing May 2026

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentences: The baby was howling again. Her wailing was like a cheese grater dragging across Stella's skin.

Setting: Ceylon in 1908 (now known as Sri Lanka)

Review Quote: “Vivid and atmospheric… full of emotion, secrets, and resilience.” Reader Review,

My Opinion: 

The first title in The Ceylon Series 'The Star of Ceylon' was my introduction to the author Clare Flynn. I found her narrative about the British in Ceylon in the early years of the 20C a pleasurable and informative read.

Therefore I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review 'The Tea Planter's Secret'. The characters were familiar and it was delightful to catch up with the main protagonists, Stella and Norton, Winnie and Paul and Cynthia and Ronald. The relationships are all complex and the narratives in this sequel are strong and emotional. I was once again transported to Colonial Ceylon and immersed in the beauty of the country as well as the social tensions of the country and the protagonists of the novel. Already looking forward to the final book in the series as the ending leaves the reader with hints of changes ahead for Stella, Winnie and Cynthia.

Although it works as a stand alone novel, reading the first in the series beforehand will enhance your understanding of the characters behaviour. Recommended as an atmospheric series for fans of historical fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review. 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

Ceylon, 1908: Stella Baxter returns to the island paradise that once promised her everything — haunted by her father’s death and the brutal assault that left her with a baby she cannot love.

Norton is waiting for her in Colombo. He rescued her from scandal, he sees her worth, and his steady presence offers something Stella had given up a chance to heal. At last she can turn to the work that still binds her to her father — preserving his precious academic legacy.

But the arrival of the scandalous Cynthia — abandoned by her lover and desperate to salvage her reputation — ignites forbidden desires within Norton’s own family. As secrets unravel and the respectable façade of British Ceylon begins to crack, the fragile new life Stella has built is caught in the fallout.

Soon the mistakes of the past resurface, and Stella must fight to protect not only her father’s legacy but her own future.

Previous Review:  The Star of Ceylon (The Ceylon Series Book 1)

Author Profile:

                                                 

                                          Photo and Bio Courtesy of Goodreads 

Clare Flynn is the author of twenty historical novels and a collection of short stories. She is the 2020 winner of the UK Selfies Adult Fiction prize for her best-selling novel The Pearl of Penang, was shortlisted for the RNA Industry Awards Indie Champion of the Year for 2021 and won the award in 2022. 

Clare lives in Eastbourne. on the south coast of the UK. She is a fluent Italian speaker and loves spending time in Italy. In her spare time she likes to quilt, paint and travel often and widely as possible.

Clare Flynn is an active member of The Romantic Novelists Association, The Alliance of Independent Authors and The Society of Authors.

You can read her full and interesting biography on her website

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Clare Flynn - Author Website.   Goodreads Profile.   Amazon Profile.   Instagram Profile

 Storm Publishing - Profile.    Facebook Profile

The Lost Chateau by Dinah Jefferies

                                              

Ebook:   384 pages in Kindle Edition     

Genre: Historical Fiction                                           

Publisher:  June 4, 2026 by HarperCollins

Source: NetGalley

First Sentence:  I nearly died that day.

Review Quote:  The novel has received highly positive early praise, earning critical acclaim as a "captivating novel of friendship and love with rich historical detail". Candis Magazine

The novel was shortlisted for the 2026 Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Thriller Award. 

Setting:  Dordogne, France

My Opinion:  

 Dinah Jefferies is a favourite author of mine because she always transports me to locations that come alive with her vivid descriptions and delightful stories. I have been a fan since 2014 when her debut novel was published and have read and enjoyed all of her published novels since.

Characters from her last novel set in Corfu The Greek House feature in 'The Lost Chateau' as Thirza now married goes to France to look after an aging and ailing aunt. She feels somewhat obliged as this aunt once saved her life. (Note: It is not necessary to have read the preceding novel first).  The story is set in 1936 while Thirza is in the Dordogne caring for her Aunt Berenice and in the 1890's as we learn of her aunts past when she was a young bride living in the chateau. The chateau holds so many secrets and Thirza is determined to discover them. She believes unlocking them will give peace to her aunt in her final days.

