Today I am happy to be featuring Cynthia Hilston's literary historical romance, Rocks and Flowers in a Box. This is the second in her Lorna and Tristan series but can be read as a standalone.
The wedding bells for Lorna and Tristan Blake toll doom
right as the honeymoon begins with an unexpected turn in Tristan’s health.
While World War II winds down, Lorna receives a letter from the War Department
informing her that the brother she thought killed in action is still alive. She
is overjoyed, but his return will dredge up a devastating secret about their
parents’ tragic death –a secret that could destroy her new marriage and
threaten her husband’s physical and mental well-being. What unfolds is balancing
act of keeping the faith and shattering the pieces of the life she’s worked so
hard to put back together.
My Thoughts
It is perfectly possible to read this as a standalone although I am sure that you would have greater insight into the characters if you were to sample the first book. I would say that the characterisation in this novel is a strength. It is an emotional read at times and delves into social issues of alcoholism, and alienation within a family. There are some raw edges to all the characters and they have to come to terms with letting go of the past and forgiveness.
Set in the US post Second World War, you get to see how returning soldiers come to deal with the life back home. It is a fascinating period of history and you totally see the characters set within a specific time period. It forms them. As secrets from the past threaten the new order, you find yourself hooked into the lives of Lorna and Tristan and the others.
In short: Post War life is dominated by secrets in the past.
About the Author
Cynthia Hilston is a thirty-something-year-old
stay-at-home mom of three young kids, happily married. Writing has always been
like another child to her. After twenty years of waltzing in the world of fan
fiction, she finally stepped away to do her debut dance with original works of
fiction. Visit her website at www.cynthiahilston.com for more information.
In her spare time - what spare time? - she devours books,
watches Doctor Who and Game of Thrones, pets her orange kitty, looks at the
stars, and dreams of what other stories she wishes to tell.
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