Only two books in my selection from October:

Fiona Valpy - The Beekeeper's Promise

This is a tenderly written book, full of atmosphere, spanning two time eras. In present day, Abi has travelled to France to attend a yoga retreat to help her recover from a traumatic time in her life. Unexpectedly she meets Sara, who lives at the nearby chateau where she runs a wedding business with her husband. Accepting the surprise offer of a job there, Abi begins to open up to the real world again. As the days pass Sara relates the story of Eliane who worked as beekeeper and help at the chateau during World War II. It was a time of occupation, fear, deprivation, loyalty and courage. Her experiences reach down the years to touch Abi. A very satisfying read, and it is not surprising that this is an award-nominated novel.

Leah Fleming - The Olive Garden Choir

A rare contemporary novel by this writer, set in Crete which is her home for part of the year. As expected, it is full of local colour, with varied characters drawn from an ex-pat community on a fictional island. Retired teacher Ariadne has the idea of forming a choir from the English emigres to perform at Christmas in aid of the refugees who are trying to make a new home on the island. Some singers join the group with reluctance, others with enthusiasm, but the very act of drawing together sparks changes in all their lives. Long-held troubles and secrets come to light, and new challenges face them as they cope with the festive season far from home. Full of heart and depth, this is a gem of a novel.

Only two favourite reads from September. I haven't had as much time for reading as usual last month.

Emma Davies - Letting in Light

A car accident leaves Ellie struggling with her confidence, and with the end of her long-term relationship she's delighted to accept her friend Jane's offer to look after their country property. She's astonished to find herself living next door to Will, who had helped her at the moment of her accident. His family are owners of the big house, but he's living there alone and struggling with his own demons. As both of them try to come to terms with difficulties, they find themselves becoming closer than they would have imagined. But as they begin to look at a way of making the estate pay its way, its not just old talents that are resurrected. There are some difficult truths to face before either can move on from the past. I found the novel engrossing, the characters very real and their problems capturing the reader's emotions. 

Jean Mead: - The Widow Makers

This is the first in a series of historical novels. Although there are many editing faults in the book, the characters are captivating, the historical detail and sense of place compelling, and the story keeps the pages turning. It follows the fortunes of young coal miner Joe Standish and his wife Emily. A pit accident which causes the death of Joe's friend Frank, spurs him to head for the slate quarries with his wife and young son, Tommy. Although he's no longer working underground, Joe discovers that it's a hard life. It proves difficult to improve their lot, though he and Emily try their hardest. As their son, Tommy, grows up, he begins to grow away from them, and the whole family are faced with many challenges as they try to adjust to their changing lives. 

My favourite reads from August are:

Teresa Driscoll - The Friend

Sophie meets Emma when she becomes a neighbour in the picturesque Devon village where she lives. Their two sons, five-year-old Ben, and Emma's four-year-old Theo, also become friends. It seems to be an ideal situation. Fast forward to the present, and Sophie is travelling by train to the hospital where the two boys lie injured, one of them seriously. The hospital staff haven't identified exactly which one is in danger. Through her anxiety, Sophie reviews the months of her friendship with Emma. She begins to question the true nature of their relationship, and whether Emma was really a friend at all, or has a more sinister agenda. A page-turning suspense novel with unexpected twists, by an author who is a former BBC reporter. 

Jenny Worstall - Three Hundred Bridesmaids

A gentle, warm novel, full of authentic detail and nostalgia. Set in the nineteen seventies, it follows Rosie as she begins her career as a music teacher in a girls' boarding school. Cue strict nuns, teenage girls, handsome male teachers and plenty of local colour - this is a fun read. The plot has twists and turns, and it is always buoyant and interesting. The author calls upon her own teaching experiences to give the book authenticity, and the characters are likeable and vivid. I enjoyed this.  

The Secret Letter - Debbie Rix

In recent years, a letter from Germany arrives on Imogen's doormat in England, connecting two women who were young during World War II. In parallel, we begin to learn the stories of Imogen and Magda from the outbreak of hostilities in 1939. They grow to womanhood in their own countries through the years of war, experience love and loss, and blossom into maturity. Both are highly principled young women, and though they are on opposite sides of the conflict, they have the same abhorrence for the Nazi regime. A tender and vividly written novel which explores how people strive to keep their values in one of the worst times in twentieth century history.

