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Escape to the Turquoise seas by Carrie Walker #Review #HolidayRomanceBook4

  I am delighted to feature a gorgeous summer read,  Carrie Walker's, Escape to the Turquoise Seas . It was published by Aria on July 16th .   Kat Brennan has always been the work-hard, play-harder type, navigating single life in London and the chaos of her job at Northstar PR. So when Excalibur Cruises invite her aboard to pitch for their account, she jumps at the chance to prove to her boss she's indispensable... and to finally relax a little. But the last person she wants to get stuck on a boat with is industry hotshot Leo Kendrick, the CEO of rival agency Amplify – and Kat's nemesis. When Leo bagged a coveted marketing internship 15 years ago, Kat vowed never to let him win anything again. She is not about to break that promise, even if Leo has become a distractingly attractive opponent. As the Esmerelda sails the seas, from the Azores to Lisbon via Madeira, the two agencies must battle it out to present the best pitch. But in such close quarters, the sea might...

Great Western Railway Girls Do their bit by Jane Lark #Review

 

Happy Publication Day to Jane Lark for her latest in the Great Railway Girls series, The Great Western Railway Girls Do Their Bit  which is published today by Boldwood Books.

 

1940 - As the Nazi invaders race across Europe, the women of the Great Western Railway works pull together like never before.


Catherine wrestles with self-pity after a machine-shop accident. With her fiancé and brothers on the front lines in France, she must find a new way to fight on the home front.


At her side are her steadfast GWR friends, among them Maggie, facing the loss of her father and family home, and Lily, desperate for news of her childhood sweetheart. All are determined to keep morale high and do their bit to win the war.


Amid blackout nights and rationed days, as the war creeps closer to home, these resilient women forge deeper bonds of sisterhood, confronting heartache and embracing joy. Standing up and volunteering to do even more, when hundreds of thousands of exhausted and wounded troops are rescued from Dunkirk and arrive in Dover. Britain’s ships and small boats saved them, now the trains must move them to safety and the women need to help to keep them alive...


An inspiring story of friendship, courage and women’s strength on the home front.

My Thoughts

Having enjoyed the first in this series, I was keen to read another. The lives of the characters has moved on to 1940, with many of the young men now away in Europe. The young women of Swindon who work at the Great Western Railway have taken over many of their jobs and are showing determination and grit. Catherine is coming to tewrms with the loss of her right hand but is still very keen to do some sort of work to help the war effort. 

    The group of friends are all trying to carry on despite the constant worry of the war. Maggie has to face moving from her family home and Lily is desperately missing her great friend and loved one. The lives of the community are all impacted by events in the war over in France and real historical events loom large. Through them, you see the spirit and the fear of those at home  and also in some cases, the terrible effect the fighting is having on the young men who are fighting. There is sadness and romance in this story which any lover of second world war fiction will become hooked in and keen to find out what happens in book 3.

In short: vividly written 

About the Author

 


Jane Lark
is an internationally bestselling author of both historical fiction and psychological thrillers. She has twice been shortlisted for the RNA Awards. The first in her new wartime saga series, The Great Western Railway Girls,will be published in February 2025

You can follow Jane here:  

Facebook: @Janelarkauthor

Twitter: @JaneLark

Instagram: jane.lark

Bookbub profile: @janelark

Book links 

Thanks to Jane Lark, 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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