Showing posts with label Historical fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historical fiction. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

A Fatal Love by Louisa Treger



Hardback + EBook: 229 pages     
                                                                                           
Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, 

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2026

Source: The Author + NetGalley

First Sentence: Ruth got out of the car and walked towards the Magdala, the gun in her hand heavy and cold.

Review Quote: Vividly and grippingly portrayed ― The Times

My Opinion: 
Lousia Treger has once again succeeded in writing another exhilarating novel about a 'Trail Blazing Woman'

'A Fatal Love' is the story of Ruth Ellis, who was the last woman to be executed in Britain. It was the 1950's and Ruth was working as a hostess in the infamous drinking clubs of London. Ruth already had a history of abusive relationships in her past and it was sad to see her drawn into another one with David Blakely. An abusive relationship which culminates in her shooting him.

The author has certainly found her niche, producing fictional stories, based on facts about real and fascinating women with stories to be told. Let us hope she has many more to reveal to us, as they so far have all been gripping reads.  Louisa Treger has an eye for detail and with her sensitive writing the reader understands how Ruth was a tragic victim of an abusive relationship.  Highly recommended reading.

 

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

It is Easter Sunday in 1955 and a young man lies face-down on the ground covered in blood. A woman, blonde and petite, stands over him with a gun in her hand. This is the story of Ruth Ellis as never told before...

As Ruth awaits her trial in Holloway Prison, she recollects growing up in England during the Second World War and the events that led to the death of her lover, David Blakely.

Meanwhile, Kitty Carrington - the assistant to Ruth's trial lawyer - tries to forge her own path through the male-dominated legal world of the 1950s and ensure that Ruth receives a fair trial.

Navigating secrets, betrayal and a broken justice system, Ruth and Kitty try to take control of their own lives and narratives. But do we ever really know the full story?

Previous Reviews: The Dragon Lady   Madwoman.   The Paris Muse

Author Profile:

Louisa Treger


Born in London, Louisa Treger began her career as a classical violinist. She studied at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music, and worked as a freelance orchestral player and teacher.

Louisa subsequently turned to literature, gaining a First Class degree and a PhD in English at University College London, where she focused on early twentieth century women’s writing.

Married with three children, she lives in London.



Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.


Author's Official Website   Goodreads Author Profile  Amazon Author Page

Twitter Profile.    Instagram Profile  Facebook Profile


Tuesday, July 28, 2026

The Secrets of Harbour House by Liz Fenwick

                                                


Paperback:  384 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Cornwall, Italy,

Publisher: HQ Sept 2025

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

Review Quote:  'Fascinating and complex… It’s beautifully researched and the life and landscape of the secret part of Cornwall around the Helford river gloriously evoked. What a pleasure to read!’ Rachel Hore

My Opinion:  

I have read quite a few of Liz Fenwick's novels and always find them to be an uplifting experience. 'The Secrets of Harbour House' is no exception to this as I was transported not only to Cornwall but also to my beloved Italy in this emotional dual timeline story.

The young female protagonist Kerensa returns to the family owned Auction house in Cornwall after the death of her father. When he died her father was working on cataloguing the contents of Harbour House and Kerensa soon finds herself immersed in the story behind a painting in the main hallway and how it is connected to the two women who last lived in the property.

Alternating between modern day Cornwall and Venice in the 1930's as fascism is taking hold on life in Italy. A mesmerising story with some deep hidden secrets to be discovered. Recommended to readers looking to immerse themselves in a captivating read.


Previous Reviews:  The Cornish House.  The Returning Tide   The River Between Us.   The Secret Shore


Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

When Kerensa is sent by her father’s auction house to catalogue a neglected house overlooking the sea in Newlyn, Cornwall, it’s a welcome escape. Once the home of two female artists, Harbour House is a treasure trove, but one painting in particular catches Kerensa’s eye – a hypnotically sensual portrait of a beautiful young woman which dominates the hallway.

Captivated and intrigued, Kerensa finds herself piecing together the enigma of Bathsheba Kernow, a fiercely talented young artist who left St Ives almost a hundred years before, eager to escape a society that wouldn’t understand her, and her sweeping journey from the underbelly of Paris to the heady luxury of Venice, where a chance encounter would change her life for ever, drawing her into the most dangerous and forbidden of love affairs.

