We are returning to France for another great summer read by Gillian Harvey . The Village Cafe in the Loire was published by Boldwood on July 12th. High-flyer Becky Thorne cannot believe what she’s being told. She doesn’t need to be signed off for burnout! Life has been a bit chaotic lately, that’s all. As if dealing with her enviable job and permanent meddling from her mother aren’t enough, she’s also inherited a café in the Loire from an estranged great-aunt, complete with sitting tenant who refuses to budge. But nobody stands in Becky’s way! Ignoring her best friend Amber’s advice, she decides to storm over to France and sort the tenant out. Then she can finally get the café sold and jump back on the career ladder. What she doesn’t count on is the tenant being Pascale, who is six feet of tall, dark, handsome and extremely grumpy about her plans for change. Not to mention the village and the secrets it holds about her past. Becky’s path to succes...
The Girl She Left Behind by Jo Barlett #Review
Brand new from best-selling author Jo Bartlett, an emotional and uplifting read, guaranteed to break your heart and put it back together again.
A family in turmoil...
Phoebe Spencer left home a long time ago, desperate to get away from her mother's emotional manipulation. She knows her life is better away from her family, but she can’t help feeling she’s simply running away from her problems…
Then Phoebe hears that her younger sister Lucy has disappeared, leaving behind her four-year old daughter, Darcy. Phoebe's certain Lucy will be back soon - she'd never leave Darcy alone - and then Phoebe can get on with her life again.
But as the days pass there's still no sign of Lucy, and everyone begins to fear the worst. Phoebe has to consider the terrible truth that Lucy might never come home. And as their mother makes it clear she wants to take control of Darcy’s life, Phoebe must do all she can to protect the girl her sister left behind – no matter the cost to her.
A brand new emotional read from bestselling author Jo Bartlett.
My Thoughts
This standalone novel truly deserves the adjective, emotional, and must come with a clear trigger warning before you read it. However, once I plunged in, I found it to be an enjoyable and thought provoking read. As you soon discover, Phoebe has had a bleak childhood. On the surface, her family was an ordinary middle class family. Nevertheless, Phoebe and her sister, Lucy, suffered from emotional neglect at the hands of their mother. Their relationships as siblings were complicated. Their father opted to enable their mother to keep the peace.
The mystery of Lucy's disappearance dominates the story, never far from Phoebe's mind. Scarred by past relationships, she has to learn to be able to take support from her friends and to accept help. The centre of Phoebe's life shifts as she takes on the care of her niece, Darcy. There are some sad and touching parts to the story but also moments of happiness and contentment. Beneath the surface may lurk shadows of the darker themes of abandonment, neglect and coercion but there also shines the innocence of childhood and the hope of moving on.
In short: family relationships and a sense of belonging
About the Author
Jo Bartlett is the bestselling author of over nineteen women’s fiction titles. She fits her writing in between her two day jobs as an educational consultant and university lecturer and lives with her family and three dogs on the Kent coast. Her first title for Boldwood is The Cornish Midwife – part of a twelve-book deal.
You can read my reviews of The Cornish Midwife series here: The Cornish Midwife | A Summer wedding for the Cornish Midwife | A Winter's Wish for the Corrnish Midwife | A Spring Surprise for the Cornish Midwife | Mistletoe and Magic for the Cornish Midwife | A Change of Heart for the Cornish Midwife | Happy Ever After for the Cornish Midwife | Welcome to the Cornish Country Hospital
You can follow Jo here: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter sign up | Bookbub profile
Thanks to Jo Bartlett, 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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