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Trying Times for the Mill Girls by Chrissie Walsh #Review #TheLockwoodInheritanceBook2

  West Yorkshire 1900-1918 Today we are going back to the early days of the twentieth century to see how life in Almondbury changes at this critical time.   Trying Times for the Mill Girls by Chrissie Walsh is published  today on December 5th by Boldwood Books .   You can read  my review of Book 1 in the Lockwood Inheritance series, A New Dawn for the Mill Girls   here   In changing times, even the strongest must fight to hold on... At the dawn of a new century, mill mistress Verity Hardcastle and her husband Oliver welcome their long-awaited twins: gentle, golden-hearted Briony and spirited, stormy Blaise. From the beginning, their children seem destined to pull in different directions—but the Hardcastles stand united, proud stewards of Lockwood Mill and its tight-knit community of hardworking girls. As the winds of change sweep through Yorkshire—from the rise of the suffragette movement to the shadow of war—the mill stands firm. ...

Three Weddings and a Proposal by Sheila O'Flanagan #Review


I am delighted to be taking part in the celebrations for Sheila O'Flanagan's latest novel, Three Weddings and a Proposal. It was published on 20th May by Headline Review.

Delphine is at a wedding when the shocking news comes.

Suddenly her life changes for ever.Delphine  has  worked  hard  for  her  success  and  she  knows  she’s  got  everything  she  wants.  But  not  everyone  agrees.  Her  opinionated  family  aren’t convinced that living alone with no plans to ‘settle down’ could possibly make her truly happy, and no one appreciates it when she drops everything,  day  or  night,  whenever  her  boss  Conrad  calls.  Yet  Delphine  wouldn’t change a thing. And when C onrad makes her a surprise offer, it’s clear that her hard work is going to pay off.

A few short days later, Delphine’s life is unrecognisable. The man who once broke her heart has suddenly reappeared, and a shocking tragedy turns her world on its head.

Delphine must rethink everything that matters to her, and to those around her, and decide, once and for all, if love, family and a little compromise should  come  before  career,  security  and  independence...  and  if  she’s  prepared to make that choice


My Thoughts
 
I thoroughly enjoyed following Delphie's life as she comes to terms with loss and re-assesses her life's priorities. She comes up against some barely disguised misogyny in her professional life and there is such a contrast between the Delphie you see at work and the one you see surrounded by her family. When you see Delphie with her family, you sense the pressures that she feels because of their expectations on what constitutes success in life. Delphie has to decide whether she is willing to compromise in any area of her life.

    There are also some great examples of women supporting women. Delphie's female friends are always supportive and through their conversations, you often see what she is thinking about a given situation. Above all, there is the sense that change happens in life and that you have to grasp your opportunities when you can. I loved the structure of the novel which is hinted at in the title. There are some vividly drawn characters and relationships to observe. In all, this is a gorgeous read.
 
In short: An engrossing read with friends, family and work relationships all explored.
About the Author
 

Sheila   O’Flanagan   is   the   author   of   nearly   30   bestselling chart-toppers, including The Women Who Ran  Away, Her  Husband’s  Mistake,  The  Hideaway,  What  Happened  That  Night,  The  Missing  Wife  and  All For You (winner of the Irish Independent Popular Fiction Book of the Year Award). After working in banking and finance for a number of years, Sheila’s love  for  writing  blossomed  into  curating  stories about relationships in all their many forms.

You can follow Sheila here: Website  |  Twitter  |   Facebook

Book link: Amazon UK

Thanks to Sheila O'Flanagan, Headline Review and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

Check out the rest of the tour!
 

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