For Kerensa, still reeling with a grief of her own and facing an uncertain future in love, Harbour House will have secrets that will change her life too, and in ways she could never have imagined…


Author Profile:


                                      Liz Fenwick

Photo Courtesy of Goodreads 


Liz Fenwick was born in Massachusetts and after nine international moves - the final one lasting eight years in Dubai- she  now lives in Cornwall and London with her husband and two cats. She made her first trip to Cornwall in 1989, bought a home there seven years later. Apparently her heart is now forever in Cornwall, creating new stories.

Liz Fenwick describes herself as Novelist, wife, mother of three, slave to two cats and dreamer turned doer....


Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Twitter - Liz Fenwick   Amazon Author Page  Official Author Website - Liz Fenwick 

Facebook Profile   Goodreads Author Profile


Friday, February 6, 2026

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

                                                 


Hardback:  307 pages 

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction,Romance, Mystery, Thriller,

Publisher:  John Murray 2025

Source: Tywyn Public Library

First Sentence: “The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

Setting: England

Review Quote: 'Excellent . . . a vivid, forceful love story which plays out at the pace of a thriller' Irish Times

Favourite Quote: “It’s strange, the patchwork stories we tell someone when we want them to catch up, a shortcut to knowing us, as if such a thing were possible.”

Goodreads Choice Award

Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2025), Nominee for Readers' Favorite Audiobook (2025)

My Opinion:

Having heard nothing but praise for 'Broken Country' I was delighted when my library reservation was ready to collect. From the first page I felt this was going to be a read to get fully immersed in.

A dual timeline story that follows the lives of the three protagonists Beth, Frank and Gabriel. We first meet them as youngsters in 1955 when their lives first become entangled. By 1968 when they catch up with each other again, after many years, the dynamics have changed somewhat and a murder is committed.

An emotional read, but beware it deals with the grief of losing a child. Although it is also a romantic story which will tug at your heart strings as passion is intertwined with grief. Highly recommended.


Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.


Author Profile:       

        Clare Leslie Hall                                                                                                                            Courtesy of  Goodreads

Clare Leslie Hall is a novelist and journalist who lives in the wilds of Dorset, England, with her family. Under the name Clare Empson, she published two domestic noir thrillers, Him and Mine, that were published in the UK and Germany. She has always loved The Go Between by LP Hartley and Broken Country is a nod to it, featuring a forbidden love affair with catastrophic repercussions. Broken Country is her US debut.

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Author Profile.   Amazon Author Profile

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Daughter of Hong Kong by Siobhan Daiko

                                            


Hardback:  320 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romantic Fiction, WWII, Hong Kong,

Publisher:  December 2024 Boldwood Books

Source:  Tywyn Library

First Sentence:  A chill wind whipped around Will as he stood on the promenade deck of the P and O liner RMS Carthage.

Review Quote:  'A convincing and very moving romance, a fascinating slice of history. Coupled with the most wonderful story-telling, this book delivered everything I could have possibly wanted.'  Reader Review

My Opinion:  

This novel was recommended to me by a friend, due to my connections with Hong Kong.

'Daughter of Hong Kong' starts with the protagonists, William Burton and Constance Han meeting on an ocean liner bound for Hong Kong in the spring of 1939.  Their shipboard friendship makes them determined to continue to see each other in Hong Kong, despite knowing that any relationship between them would be fraught with difficulties.  As the inevitable outbreak of war draws closer, Will and constance both become involved in the defence of Hong Kong. Their lives become ever more intense as danger increases and their survival looks unlikely.

Although fictional it is based on historical events that happened during WWII when the Japanese invaded Hong Kong. I found the descriptions to be very evocative of Hong Kong, despite being set in an era well before any time I have spent there.  A moving story of determination that love will overcome, recommended to readers who enjoy romantic novels set in WWII.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Based on a true story, a tale of love and survival against all the odds set in Hong Kong at the start of the Pacific War. Can love conquer all?

Spring 1939 - dashing young William Burton and the beautiful Constance Han set sail from London on the same ocean liner to Hong Kong.

