Ship of Dreams by Donna Jones Alward

 From the author of l, WHEN THE WORLD FELL SILENT, comes a tale of secrets, betrayal, and the enduring power of friendship.

Aboard the Titanic, where opulence knows no bounds and the horizon seems limitless, two women fight for the futures they dream of, fraught with secrets that could change everything.

Hannah Martin is clinging to the hope that six days on this grand ship will heal the wounds in her marriage to Charles. Beneath her poised exterior lies a desperation to mend what was shattered and conceal a secret that could upend their lives forever.

Louisa Phillips, spirited and uncompromising, is escaping her family’s insistence on a passionless marriage. But this daring step could also sever the deepest bond in her life.

As the ‘unsinkable' ship strikes the iceberg, amidst the chaos and icy waters, lives are changed forever. In the face of impending doom, what dreams will Hannah and Lou decide are worth saving, and at what cost?

Paperback, 384 pages

Published August 25, 2025

 by One More Chapter

3.5/5 stars

My 2nd read by Donna Jones Alward who moves from Canadian historical fiction to one that does actually touch on it again.

A single storyline set on the RMS Titanic and that fateful voyage.  The story follows 2 best friends, Hannah Martin and Louisa Phillips.  Each with secrets and the hope that New York will be the start of fresh beginnings.

I enjoyed the Titanic setting, with its splendor and how it caters to the rich.  And yes I did have visions of the movie while reading it.  There were some familiar names woven in while staying true to history.  I liked getting to know both these women and slowly the hurts of the past came to life.  

Ship of Dreams is a story of friendship, secrets and starting over set against a tragic event in history. Knowing what was to come gave the story some tension that kept me turning the pages.

My thanks to the publisher for a print copy in exchange for a honest review.

Secrets of the Starlit Sea by Santa Montefiore

The moment Pixie Tate steps inside the opulent Aldershoff Hotel in Manhattan, one of the last relics of New York's Gilded Age, she senses instantly that its elegant walls hide a dark secret.

Pixie knows that she must use her unique gift to travel back in time in order to discover the mysteries of the past, and as she slips back over a hundred years, she's shocked to find herself in the midst of one of the most famous events in history.

As the stars twinkle overhead, Pixie realises that time is running out. But when she comes face-to-face with a man she thought she'd lost forever, will she keep her promise to save only the souls she should - or is it too late, and has she already changed the future?

Paperback, 480 pages

Expected publication March 17, 2026

 by Simon & Schuster

5/5 stars

Secrets of the Starlit Sea  is the 2nd book in the Timeslider Series, it features Pixie Tate and solidifies why Santa Montefiore is one of my go-to authors.

This series began with Shadows in the Moonlight, a great introduction to Pixie and her unusual gift - the ability to slip through time to help spirits resolve unfinished business.  I highly recommend going back to the beginning, but this could be read on its own, there is somethings carried over.

In this book things begin when a feisty 98 year-old woman pulls out a Ouija board, she wants to summon her father and discover the location of a priceless jewel, but instead she has summoned a rather disgruntled spirit.  And thus the action begins.

As Pixie slips back through time searching for answers, she finds herself transported to a real moment in history.  I won't say when exactly since the blurb keeps it a mystery also.  Immersed in a world of immense wealth, forbidden love and a glittering society.  She has to be careful navigating her role knowing even the smallest action can risk changing history.

Secrets of the Starlet Sea was a captivating read, it was atmospheric with vivid descriptions of the era, mysterious and heartbreaking.  With this being a planned trilogy, I can't wait to see what happens next for Pixie Tate.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster CA for a print ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Spotlight: The Sisters of Book Row by Shelley Noble

The Sisters of Book Row

by Shelley Noble

 

A thrilling and timely historical novel of books, banning, and the women who helped save New York’s famed Book Row, from bestselling author Shelley Noble.

1915: Manhattan’s Book Row, an eclectic jumble of forty bookshops along Fourth Avenue, is the mecca for rare book buyers from around the world, and the haunt of locals looking for a bargain. It is also the target of the most vicious censor in American history—Anthony Comstock.

And home to three sisters who vow to stop him.

For the three Applebaum sisters, the narrow, four-storied Arcadia Rare Bookshop is the only home they’ve ever known. Olivia, the oldest, is an expert in restoring rare manuscripts. Daphne, the outgoing middle sister, oversees the retail shop and is a favorite with their customers. Celia, the youngest, is left to dust and catalogue, but often sneaks out to do heaven knows what. Little do her sisters know, Celia has joined a group of young people who secretly print and distribute articles on women’s health by hiding them within the pages of ordinary cookbooks, household hints, and sewing patterns, despite the personal risk.

Meanwhile, the Comstock Laws threaten anybody who owns or circulates “obscene, lewd, or lascivious” publications. Even classic literature or fine art could send a person to jail. In the face of such oppression, Celia and the booksellers of Book Row band together. But secrets and a mysterious stranger mean the fate of the famed Book Row is anything but secure.