Once again Dinah Jefferies has written a very satisfying read. An emotional story that draws the reader in with its evocative setting, intriguing mystery and well developed characters. Highly recommended for fans of the author, historical fiction and a little mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Links to Previous Reviews:

 The Separation.  The Missing Sister. The Sapphire Widow. Daughters of War #1  The Tuscan Contessa Daughters of War#2 The Hidden Palace  Night Train to Marrakech: Daughters of War #3
The Greek House

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

A secret lies behind every door… The Dordogne, 1936

Amid tangled gardens and crumbling walls, Chateau Rousseau guards its secrets well.

Pushing open its faded door, Thirza Caruthers arrives to care for her great-aunt. She's made a promise – unaware of what awaits.

As the skies darken above Europe, the chateau begins to reveal its stories of forbidden love, devastating betrayal, and a child who vanished years ago.

But in uncovering the truth, Thirza may lose herself forever.

Author Profile:                

                                                                           

              Courtesy of Facebook Profile

Biography in her own words from her website

 I was lucky that my second novel The Tea-Planter’s Wife became a Sunday Times No.1, Kindle No.1, and Richard & Judy bestseller. Since then I’ve had further Sunday Times top 10s, three Richard & Judy Book Club picks, and become an international best seller charting in Italy, Norway, Israel and elsewhere

I was born in Malaysia but moved to the UK at the age of nine, going on to study fashion design, work in Tuscany as an au pair for an Italian countess, and live with a rock band in a commune in Suffolk.

A family tragedy changed everything, and I draw on the experience of loss in my writing, infusing love, loss, and danger with the seductive escapism of my locations. The sense of place, of history and of human nature is a heady mix in the novels.

Published in over 30 languages in more than 40 countries, I have written an epic three book series for my new publisher Harper Collins (my 8th, 9th, and 10th novels) starting with Daughters of War set in 1944 in France, The Hidden Palace in England, Malta and France, finishing with Night Train to Marrakech set in Morocco which became my third Richard and Judy Pick.

I spent many years living in a tiny 16th Century village in Northern Andalusia, Spain. Now I’m delighted to have settled close to my family in the South West of England  with my husband, Richard, and along with our two enormous and very lovely Maine Coon cats.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Author Profile  Twitter Profile  Dinah Jefferies - Official Website

Amazon Author Page

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

 

                                                      

Ebook:   656 pages                                                                       

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, 

Publisher:  Fig Tree May 2026 

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentence: Downtown Drugstore had a bell on the door that made a single tink sound when you opened it. 

Review Quote:  'It’s such a joy to immerse yourself in this world and with these characters ... a really special book that’s been well worth the wait' Good Housekeeping

My Opinion: 

It is many years since I read Kathryn Stockett's now classic novel 'The Help'. It was a 5* read and still an all-time favourite. So I was excited to have the opportunity to read and review her highly anticipated new novel, published just a few weeks ago, seventeen years later.

Set in Mississipi and Oxford USA  in 1933 during the Depression 'The Calamity Club' the main protagonist of the story is Birdie, whose family are depending on her for their financial survival. The other main character is Meg Lefleur still a child but one who has already learnt that you cannot rely on anyone. Their worlds collide when Birdie visits her sister in Oxford to ask for financial support from her wealthy husband. Things don't work out as anticipated and there is pressure on the economic circumstances the family faces from all directions. Despite the difficulties Birdie and the women she meets face they raise the money they need to survive by very unconventional means.

What refined storytelling 'The Calamity Club' is. At over 600 pages it is a wonderful, emotional and humorous saga that I did not want to end having become so immersed in the worlds of Birdie and Meg. Highly recommend to everyone.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, Fig Tree and the author, Kathryn Stockett for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

In 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, Prohibition is on the wane, and the Great Depression is tightening its grip. Poor and rich folks alike have fallen on hard times, even as the old social order remains. For women on the margins, the options are few and the price of dignity and self-determination is unbearably high.

Eleven-year-old Meg, one of the unadoptable “big girls” at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, fights each day to keep her spirit unbowed. Birdie, unmarried and outspoken, has come to Oxford on a mission to ask her social-climbing sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. And Charlie is a woman with a past, running low on luck but driven by fire, fury, and grit. When their fates converge, they come up with an audacious plan to take back control of their lives. Together, they form an unlikely sisterhood—but in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife, women’s freedom is fragile, and making an enemy can have dire consequences, will the price they pay for their outrageous risk-taking be too high?

