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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...

A Ration Book Christmas by Jean Fullerton ** Blog Tour Review**

We are returning to the Second World War today, to wartime London, for A Ration Book Christmas by Jean Fullerton. This is Book 2 of The Ration Book Series but can be read as a standalone.



With Christmas approaching, the Brogan family of London's East End are braving the horrors of the Blitz. With the men away fighting for King and Country and the ever-present dangers of the German Luftwaffe's nightly reign of death and destruction, the family must do all they can to keep a stiff upper lip.

For Jo, the youngest of the Brogan sisters, the perils of war also offer a new-found freedom. Jo falls in love with Tommy, a man known for his dangerous reputation as much as his charm. But as the falling bombs devastate their neighbourhood and rationing begins to bite, will the Brogans manage to pull together a traditional family Christmas? And will Jo find the love and security she seeks in a time of such grave peril?


                                                                                    My Thoughts

Wartime London is always a fascinating period to read about and I am struck by the research which must have gone into the writing of this book. It is full of period detail and really conjures up the spirit of the Blitz. From the descriptions of the destroyed streets to the courage of the Home Front, from the making do and mending to the saving up for ingredients for Christmas, the pages drip with authenticity. 

    In Jo and Tommy's families, you could not have more of a contrast. Tommy shows his mettle through his instinctive reactions and has to prove that he can rise above the criminality he was brought up in. Jo is a delightful character. Full of good intentions, she nevertheless proves that she is not to be trifled with. Her dealings with the wife of the family she has been evacuated with shows you that she is no one's fool. The Brogans are a great family unit, family loyalty being stronger than any little disagreements. You feel that they could each have a book, so strongly are they evoked. 

In short: Love grows amid wartime shortages.


                                                                              About the Author
 


Jean Fullerton is the author of eleven novels all set in East London where she was born. She also a retired district nurse and university lecturer.  She won the Harry Bowling prize in 2006 and after initially signing for two East London historical series with Orion she moved to Corvus, part of Atlantic Publishing and is half way through her WW2 East London series featuring the Brogan family.


You can follow Jean here: Website   |  Facebook   |  Twitter

Book link: Amazon UK 

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

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