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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. ...

The Promise of Summer by Bella Osborne #Review

 

Bella Osborne's latest romcom, The Promise of Summer,  is published today and I am thrilled to be featuring it on my blog today. 

 
Ruby’s life is about to change for ever…

After years of dating losers, cheats and one guy who did something unrepeatable to her kettle, Ruby has all but given up on romance. But then a stranger sits next to her on a train to London and explains his plan to propose to the woman of his dreams. Maybe true love does exist after all?

When the man accidentally leaves the engagement ring behind, Ruby is determined to save the day. But she hasn't counted on fellow passenger Curtis stepping in and insisting he should be the one to track the stranger down.  

As summer closes in, the unlikely pair make a promise to reunite the ring with its owner. But can they find their own happy ever after along the way?


 My Thoughts

This is a thoroughly enjoyable read.  Ruby is such a lovely character. Tired of her attempts to find love, she is looking to move on to another stage in her life. What is clear is that she is looking for love and family. She is a mixture of down to earth common sense and then at other times, utter gullibility. Her desire for love leads her to shut her eyes to what you the reader can see all along. The absolute triumph for me is the character of Curtis who has his own perspective on life. Despite his apparent inability to empathise with others and his total lack of social awareness, he is intelligent and totally without malice. You see that he is kind and caring. He just needs to be nudged in the right direction...

    I also enjoyed the side-story of Kim, the owner of the florist shop where Ruby works. They have a genuine friendship and she too has a heart of gold. There were some hilarious moments in the story. I loved Ruby's visits to the local care home. This is an uplifting read full of wit and humour. The darker parts of the characters' lives were not shied away from but added to the heart of the story.

In short: A warm, witty, brilliant summer read!


About the Author

 

Bella has been jotting down stories as far back as she can remember but decided that 2013 would be the year that she finished a full length novel. Since then she’s written seven best selling romantic comedies and she’s been shortlisted three times for the RNA Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year Award.

Bella's stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She lives in The Midlands, UK with her husband, daughter and a cat who thinks she’s a dog. When not writing Bella is usually eating custard creams and planning holidays.

For more about Bella, visit her website at www.bellaosborne.com follow her on Twitter - @osborne_bella or Facebook or Instagram

Book links: Amazon UK   |  Kobo  |  Universal Amazon link

Thanks to Bella Osborne, Avon and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

                                                       Follow the rest of the tour!
 

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