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The Widow's Vow by Rachel Brimble #Review #PublicationDay

  Today's historical fiction takes us to Victorian England and Bath. Published by Boldwood  today on December 16th, A Widow's Vow is the first in the Ladies of Carson Street saga series by Rachel Brimble.   From grieving widow... 1851. After her merchant husband saved her from a life of prostitution, Louisa Hill was briefly happy as a housewife in Bristol. But then a constable arrives at her door. Her husband has been found hanged in a Bath hotel room, a note and a key to a property in Bath the only things she has left of him. And now the debt collectors will come calling. To a new life as a madam. Forced to leave everything she knows behind, Louisa finds more painful betrayals waiting for her in the house in Bath. Left with no means of income, Louisa knows she has nothing to turn to but her old way of life. But this time, she'll do it on her own terms – by turning her home into a brothel for upper class gentleman. And she's determined to spare the girls she sa...

Snowflakes over Bay Tree Terrace by Fay Keenan #WillowburyBook2 #Review #BoldwoodBooks

 

Today we are featuring a romance with a wintry flavour, Snowflakes over Bay Tree Terrace by Fay Keenan.  

As the snowflakes fall, new love blossoms...

When teacher Florence Ashton receives a surprise inheritance, she decides to make the life-changing decision to up sticks to the charming town of Willowbury in Somerset. With a new house and a new job, she’s too busy putting down roots to think about love.

Air Ambulance pilot Sam Ellis is definitely not looking for romance either, especially not on his doorstep. When Florence, his new neighbour, complains about his noisy housemate, he feels more cross than star-crossed. 

But as the nights draw in and both find themselves thrown together in Willowbury’s seasonal drama production, will they overcome their differences and allow a little bit of winter magic to fall along with the snow? And what secrets will be revealed by the box of memories Florence finds in the attic at Bay Tree Terrace?

Let Fay Keenan transport you to the perfect country winter wonderland, with roaring fires, spectacular scenery, and unforgettable characters.  Perfect for all fans of Cathy Bramley, Fern Britton and Katie Fforde.

 

My Thoughts

 Once I got over the fact that part of the book is set in December and it is still August, I settled into the story and enjoyed several aspects of the book. The setting is gorgeous- a small, community minded place with quite a bit going on and a few individual touches. The characters are likeable too, Florence never quite manages to put aside her schoolteacher manner when she is out of the classroom, but she knows this. Underneath the surface Sam has some issues to come to terms with around commitment. His brother is facing his own struggles with the aftermath of some traumatic events. In all, you get the feeling that there is more to this story for Sam and Florence than a 'will they, won't they?' romance. There are also some quirky individuals to be found in the local amateur dramatics society and a few humorous touches as well.

    Although part of the story takes place at Christmas, this is not an over the top, oh-so-festive story. It is very much in the background. I enjoyed the references to Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing which fitted with Florence's job as an English Teacher. There is lots of potential in this village for more and I do hope to visit Willowbury again.

 

In short: The course of true love...

About the Author


Fay Keenan is the author of the bestselling Little Somerby series of novels. She has led writing workshops with Bristol University and has been a visiting speaker in schools. She is a full-time teacher and lives in Somerset.

You can follow Fay here:  Twitter    | Facebook   |  Instagram   |  YouTube  |  Pinterest  |  Bookbub   |  Blog

Book link:  Amazon UK

 

Thanks to Fay Keenan, Boldwood Books and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

 

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Comments

  1. Thanks so much for the lovely review, and for being part of the book tour! x

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