Paperback, 384 pages 

Publication March 3, 2026 

by William Morrow Paperbacks

The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang

From the internationally bestselling author of The Porcelain Moon comes a haunting Gothic novel set in 1911 China. Two young women living in a crumbling, once-grand Shanghai mansion face danger as secrets of their pasts come to light, even as the mansion’s own secret threatens the present.

Shanghai, 1911. Lisan Liu is elated when she is hired as secretary to wealthy American Caroline Stanton, the new mistress of Lennox Manor on the outskirts of Shanghai’s International Settlement. However, the Manor has a dark past due to a previous owner’s suicide, and soon Lisan’s childhood nightmares resurface with more intensity and meld with haunted visions of a woman in red. Adding to her unease is the young gardener, Yao, who both entices and disturbs her.

Newly married Caroline looks forward to life in China with her husband, Thomas, away from the shadows of another earlier tragedy. But an unwelcome guest, Andrew Grey, attends her party and claims to know secrets she can’t afford to have exposed. At the same party, the notorious princess Masako Kyo approaches Lisan with questions about the young woman’s family that the orphaned Lisan can’t answer.

As Caroline struggles with Grey’s extortion and Thomas’s mysterious illness, Lisan’s future is upended when she learns the truth about her past, and why her identity has been hidden all these years. All the while, strange incidents accelerate, driving Lisan to doubt her sanity as Lennox Manor seems unwilling to release her until she fulfills demands from beyond the grave.

Paperback, 336 pages 

Published February 10, 2026

 by William Morrow 

4/5 stars

This is my third time reading Janie Chang, and once again I was completely drawn into her depiction of China during this fascinating period in history.

The Fourth Princess opens in Shanghai in 1911 and follows Lisan Liu, a young woman hired as secretary to Caroline Staton, a wealthy American newly installed as mistress of Lennox Manor. Through Lisan’s perspective we see that the neglected manor itself carries a dark past that slowly begins to haunt her, giving the story that gothic feel.

From Caroline’s point of view, we experience Shanghai as an outsider trying to establish herself in an unfamiliar country. She arrives with secrets of her own and as her past begins to surface it adds depth and tension to the narrative.

I especially loved the atmosphere, it was rich in history, which I love, the decaying mansion mirrors  hidden truths and the characters are ones that I could root for.  The story itself came with a few surprises and unexpected twists.

Janie Chang has a talent for bringing parts of China's history to life. The Fourth Princess was a captivating historical novel filled with secrets, layered perspectives and a setting that still lingers.

My thanks to HarperAvenue for a print arc in exchange for a honest review.

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton

As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s atmospheric new novel.

With the Great War finally behind them, thousands of civilians and business moguls alike flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.

Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion’s facade and stop history from repeating itself.

Kindle Edition, 336 pages

Expected publication April 9, 2024

by Berkley

4/5 stars

The House in Biscayne Bay is a dual time-period story which begins in 1918.  The construction of Marbrisa was a gift to Anna, a time of healing after the Great War. Jumping to 1940 there is yet again tragedy. Marbrisa is more than a house, but a mansion set to impress the locals.

I have read a number of books by this author that usually have a Cuba setting while there is history in Cuba the setting is Miami Beach with it tropical landscape and lifestyle of the well-to-do.

This was enjoyable read as one time period connects to the other. I was captivated with the mystery and what connected these two places.  The Gothic feel from both era's was felt with the sinister house and its secrets.  While I anticipated the ending it was an entertaining read.

My thanks to Berkley (via NetGalley) for a digital arc exchange for a honest review

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray

She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we know it…

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and dramatic new novel about an American heroine Frances Perkins.

Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.

When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love.

But when Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he’s a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on a handsome face and a famous name. He thinks she’s a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House.

Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR’s most trusted lieutenant—even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she’s willing to do—and what she’s willing to sacrifice—to save a nation.

Kindle Edition, 544 pages

Expected publication March 12, 2024 

by Berkley

4.5/5 stars

Stephanie Dray is one author that I have managed to stay current with, from her earlier books about Cleopatra‘s daughter to strong women in US history, she has kept me entertained and educated. Francis Perkins is not someone I am familiar with so I went in somewhat blind and was pleasantly intrigued and captivated with this remarkable woman.

Spanning most of Perkins life she is portrayed as a force to be reckoned with.  Her drive, compassion and determination for change is well written in this epic sized book. Dray's passion and researched is evident in a story about a woman in politics is something unheard of in that time period.

Becoming Madame Secretary is a story of relationships, that between Perkins and FDR, her husband and daughter, her friend Mary and her country. The author notes were detailed, welcomed and finished this book off nicely.

