If Only I Could Tell You

by

Hannah Beckerman

I took this book away with me on a city break to Barcelona and what a fabulous choice it was! It has taken me over a year to be in the "right frame of mind" to  read this book as I heartbreakingly lost my beautiful Mum a year ago and just couldn't bring myself to read what I know would be a very powerful, moving book.

Review

Audrey is seriously ill, but if it's the last thing she does, she wants to bring her two daughters, Lily and Jess, back together. They have been estranged for many years since a family tragedy tore all of their lives apart.

Lily, on the outside has it all. The handsome husband, daughter Phoebe and lovely home, but things are not as they appear and Lily will need her family to fall back on, only she doesn't know it yet.

Jess is Audrey's youngest daughter and has a daughter herself called Mia. She is a single parent since Mia's dad walked out when she was a mere baby and is forever trying to make ends meet, but one thing Jess knows is that she never forgive her sister Lily for the truly awful thing she did on that fateful day.

This is a wonderful book full of raw emotion and drama and I loved it. It just goes to prove that you really should talk to each other, even if it's to get things out in the open. Do not fester things up. Family relationships can be so fragile and broken, but if you can, kiss and make up, because life is too short. That is exactly what Audrey wanted for her girls, but did she achieve it? There's only one way to find out!

I received this book as a Christmas present when I asked for it as part of a "Secret Santa" parcel and I loved it. The author knows only too well how much I loved her first novel, The Dead Wife's Handbook, so I was itching to read this, but as I said earlier, I just couldn't bring myself to read it any earlier. Yes it made me cry, but it also made me smile, something I haven't done enough of lately.

I will thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who will listen! Please don't leave it as long to write your next one!

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

by

Josie Silver

BLOG TOUR

Guest Review

by

Julie Williams

I am delighted to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver. My dear friend and fellow reviewer, Julie Williams has very kindly agreed to review this one for me.

Review

I was looking forward to this new novel by Josie Silver as I really enjoyed One Day in December so much and I am delighted to say that it did not disappoint.


I liked all the characters and the storyline of this weepy love story.




Lydia Bird’s life collapses when her fiancé and love of her life Freddie Hunter dies tragically in a car accident while on his way to celebrate her birthday. Lydia has the support of her Mum and sister but her grief is so deep that she resorts to sleeping pills which she discovers enable her to transgress into a life where Freddie is alive.


At first she looks forward to these magical nights discovering what might have been but they take their toll on her and Lydia knows that living two lives is not only exhausting but unsustainable.


Her journey is inspiring as Lydia seeks ways to control her life again and although this is a tough read, it is a beautiful written love story.
This book has it all, birth, death, marriage and funerals, but most of all love that is shown from family and friends.




A fabulous sentimental read, which I found captivating to the very last page.


My thanks to Net Galley for the ARC, this is my own review.

The Bermondsey Bookshop

by

Mary Gibson

BLOG TOUR

I am thrilled to be a part of the Blog Tour for Mary Gibson's latest book, The Bermondsey Bookshop. I love this authors books and feel they are getting better and better and as a South East London girl myself, I can relate to the area where her stories are set and none more so than Bermondsey. Please read my review below on this fabulous story of love, strength and struggle.

Review

When Kate Goss is left with her Aunt Sylvie to bring her up after her mother dies tragically  and her father disappears to "make his fortune", little did Kate know that the path to happiness and true love will take lots of twists and turns in the overcrowded house she has to share with her scheming cousins.

Kate's mother was a Romany and died in mysterious circumstances and her father, Archie Goss, has left the country to make his fortune, always insisting that he will come back for his daughter when he has made enough money to care for her.

Meanwhile, Kate dreams of a better life once her dad returns, but finds herself having to work all the hours God sends in a tin factory, a public house and also cleaning in a bookshop, just to make ends meet and to pay the rent on a room that she has to find when her Aunt throws her out on to the street.