The Calamity Club will make you laugh, cry, and cheer—an epic testament to resilience, friendship, and the fierce, funny women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings. This is Kathryn Stockett at her most confident, heartfelt, and hilarious—the triumphant return of one of the most beloved storytellers of our time.

Previous Review: The Help

Author Profile:

                                                                                                                                                                           

                                                             Courtesy of Goodreads

Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and creative writing, she moved to New York City, where she worked in magazine publishing for nine years. She currently lives in Mississippi and New York City.

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Profile.   Amazon Profile.   Kathryn Stockett - Official Author Website

Instagram Profile

We Solve Murders (#1 in series) by Richard Osman

 

                                                      

Audiobook:  10 hours  33 minutes

Narrator: Nicola Walker

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Humour, Crime

Publisher: Penguin Audio September 2024

Source:  Audible Membership

First Sentence:  It had finally happened. 

Review Quote: ''The thing that shines through in Osman’s writing is that he really likes people and revels in all their foibles and eccentricities. All of which makes for a delightful read – and another little slice of warmth in time for autumn' THE OBSERVER

My Opinion:

As a fan of  'The Thursday Murder Club' series despite it not being a favourite genre I decided to listen to the first book in Richard Osman's new series 'We Solve Murders' via my Audible Membership.

The protagonists of this series are Amy Wheeler and her father-in-law Steve Wheeler. They are joined by a vast cast of characters, good and bad amongst them. Amy is currently working as a security officer for a famous novelist, when chaos kicks off with Amy discovering she has not only become a target for a hit man but that there is a murder that needs solving.

Unfortunately this novel has not given me the same vibes as 'The Thursday Murder Club' so doubt I will be reading/listening to any more adventures of the Wheeler duo. Don't get me wrong the characterisation and humour are as appealing as all the author's writing, this one just did not get me excited. It took me weeks to listen to the full book which is not a good sign, just lack of enthusiasm.  Still I can recommend to true fans of the genre and those who enjoy humour in a thriller.

My Reviews 

The Thursday Murder Club   The Man Who Died Twice. The Bullet That Missed

The Last Devil To Die

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job...

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?

Author Profile:         

Courtesy of  Goodreads

.

Richard Osman was born in Billericay, Essex, England on  November 28, 1970. He is now well known as an author, producer and television presenter. The Thursday Murder Club was his first novel. He is well known for TV shows including Pointless and Richard Osman’s House of Games. As the creative director of Endemol UK, Richard has worked as an executive producer on numerous shows including Deal Or No Deal and 8 Out of 10 Cats. He is also a regular on panel and game shows such as Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie To You and Taskmaster.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page   Goodreads Author Profile  Twitter - Richard Osman

The Lost Orphans of Lyon by Helen Parusel

                                                    

Ebook:  368 pages                                                                            

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Publisher:  16th May 2026 Boldwood Books

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentences:  This couldn't be happening. They were shooting at the children. Please, no, not the children.

Review Quote:  'The hardships of occupied France are brought to life in this brilliant gripping story packed with historical detail.’ Clare Marchant

My Opinion: 

Helen Parusel is a new to me author, whose latest novel I decided to read, due to the fact it is historical fiction based on true events. During WWII the village of Chambon-sur-Lignon in the Haute-Loire region of France provided refuge for thousands of refugees, many of whom were children.

The story is told through the eyes of two fictional protagonists Yvette and Marie. Yvette a recently married young woman finds herself unexpectedly overseeing her husband's chateau. Discovering that the chateau has been acting as an escape route for those feeling Nazi persecution she vows to continue helping. This is how she meets Marie a young woman from the village who also helps with the escape routes. The young women both grow in character and confidence as they show resilience despite the dangers they face.

Having read so many books set in this period with similar themes  I originally had my doubts about reading yet another one. However I was glad I did as I learnt about the Huguenot Community, whose bravery was yet another aspect of the work of the French Resistance, that was a story worth telling. Recommended to fans of this period in history.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, Boldwood Books and the author, Helen Parusel for the opportunity to read and review.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

A hidden tunnel. Two frightened children. One woman who must risk everything.

Lyon, Occupied France, 1942

When Yvette Dubois’s husband inherits a remote chateau, she reluctantly leaves Lyon behind ­– only for Armand to abandon her there to manage the vineyard alone. Isolated among unfamiliar staff, Yvette feels trapped in a life she never wanted.