My thanks to Berkley for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright

Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy's brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta's younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her uncover the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must put the threat of the phantoms to rest.

Decades later, Kit Boyd's best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. When television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher engages Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater's history, Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of also finding out what happened to her friend. As the theater's curse begins to unravel Kit's own life, she sets out not only to save the historical building and her friend, but to end the pattern of evil that has marked their hometown for a century.

In this atmospheric dual-time tale, two women--separated by a century yet bound by the ghosts of the past--pursue light in the face of darkness.

Paperback, 352 pages

Published October 10, 2023 

by Bethany House Publishers

4/5 stars

Jaime Jo Wright is one of my go to authors (yea I know I do have a lot of them).  Known for dual time period stories loosely based on history she has once again delivered a mysterious suspenseful read.

Beginning in 1915 with strange happenings taking place in the Barlowe Theater and ultimately the disappearance of 3 boys.  Fast forward to present day where it feels like history is repeating itself.

This book had everything I love, the gothic vibe, authentic characters and a well written multi layered story.  Known for including themes relevant to most Wright always delivers a strong message in her books.

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater is a story of family, friendships and trust.  It is Christian fiction at it's finest.

My thanks to Graf-Martin Communication for a print copy in exchange for a honest review.

The Hidden Letters by Lorna Cook

On the eve of a world war, a forbidden love will blossom in the garden of a stately home and one young woman will make a choice that will change her life forever…

As the storm clouds of war gather, Cordelia seeks refuge in the grounds of her family estate.

Isaac has recently arrived to tend to the gardens, and the connection between him and Cordelia is as immediate as it is forbidden.

Isaac begins to secretly teach her how to cultivate the gardens, so when he and all the young men are called away to war, Cordelia takes over.

From the battlefields of Europe, Isaac sends her letters, that give her hope for a future in peacetime.

But when these messages abruptly cease, Cordelia must face up to the worst and take her future – and the fate of the garden they both loved – into her own hands…

An epic, sweeping tale of love, war and the strength of the human spirit. Fans of Lucinda Riley and Kate Morton will be absolutely gripped by this historical page-turner.

Kindle edition, 400 pages

Expected publication March 2, 2023

by Avon Books UK

2.5/5 stars

This is my first time reading a Lorna Cook book. It’s also the first time in a long time that I have read anything pertaining to WW1.

Taking place in England, The Hidden Letters tells the story of a young woman named Cordelia. Born into privilege her life is filled with expectations and duty. Before the onset of war, she begins a friendship with Isaac, someone who takes care of the gardens at the family home. What follows is a very slow paced story. I really wanted to enjoy this book.  I have heard so much about the author and whether my expectation level was too high because of the buzz on social media or the references to Lucinda Riley and Kate Morton (both favourites of mine), this was not the captivating story that I had hoped for.

I struggle to connect with the characters and to feel the friendship develop, the plot just didn’t work for me until I hit the 75% mark where things picked up remarkably. The story took on some intrigue, which led to a surprising twist and an ending that worked. However, the action came a little too late to make up for the first 3/4 of the book.

I have another of her books on my shelf and will give her another go at some point in time.

My thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for a digitial arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright

The voices of the past cannot stay silent forever.

In 1910 Michigan, Perliett VanHilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor, George Wasziak, convinced she practices quackery. It doesn't help that her mother, Maribeth VanHilton, is a Spiritualist who regularly offers her services to help others speak to their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she relies on both George and an intriguing newcomer for help.

In the present day, life has not developed the way Molly Wasziak dreamed. Facing depression after multiple miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband's purchase of a new farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a vintage web of deceptions, made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds in the old farmhouse.

Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time silence their truths forever? 

Paperback, 400 pages

Published October 11th 2022 

by Bethany House Publishers

4.5/5 stars

Jamie Jo Wright it is one of my go to authors. I know I’ve mentioned it before in each review, but what I Iove about her books is how she weaves current social situations with stories of the past. 

In The Premonition of Wither's Farm Wright took this reader back to 1910 to a young woman named Perliett. Perliett had hopes of becoming a doctor one day, but instead finds herself in the midst of a local murder and herself a target.  Present day is the life of Molly, who has recently moved into the country, to the area from Perliett's past. Reeling from multiple miscarriages, depression and anxiety follow.

These two lives collide in a way I didn’t anticipate. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery, the friendships and the how mystic/spiritualism stayed true to the times.  A little slow at times but I was kept on my toes as both story lines unfolded.  The characters were unique and likeable. Again, the author doesn’t hold back in describing Molly's deep hurt and feelings of worthlessness as she struggles day to day.

The conclusion and how these 2 story lines meshed fit the bill nicely.  One I didn't really see coming.  Premonition is Christian fiction that reflected authentic day to day struggles in a realistic manner.  

This book was part of my 2022 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge.

