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The Cottage at the edge of the world by Jane Lovering #Review

  Some houses won’t let go of the past. Some people won’t, either… When single mum Libby is offered a life-changing sum of money to clear out an old cottage in the woods, she expects dust and decay. She doesn’t expect a house full of secrets, a room full of birds, and a woman who refuses to leave. The handsome but stressed architect who hired Libby is also a puzzle. Why can't Ross empty Elm Cottage himself? What can he possibly see in Libby, who has been burned by love and is wary of attachment? How can they persuade the mysterious but kindly Isobel to move on? As Libby is pulled into the cottage's story, she must face up to her own deepest fears. Can she help Isobel, fight the past that haunts her, and learn to open her own heart to love once more? Jane Lovering’s new novel is a delicious, romantic mystery where secrets, love and healing weave through every page.   My Thoughts The mystery at the centre of this story is quite intriguing. In fact, I should probably sa...
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The Magnolia That Bloomed Unseen by Ray Smith #Review


I am delighted to review Ray Smith's The Magnolia That Bloomed Unseen, a romance which takes you back in time to 1961 to Mississippi and the Civil Rights Movement. 


“You’ve seen the woman in the photo. The woman screaming . . .”
 
So begins the story of Molly Valle, who at forty-eight thinks she knows all that life has to offer a single, middle-aged woman - namely, men’s dismissal and disrespect. But when handsome activist John Pressman arrives in her Mississippi hometown, he challenges her self-doubt along with nearly everything else in her world. Soon, Molly discovers a strength and beauty she never knew she had—and a love so powerful, it can overcome the most tragic of consequences.



The Magnolia That Bloomed Unseen is a love story, an adventure novel, and a self-realization journey. It reignites the truth that many women—and men—have unconsciously extinguished: you are special and worthy of love, and it’s never too late to make your dreams come true.

My Thoughts

Set in the middle of the Civil Rights unrest in the USA, you follow the story of Molly and John, both aged in their forties, with past experiences and relationships. They feel that their meeting signals an amazing moment in their lives and a new awakening. You get to see their story through both their eyes at times, but for the main, it is narrated by Molly, as an old woman, looking back. Slowly you realise that she may be an unreliable narrator which adds to the interest. At the centre of the story is the message that you need to look below the surface and appreciate what is before your eyes. Wishing for a different life experience means you miss so much. 

     The backdrop of the 1960's can seem shocking to the modern eye, with the bigotry and racial prejudice starkly drawn. Molly proves herself to be an original and brave thinker who steps forward to combat the oppression she can see happening before her. Although the book is describeda as a romance, there are layers to be uncovered. Social and political issues, facing up to change and learning to trust are all there. There is also the lesson that within your own sphere, you can have a fulfilling life without appearing to change the world. Being settled in your own skin and accepting yourself is the path to happiness.

In short: A well written story which blends the spirit of an age with the personal.  

 
About the Author 


Ray Smith lives in Los Angeles and is working on another book.
Love the novel, hate the novel, please drop him a line! He can be contacted at:www.themagnoliathatbloomedunseen.com

 Or follow him on: Facebook |  Twitter

Thanks to Ray for a copy of the book. 
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