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The Widow's Vow by Rachel Brimble #Review #PublicationDay

  Today's historical fiction takes us to Victorian England and Bath. Published by Boldwood  today on December 16th, A Widow's Vow is the first in the Ladies of Carson Street saga series by Rachel Brimble.   From grieving widow... 1851. After her merchant husband saved her from a life of prostitution, Louisa Hill was briefly happy as a housewife in Bristol. But then a constable arrives at her door. Her husband has been found hanged in a Bath hotel room, a note and a key to a property in Bath the only things she has left of him. And now the debt collectors will come calling. To a new life as a madam. Forced to leave everything she knows behind, Louisa finds more painful betrayals waiting for her in the house in Bath. Left with no means of income, Louisa knows she has nothing to turn to but her old way of life. But this time, she'll do it on her own terms – by turning her home into a brothel for upper class gentleman. And she's determined to spare the girls she sa...

The Little Cottage by the Cornish Sea by Nancy Barone #Review


 

It's back to Cornwall for a great summer read. Nancy Barone's The Little Cottage by the Cornish Sea was published by Aria on July 3rd.


Life doesn't always go to plan . . .

After a messy breakup and a nightmare boss, Kate swaps the chaos of London for the calm of Starry Cove—the charming seaside village she loved as a child. She arrives hoping for peace and a fresh start. But life has other plans: Kate soon discovers she's going to be a mother.

As she navigates small-town life (and morning sickness), Kate finds friendship in the 'coastal girls'—a warm, welcoming group who help her land a job with Piers, the reclusive owner of the local manor. He's guarded, grumpy and impossible to read... but there's more to him than meets the eye.

As feelings grow and secrets slowly come to light, Kate must decide if s he's ready to open her heart again—and whether Starry Cove could be the home she's been searching for all along.


 My Thoughts

 After Kate arrives in Starry Cove she is looking for a refuge and she seems to find it from the start. Having decided to look to the future and to make a new life for herself and her baby, she finds a group of friends who seem to recognise in her a vulnerable soul looking for a new start. There are some lively characters in the village, all with their own stories and Kate comes to realise that she needs to let other people give her support.

    With a great setting and some funny moments, this makes for an enjoyable read. There is always a feeling of optimism and a sense that Kate will be able to sort out her future. There is a slow burn romance waiting to come out into the open. Piers, her boss, has secrets of his own to conceal and he too needs to be able to trust people. There are times when you have to swallow any disbelief, such as when Kate is able to access services and a home with no paperwork as to her identity, but that does not detract from the story.

In short: new starts and hidden identities 

About the Author

Nancy Barone grew up in Canada, but at the age of 12 her family moved to Italy. Catapulted into a world where her only contact with the English language was her old Judy Blume books, Nancy became an avid reader and a die-hard romantic. Nancy stayed in Italy and, despite being surrounded by handsome Italian men, she married an even more handsome Brit. They now live in Sicily  where she teaches English.

Nancy is a member of the RWA and a keen supporter of the Women's Fiction Festival at Matera where she meets up once a year with writing friends from all over the globe.

You can follow Nancy here: Twitter  |   

Book link: Purchase links  

 Aria Books: Website  |  Twitter  |   Facebook  |  Instagram


Thanks to Nancy Barone, Aria Books 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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