Connie is intrigued by Will’s talent for writing poetry, and as romance blossoms she offers to give him Cantonese lessons to help him with his new job — a cadet in the colonial service.

But once in Hong Kong, Connie is constrained by filial duty towards her Eurasian parents, and their wish for her to marry someone from her own background.

When war breaks out, Connie and Will find themselves drawn into a wider conflict than their battle against prejudice. Can they survive and achieve a future together? Or will forces beyond their control keep them forever apart?

A sweeping tale of love and perseverance, perfect for readers of Dinah Jefferies, Fiona Valpy and Ann Bennett

Previously published as The Flame Tree


Author Profile

                                                       Visit Siobhan Daiko Store on Amazon

                                                            Courtesy of Amazon

Siobhan Daiko is a British historical fiction author. A lover of all things Italian, she lives in the Veneto region of northern Italy with her husband, a Havanese dog and a Siberian cat. Siobhan was born of English parents in Hong Kong, attended boarding school in Australia, and then moved to the UK — where she taught modern foreign languages in a Welsh high school. She now spends her time writing page-turners and living the dolce vita sweet life near Venice. Her novels are compelling, poignant, and deeply moving, with strong characters and evocative settings, but always with romance at their heart.


Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Amazon Author Page.  Author Official Website.   Goodreads Author Page

Twitter Profile

Monday, September 1, 2025

The French Affair by Theresa Howes

                                                 


Ebook: 362 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII,

Publisher: HQ Digital 2023

Source:  Amazon Purchase

First Sentence:  If the war had taught Iris anything, it was that it was easier to lie during the blackout than in the cold light of day, and so it was with good reason that she always insisted on meeting Guy Mason after dark.

Review Quote:  An exceptional tale, expertly crafted with endearing characters and an enthralling plot that will captivate readers.' NetGalley Reviewer,

My Opinion:  

This second novel by Theresa Howes was published back in 2023 and has been on My Kindle for two years. Far too long, but at last I have read!

Set during WWII the female protagonist Iris, who is French, has been working in London for the British Intelligence Service. Her current mission takes an unexpected turn and to complete it successfully she has to return to France. She bases herself in Dijon, which is under German occupation, where she has family connections.  With an extremely tense atmosphere in a town where everyone is under suspicion she does not have an easy task ahead of her.

Once again I found the author's style of writing appealing with a captivating storyline. Recommended to fans of the genre.


Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

A country at war. A dangerous secret. 

After a failed honey-trap mission for British Intelligence leads to the breakdown of her marriage, French journalist Iris escapes to Dijon, seeking refuge in the cottage of her beloved aunt, Eva. But Eva is gone, the streets are full of distrust, and Iris is soon followed by the very last man she wants to see – the British civil servant and traitor she was tasked with catching, now keen to rekindle their affair. 

Eva’s home used to be a comforting place, where the locals sought out Eva’s homemade tinctures and cures and gifted jars of fresh honey from the garden. Now it is a place of danger, where threats loom in every corner. And as Iris spends more time there, she discovers a secret that will change the way she sees her aunt forever – and the course of her own life too…

Previous Review:   The Secrets We Keep


Author Profile

                                                     Theresa Howes

Theresa Howes grew up in Shropshire and has a background as an actor. Her historical fiction has been long-listed for the Mslexia Novel Award, The Bath Novel Award, The Caledonia Novel Award and the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize.

She lives in London with her husband and Claude, a larger than average cat. When she isn’t writing or reading, she enjoys seeing how many more plants she can cram into her tiny London garden, walking, and putting the world to rights over a gin and tonic.

Her debut novel, THE SECRETS WE KEEP was published in November 2022. Her second novel, THE FRENCH AFFAIR was published in December 2023. Her third novel, A MATTER OF PERSUASION, which is a Gilded Age retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, set in 1882 in New York and Rhode Island, was published in January 2025. 


Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Authors Official Website.  Amazon Author Profile   Goodreads Author Profile

Twitter Profile


Wednesday, April 23, 2025

The Fallen Woman by Fiona McIntosh

                                               


Ebook:  444 pages                                                                                 

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Historical Romance,

Publisher:  Storm Publishing (1 April 2025)

Source: NetGalley

Review Quote: ‘I loved this one from start to finish… heart-wrenching and heart-warming.’ Reader Review,

First Sentence: Jane Saville's gasp conveyed her shock as her mother's words landed like small blows.