My three best reads from July are:

Eliza Graham - Another Day Gone

Sara's upbringing has been unconventional - her parents died in a car crash when she was a baby, and she and her older sister Polly were brought up by their grandfather and his housekeeper, Bridie, in his riverside home. Sara and Polly are close, but Sara feels she can never live up to her sister's superiority. Then when Polly is eighteen, she disappears along with Bridie's nephew, Michael. Clearly they don't want to be found - it's obvious that other people are sending postcards on their behalf. As the years pass, Sarah begins to make her own life. Then suddenly Polly returns without Michael. This is a catalyst for secrets of the past to be revealed, though it is a difficult time for the two women. Unusual twists, heartbreak and historic detail are woven into the strands of the book until all is finally uncovered.

Carol Mason - The Shadow Between Us

Olivia boarded a plane to America after leaving university for a summer adventure, little realising that she would meet and marry an American, and be a mother soon afterwards. But a couple of decades on, her ideal family life is in tatters. She's living apart from her husband and daughter in a seaside resort, her emotions shattered. She only wishes to cut herself off from the world. Then an invitation to join a letter writing club in the local bookshop rouses her from her torpor. Among the motley collection of people in the group is injured war veteran Ned. Somehow they begin to connect, each acknowledging that the other has been through trauma. Olivia has some major choices to make, the greatest of which is whether she can go back to her husband. The novel is deep and heart-wrenching, and explores whether we can face up to life's darkest events, and what it takes to heal. Memorable.

Imogen Clark - Where the Story Starts

After years of heartbreak and turmoil, Leah is more settled, and doing her utmost to be the best possible single mum to Poppy and Noah. She's managing to keep her finances afloat to make a home for them in her little house in the coastal town of Whitley Bay. Then Clio turns up unexpectedly on her doorstep, and asks in her cut-glass accent if she can look round the house. When Leah finally relents, she begins to forge an unlikely friendship with someone from a totally different background to herself. This leads her on a journey of undisclosed history, new relationships and past misdemeanors causing unwelcome shocks. As their stories unfold, their friendship is tested to the limit. An enjoyable read.

Manda Scott - Into the Fire

A novel in two time eras, Into the Fire is set in Orleans, France. In present day, police officer Ines Picaut is investigating devastating fires that have been wreaking havoc in the city. The latest one is different - there is a fatality. She begins to realise that the identity of the dead person is the key to the crimes, and that it has some connection to the legend of Jeanne d'Arc. Back in the fifteenth century, we follow the Maid of Orleans through the eyes of Tod Rustbeard, a spy for the English working in the French camp. He finds himself bound up in her story more closely than he had ever imagined, and his actions have a consequence that reaches down the centuries. Knife-edge moments, passion and historic detail abound in this great read.

Sarah Maine - The House Between Tides

Hetty has ambitious plans for the ruined house she has inherited on a Scottish Hebridean island, connected to the main island by a tidal causeway. It belonged to her great-uncle, Theo Blake, a troubled, talented artist. Muirlan House has lain empty for decades. But on the day she arrives, local architect Jamie Cameron discovers human remains while surveying the property. As Hetty waits for the mystery of the house to be uncovered, and for the planning permission to come through for her hotel, she begins to investigate the past of the house. Theo's young wife fascinates her, especially as she vanished from his life after a short marriage, and seems to be the most likely identity for the bones. Beatrice's story unfolds in parallel with Hettie's, as both come to love the island but struggle as outsiders to become accepted. Sensitively written with a deep feeling for the landscape and its history, it's clear why this is a prize-winning novel. Engrossing reading for my Hebridean summer holiday.

Diana Gabaldon - Written in My Own Heart's Blood

The eighth instalment of the renowned Outlander series, this was my paperback reading for my two week summer holiday. A mighty book, something that a reader can dive into. I'm not intending to provide any spoilers, as others may not have read previous novels in the series. Suffice to say that Claire and Jamie's deep bond of love provides them with a solid foundation as they embark on more adventures set in the time of the American War of Independence. Lord John and his family provide further intrigue and incidents. In the 1980s, Claire and Jamie's daughter, Brianna, is embroiled in a distressing mystery concerning her own little family, which has its roots in the timeline of her father. Fulle of vivid scene painting which plunges the reader into the past, it's a book I couldn't wait to pick up again and continue reading. The author confesses that it takes her four years to write each book. It's now a matter of waiting until she completes the next one!

Only two books make it into my favourites for May.