The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Four women. One family heirloom. A secret connection that will change their lives—and history as they know it.

Present Day: Julia Baxter’s wedding veil, bequeathed to her great-grandmother by a mysterious woman on a train in the 1930s, has passed through generations of her family as a symbol of a happy marriage. But on the morning of her wedding day, something tells her that even the veil’s good luck isn’t enough to make her marriage last forever. Overwhelmed and panicked, she escapes to the Virgin Islands to clear her head. Meanwhile, her grandmother Babs is also feeling shaken. Still grieving the death of her beloved husband, she decides to move out of the house they once shared and into a retirement community. Though she hopes it’s a new beginning, she does not expect to run into an old flame, dredging up the same complicated emotions she felt a lifetime ago.

1914: Socialite Edith Vanderbilt is struggling to manage the luxurious Biltmore Estate after the untimely death of her cherished husband. With 250 rooms to oversee and an entire village dependent on her family to stay afloat, Edith is determined to uphold the Vanderbilt legacy—and prepare her free-spirited daughter Cornelia to inherit it—in spite of her family’s deteriorating financial situation. But Cornelia has dreams of her own. Asheville, North Carolina has always been her safe haven away from the prying eyes of the press, but as she explores more of the rapidly changing world around her, she’s torn between upholding tradition and pursuing the exciting future that lies beyond Biltmore’s gilded gates.

In the vein of Therese Anne Fowler’s A Well-Behaved Woman and Jennifer Robson’s The Gown, The Wedding Veil brings to vivid life a group of remarkable women forging their own paths—and explores the mystery of a national heirloom lost to time.

Hardcover, 416 pages

Published March 29th 2022

 by Gallery Books

4.5/5 stars

The Wedding Veil was a fun and entertaining read for me. I really enjoyed the author's previous book, Under the Southern Sky, it was my first time reading a Harvey book, I will definitely be reading more.

The Wedding Veil is more than the story of Julia and her upcoming wedding. Cut short with startling revelations she embarks on her honeymoon alone. This book is told not just from Julia‘s point of view but also her grandmother, Babs, who is still grieving the loss of her husband. Going on a journey with these two was enjoyable to read, to watch their progression as life changes and to see the outcome. I love Babs, I loved her wit, strength and character.

Jump back to 1914, Edith Vanderbilt, also a recently widow is struggling, trying to keep afloat the Vanderbilt legacy, as well as the mansion.

I love the historical aspect, I don’t know much about the rich and famous in the US but the Vanderbilt name evokes money and power. The Wedding Veil is a story of three women, their strengths and weaknesses and how they overcame in ways we wouldn’t expect.

Kristy Woodson Harvey has turned into a go-to author for me, I love her writing style, the southern charm and how she weaves various time pieces together in what looks and feels effortlessly. I read this book when it was first released, how I missed reviewing until now was an oversight. I highly recommend both the author and this book.

I obtained this book from the library but honestly I wish I had bought it to put on my shelf.

T he Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City’s most impressive Gilded Age mansions.

Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter’s life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists’ models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.

Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City’s most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica’s financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.

 Kindle Edition, 368 pages,

Expected publication January 25, 2022  

by Dutton (Penguin Group)

4/5 stars

Fiona Davis is an author I have managed to have (almost) kept current with.  Her debut The Address is my favourite.  She has a knack for blending history with fiction nicely,  writing an intriguing story.

What I enjoyed about The Magnolia Palace is learning about the Frick family, yes they are real.  I will confess to googling the family, the art collection and seeing the mansion.  My desire to visit New York City again and visit  Frick Collection is piqued.

Now as to the book, it was a lovely read.  There was mystery, determination and family drama. The characters are real, flawed and each one unique.  While the past time period plays centre stage the current day (well 1966) wrapped up the story nicely.

The author notes at the end were that finishing touch I enjoy.  What's fact vs fiction, the motivation for this book as well as the authors thoughts are what this reader likes at the conclusion. 

My thanks to Dutton Books (via Netgalley) for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.  Look for The Magnolia Palace January 25th, 2022 - it is available for preorder now.

Review: The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Haunted by her sister's mysterious disappearance, Lucy Wilson arrives in Rowan County, Kentucky, in the spring of 1911 to work for Cora Wilson Stewart, superintendent of education. When Cora sends Lucy into the hills to act as scribe for the mountain people, she is repelled by the primitive conditions and intellectual poverty she encounters. Few adults can read and write.

Born in those hills, Cora knows the plague of illiteracy. So does Brother Wyatt, a singing schoolmaster who travels through the hills. Involving Lucy and Wyatt, Cora hatches a plan to open the schoolhouses to adults on moonlit nights. The best way to combat poverty, she believes, is to eliminate illiteracy. But will the people come?

As Lucy emerges from a life in the shadows, she finds purpose; or maybe purpose finds her. With purpose comes answers to her questions, and something else she hadn't expected: love.