Setting: Salisbury, England (United Kingdom)


My Opinion: 

Fiona McIntosh although born in the UK, now lives in Australia. She is a prolific author but this is the first time I have read any of her work.

'The Fallen Woman' of the novel's title is Jane Saville and it is thanks to her mother that she has gained this undeserving title. Jane is a talented botanical artist whose chance meeting with Guy Attwood a young man seeking an extinct apple, leads to love. Jane and Guy have a lot of problems to overcome before they find an amicable resolution.

A very enjoyable and easy read that kept me entertained on a recent flight. The style reminded me of the novels of Georgette Heyer whose stories I used to read and enjoy many years ago.  With thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review this obviously well researched novel.


Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

In an ancient orchard, a fallen woman rises to claim her destiny

In the shadows of Edwardian society, talented botanical artist Jane Saville faces an impossible choice when her ruthless mother exiles her to the English countryside to protect another’s reputation. Forced to live in poverty and secrecy to shield her family from scandal, Jane’s world seems destined for darkness until she meets Guy Attwood.

Heir to an industrial fortune, Guy defies his family's ambitions, choosing instead to pursue his hunting England’s rarest apples for the Royal Kew Gardens. His quest to find an endangered species worthy of naming for the soon-to-be King George V leads him to a hidden orchard—and to Jane.

As their worlds intertwine beneath the ancient spires of Salisbury Cathedral, Jane dares to dream of a different future. But in a society ruled by duty and appearances, their blossoming friendship awakens dangerous jealousies. When treachery and misunderstanding threaten to tear them apart, it will take the innocent wisdom of a child to show Jane that her greatest strength lies not in conforming to society’s rules, but in daring to defy them.


Author Profile:

                                                    Fiona McIntosh

In the authors own words from her website :

Just briefly

My pathway to writing novels began as a wordsmith in my daily work; first in corporate PR, and later in sales/marketing for the travel industry including 15 years running a travel magazine with my husband.

My first attempt at a manuscript won the notice of a global publisher and I’ve been writing novels ever since and across various genres. I am best known these days for my historical drama but also my crime series featuring Jack Hawksworth.

I have always travelled extensively, these days roaming the world for research, and while that makes me a bit of a gypsy, I’m happiest at our farm in South Australia with our three dogs, cat, and a lot of open space…and silence.

I host regular commercial fiction masterclasses for aspiring writers and our success rate has put us firmly into the sights of the major publishers.

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites: 

Goodreads Profile.  Instagram  Official Author Website.  Amazon Profile


Wednesday, April 9, 2025

The Eights by Joanna Miller

 

                                                 


Ebook:  384 pages                                                                                 

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction 

Publisher: Penguin UK - Fig Tree

Source: NetGalley

Review Quote: ‘Entertaining and moving…I came to love these four women as though they were my sisters’ TRACY CHEVALIER

First Sentences: The square cap, made of wool, is an odd sort of thing. Floppy but pointed at four corners, there is no brim, just a thick felt band secured by a button on either side. Does the band go at the from or back? She has no idea.

Setting: Oxford, England (United Kingdom)

My Opinion: 

What a great debut novel from Joanna Miller, having spent time studying at Oxford University she certainly picked topic she could write about from experience. Although of course her protagonists are from a different era. The town and university certainly comes to life with her wonderful descriptions.

It is the early nineteen twenties and Theodora, Marianne, Beatrice and Ottoline are four of the first intake of women allowed to study for a full degree at Oxford University. These four young women find themselves all with rooms on Corridor Eight of St Hughs College and they soon become friends with the nickname 'The Eights.' As the novel progresses the reader learns about the backgrounds and the secrets they each have. With the many social expectations of the time the women find strength in one another, as they struggle with not only academia but also heartbreak. Despite so much against them they refuse to be beaten.

Having throughly enjoyed 'The Eights' I am hoping to be able to read more in the future from this author. This debut was such an emotive and compelling read, which I highly recommend.

