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See the Stars by Eleanor Ray #Review

  See the Stars by Eleanor Ray will be  published on February 5th 2026 by Piatkus .  Do you ever feel that life isn't going to plan?   When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.  Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?  Filled with heart and warmth, this uplifting novel...

The Secrets of Latimer House by Jules Wake #Review #PublicationDay

 

We're back to World War 2 for this historical novel set in the mysterious Latimer House, deep in the Buckinghamshire countryside. I am delighted to be taking part in the Publication Day celebrations for this intriguing novel. 


Society heiress Evelyn Brooke-Edwards is a skilled interrogator – her beauty making her a non-threat in the eyes of the prisoners.

Farm girl Betty Connors may not be able to type as she claimed, but her crack analytical skills soon find her unearthing covert connections.

German ex-pat Judith Stern never expected to find herself listening in to German POW’s whispered conversations, but the Nazis took her father from her so she will do whatever it takes to help the Allies end this war.

Billeted together in the attic of Latimer House – a place where secrets abound – Evelyn, Betty and Judith soon form a bond of friendship that carries them through the war. Because nothing is stronger than women united.

Tucked away in the Buckinghamshire countryside, Latimer House, a grand country estate, stands proudly – a witness to some of greatest secrets of WW2.

My Thoughts

This novel kept me captivated throughout. It setting in the mysterious Latimer House, deep in the English countryside is based on an actual building which existed during the Second World War and which was the base for covert operations. I loved the secrecy of the situation and the three main characters were all so different but totally believable. Thrown together through their war work, they may come from different strands of society but proved what a leveller the situation was. They succeeded through their own efforts and abilities, nothing else.

    The novel also had some interesting observations on the role of women both in the wider society and in the work in Latimer House. Outside the house, they might be regarded as subservient by some men or encouraged to succeed through marriage. In Latimer House, their female sex was seen as an advantage and they were able to use their capabilities to get some successful results. This gave you hope that the life after the war would give them opportunities not open to them before. Above all, you feel that human ties and friendships are important in helping someone to thrive. The focus is always on moving forwards in hope. For some, like Judith, this is a difficult lesson to learn. 

In short: Immensely entertaining and informative 

About the Author


Jules Wake announced at the age of ten that she planned to be a writer. Along the way she was diverted by the glamorous world of PR and worked on many luxury and not so luxury brands. This proved fabulous training for writing novels as it provided her with the opportunity to hone her creative writing skills.

She writes best-selling warm-hearted romantic contemporary fiction for One More Chapter as Jules Wake and was shortlisted for Romantic Novel of the Year 2020 with The Spark.

Under her pen name Julie Caplin, she also writes the warm and witty Romantic Escapes series. 

Between them, the two Js have written eighteen novels, The Secret of Latimer House being the latest.

You can follow Jules here: Twitter  |  Website  |  Facebook                                                  |  Instagram

Book links: Amazon UK 


Thanks to Jules Wake, One More Chapter and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.



 

 

 

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