Inspired by the true events of the Moonlight Schools, this standalone novel from bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings to life the story that shocked the nation into taking adult literacy seriously. You'll finish the last page of this enthralling story with deep gratitude for the gift of reading.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published February 2nd 2021 

by Fleming H. Revell Company

4/5 stars

I have read a number of Suzanne Woods Fisher books and have yet to be disappointed.  Her historical fiction are my favourites, she takes parts of the past I am unfamiliar with and educates me.

The Moonlight School is a rather slow paced story that kept my attention as I got to know the different characters and learn about the people of Kentucky.  I loved the mountain setting, the journey that Lucy went on as she went out of her comfort zone to help those living in conditions different from her own. To help those who could not read or write. What made this book all the more endearing is how it's based on history.  The Moonlight School was a thing and the notes at the end where as enlightening as the book itself.

The Moonlight School is a story of guilt and hope, of being brave enough to take the next step and faith. Told between the narratives of Lucy, Finley and Angie gave this reader a look at the different lifestyles in the community with the struggles and hopes for the future. The story connected me to the characters, getting to know their dreams and situations that made them who they are.  This was a pleasure to read with an ending that fit just nicely.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

Audio Review: The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

In an Ireland doubly ravaged by war and disease, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city center, where expectant mothers who have come down with the terrible new Flu are quarantined together. Into Julia's regimented world step two outsiders—Doctor Kathleen Lynn, a rumoured Rebel on the run from the police, and a young volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney.

In the darkness and intensity of this tiny ward, over three days, these women change each other's lives in unexpected ways. They lose patients to this baffling pandemic, but they also shepherd new life into a fearful world. With tireless tenderness and humanity, carers and mothers alike somehow do their impossible work.

In The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue once again finds the light in the darkness in this new classic of hope and survival against all odds.

Hardcover, 295 pages

Published July 21st 2020

by Little, Brown and Company

3/5 stars

My second book by Canadian author, Emma Donoghue was sent to the publishers just as covid hit a year ago.  How is that for timing especially given this book's theme.

I ended up going the audio route, lack of quotation marks drives me antsy and it was either that or pull a DNF. The narrator was Emma Lowe and she did a great job bringing the story to life.

The Pull of the Stars was atmospheric in that the author vividly described the setting, which is mostly at an infectious maternity ward.  Also this book takes place over the course of three heart wrenching days with nurse Julia and a volunteer to help get through those days.  I loved the compassion shown not just with the patients but towards each other, the developing friendship and Julia's plight at home. Though Julia and Bridie are fictional Dr Lynn is based on a real person, I would have loved to known more about her.

The Pull of the Stars was an emotional read for me, especially as it paralleled with this past year.  The medical conditions during that time made me very grateful for the time I had my kids in.

I struggled though, with the plot and pacing. While I know I am going against popular opinion there was just too much medical jargon and by the time the story picked up somewhat the end was in sight. All in all this was an okay read, educational and sad.

This book was from my personal library and part of my 2021 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge

Review: The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose

From New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller M.J. Rose comes a provocative and moving story of a young female architect in post-World War II Manhattan, who stumbles upon a hidden treasure and begins a journey to discovering her mother’s life during the fall of the Romanovs.

Sophia Moon had always been reticent about her life in Russia and when she dies, suspiciously, on a wintry New York evening, Isobelle despairs that her mother’s secrets have died with her. But while renovating the apartment they shared, Isobelle discovers something among her mother’s effects—a stunning silver tiara, stripped of its jewels.

Isobelle’s research into the tiara’s provenance draws her closer to her mother’s past—including the story of what became of her father back in Russia, a man she has never known. The facts elude her until she meets a young jeweller, who wants to help her but is conflicted by his loyalty to the Midas Society, a covert international organization whose mission is to return lost and stolen antiques, jewels, and artwork to their original owners.

Told in alternating points of view, the stories of the two young women unfurl as each struggles to find their way during two separate wars. In 1915, young Sofiya Petrovitch, favourite of the royal household and best friend of Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, tends to wounded soldiers in a makeshift hospital within the grounds of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg and finds the love of her life. In 1948 New York, Isobelle Moon works to break through the rampant sexism of the age as one of very few women working in a male-dominated profession and discovers far more about love and family than she ever hoped for.

In M.J. Rose’s deftly constructed narrative, the secrets of Sofiya’s early life are revealed incrementally, even as Isobelle herself works to solve the mystery of the historic Romanov tiara (which is based on an actual Romanov artifact that is, to this day, still missing)—and how it is that her mother came to possess it. The two strands play off each other in finely-tuned counterpoint, building to a series of surprising and deeply satisfying revelations.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: February 2nd 2021

by Blue Box Press

3.5/5 stars

There seems to be a theme in the last couple of books my M.J. Rose - Cartier's Hope, Tiffany Blues and now The Last Tiara.  It's an interesting theme and rather catchy.

