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See the Stars by Eleanor Ray #Review

  See the Stars by Eleanor Ray will be  published on February 5th 2026 by Piatkus .  Do you ever feel that life isn't going to plan?   When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.  Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?  Filled with heart and warmth, this uplifting novel...

The Things We Leave Unsaid by Megan Mayfair ** book review**

I am delighted to be on the second day of the Blog Tour to celebrate the publication of The Things We Leave Unsaid on August 22nd by Crooked Cat Books. 


Is it the things we don’t say that haunt us the most?


Clare is anxious to start a family with adoring husband, Pete. When she takes on the seemingly simple task of obtaining her late mother’s birth certificate, she finds herself in a family history search that will challenge everything she thought she knew about her life.

Scarred by her parents' ill-fated marriage, Tessa lives by three rules – dating unavailable men, building her café into a food empire, and avoiding her father. However, when her carefully planned life is thrown into chaos, Tessa is forced to decide which of these rules she’s willing to break.

As Clare and Tessa’s paths cross and their friendship grows, can they both finally unlock their family secrets in order to realise their futures?


                                                                                     My Thoughts
The two central characters, Clare and Tessa are completely opposite in temperament but both illustrate through their stories that things which go unsaid can often have long lasting effects. We follow them through alternating chapters as their very different tales unfold. Tessa is outwardly confident and brittle but shuts off any meaningful relationships and opts for no commitment. Clare is much quieter and less confident but family minded and surrounded by her husband's close family. Anxious to know more about her mother's family, she delves into the past. Despite their differing personalities, the two women forge a close friendship.

  There are some difficult issues raised in this book, such as miscarriage, childlessness, dementia, separation and abandonment. Nevertheless, it is eminently readable and it is easy to get involved in the characters. Different models of families are shown through the generations from childhood to older age and both Tessa and Clare relate to others because of their family histories. Tessa's Coffee Shop is an excellent focal point for the two and I also enjoyed the humour which was to be found in the goings-on of the social media 'celebrities'. 

In short: The effects of unspoken emotions are revealed in this contemporary romance.

                                                                             About the Author 


Megan Mayfair is a Melbourne-based writer who draws inspiration from her beautiful hometown and regional Victoria to create contemporary women's fiction, containing a big dash of romance and a spoonful of family intrigue.


With a background in public relations, copywriting and higher education, Megan is passionate about words and loves to bring them to life on the page. Megan holds a Master of Arts in professional communication and is a member of Romance Writers of Australia and Writers Victoria.


Megan is married with three children, loves a good cup of coffee and believes you can never have too many scarves.



You can follow Megan here: Website   |  Facebook   |  Twitter 
                                             |  Instagram 

Book link: Amazon UK 

Thanks to Megan Mayfair and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.  

                                                         Check out the rest of the tour!

 

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