Spotlight of Shipyard Girls in Love by Nancy Revell

Shipyard Girls in Love

Nancy Revell 

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All information in this post is courtesy of Clare Kelly|Publicity Manager|Cornerstone|Penguin Random House UK

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This book sounds wonderful, doesn't it?
  

I LOVE the information about the research.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Published 22nd March 2018 Arrow Paperback Original £6.99. Also available as an eBook.

The fourth book in the compelling saga series The Shipyard Girls Even amid the war, a broken heart can heal.  Sunderland, 1941

With a brief break in air raids providing some much-needed respite from the war, things are looking up for head welder Rosie, who has fallen head over heels for Detective Sergeant Miller. But how long can their romance last in such uncertain times? 

Life remains full of challenges for Gloria, who must face her abusive ex-husband and confront her own guilty conscience about baby Hope’s real father. The secret is tearing her apart but if she admits the truth, she will risk losing everything. 

Both women are determined that their love and faith will be enough to keep the most difficult of promises, but nothing is as simple as it seems.
 
About The Author:

Nancy Revell is the pen name of writer and journalist Amanda Revell Walton, and has worked for many national newspapers, providing them with hard-hitting news stories and in-depth features. She has also worked for just about every woman’s magazine, writing amazing and inspirational true life stories. 

Nancy has recently relocated back to her home town of Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, with her husband Paul and their English Bull Mastiff, Rosie. They live a short walk from the beautiful, award-winning beaches of Roker and Seaburn, within a mile of where The Shipyard Girls series is set.

The subject is close to Nancy’s heart as she comes from a long line of shipbuilders, who were well-known in the area.

Praise for the Shipyard Girls:

‘I have just finished The Shipyard Girls and enjoyed it very much indeed . . . It has all the essentials of a good saga: well-drawn, believable, sympathetic characters, storylines which keep the reader turning the page and a very authentic background . . . The special bond that develops between the women makes it a very well rounded novel and will I’m sure have readers eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.’ Lyn Andrews, Sunday Times bestselling saga author

‘I had read The Shipyard Girls and enjoyed it tremendously, so much so that I bought Nancy’s second book. Strong characters and an absorbing story-line. Can't wait to read her third novel.’
Rosie Archer, author of The Gunpowder and Glory Girls 

‘The Shipyard Girls is just wonderful. Heartfelt, pacy and gutsy, I adore it already and will no doubt be devouring the rest of the series with just as much enthusiasm.’
Fiona Ford, author of The Spark Girl 

 More Information:

* Arrow has recently acquired two more books from Nancy and the fifth book in the series, The Shipyard Girls Unite publishes 6th September 2018 and is available to pre-order now. 

* During research for The Shipyard Girls, writer and journalist Amanda Revell Walton found that the remarkable women who did some of the most dangerous work in both the First and Second World War have now died with little recognition or praise for the work they did and the conditions they encountered. 

* During World War Two seven hundred women worked in the Sunderland shipyards carrying out dangerous and backbreaking jobs, previously only been deemed suitable for men, such as welding, riveting, burning and rivet catching, as well as general labouring, operating cranes, and painting. 

* The yards in the ‘Biggest Shipbuilding Town in the World’ produced a quarter of Britain's merchant shipping at the time, causing it to become one of the most heavily bombed towns during the war. 

* It is believed that without the shipyards, the country would have been forced to surrender, as the cargo vessels being built were essential for the transportation of vital food, fuel and minerals, as well as taking troops to wherever they were needed in the fight against the Axis alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan. 

*Nancy is available for interviews and written pieces* 

For further information, please contact:

Clare Kelly on 020 7840 8893 or Clare.Kelly@penguinrandomhouse.co.uk

The Other Mother by Carol Goodman

  

Should she really have done what she did?  That seemed to be the only way to keep her baby.

Daphne married, had a baby, and had Postpartum symptoms that caused her to not be happy and have thoughts of harming the baby.  

Daphne attended classes and met a friend, Laurel, in the class whose baby had the same name as her baby, and they became friends.

Their friendship was odd, though, because Laurel would tell stories about things that happened to Daphne and make them her own.

Her husband was supportive to a point, but then Daphne was worried he would take the baby away from her because he didn't think she was capable of taking care of their child.  

Daphne had a plan where she decided pretending to be someone else to get a job would be the only way out, but was it really?