​Storm Glass - Jeff Wheeler

This book is written in the young adult fantasy genre, intriguingly imaginative. Its world is one of two distinct classes - the poor live in desperate conditions in cities on the ground, while the rich inhabit magnificent floating estates in the sky. It is common for parents to sell their young children into slavery to pay off their debts. Cettie is one such child, now aged fourteen, living in the slums of the Fells. Her miserable existence is compounded by her unique ability to see frightening ghosts. A chance encounter brings her face to face with kindly Vice Admiral Fitzroy, who at her request takes her into his household as his ward. The other heroine is Sera, a sheltered girl from the royal family, who longs to know more about the real world. Her life becomes even more regulated when her father becomes Regent, but her escapades as she tries to break free rouse his enmity. As the two girls strive to escape the bounds of their class, they experience enlightening education, and meet friends and foes. It's the first book in a series, and I've already bought the next novel to discover how the lives of the two heroines unfold.

The Glovemaker's Daughter - Leah Fleming 

A sensitive novel, exploring the life of a young Quaker in Restoration times. Told as if written in a journal by the heroine, she is born in 1666 amidst hardship and persecution. Named Rejoice by her parents, she's orphaned within days. Growing up in an austere and devout rural community, Joy, as she becomes known, finds that she is fascinated by the ordinary world outside. This is fuelled by the exquisite gloves bequeathed to her. These were sent to her mother, a former glovemaker, by her mother-in-law as a sign of reconciliation. Intelligent and curious, Joy spends some time in the house of her grandfather the Judge, and is attracted to the housekeeper's handsome son. But eventually she returns to her faith, and voyages with her people to America. There she finds her loyalties again torn between the those who share her own faith, and the outside world. Where will her heart find rest?

Iona Grey - Letters to the Lost

Letters to the Lost is the winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2016. I bought it at the time but have only now read it - and it did not disappoint. In 2011, former American GI Dan sends a letter across the Atlantic to his lost love, Stella, in London. It arrives in an empty house, and is found by Jess, a young woman under threat who is hiding there. She determines to try and find what happened to Stella, despite her own dire situation. As the book progresses, the story of Dan and Stella's brief but bright Wartime affair unfolds. Meanwhile in modern day London Jess joins forces with Will who is investigating the last occupant of the house, to see if they can find Stella before Dan's time runs out. Tender and insightful, this is an entrancing book which gripped me to the end.

Fiona Walker - The Weekends of You and Me

Jo and Harry are both leaving failed relationships when they embark an explosive love affair. It starts with a weekend at his family's remote Welsh cottage, where real life doesn't touch them. From that time, every year they return to the cottage to spend time alone with each other and rekindle the essence of their love, without family commitments, distractions of work or financial worries. As the years go by, we begin to wonder if the strong foundation of Jo and Harry's love has foundered, or whether can they repair the hurt and endure together. A sensitive and tender novel, investigating the highs and lows of a couple seen from the perspective of one weekend each year. A compelling read.

Bella Osborne - Coming Home to Ottercombe Bay

Daisy has returned to her home town of Ottercombe Bay to recharge her batteries before going travelling again. The place holds too many sad memories of her mother's death when Daisy was a child. But an unexpected legacy from her uncle finds her the owner of an abandoned railway station, along with the stipulation that she must remain for a whole year to receive the full benefit of her inheritance. Penniless and jobless, she reluctantly agrees to stay, persuaded by her Aunt Coral and friend Tamsyn. During the year she finds her emotions on a rollercoaster as childhood friendships with local policeman Jason and lifeboat volunteer Max take on a deeper meaning. Secrets from the past and dilemmas of the future make this a warm-hearted and enjoyable book.

Carole Matthews - All you need is Love

A romantic novel typical of this author, with a feisty heroine, plenty of interesting characters, and problems to be solved before the heroine can find happiness. Sally lives on a run-down Liverpool housing estate, but hopes for better things for her young son, Charlie. She falls for Spencer, the tutor at her computer course, who has a privileged background and shows her a life she never imagined before. But she's still close to her ex-boyfriend, warm-hearted Johnny, who cares for his elderly mother but doesn't make the most of his talents. Sally's driving spirit leads her into a project that could make life better for herself and all her friends, but does she want to leave it all behind for a new life? A satisfying read.

Lucy Atkins - The Missing One

This is a powerful book, exploring love, loss, and the natural world. After Kali's mother dies, she feels she has never resolved their difficult relationship issues. Suspecting her husband, Doug, of an affair, she takes their toddler son, Finn, and flees to Canada to find her mother's former friend, Susannah. She finds herself staying with Susannah on a remote island with no communication with her family. Sporadic messages come through with dire warnings, but she's determined to follow the revelations she is discovering about her mother's early life. As hidden secrets begin to emerge, she finds herself and her son in danger. The wild landscape and the history of the killer whales entwine with the story. Full of suspense, mystery and emotion. A compelling, well-written novel, which I enjoyed very much.