Everything changes the day she hears a mysterious knocking in the library. Behind a tapestry, she discovers a hidden tunnel – along with two frightened orphans. Yvette learns the chateau once acted as an escape route for Jewish children and others fleeing Nazi persecution.

Yvette vows to continue the important work, wanting to honour the legacy. But Armand insists their safety depends on appeasing the occupiers. And defying him could destroy their future ­– and their freedom.

As German patrols tighten their grip on the area and whispers of betrayal grow louder, Yvette must risk everything to protect the innocent – even if the day may come when she’ll need to use the tunnel to save herself...

Author Profile:

                                                                                                                

                                                     Courtesy of Amazon

In the author's words from her Amazon Profile: I come from London but now live in Hamburg, Germany with my husband, daughter and rescue dog. Over the last twenty years I have taught English to students ranging in age from three to ninety- years-old! Many of the war time stories I heard further inspired my love of Historical Fiction. I'm particularly drawn to the lesser known stories. My debut novel, A Mother's War, highlights the Lebensborn programme in occupied Norway, and was chosen as a finalist for The Romantic Novelist Association Debut award, 2024.

I have ancestors from Austria and spent my summer holidays there as a child which inspired my second novel, The Austrian Bride. The story is set in 1938 as Europe teeters on the brink of WW2. My third novel, The Last Bookshop in Prague, highlights issues that are still relevant today: book banning, persecution and the importance of not sinking into passivity and indifference.

My most recent book, The Lost Orphans of Lyon, will be released in May. Based on a true story, the books follows the courage of an isolated, mountain community, who saved thousands of lives, mostly children, from the Nazis. There is also a crumbling château, a secret tunnel and a forbidden love story. So, plenty of adventure!

 I have always loved reading and writing, and now finally have the time to devote to my writing.

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Profile Page.    Amazon Profile Page.   Instagram Profile.   Facebook Profile

Hunger and Thirst by Claire Fuller

                                                        

Ebook:  352 pages                                                                            

Genre: Literary Fiction, Horror Thriller, Mystery,

Publisher:  Penguin, May 7th 2026

Source:  NetGalley

First Sentence:  All everyone wants to know about is the murder and what we did with the body:armchair detectives, tabloid journalists, the curious and the ghoulish, speculating on what happened.

Review Quote:  ‘An absolute masterpiece. Utterly absorbing, genuinely unsettling …like all the most terrifying horror films of the 70’s and 80’s and all the most scary ghost stories’ ― Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

My Opinion: 

Having previously found Claire Fuller's writing thought provoking I decided to read this novel. However I had no idea it was going to be so horrific, horror is certainly not a genre I'm drawn to. The author has said that this novel has the most of her in it, set in the town where she went to the art school where the protagonist of the story, Ursula works. She also has her living in the same squat but assures readers that this is where the similarities end.

Ursula's story is told across two timelines. The present day where she is now known as Uschi, a renowned sculptor who keeps her early years very much a secret. Until that is a documentary film maker starts researching into a mystery from the time she was known as Ursula, a young woman with a very troubled background. Unsettling as Ursula's memories appear to become fragmented in that she can no longer distinguish between reality and fiction.

Definitely unique! Although I am glad I had the opportunity to read 'Hunger and Thirst' I would never have done so had I known it was going to be quite so horrific and disturbing.  If you are a fan of horror stories, then this is one for you.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Previous Review:  Unsettled Ground

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

1987: After a childhood trauma and years in and out of the care system, sixteen-year-old Ursula finds herself with a new job in the postroom of a local art school, a bed in a halfway house, and—delightfully— some new friends, including wild-child, Sue. When Ursula is invited to join a squat at The Underwood, a mysterious house whose owners met a terrible end, she can’t resist the promise of a readymade, hodgepodge family. 

But as Sue’s behaviour and demands become more extreme, Ursula who has always been hungry—for food—and more importantly for love, acceptance and belonging, carries out her friend’s terrible dare. It's a decision that will haunt her for decades.

Thirty-six years later, Ursula is a renowned, reclusive sculptor living under a pseudonym in London when her identity is exposed by true-crime documentary-maker who is digging into an unsolved disappearance. But it is not only the filmmaker who has discovered Ursula’s whereabouts, and as her past catches up with her present, Ursula must work out whether the monsters are within her or without.