Kate loves working in the bookshop and soon bonds a close friendship with the owner, Ether Gutman. She also strikes up a friendship with Ethel's nephew, Martin North, who soon holds a torch for Kate, but with so many barriers keeping them apart, non more so than their different classes, Kate is determined to keep things strictly professional. Anyway, her heart belongs to another, Johnny, who has problems of his own looking after his alcoholic mother.

This book has a handful of wonderful characters, who I loved, but especially Kate, who is strong and stubborn and won't stop fighting until she gets what she wants!

As I have mentioned before, I come from South East London and my beautiful Mum, who I lost a year ago, was born in Bermondsey and I loved listening to her stories of the factories she worked in and the people she met, so this story really got to me and I loved every single page.

It was obviously thoroughly researched as the author and her family come from the area as well.

I really loved this book and it's my favourite so far of Mary's and with the author's permission, I would like to dedicate my review to my beautiful Mum, my original Bermondsey Girl.

Ethel Elizabeth Locke

28.12.30 - 11.02.19

Rest in Peace

Thank you to the author for putting my name forward for reviewing this book and to Head of Zeus for letting me be a part of the Blog Tour.

Well done Mary on a gritty, heart wrenching book that kept me turning page after page when I really should have been asleep! I loved it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Gibson was born and brought up in Bermondsey, South East London. In 2009, after a thirty year career in publishing, she took the opportunity of early retirement to write a book of her own! Her debut novel, Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts, was inspired by the lives and times of her grandparents in World War One Bermondsey and was a top ten Kindle best seller and selected for World Book Night 2015. Further Bermondsey novels: Jam and Roses, about three sisters living in Dockhead during the 1920s; Gunner Girls and Fighter Boys, set during World War Two; Bourbon Creams and Tattered Dreams set during the 1930s, and Hattie's Home, following three women's struggles to rebuild their lives in post-war Bermondsey, A Sister's Struggle, set during the 'hungry thirties' are all available in e book, hardback, paperback and audio. Her latest novel, The Bermondsey Bookshop will be published on 6th February 2020. www.marygibsonauthor.co.uk

To order a copy of this book click here 

A Million Dreams

by

Dani Atkins

BLOG TOUR

Review

by

Julie Williams

Huge apologies to Dani Atkin's and everyone at Head of Zeus for missing my stop on the Blog Tour in November. Please see the lovely review from Julie Williams below. Sorry once again.

This is a lovely honest book that depicts a Mother’s love in its entirety.  I thoroughly enjoyed this pacey page turner and devoured each chapter. The storyline is a heart breaker that had me on an emotional roller coaster complete with plenty of ‘lump in throat’ moments.

Beth Brandon, a widow, decides to try for a much wanted baby by using her final stored embryo but due to a terrible mistake by a worker at the clinic she discovers that is was given to another couple Izzy and Pete, resulting in a child Noah who is now 8 years old.

A Million Dreams describes the dilemmas and almost impossible decisions that have to be faced head on. There are of course no winners or easy solutions in this situation with two Mothers fighting for their child. Emotions run high with plenty of agonising tears along the way. Heart strings are pulled in every direction as the two women’s lives are thrown together in the most compelling situation.

A beautiful book that I happily give 5 stars to and would recommend to readers who love Women’s romantic fiction.

My thanks to Net Galley and Head of Zeus for the ARC digital copy  in exchange for an honest opinion.

My gratitude extends to Julie Boon for including my review on her blog tour spot on boonsbookcase.blogspot.co.uk

One Winter Morning

by

Isabelle Broom

Review

by

Julie Williams

As it's the start of advent today, I thought I would put a lovely, feel good, wintery review on the blog! You can read my lovely friend, Julie William's review of this fab story below.

Genie isn't feeling very festive this December.

The frosty mornings and twinkling fairy lights only remind her it's been a whole year since she lost her adoptive mother, who took her in as a baby and raised her as her own.

She's never felt more alone - until she discovers her birth mother's identity.

And where to find her: New Zealand, half the world away.

Travelling there could be her one chance to meet the woman who gave her up.

But will she find the answers she has been looking for? Or something she could never have expected?