Wendy Holden - Three Weddings and a Scandal

A witty and irreverent excursion through the world of glossy magazines. Laura Lake lives in Paris with her young-at-heart grandmother, but longs to follow in the footsteps of her late father, a serious journalist. A surprise opportunity finds her working as an intern at a top London fashion magazine, but she's broke, has nowhere to live, and faces her old nemesis from her schooldays. Add into the mix two attractive young men, a rich but unhappy female celebrity, and the trail of jewel thieves who target society weddings, this is a fun book written in a polished and vivid manner. Thoroughly enjoyable.

is These are the choices from my reading from February.

The Romantic Novelists' Association is celebrating its 60th anniversary next year. In honour of this, they have asked members to submit the titles of books that they have enjoyed, one from each decade of the Association's life. I chose Anya Seton's Green Darkness as I remembered finding it riveting in the late 1970s. I decided to re-read it this month.

Anya Seton - Green Darkness

This is a big, long novel, although as the print is tiny (my copy was printed in 1975), the paperback is smaller than a book of similar length published today. The author's command of history provides a colourful background for this story of reincarnation. It's based around the story of the Tudor manor house, Ightham Mote, in Kent (I actually visited the house in the 1980s). The twentieth century section of the novel involves Celia Marsden and her aristocratic husband Richard, who find themselves influenced by their previous lives in Tudor times as Celia de Bohun, from an impoverished landowning family, and Stephen, a young priest. Their forbidden love spans the troubled times of Mary Tudor's reign. The novel is more melodramatic than I remembered, and the modern day writing is idiomatic of the late 1960s, when romantic heroes and heroines were aristocratic and attitudes not as politically correct as today.. Although my tastes have changed and I wouldn't choose it as my favourite novel today, the historic sections have authenticity and it remains a good solid read. 

Cathy Kelly - The Year that Changed Everything

Typical of this popular author, this novel has characters that engage, a story that pulls you in, set around families, modern day problems, and has a satisfying resolution. I always find Cathy Kelly's novels enjoyable, and this is no exception. Three women share the same birthday: Callie, ex-model and wife of businessman Jason, is fifty, and didn't really want the flash party that he's throwing for her. Before the day is over, a shock revelation changes her and her daughter's life forever. Sam, forty on the same day, is looking forward to the birth of her longed-for first child. She's read all the books, and is fully prepared - isn't she? Journalist Ginger's thirtieth birthday is also her best friend's wedding day. But an overheard conversation destroys her fragile self-esteem and throws her life on to a different path. Each story is fascinating with its twists and turns. The women's lives eventually cross - although I felt that it would have been more satisfying if the connection had come sooner. Still, another excellent book by this author.

My apologies for the late appearance of this blog. There were a few technical problems on the day I was planning to upload it! All seems to be resolved now.

Anna Jacobs - One Kind Man

The second novel in the author's series about the village of Ellindale, this book is written in her trademark sympathetic style. The title character, Finn, has struggled with personal loss and hardship, but an unexpected legacy finds him the owner of a large house in the village. It is dilapidated and needs plenty of of attention, which means he can help some of the unemployed villagers. There's also a young boy who needs someone to care for him. As Finn works to improve the lot of his new friends and stand up for what is right, there are secrets to uncover and awakening of forgotten feelings. We also continue the story of characters introduced in the first novel of the series, but this novel would stand alone. A warm-hearted read.

Amy Harmon - From Sand and Ash

This book is a story of love and devotion through one of the most harrowing times in twentieth century history - World War II in Italy. Angelo has had a damaged leg since birth. His father sends they boy from America to his grandparents in Italy, so that he can enter the Church as a priest. His grandparents work for a Jewish family, and the daughter, Eva, is only a couple of years younger than Angelo. The two children become devoted, but Angelo's destiny in the Church and Eva's Jewish background mean that they can be no more than friends. As Italy moves into Fascism and becomes allied with Germany, Eva's family find themselves in serious danger and Angelo as a priest becomes a stealthy warrior to protect the innocent in a time of horror. The deep connection between the two young people becomes a steadfast beacon as they follow their own destinies. Some profound writing, with stirring characters and situations.