Précis Courtesy of Amazon: 

They knew they were changing history. 

They didn’t know they would change each other. 

Oxford, 1920. For the first time in its 1000-year history, the world’s most famous university has admitted female students. Giddy with dreams of equality, education and emancipation, four young women move into neighbouring rooms on Corridor Eight. They have come here from all walks of life, and they are thrown into an unlikely, life-affirming friendship.

Dora was never meant to go to university, but, after losing both her brother and her fiancé on the battlefield, has arrived in their place. Beatrice, politically-minded daughter of a famous suffragette, sees Oxford as a chance to make her own way – and her own friends – for the first time. Socialite Otto fills her room with extravagant luxuries but fears they won’t be enough to distract her from her memories of the war years. And quiet, clever, Marianne, the daughter of a village vicar, arrives bearing a secret she must hide from everyone – even The Eights – if she is to succeed.

But Oxford’s dreaming spires cast a dark shadow: in 1920, misogyny is still rife, influenza is still a threat, and the ghosts of the Great War are still very real indeed. And as the group navigate this tumultuous moment in time, their friendship will become more important than ever.

Author Profile:
Joanna has always loved stories – even from an early age, when the Headteacher complained to her parents that she had read all the books in the school library. Joanna went on to study English at Exeter College, Oxford and later returned to the University to train as a teacher.
After ten years in education, she set up an award-winning poetry gift business. During this time, she wrote thousands of poems to order and her rhyming verse was filmed twice by the BBC.
Unable to resist the lure of the classroom, Joanna recently returned to Oxford University to study for a diploma in creative writing. THE EIGHTS is her debut novel and is inspired by her love of local history and historical fiction.
When Joanna is not writing, she is either walking her dog or working in the local bookshop. She lives with her husband and three children near the Grand Union Canal in Hertfordshire, UK. 

Joanna  Miller

Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites: 

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

The Stargazers by Harriet Evans

                                           


Hardback: 401 pages                                                                                             
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, 
Publisher: 
January 1, 2023 by Headline Review
Source: Tywyn Public Library
First Sentences: During those last days, before she becomes too weak, she finds she remembers it all once more, piercingly clearly. As if to die, she has to live through it again.
Review Quote:  
'A boldly sombre atmosphere haunts the latest novel by Harriet Evans, the doyenne of [commercial fiction]' Observer

My Opinion: 

I am drawn to novels set in old country houses so was looking forward to at last reading 'The Stargazers', especially after having read and enjoyed several of Harriet Evan's previous novels.

Mainly set in the 1950's and 1970's  'The Stargazers' is an extraordinary insight into the cruel upbringing that the main character Sarah and her sister Victoria suffered.  Life moves away from Fane Hall their childhood home, but even in adulthood it continues to haunt them.

At times a very disturbing read but it is a very engrossing and beautifully written. Recommended to readers that enjoy an atmospheric family story.



Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:

How can you ever know yourself when you were deprived of love as a child?

It's the 1970s, and Sarah has spent a lifetime trying to bury her disjointed childhood, the loneliness of her school days, and Fane, the vast and crumbling family home so loved - and hated - by her mother, Iris, a woman as cruel as she is beautiful. 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 a new life now with Daniel, her husband, in their noisy Hampstead home surrounded by bohemian friends 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 Fane, her mother, and the secrets of the generations hidden there, are slowly being revealed, threatening to unravel the fragile happiness she enjoys in the here and 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 the legacies of childhoods fractured through time and inheritance.

Previous Reviews: The Wildflowers.   The Beloved Girls.    


Author Profile:



Autobiography in the author's own words from her  Goodreads Profile

I was born in London and grew up there. I was very bookish, and had a huge imagination which used to cause me to get rather anxious at times. Now I know it's a good thing for a writer to have. I loved musicals, and playing imaginative games, and my Barbie perfume making kit. Most of all I loved reading. I read everything, but I also read lots of things over and over, which I think is so important.

At university I read Classical Studies, which is a great way of finding out that the world doesn't change much and people make the same mistakes but it's interesting to look at why. I was at Bristol, and I loved the city, making new friends, being a new person.