Review
This lovely story oozes a whole host of mixed emotions, love, loss and friendship to name a few.  It held my attention throughout and I can definitely say that it is a great read.

When Genie is faced with a Christmas without her adopted Mum Anna, the guilt she holds over her death almost a year ago triggers her to get on a plane to New Zealand in the hope of finding her biological Mum Bonnie.


Genie has many unanswered questions, the main one being why she abandoned her as a baby. Armed with Anna’s memory book she settles down on the long flight and begins an emotional journey.


On arrival, Genie wastes no time in her search but discovering her Mother has flown to England!  This devastating blow is softened by Tui the gorgeous young girl with learning difficulties who is revealed as her sister.


As she learns more about Bonnie, a shared passion of horses enhances the connection between them and this helps her with her own demons. A spark with Kit a worker at the stables helps her grief with his kindness and honest nature.


Bonnie meanwhile, on the other side of the world in England, is not being so brave so decides to write her story while being holed up at an old friends home. Having found herself pregnant at 18 and in a different country away from her family, Bonnie had some pretty tough decisions which affected her life daily.


One Winter Morning is packed with some great characters which I warmed to straight away and of course the beautiful descriptive scenery of New Zealand.


My thanks to Net Galley for the ARC digital copy and to Julie for putting this review on her blog.


To order a copy of this book from Amazon click here

** COVER REVEAL**
People Like Us
by
Louise Fein

I am so excited to show you the cover for this debut from Louise Fein which will be published next year by Head of Zeus. I can't tell you how excited I am to read this one and keeping everything crossed I will get a copy! I have a little teaser for you below just to whet your appetite...

Leipzig, 1930's Germany.

Hetty Heinrich is a young girl growing up under Nazi rule. With an SS officer father, a brother in the Luftwaffe and a member of the BDM, Hetty is the epitome of a perfect German child.
But Walter changes everything. Blond haired, blue-eyed, perfect in every way Walter. The boy who saved her life. A Jew.
As she falls more and more in love with a man who is against all she has been taught, Hetty begins to question everything. Will the steady march of dark forces destroy their world, or can love ultimately triumph?


Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Book Thief and Kate Furnivall.



About the author

Louise Fein holds an MA in Creative Writing from St Mary’s University. Prior to studying for her master’s, she ran a commodity consultancy business following a career in banking and law. She lives in Surrey with her family. People Like Us is inspired by her family history, and by the alarming parallels she sees between the early 30s and today.

Follow Louise:  
Facebook: @LouiseFeinAuthor
Twitter: @FeinLouise

Buy links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2rl61Pk
Waterstones: https://bit.ly/2KRRMYV
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2DcJEOA
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2OM1iy7




Follow Head of Zeus
Website: www.headofzeus.com
Twitter: @HoZ_Books
Facebook: @headofzeus
Instagram: @headofzeus

Mother and Child

by

Annie Murray

BLOG TOUR

I am so pleased to kick off the blog tour for Mother and Child by Annie Murray. This is the first book I have read by this author, but when I found out why the author wrote it and the charity she supports, I was only too happy to take part. You can read my review of this amazing story below and I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.


Blurb

Mother and Child by Sunday Times bestseller Annie Murray is a moving story of loss, friendship and hope over two generations . . .

Jo and Ian’s marriage is hanging by a thread. One night almost two years ago, their only child, Paul, died in an accident that should never have happened. They have recently moved to a new area of Birmingham, to be near Ian’s mother Dorrie who is increasingly frail. As Jo spends more time with her mother-in-law, she suspects Dorrie wants to unburden herself of a secret that has cast a long shadow over her family.

Haunted by the death of her son, Jo catches a glimpse of a young boy in a magazine who resembles Paul. Reading the article, she learns of a tragedy in India . . . But it moves her so deeply, she is inspired to embark on a trip where she will learn about unimaginable pain and suffering.

As Jo learns more, she is determined to do her own small bit to help. With the help of new friends, Jo learns that from loss and grief, there is hope and healing in her future.

REVIEW
Jo and Ian have lost their only son Paul to an accident, but Jo feels she is losing everything else as well including her personality and even her marriage as Ian has become so distant.