From critically acclaimed and award-winning author, Claire Fuller, Hunger and Thirst is a compelling and chilling tale of loneliness and female friendship, of the dangerous line between wanting and needing, and of how far a person will go to truly belong.

Author Profile:

                                                    
                                                     Courtesy of Goodreads

 Claire Fuller was born in Oxfordshire in 1967. She trained as a sculptor before working in marketing for many years. In 2013 she completed an MA in Creative Writing, and wrote her first novel, Our Endless Numbered Days. It was published in the UK by Penguin, in the US by Tin House, in Canada by House of Anansi and bought for translation in 15 other countries. 

She is the author of six novels: Hunger and Thirst, The Memory of Animals, Unsettled Ground, which won the Costa Novel Award 2021 and was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction; Our Endless Numbered Days, which won the 2015 Desmond Elliott prize; Swimming Lessons, shortlisted for the Encore Prize; and Bitter Orange longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award.

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Goodreads Author Profile   Claire Fuller - Official Website    Amazon Profile

Twitter Profile

Sawadika American Girl by Daria Sommers

                                                

Ebook:  284 pages 

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction,

Publisher:   May 5th 2026 by Vine Leaves Press

Source: My Kindle Library via NetGalley 

First Sentence: Long after the Vietnam War had ended, and the grand house near the canal had been torn down; after the stench of the buffalo slaughterhouse had evaporated from local memory and the summary of her Bangkok childhood had been zip-locked inside her brownie camera photos, the heaviness thirty-two year old Piper Lewis had carried for years lightened.

Setting:  Bangkok, Thailand

Review Quote: “A stunning historical coming-of-age novel offers an unexpected take on the US presence in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of Piper, an American diplomat’s daughter, thrust into a world unlike any she has ever known.” John Fried, author of The Martin Chronicles

My Opinion: 

'Sawadika American Girl' is a powerful novel set in Bangkok, Thailand in 1968 during the Vietnam War.

Piper Lewis is an American teenager living in Bangkok during this period because her father happens to be an American Diplomat in the city. The increased military presence and her father's expectations of her to behave perfectly, make her question her position of privilege. Meeting and becoming involved with Jack, a long American soldier on leave complicates life even further.

I enjoyed the setting of Bangkok and the historical background, but not so much the storyline. A coming of age story that I would suggest is suited to readers much younger than myself.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

In 1968 Bangkok, Thailand, 17-year-old Piper Lewis’ world is changing in unsettling ways. The U.S. Military’s expansion into Thailand in support of the Vietnam War is reshaping the city she loves. Her USAID Official father’s mysterious absences fray their once-close relationship. Her stepmother’s obsession with appearances suffocates her. Worse, she can’t summon the passion to bring Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata to life. Only her beloved piano teacher, a Thai Prince, senses the depth of her disconnect. 

One night, Piper ditches the American Teen Club to party with an older crowd. Sparks fly when she meets Jack, a 19-year-old GI on R&R from Vietnam. Defying the Army’s non-fraternization policy, they pledge to spend his leave together. As the hypocrisy of the war closes in on them, Jack’s name surfaces in a drug investigation and Piper discovers a disturbing truth about her father, forcing both to decide what they are willing to risk for a few more days together.

Sawadika American Girl is the story of a young American woman coming-of-age on the periphery of a brutal, unjust war.

Author Profile:         

                                                                                                                             

                                      Courtesy of Author's Facebook (Photo) and Website

Daria Sommers is an author and filmmaker who grew up in Bangkok, Thailand. A graduate of Oberlin College, she has received grants from NYSCA and the National Endowment for the Humanities as well as fellowships from the MacDowell Colony and the Virginia Center for the Arts. Her essays, op-eds and reviews have been widely published, including Ginosko Literary Journal, Woman Around Town, The New York Times and Art New England. Daria is currently Managing Editor of VBC Magazine.

Daria Sommers is a writer and filmmaker whose work includes both fiction and non-fiction. Her novel Sawadika American Girl will be released from Vine Leaves Press May 5, 2026. Her essays, op-eds and reviews have been widely published including in the Ginosko Literary Journal, Woman Around Town, Art New England and The New York Times. Daria is currently the Managing Editor of VBC Magazine.