After university I came back to London and got a job in publishing. I loved working in publishing so much, and really felt for the first time in my life that when I spoke people understood what I was saying. Book people are good people. I became an editor after a few years, working with many bestselling novelists, and in 2009 I left to write full time.

I've written 13 novels and several short stories and one Quick Read, which is an excellent way of getting people into reading more. I've acquired a partner and two children along the way.

In 2019 we moved to Bath, out of London, and I am very happy there. We live opposite a hedgerow, and I can be boring about gardening, and there's room for my collection of jumpsuits and all our books. We have lots of books. Apart from anything else they keep the house warm.

More interesting facts from her life story can be found on her author website Meet Harriet


Photographs, Trailer and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites.

Goodreads Profile   Harriet Evans - Official Website   Twitter Profile

Harriet Evans - Facebook  

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

The Last Letter From Sicily by Lindsay Marie Morris

 

                                               


Ebook:  371 pages Kindle Edition

Genre: Historical Fiction, Italy. 

Publisher: Storm Publishing January 16th 2025 

Source:  NetGalley 

First Sentences: Concetta Balistreri awoke to the crackling sound of the radio down the hall. She stretched her legs and sat up.

Review Quote: 'I adored this book... Historical fiction is one of my favourite. And this adds to why.' Reader Review,

My Opinion: 

Historical fiction and Italy are for me a winning combination. I was therefore delighted to have the opportunity via NetGalley to read 'The Last Letter From Sicily.' The author was inspired to write this story by her Sicilian grandparents whose names and her memories she uses, it is however entirely a work of fiction.


The protagonists Concetta and Gaetano, young lovers in Sicily just before the outbreak of WWII were separated when Concetta and her family moved to the USA. Concetta promises her love, that she will return to him one day. Until the war intervenes and communication becomes impossible the are able to keep in touch via letter. When they are no longer in touch it puts her under even more pressure to accept a way of life she is far from happy with. She does not give up on her dreams but does she overcome everything blocking them?


Set in Sicily and America during WWII this story provides an interesting insight into the struggles of those living through the experience. The writing style did feel very simplistic though with no depth and I do feel that the story did not reach its full potential. However this is a debut novel and I think the author has a lot more to offer so I will follow her writing development with interest. Thanks go to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review 'The Last Letter From Sicily'.


Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

‘My dearest Gaetano, if this letter reaches you, know that my heart remains under the Sicilian stars where we made our promise...’

Sicily, 1939. Seventeen-year-old Concetta has just received life-changing her family is leaving their sun-drenched Sicilian village and moving to America. Desperate to stay with her secret love Gaetano—a fisherman’s son her father would never accept—Concetta spends one last night with him beneath a blanket of stars. There, among the citrus-scented air and cricket song, he hands her a leaving a fountain pen, with a promise to keep their love alive through letters – and return to each other one day.

In America, Concetta refuses to let go of her dream of returning to Sicily, even as she struggles to navigate a strange new world of factory work and prejudice. Her letters to Gaetano become her lifeline, each one carrying fragments of her heart across the ocean. But when Italy declares war on the United States, Gaetano’s letters suddenly stop. As Concetta faces pressure to let go of her past and accept her new American life, she yearns to discover Gaetano’s fate—even if it means crossing a war-torn ocean to find him.

From the terraced hills of Sicily to the brewing tensions of wartime America, this richly-woven tale of forbidden love and impossible choices will break your heart and put it back together again. Perfect for fans of Kelly Rimmer, Rhys Bowen, and Angela Petch, The Last Letter from Sicily asks just how far you would go to keep a promise made beneath the stars.


Author Profile:         

                                                                                                         

                                      Lindsay Marie Morris profile image                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                              Courtesy of Amazon Profile

Lindsay Marie Morris is a novelist and journalist based in Los Angeles, California. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Marquette University. A former Shape magazine editor with a passion for storytelling, Lindsay continues to write for various publications, including Forks Over Knives, for which she is a frequent contributor. Her work spans multiple topics, with a particular focus on travel, health, wellness, and plant-based lifestyle. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys camping, exploring the great outdoors, cooking, and baking.


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Amazon Author Profile.     Author-Official Website.   Goodreads Author Profile.    Twitter Profile

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