She took on the identity of her friend Laurel, met Sky and Billie, and lived in a tower on the grounds of an insane asylum to help Sky write her memoir.

The job's location was not the best place to be with her paranoia and the history of the mansion.  Odd things would happen and strange sounds would occur that had Daphne second guessing her leaving. How Billie took over the caregiving of her daughter to the point of obsession was very strange.

THE OTHER MOTHER is not something I normally read.  It actually was a bit bizarre, dark, and tense for me, but the twists and turns in the storyline and the pull-you-in writing kept me reading.

I always felt something sinister was about to happen, and was kept on edge and feared for Daphne.

There are many sneaky, conniving, untrustworthy, deceitful characters in THE OTHER MOTHER.

I would not recommend this book to women who have just had a baby and who might be having a difficult time.

This book also addresses suicide and Borderline Personality Disorder.  

This DEFINITELY is a psychological thriller that at first had me second guessing why I was reading it, but then it all came together. 

THE OTHER MOTHER had a pretty clever and brilliant storyline.

As you near the last pages of the book you will still be asking yourself "Just who is the other mother" and "Is anyone who they say they are?" 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review. 

Giveaway and Spotlight of Other People's Houses

Photo Source

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All information in this post is courtesy of R. Ryanne Probst, Associate Publicist|Berkley Publishing Group|Penguin Random House.

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To celebrate the April 3, 2018, release date of OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES by Abbi Waxman, R. Ryanne Probst, Berkely Publishing, and Penguin Random House are offering one copy to one lucky USA reader.

Giveaway is at the bottom of this post.

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About The Book:

Behind every closed door is an open secret. . . 

A Most Anticipated Book of 2018 of InStyle, Elite Daily, PopSugar, and HelloGiggles

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Praise for Abbi Waxman & Other People’s Houses

“Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”
— #1 New York Times bestselling author EMILY GIFFIN

“Charming yet provocative. . . . This is a voyeuristic (in a nice way) and humorous trip through what is usually hidden behind closed doors. Waxman is a master at purveying the wry humor that rides just below the surface of even the tough times. An immensely enjoyable read.”—Kirkus Reviews“

A smart, thoughtful look at marriage and suburbia.”—PopSugar 

“Once again, [Waxman] manages to take a far-reaching topic and sprinkle it with spicy dialogue, adorable kids, and characters who feel like best friends. . . Recommend to those who like to turn pages quickly without sacrificing complex characters.”—Booklist

“We absolutely adored [The Garden of Small Beginnings]. And if it’s possible, we’re even more in love with her much-anticipated follow-up, Other People’s Houses.”—Hello Giggles

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IN HER 2017 DEBUT The Garden of Small Beginnings, Abbi Waxman tackled widowhood and grief with wicked honesty. 

Readers fell in love with Waxman’s ability to wring humor from a sober situation, and the Lorelai Gilmore-esque widow at the center of the story. 

The book, an Indie Next selection, became a cult favorite among independent booksellers, and was featured in The Washington Post, the Associated Press, Elle.com, and Woman’s World, among others.

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In her second novel, Waxman again dares to take a dark situation and make it funny. IN OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; April 3, 2018), she captures the hilarious havoc one affair wreaks on an upper middle-class LA neighborhood.

For Frances Bloom, driver-in-residence of her local carpool crew, school dropoff is a chaotic if not predictable affair. Until one of Frances’s steely-eyed kindergarten charges sends her to retrieve forgotten school supplies. That’s when Frances stumbles on her friend Anne Porter— perfect, impeccable Anne—having a 9:00 am quickie with a younger man who is definitely not her husband. 

The affair exposes, to comedic effect, dormant insecurities, neuroses, and strife in the neighborhood. As the carpool line-up unravels one gossip session at a time, the novel alternates between the perspectives of the four families involved: the down-to-earth, level-headed Blooms; the seemingly perfect Porters; the eccentric lesbian couple Sara and Iris; and the mysterious Hortons, hiding a sad secret.

Waxman, a former ad copywriter, wields pitch-perfect dialogue, capturing how the chaotic aftermath of the affair plays out across the block behind closed doors, in scenarios alternately tender and preposterous. It will all lead up to the portentous return of Anne’s boyfriend, in a final plot turn that tests the carpool crew indelibly and forces their reliance on each other into alarming perspective.
 