As with her previous books this is a dual time period story, told by a mother and her daughter.  Both era's aren't always friendly to women which played out here. Both independent, one strong as she lives during turbulent times and the other who is constantly obsessing about being good enough - which was repeated too many times.  I get being insecure, especially in the 1940's for ambitious women and understand that is an issue but it just seemed over done.

This is very much a tell book, sometime it works just fine but other times not so much.  It's obvious the author knows the era with the history being well researched, though a couple info drops disrupted the flow.  I enjoyed learning about Faberge and the historical details both in Russia and the US.  I would have loved author notes just to clarify what was fact vs fiction. 

The mystery side of the story revolving around this tiara played out nicely. Lots of clues, twist and turns with a fitting conclusion.

My thanks to the publisher, Blue Box Press (via Netgalley) for an advanced e-arc in exchange for a honest review.

Audio Review: The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie Wiseman

In the fall of 1918, thirteen-year-old German immigrant Pia Lange longs to be far from Philadelphia’s overcrowded slums and the anti-immigrant sentiment that compelled her father to enlist in the U.S. Army. But as her city celebrates the end of war, an even more urgent threat arrives: the Spanish flu. Funeral crepe and quarantine signs appear on doors as victims drop dead in the streets and desperate survivors wear white masks to ward off illness. When food runs out in the cramped tenement she calls home, Pia must venture alone into the quarantined city in search of supplies, leaving her baby brothers behind.

Bernice Groves has become lost in grief and bitterness since her baby died from the Spanish flu. Watching Pia leave her brothers alone, Bernice makes a shocking, life-altering decision. It becomes her sinister mission to tear families apart when they’re at their most vulnerable, planning to transform the city’s orphans and immigrant children into what she feels are “true Americans.”

Waking in a makeshift hospital days after collapsing in the street, Pia is frantic to return home. Instead, she is taken to St. Vincent’s Orphan Asylum – the first step in a long and arduous journey. As Bernice plots to keep the truth hidden at any cost in the months and years that follow, Pia must confront her own shame and fear, risking everything to see justice – and love – triumph at last. Powerful, harrowing, and ultimately exultant, The Orphan Collector is a story of love, resilience, and the lengths we will go to protect those who need us most.

Paperback, 304 pages

Audiobook, 15 hours, 51 minutes

Published July 28th 2020

 by Kensington Publishing Corp.

4/5 stars

I went the audio version for one main reason- I anticipated the emotional impact this book would have on me and knew time was lacking for a proper sitdown read. I knew once started I'd need to finish. That being said I didn’t read the blurb but judging from comments on social media and the title I got a feeling of what was to come.

The audio, which comes in at 15 plus hours fit perfectly into my plans for the week, - I was painting, painting and a little more painting. My gut instinct was that once I started I would need to finish, which is exactly what happened.

The Orphan Collector begins in 1918 and the Spanish flu has broken out, kinda fit right in with the world today minus social media. I connected right away with Pia. The author put me right there, I felt the emotional and physical struggles she was going through. I should add that she is only 13 years old. The story was told through her eyes as well as Bernice. I didn’t like her much even though lost in her own grief is no excuse for what she does.  Both are authentic characters.

I won’t go into the events that transpired, I went in blind and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Suffice to say this is a captivating story, heartbreaking and sad. Remember it’s based around history and through nurse Bernice is fictional I am sure things similar could have happened.

Ellen Marie Wiseman is a new author for me, I like her pose and ability to draw me in with a unique story set during a time of turmoil. Her knowledge of the era is evident. The Orphan Collector is a well written book that has me searching for the authors backlist.

My audio copy was through  Scribd.

Review: The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

In nationally bestselling author Fiona Davis's latest historical novel, a series of book thefts roils the iconic New York Public Library, leaving two generations of strong-willed women to pick up the pieces.

It's 1913, and on the surface, Laura Lyons couldn't ask for more out of life—her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children. But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open. As her studies take her all over the city, she finds herself drawn to Greenwich Village's new bohemia, where she discovers the Heterodoxy Club—a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions on suffrage, birth control, and women's rights. Soon, Laura finds herself questioning her traditional role as wife and mother. But when valuable books are stolen back at the library, threatening the home and institution she loves, she's forced to confront her shifting priorities head on . . . and may just lose everything in the process.

Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, the famous essayist Laura Lyons, especially after she's wrangled her dream job as a curator at the New York Public Library. But the job quickly becomes a nightmare when rare manuscripts, notes, and books for the exhibit Sadie's running begin disappearing from the library's famous Berg Collection. Determined to save both the exhibit and her career, the typically risk-adverse Sadie teams up with a private security expert to uncover the culprit. However, things unexpectedly become personal when the investigation leads Sadie to some unwelcome truths about her own family heritage—truths that shed new light on the biggest tragedy in the library's history. 

Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Published August 4th, 2020

by Dutton

4/5 stars

The setting of The Lions of Fifth Avenue is the iconic New York City Library. A book about books taking place in a library, talk about an invitation for intrigue. Fiona Davis is not a new author for me, I have read all her previous books, each with a unique setting, dual time periods and interesting characters, bringing history to life with the different eras.

Beginning in 1913, its a different world for women as they face criticism and hostility for wanting to take control of their lives, whether from strangers or family. To depart from the traditional roles that have been around for centuries, to think for themselves and have a say in what they want to do.  Davis portrayed that nicely with Laura Lyons as her family lives in an apartment within the NYC library. 

In 1993 Lyons grand daughter, Sadie, is going through her own trials one of which is the disappearances of valuable books from the same library.  A coincidence?

There is a lot going on in this book, from the struggle for identity, acceptance, heartache and mystery that spans centuries. I enjoyed reading about the library, its procedures, rules and the stacks. Both in the past and current settling.  While I found the story slowed down for a bit it did pick up for the last past that made up for it. 

The Lions of Fifth Avenue releases tomorrow.  My digital copy was provided by the publisher (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Cartier's Hope by M.J. Rose

From M.J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author of Tiffany Blues, “a lush, romantic historical mystery” (Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale), comes a gorgeously wrought novel of ambition and betrayal set in the Gilded Age.

New York, 1910: A city of extravagant balls in Fifth Avenue mansions and poor immigrants crammed into crumbling Lower East Side tenements. A city where the suffrage movement is growing stronger every day, but most women reporters are still delegated to the fashion and lifestyle pages. But Vera Garland is set on making her mark in a man’s world of serious journalism.

Shortly after the world-famous Hope Diamond is acquired for a record sum, Vera begins investigating rumors about schemes by its new owner, jeweler Pierre Cartier, to manipulate its value. Vera is determined to find the truth behind the notorious diamond and its legendary curses—even better when the expose puts her in the same orbit as a magazine publisher whose blackmailing schemes led to the death of her beloved father.

Appealing to a young Russian jeweler for help, Vera is unprepared when she begins falling in love with him…and even more unprepared when she gets caught up in his deceptions and finds herself at risk of losing all she has worked so hard to achieve.

Set against the backdrop of New York’s glitter and grit, of ruthless men and the atrocities they commit in the pursuit of power, this enthralling historical novel explores our very human needs for love, retribution—and to pursue one’s destiny, regardless of the cost.

 Kindle Edition, 336 pages

Expected publication: January 28th, 2020

by Atria Books

It’s 1910 in NYC and the Gilded Age is in full swing as the Hope Diamond arrives amid its reputation of bad luck and superstition. MJ Rose placed me right in the midst of the times with her vivid pose that I have come to love. As an undercover reporter, Vera Garland highlighted some of the women’s issues of the time, poverty and march for equal rights, to name a few.

What I struggled with was the development of the plot, while Vera's goal/mission took root early on at about  the 70% mark I was still left wondering when anything would transpire in that department, the story seemed to meander. It was like the author forgot about the direction and left this reader wanting. I wasn't a big fan of the ending for reasons I can't really explain without spoiling the ride for someone else.

For the beautiful writing it’s 4 stars but the story was just 3 stars, averaged out to 3.5.

My thanks to Atria Books for an advanced copy (via Netgalley) in exchange for honest review.

Review: Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground.

The invitation to the luxurious Oriental Hotel a mile from Coney Island is unwelcome. Despite hailing from one of America’s richest families, Peggy would much rather spend the summer working at the Moonrise Bookstore than keeping up appearances with New York City socialites and her snobbish, controlling family.

But soon it transpires that the hedonism of nearby Coney Island affords Peggy the freedom she has been yearning for, and it’s not long before she finds herself in love with a troubled pier-side artist of humble means, whom the Batternberg patriarchs would surely disapprove of.

Disapprove they may, but hidden behind their pomposity lurks a web of deceit, betrayal and deadly secrets. And as bodies begin to mount up amidst the sweltering clamour of Coney Island, it seems the powerful Batternbergs can get away with anything…even murder.

Extravagant, intoxicating and thumping with suspense, bestselling Nancy Bilyeau’s magnificent Dreamland is a story of corruption, class and dangerous obsession. (less)

Paperback, 386 pages

Expected publication: January 16th 2020

by Endeavour Quill

*****

 Nancy Bilyeau has cemented herself as a go-to author, she writes in such a way that I am put in that location and her characters are real - both likable and others not so much.

Dreamland takes place on Coney Island, a place I’ve heard of but never read about or even seen pictures of. So a real treat for me on so many levels.

