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Coming Home to Maple Lodge by Alison Sherlock #Review

  I am delighted to feature the first in Alison Sherlock's new series set in the Corswolds. Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge was published by Boldwood Books on June 20th. A family and hotel in desperate need of help… Maple Tree Lodge has been the home of the Jackson family for over a century. But the hotel has never been a success and, following the sudden loss of his father, architect Ben Jackson soon discovers the hotel is close to financial ruin. Ben has to make some tough decisions if the hotel is to survive and his family are to keep a roof over their heads. With the hotel in urgent need of a renovation, Ben’s sister calls on the talents of her best friend, interior designer Lily Watson. Cash strapped Lily needs a successful project to prove to herself and her high-achieving parents that she can carve a successful career and Maple Tree Lodge sounds like just the place for Lily to showcase her talents. However, Lily’s vision for a cosy, country Cotswolds hotel is the com...
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Digging for Victory at Rookery House by Rosie Hendry #Review

 

I am dekighted to feature the latest in Rosie Hendry's  family saga, Digging for Victory at Rookery House. Readers of her Mother's Day Club series will recognise some of the characters. My reviews can be found here:  The Mother's Day Club.   |  Mother's Day Victory. |  A Wartime Welcome at Rookery House

 
Spring has arrived and it’s time to Dig for Victory…

March 1941

After Flo Butterworth loses everything in Manchester’s Christmas Blitz, she decides to leave the area and join the Women’s Land Army. Putting the past firmly behind her, she arrives at Rookery House in Norfolk hoping for a new start and a chance to do the gardening work she loves.

The grip of war has intensified and growing more food is vital to keep the nation going. Thea buys an extra field to grow crops, and in the village, her sister Prue leads members of The Mother’s Day Club and Women’s Institute as they take on a derelict allotment. Meanwhile the construction of a nearby aerodrome disrupts village life and brings even more new residents to Rookery House, including Hettie’s difficult sister, Ada. With Rookery House now bursting at the seams, will it still be the happy home it’s always been?

When an enemy plane crashes nearby, Flo must help German airmen who might have been directly responsible for her family loss. She quickly finds that her heart-breaking past cannot so easily be forgotten. Can she do the right thing? And will her new friends help her move on towards a brighter future?

A heart-warming and uplifting novel following the much-loved characters from the award-winning Mother’s Day Club.


 My Thoughts

Despite the backdrop of wartime, this is an uplifting read which highlights what can be achieved when people work together. The women in the community take support from each other and you see how they try to provide for their families and friends through the different Home Front schemes, planting up allotments, making do and mend. As newcomers are brought to the village, they offer a friendly welcome. I enjoyed seeing the different elements of the Home Front all working together. That is not to say that the story is in any way sentimentalised or glossed over. Some of the characters have difficult struggles due to the effect of the war and challenges to overcome. You see that their view of the 'enemy' is not clear cut but nuanced.

    Central to this story is the newcomer, Flo, who has joined the Land Army after a traumatic event. At first, she struggles to settle in the homely environment of Rookery House as she is trying to protect her feelings. As the story develops, you hope that the village will work its magic. Full of period detail, with some likeable and credible characters, this is a great visit to a fascinating period.

In short: family, friendship, community


About the Author

Award winning author, Rosie Hendry lives by the sea in North Norfolk with her husband and children. She writes uplifting, heart-warming historical fiction based on true events from our social history. Listening to her father’s tales of life during the Second World War sparked her interest in this period and she loves researching further, seeking out gems of real-life stories which inspire her writing.

 

You can follow Rosie here: Website   |  Facebook   | Twitter

                                          |  Instagram 


Book links: Amazon UK  |  Amazon US
 
 
Thanks to Rosie Hendry and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources  for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

Check out the rest of the tour!
 

 


 

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