BLOGTOUR: The Girl I Used to Know - Faith Hogan

About The Book

Amanda King and Tess Cuffe are strangers who share the same Georgian house, but their lives couldn’t be more different. Amanda seems to have it all, absolute perfection.

She projects all the accouterments of a lady who lunches. Sadly, the reality is a soulless home, an unfaithful husband and a very lonely heart.

By comparison, in the basement flat, unwanted tenant Tess has spent a lifetime hiding and shutting her heart to love.

It takes a bossy doctor, a handsome gardener, a pushy teenager and an abandoned cat to show these two women that sometimes letting go is the first step to moving forward and new friendships can come from the most unlikely situations.

My Review:

The Girl I Used to Know is a beautiful, inspiring story of self-discovery, knowing your own worth and having a second go at life.

A story of friendships, this book shows us how people are always worth taking a chance on, looking past the exterior and trying to understand the person someone truly is or wants to be. I love how the emphasis was put on friendships and in supporting others – taking two main characters who were both alone, but in very different ways and making them so powerfully connected.

I enjoyed the plot of the book, the ways their lives are so very different, yet they are so closely entwined. Such meaningful and powerful writing by Faith Hogan, it is a well-paced book with short, fast chapters that will allow you to get fully immersed into the two ladies’ lives. I loved that we had chapters that took us back in time and we get to see what happened in Tess’s early life, I think this adds so much to the story and gave us such compassion for the character.

At the beginning of the book neither of our main characters are that appealing, I doubt many people found them charming or even likable but as I read through their story, I grew to be very fond of them both. This book is a real emotional journey and full of surprises. Both Amanda and Tess have some real low blows within their lives, things that turn everything they think they know on its head, but this is countered by some fantastic highs and moments of pure happiness for both.

It’s a gorgeous book to curl up and enjoy, I cannot recommend it enough as it is very uplifting and motivating. I am very grateful to Aria Fiction and Faith Hogan for the opportunity to read and review - Thank you!

Purchase links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JF2sLJ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2W78zzb

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Wo4qWD

About the Author:

Faith lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats. She has an Hons Degree in English Literature and Psychology, has worked as a fashion model and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

Twitter: @GerHogan

Follow Aria: 

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

BLOGTOUR: Mulberry Lane Babies - Rosie Clarke

About the book

1941, Mulberry Lane, London. War rages but new arrivals bring new hope. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Cathy Sharp.

Life is hard for all on Mulberry Lane as the war rages into yet another year. Desperate times push people into dangerous situations.

Menacing shadows lurk on dark street corners, threatening the safety of those who are alone and vulnerable.

When Peggy's twins are born early, Maureen and Nellie are there to lend a helping hand. The mothers of Mulberry Lane stick together despite the grim conditions of war-torn London and a shadowy fear that stalks their lives. Neighbours and friends look out for each other and new life brings hope and joy to the Lane.

My Review: 

Mulberry Lane Babies is the third in the Mulberry Lane series from Rosie Clarke, but it is personally my first visit. I don’t think it’s essential to have read the others – it read well as a standalone book, in my opinion. You probably would benefit from reading the others, as it is always nice to read any book series from the start – you may find out things about the characters that I have missed out on.

We are given the stories of several women who go about their lives with loved ones away at war or having already been lost, they are either having, expecting or hoping for babies. The lives of these very endearing ladies are taking very different paths and each girl is having to cope with cruel or surprising twists and turns. It’s a good thing they have each other for support and they try to keep on.

There's a fair dose of drama within the book, a mixture of happy and sad times. I really enjoyed Rosie Clarkes style of writing, everything flowed nicely and was lovely to delve into their world. A fantastic book that fans of historical romance will love. I recommend. 

About the author 

Rosie is happily married and lives in a quiet village in East Anglia. Writing books is a passion for Rosie, she also likes to read, watch good films and enjoys holidays in the sunshine. She loves shoes and adores animals, especially squirrels and dogs.

Follow Rosie:

Twitter: @AnneHerries

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2El4Djg

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2ElTyhR

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2LSRROX

iBooks: https://apple.co/2WPWKcK

Follow Aria:

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

REVIEW: Girls on the Home Front (Factory Girls #1)

Available here

August 1941: As war sweeps across Britain and millions of men enlist to serve their country, it’s up to the women to fight the battle on the home front.

Fran always thought she would marry her childhood sweetheart and lead a simple life in Massingham, the beloved pit village she has always called home.

But with war taking so many men to the front line, the opening of a new factory in the north-east of England presents an opportunity for Fran to forge a new path.

Against her father’s wishes and with best friends Sarah and Beth by her side, Fran signs up to join the ranks of women at the factory. It’s dangerous work but as the three friends risk life and limb for their country, they will discover that their lives are only just beginning…

My Review:

This is the first in a ‘Factory Girls’ set of books by Annie Clarke and what a wonderful start. This book is a brilliant look at a time that women were inspirational and supported men in the fight for victory. Full of spirited characters that I think other readers will really like and want the best for.

Girls at the Home Front is about some women from the pit village of Massingham, who work hard to support their families often by risking their lives as well as dealing with their personal problems. I particularly like how the characters in this book are normal, realistic people – making mistakes and having problems that aren’t easily rectified. I always enjoy this genre as women as often portrayed as determined, little forces to be reckoned with.

I really liked learning about Fran, Sarah, Beth and their families, as the book progressed, I found myself unable to put it down as I was invested in their lives.  Other characters all play their role and are wonderful additions to the book, although I think anyone that reads this can agree that Ralph is the villain of the piece.

I enjoyed this book, a heart-warming, nostalgic saga with community at its heart. I must admit it took me a while to get into it, and I struggled understanding all the local dialect, but I persevered and found it easier the more I read. It definitely opened my eyes in what communities and families had to go through during the war. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.