Waxman’s bubbly skewering of her characters’ idiosyncrasies coupled with her irrepressible humor sets OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES apart from typical suburban satire.
 
Life in the carpool lane will never be the same. 

SOUNDS GREAT, DOESN'T IT?

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About the Author:

Abbi Waxman is a chocolate-loving, dog-loving woman who lives in Los Angeles and lies down as much as possible. She worked in advertising for many years, which is how she learned to write fiction. She has three daughters, three dogs, three cats, and one very patient husband. 

She is the recipient of most helpful parent award from her daughter’s preschool. That was many years ago. But still.

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The Giveaway:

I am partnering with Berkley|Penguin Random House for this giveaway.

CONTEST HAS ENDED.

CONGRATS TO APRIL FROM NEW MEXICO

USA ONLY

March 28 - April 4

Enter HERE

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Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser

Women enjoying a care-free night, a night that turned into telling too many personal things, and then a morning that turned out badly.

The women of Yellow Springs and their specific neighborhood were all busy with work and children and enjoyed spending time with each other, but did they really know each other?

They all questioned themselves the morning that Kristin was found missing along with her twins, her mother's china, and a million dollars.

Her estranged husband moved right into the house and kept a vigil as he waited along with the neighborhood.  Did he have anything to hide, was he the reason for Kristin's leaving, or did she leave for her own reasons?

The police questioned everyone in the neighborhood and school.  Meanwhile two of the neighbors had some problems of their own. Clara had something in her past that still haunted her, and Izzy had her sister's husband as her problem.

We follow along as the police and the community try to figure out what would have made Kristin leave, where she is, and is she safe?

Each chapter was headed with statements that left obscure clues but clues that kept you guessing who the unidentified character was and what they had to do with the situation.

NOT THAT I COULD TELL moved smoothly along with enough hints at what may have happened, that you felt for the characters and wanted to be there to join in the investigation and in their lives.

NOT THAT I COULD TELL was an intriguing, tension-filled mystery that increased in intensity as the secrets and surprises were revealed along with other underlying themes.

If you enjoy guessing and wondering, you will enjoy Jessica Strawser's newest book. 4/5

This advanced reader copy was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley.  All opinions are my own.

Reading Genres

I only read certain genres and normally do not move outside of historical fiction, mystery, and women's fiction.

I definitely do not read horror.  Nor do I like sci-fi or paranormal.

Everyone has different likes and dislikes of course, but it is interesting to know if you would venture outside your normal reading genres or stick with only certain genres.

Thanks for stopping by.

Review and Giveaway of The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Idelwild Hall being renovated but not being made public? Did the mysterious woman and her son that were doing the renovation know something no one else knew?

One good thing about the renovation was that it meant Fiona would be able to get inside the school grounds where her sister was found dead on the football field twenty years ago.

Fiona still had questions about her sister's death, and this would be the perfect time to investigate.

THE BROKEN GIRLS moves from 1950 when we meet the four main characters and then back again to present day with Fiona using her journalist's skills to write a story and find more clues to what happened at the school.  It looked like more than what the public knew.

During her investigation, Fiona finds something else that happened that was kept from the public.  

Fiona’s investigation heats up when she finds a teacher who was at Idelwild Hall during its hey day.  The teacher let Fiona know that no one liked being there - students and teachers alike. 

There was something at the school that was sinister and something that everyone wanted to keep quiet or perhaps something they didn’t know about but kept the students and teachers on edge.

You won’t want to put THE BROKEN GIRLS down. 

THE BROKEN GIRLS has lots of secrets, along with ghosts, mean girls, and a school that was for unwanted girls for a reason.

This was my first book by Ms. St. James.  Her writing is mesmerizing, detailed, and draws you in so well that you feel as if you are right there with the characters and the drama.

Murders, an old boarding school, corruption, and an awesome story line await the reader.  And...how about that cover?  A great indication of what is inside.  

ENJOY when you read THE BROKEN GIRLS during daylight hours.  LOVED the book.  5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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GIVEAWAY:

I am partnering with Penguin Random House for this giveaway.

USA ONLY

March 22 - 29

Enter here
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GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

OUR WINNER IS CARYN OF ILLINOIS.

CONGRATS!!

The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman

A recipe box for her thirteenth birthday?  Is that what Sam really wanted?