Dreamland is a story about Peggy, only 20 years old and because of her privileged upbringing, being segregated from those deemed unacceptable and not her kind, she can be naive in an innocent way that just made me like her all the more.  She was smart and looking out for others.  A great character, loosely based on Peggy Guggenheim (I read the author's notes and loved them as well).

The mystery played out very nicely here, with its many layers I was kept on my toes and loved the ride.

I love the author’s writing, she sets me right in the heart of the setting. Between the mystery, setting and character development Dreamland is a well-written book that kept me glued to the pages, thinking JustOneMoreChapter as I savored this gem.

Thank you to Hannah at Endeavour Media for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cover Reveal: Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau

Publication Date: January 16, 2020

Endeavor Quill

Genre: Historical Fiction
 

 The year is 1911 when twenty-year-old heiress Peggy Batternberg is invited to spend the summer in America’s Playground. But the invitation to Coney Island is unwelcome. Despite hailing from one of America’s richest families, Peggy would much rather spend the summer at the Moonrise Bookstore where she works voluntarily, than keeping up appearances with Brooklyn socialites and her snobbish, controlling family. But soon it transpires that the hedonism of Coney Island affords Peggy more of the freedom she has been longing for. For one, she finds herself in love with a troubled pier-side artist of humble means, whom the Batternberg patriarchs would surely disapprove of. Disapprove they may, but hidden behind their pomposity lurks a web of deceit, betrayal and deadly secrets. And as bodies begin to mount up amidst the sweltering clamour of Coney Island, it seems the powerful Batternbergs can get away with anything…even murder.s It is up to Peggy to overcome the oppression of her family and clear the name of her vulnerable lover, before she or her beloved sister become the next victims of Dreamland. Extravagant, intoxicating and thumping with suspense, bestselling Nancy Bilyeau’s magnificent Dreamland is a story of corruption, class and dangerous obsession.

About the Author

"Dreamland" is Nancy Bilyeau's fifth novel of historical suspense. She is the author of the best-selling historical thriller “The Blue” and the Tudor mystery series “The Crown,” “The Chalice,” and “The Tapestry,” on sale in nine countries. Nancy is a magazine editor who has lived in the United States and Canada. She studied History and English Literature at the University of Michigan. After moving to New York City, she worked on the staffs of “InStyle,” “Good Housekeeping,” and “Rolling Stone.” She is currently the deputy editor of the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at the Research Foundation of CUNY and a regular contributing writer to “Town & Country" and "Mystery Scene Magazine." Nancy’s mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in Forest Hills in the borough of Queens. "Dreamland" is her first novel set in her adopted hometown of New York City.

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Audio Review: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

The author of The Girl Who Came Home turns the clock back one hundred years to a time when two young girls from Cottingley, Yorkshire, convinced the world that they had done the impossible and photographed fairies in their garden. Now, in her newest novel, international bestseller Hazel Gaynor reimagines their story.

 1917… It was inexplicable, impossible, but it had to be true—didn’t it? When two young cousins, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright from Cottingley, England, claim to have photographed fairies at the bottom of the garden, their parents are astonished. But when one of the great novelists of the time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, becomes convinced of the photographs’ authenticity, the girls become a national sensation, their discovery offering hope to those longing for something to believe in amid a world ravaged by war. Frances and Elsie will hide their secret for many decades. But Frances longs for the truth to be told.

 One hundred years later… When Olivia Kavanagh finds an old manuscript in her late grandfather’s bookshop she becomes fascinated by the story it tells of two young girls who mystified the world. But it is the discovery of an old photograph that leads her to realize how the fairy girls’ lives intertwine with hers, connecting past to present, and blurring her understanding of what is real and what is imagined. As she begins to understand why a nation once believed in fairies, can Olivia find a way to believe in herself?

Audio 10 hours, 9 minutes

Paperback, 383 pages

Published August 1st, 2017

by William Morrow

*** 1/2

I thought that Hazel Gaynor was a relatively new author for me, but in going back I see there are 3 of her books I have already read - see below for covers with links.  The Cottingley Secret piqued my interest not just for the stunning cover but the interesting plot. It's one of the treads in her books that I enjoy, those unknown pieces of history that make for unique stories.

Told in dual time periods the author takes us back to 1917 in a little place called Cottingley during World War 1. Drawing on real historical events and the story of 2 young girls and fairies, was it real or a hoax? Even the famous Sir Arthur Conan Doyle got involved (though only with cameos throughout).

I loved the quaint little villages, the easy way of life but with these smaller places everyone knows everyone and their story.

The current story is a journey for Olivia as she comes to grip with her future while discovering a past she knew nothing about. I enjoyed taking this journey with her as she came into her own.

The Cottingley Secret is a story of self-discovery, of secrets and friendship, it isn't filled with insta- love which I really appreciated.

Though I went with the audiobook I followed along with my print copy and is part of my 2019 reading off my shelf challenge: