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The Miller's Bride by Liz Harris #Review #TheHouseOfMcleodBook1

  Welcome to Liz Harris and her new Victorian historical novel, The Miller's Bride . This new series, The House of McLeod , was published by Boldwood Books on May 27th. When independence comes at a price... Scotland, 1885 Gracie McLeod’s life changes overnight when her father sells the family grocer’s shop and moves the family from their Highland village to a distant fishing town. But Gracie refuses to follow. Desperate to maintain her independence, she reluctantly agrees to an arranged marriage to Angus MacKenzie – a stranger who makes it clear he doesn’t want her, and who is in love with another woman. When Gracie arrives at the mill she now must call home, she finds herself entangled in a web of deceit and ambition. Unknown to her, Angus’s cousin is plotting to take over the mill and destroy her marriage from within, and he’s enlisted Angus’s former lover to help him. As secrets and sabotage threaten to ruin everything Gracie has tried to build, she must decide whet...

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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