In an attempt to start again, they move to be nearer Ian's mother Dorrie, who is more of a mother to Jo than her real one, who she is not close to.


They move to a new house and Jo decides she needs to integrate so decides to join a local yoga class. Little does she know that the people she meets will change her life for the better.


Jo wants to do a run in London to help a charity that she comes across in a magazine to help people in a village called Bhopal in India where a tragedy over 30 years ago is still being felt and her friends are only too eager to join her.


I have to say that the author deals with the after effects of Jo and Ian's grief brilliantly. Reading this book brought a few tears to my eyes as I too an grieving for my dear Mum who I lost this year. 


Superbly written and thoroughly researched, you really appreciate how much work the author put into every word of this book and I would thoroughly recommend it.

Soon after midnight on the morning of December 3rd, 1984, what is still recognized as the world’s worst ever industrial disaster took place in the city of Bhopal in central India.

A plant built to manufacture pesticide, owned by the American Union Carbide Corporation, leaked 40 tons of methyl-isocyanate gas, one of the most lethally toxic gases in the industry, over the surrounding neighbourhood. This was a poor area consisting mainly of slum housing, some of it leaning right up against the factory wall.

People woke, coughing and choking. Panic broke out as many tried to flee for their lives. As they ran, their bodies broke down with toxic poisoning, eyes burning, frothing at the mouth. Women miscarried pregnancies. Many people flung themselves in the river and by dawn, the streets were littered with thousands of bodies. It is estimated that 10,000 died that first night and the death toll continued, within weeks, to a total of about 25 000. Many more have died since. There are still reckoned to be 150 000 chronically ill survivors. Their plight was not helped by the fact that Union Carbide would not release the name of an antidote to a poison that they did not want to admit was as dangerous as it really was.
The plant, making less profit than had been hoped, was being run down for closure and was in poor condition. Not one of the safety systems was working satisfactorily. In addition, the original design of the factory had been ‘Indianized’ – in other words built more cheaply than would be expected of such a plant in a western country.

This was 35 years ago. In 1989, a paltry amount of compensation was eventually paid by Union Carbide who did everything a large corporation can do to evade taking responsibility. Their comment was “$500 is about enough for an Indian.” That was $500 to last for the rest of the life of a man who could no longer work to look after his family.

The sickness and suffering from ‘that night’ goes on in those who survived to this day. What is less well known about Bhopal however, is that even before the 1984 gas leak, the company had been dumping toxic waste in solar evaporation ponds. The lining used was about like you would use in a garden water feature. This in a country of heavy rains and floods. In the early 80s, people started to notice how bad their water supply tasted. Cows were dying.

Union Carbide closed the plant. They never cleared the site, which still stands in an area of highly toxic soil and water. The water supply in that area is so contaminated that water has to be brought in from outside. In 2001 Union Carbide was bought by the Dow Chemical Company, and is, from 2018, now DowDuPont. Despite having acquired all the assets of Union Carbide they are not prepared to accept its liabilities and clear up the site.

In the months after the gas leak in 1984, the nearby Hamidia hospital started to see children born with birth defects more horrific than any they had witnessed before. These days, because of gas- and also water-affected parents, the rate of birth defects is now reaching into a third, soon to be a fourth generation. The main parallel with the kind of extreme toxic effects would be with the children of Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The only free care in this impoverished neighbourhood for people suffering from the effects of gas poisoning, or to help with very severely handicapped children, is from the Bhopal Medical Appeal. It is to them that all the money from Mother and Child is going.

In the book, you can read more about what happened in Bhopal and about how the book itself came to be written.

Author Information 
Annie Murray was born in Berkshire and read English at St John's College, Oxford. Her first 'Birmingham' novel, Birmingham Rose, hit The Times bestseller list when it was published in 1995. She has subsequently written many other successful novels, including The Bells of Bournville Green, sequel to the bestselling Chocolate Girls, and A Hopscotch Summer. Annie has four children and lives near Reading.

To order a copy of the book click here