Probably not, but it made her mother and grandmother happy so Sam accepted it and made her first pie.

THE RECIPE BOX was a gift no thirteen-year-old wanted, but it was a gift that kept on giving throughout Sam's life.

We follow Sam as she leaves her loving Michigan home and goes to New York to attend culinary school.  She was a hit in New York, but her boss was a fake.  To her family’s delight Sam decided to come back home.

Sam comes back to the love and warmth of her family and their bakery and orchards.  Was she really ready for this?  Did she make the right decision by coming back home?

All of the characters were lovable, but Grandma Willo was my favorite as was the story from her youth and her life.  

Grandma was simply someone you would love to have as your grandmother because of her positive attitude and attention to making sure her family was happy in everything they chose.

THE RECIPE BOX is a “sweet,” loving read that makes you want to go into the kitchen and be with grandma making the pies and other delicious desserts.

Each chapter was titled with a recipe and inside each chapter we get to join in the family fun and view the ingredients and directions for the yummy food the family makes.

THE RECIPE BOX is for anyone who loves to bake with family, who loves recipes, who loves family history, and who enjoys being in a beautiful setting.

You most likely will shed a few tears not because of sadness, but because of the warmth and love that oozes from the characters and from things they say. 

THE RECIPE BOX is a book that is an uplifting, make-sure-you-make-the-right decisions in your life by following your instincts and embracing change.  

THE RECIPE BOX was definitely written WITH love and for those the author loves. 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review

BORED???

This might come in handy this summer or whenever your children say they are bored. 

 

I found it at Sherry's Blog over the weekend.  

 

She lists 100 things to combat boredom.  :)

Here is the direct link to the BORED post:  http://bit.ly/2DFkztm

Any Of These Books On YOUR Shelf?

Hopefully these are visible.

Looking forward to seeing what you have read.

Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh

Both parents committing suicide at the same exact spot seven months apart seemed a bit strange.  Anna extremely missed both her parents but didn't know how much until a horrible reminder arrived in the mail.

This horrible reminder had Anna rethinking the possibility that her parents really didn't commit suicide but had been murdered.  She never thought her parents would kill themselves and leave her without them.

Anna asked for the case to be reopened, and a retired policeman, Murray, was taking on the job.

No one knew Anna had asked for this case to be re-opened, but it sure seemed as if they did.  Strange things started happening that even her husband dismissed.  Was she in danger too?

Meanwhile we have another voice being heard in the book.  The voice is the voice of Anna's mother watching Anna and being elated that she has a grandchild and also not very happy that Anna was digging into papers that might put Anna in danger depending upon what she would find. 

Anna’s mother does some odd things like going into the house when it is empty and looking for things and specifically a key.  What could the key be, why is it important to her, and how is she in the house if she is dead?

After this, the intrigue began...secrets were being revealed, impossible things happening, ghosts, seeing things that couldn't be there, feeling her mother’s presence, and the reader wondering what Anna’s mother was looking for and what she was trying to protect Anna from or protect herself from.

LET ME LIE has GREAT twists and is another Clare Mackintosh book you won't want to miss. You won't see them coming and ask yourself how you missed them.

The tension at the end makes this one her best yet.  5/5

This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth

An exclusive neighborhood, a safe neighborhood, a neighborhood with couples and children.  

Added to this perfect place came a single woman who didn't really fit it, but wanted to get to know everyone.

Who could Isabelle be, and why would she move into this neighborhood that she really didn't fit into?

Each of the five main characters tried to be friends, but each has something to hide or something they aren't happy about.

I also questioned if the husbands had something to hide as well.

Ange always has to be in control, but we don't know why.

Essie has problems being a mother.

Fran has a secret she finally reveals to her husband.

Barbara is Essie's mother and a perfect mother and grandmother.

Isabelle is the questionable one.

Lucas seems to be a lady's man.

Ben does seem sweet, but withdrawn.

Nigel seems clueless about everything even though he is brilliant.  

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR doesn't refer to one family but to all the families in the neighborhood.  They all seem to have access to each other's homes and all seem to be involved in each other's lives, except for the secrets.

At the beginning it seems like a soap opera, but don't be fooled.  It is wonderful and heartwarming.

The ending is a marvelous revelation of a lot of secrets and a lot of love.  

ENJOY when you read Ms. Hepworth's newest gem.  4/5

I received this book free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.