Her feature-length documentary Lioness, about women soldiers who served in the Iraq War won Duke University’s coveted Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award at the Full Frame Film Festival. Other films include the half-hour 35 mm drama Ready to Burn, winner of Panavision’s New Director Award; Three Trembling Cities, a web series on immigrants in New York City, winner of Best Drama at UK WebFest and Philly TV Fest; and Eastern Spirit, a profile of Chinese American artist Diana Kan.

Daria's work has garnered support from the NEH, the NEA, the Sundance Documentary Fund, the Fledgling Fund, Chicken and Egg Pictures, NYSCA and the John Whitney Payson Fund among many others. She has been an artist-in-residence at the MacDowell Colony, the Virginia Center for the Arts and Mass MoCA, served on the Metropolitan Museum's Program for Art on Film and been a juror for the UN's One In A Billion Film Series.

Her work has screened at festivals around the world including Tribeca, the London Human Rights Watch Film Festival and the Valencia Film Festival, and been broadcast internationally on PBS, BBC, CBC, and in France and Australia.

Daria is a graduate of Oberlin College.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Profile.    Goodreads Author Profile.   Instagram Profile.    Facebook Profile

The House in the Tuscan Hills by Anita Chapman

 

                                             

Ebook: 304 pages 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction,

Publisher:  April 13th 2026 by Bookouture

Source: My Kindle Library via NetGalley and Paperback Copy

First Sentence: Saturday nights at Da Nonna were always especially busy, and tonight was no exception.

Setting: Italy

Review Quote: ‘A perfect read for long and sunny days.’ Pick of the Week in The Sun, 

My Opinion: 

I followed the rise of Anita Chapman as an aspiring author for some years as a blogger before she had her first novel The Venice Secret published in 2023.

'The House in the Tuscan Hills" is her fifth novel in the short space of just three years. A dual timeline story, a style that the author uses very successfully, this time set in WWII and 2019. The protagonists are Lilianna and her grand-daughter Jen, who have both had their share of heartbreak. An opal ring and a house both inherited by Jen, tying the two narratives together. A love story full of Italian charm and mystery.

The author's passion for all things Italian from the food to the scenery makes her writing so realistic. She has certainly deserved recognition as a writer of emotive and captivating novels. Highly recommended to Italophiles and fans of historical fiction.

With thanks to Anita Chapman, Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review.

Previous Reviews:   The Venice Secret.   The Florence Letter.  

The Tuscan Diary.  The Italian Vineyard

Précis Courtesy of Amazon: 

At her charming house in the Tuscan hills, Jen pictures the beautiful opal ring that brought her here. Will this inherited jewel finally unravel the secrets her family has been holding so close? 

Italy, 1944. Despite the war raging across Europe, Liliana is overjoyed when her childhood love Salvatore proposes – ignoring the superstition that her opal ring will bring bad luck. But when Salvatore is injured fighting for the Italian resistance, Liliana’s heart fractures when he looks into her eyes and no longer recognises her. Distraught, she blames the ring and flees to England – hiding a secret she vows to protect until her dying day…

England, present day. Heartbroken after her fiancé leaves her, Jen is desperate to hide away and heal. But then a handsome Italian stranger called Matteo tells her that her great-aunt has left Jen an opal ring and a house in the Tuscan hills… She can’t resist the chance to find out why her secretive grandmother, Liliana, turned so pale at the sight of the glittering ring. As she and Matteo arrive at the charmingly rustic house with its pink walls and green shutters, Jen dreams of the life she could build here – and the answers the little opal ring might bring…

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                                                  Courtesy of Amazon Profile

Anita Chapman enjoyed writing stories from a young age, and won a local writing competition when she was nine years old. Encouraged by this, she typed up a series of stories about a mouse on her mum’s typewriter and sent them to Ladybird. She received a polite rejection letter, her first.

Many of Anita’s summers growing up were spent with her family driving to Italy, and she went on to study French and Italian at university. As part of her degree, Anita lived in Siena for several months where she studied and au paired, and she spent a lot of time travelling around Italy in her twenties. 

Anita likes to read journals and diaries from the past, and one of her favourite pastimes is visiting art galleries and country houses. Her first published novel, The Venice Secret is inspired by her mother taking her to see the Canalettos at The National Gallery in London as a child. 

Since 2015, Anita has worked as a social media manager, training authors on social media, and helping to promote their books. She’s run several courses in London and York, and has worked as a tutor at Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Twitter Profile.  Anita Chapman - Facebook Profile.   Author - Official Website

 Goodreads - Author Profile