Tag: Historical Ficiton

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026 Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: Roman Mornings by Matson Taylor

Published July 2nd, 2026 by Scribner UK
Historical Fiction, Gay Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A glorious novel of hope and healing for fans of Armistead Maupin, Fredrik Backman and Kate Atkinson from the author of The Miseducation of Evie Epworth

‘Rome is both healer and magician in this enchanting novel of homecoming and belonging, and of the transformational power of friendship. Delizioso’ Sarah Winman, author of Still Life

‘Taylor’s prose is lilting and lyrical, capturing the city’s beguiling atmosphere, creating the perfect backdrop for the allure of la dolce vita’ Daily Mail

1952, Trastevere, Rome. An idyllic maze crammed full of narrow streets and eccentric characters. A young English woman, Clementine Severs, arrives armed with a teaching certificate and enough idealism to fill a host of Grecian urns.

By 1976, she finds herself wilting, her youthful dreams squashed by time and tide. A chance encounter between an angel and a speeding mint green Vespa brings her into contact with a troubled young carpenter called Montgomery Marsh. Clemmie and Monty forge an unlikely friendship that takes them on a magical ride through the Eternal City in search of fresh hope and a new way of living.

Fun, spirited and full of heart, Roman Mornings, like the city of Rome itself, is a novel of mysterious beauty that you will want to revisit time and time again.

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Matson Taylor has done it again! Uplifting, funny, heartwarming, transportive and addictive, Roman Mornings is an absolute delight. Matson gives us his take on la dolce vita, transporting us to Rome, 1976. Clemmy is trying out her new vespa when she literally crashes into Monty and lands him in hospital. His boss is less than understanding and fires him, so Clemmy and her friend Floss invite him to convalesce at their home. As Clemmy introduces Monty to the Eternal City, the two forge an unlikely bond in this magnificent tale of the power of friendship, found family, loss, healing and hope.

Beautifully written, this book is the perfect pick me up for any day of the year. The evocative imagery brings this labyrinthine city to life in glorious detail; I could feel the heat beating down on me, hear the sound of the chaotic Roman traffic, see the historic architecture and taste the gelato. I loved the magical realism in this book and how you were never quite sure if what the characters were experiencing was real or in their imagination. One of my favourite things about this book is the inter-generational friendships. I love them and this book contains some of my favourite inter-generational friendships ever. The bonds between Clemmy, Monty and Floss were a wonderful reminder that true friendship can be a balm for the soul. I loved how these people found a home in one another and the ways that they enriched each other’s lives. It was something special. The kind of friendship and acceptance we all hope for.

I’ve said it before: Matson is a comic genius, and once again he had me laughing out loud from the opening pages, showcasing his talent for creating witty, offbeat and charming characters who leap from the pages and are totally unforgettable. I adored the characters in this book and loved every moment I spent reading them. Clemmy is in her mid-forties and feeling disillusioned that life hasn’t turned out the way she planned when we meet her, while Monty is working in Rome and experiencing the city for the first time. I loved the wonder he felt when he looked around the city and watching him discover new things such as pistachio ice cream and cappuccino. Septugenarian Floss is an absolute hoot and was probably my favourite character. She doesn’t give a damn and is living life to the full. May we all be more Floss. And I cant forget Octavian, an unforgettable cat filled with attitude who totally stole my heart. 

Witty, warm, joyous and moving, I loved every moment being back in Rome with these characters and never wanted it to end. Highly recommended.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you Scribner UK for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Matson Taylor is a novelist and design historian.

His first two books, The Miseducation of Evie Epworth and All About Evie, were selected for the BBC Radio 2 bookclub and the Richard & Judy bookclub.

His third novel, Roman Mornings, is available to buy now.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Recommends

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB REVIEW: The Treasures by Harriet Evans

Publised July 2nd, 2026 by Viking
Historical Fiction, Saga, Domestic Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The unputdownable love story spanning continents, years and families, from the Sunday Times bestselling author – the perfect holiday read for fans of Eve Chase, Lucinda Riley, and Kate Morton.

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One golden summer. One missing treasure. And a secret that binds two lives together.

Every year, Alice’s father gives her a treasure. Then on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, her final gift vanishes – along with the fragile certainty of her world. Alice runs, towards New York City and away from the memories of that last summer at the orchard where she grew up.

Across the Atlantic, Tom has always felt that something is missing from his life. When he finds a long-forgotten letter, it leads him away from Sevenstones – the house at the heart of his family for generations – and towards a truth no one has ever fully told.

From post-war London to 1960s New York, Alice and Tom’s stories become entwined. But will the secrets of their past bring them together, or break them apart?

BOOK REVIEW

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MY REVIEW:

Poignant, immersive and compelling, The Treasures is a sweeping saga about family, love, loss, secrets, trauma and intertwining destinies. Spanning multiple countries and years, we go from post-war London to hippies living in 1960s New York, following Alice and Tom as they search for answers about their families that leads them back to one summer, a missing treasure and a long-buried secret that binds their lives and their families together. 

Beautifully written, deftly plotted and expertly interwoven, Harriet Evans has crafted an absolute masterpiece. She explores topics including grief, mental illness and the ripple/ricochet effects of trauma, writing in a way that manages to be both sensitive and real. In particular, her descriptions of grief are so evocative, raw and real that I was close to tears many times. My heart shattered for Alice and her mum. Harriet expertly puts us in the characters’ shoes and makes us feel everything they do at every step. 

The story is filled with characters who are messy and painfully human but also charismatic. They pull you into their world and make you care about their lives. Alice and Tom were great protagonists, but the character I found most fascinating was Teddy and I was so glad we got to learn more about her as the story went on. And her arc was certainly the one that surprised me most of all. Both families are steeped in dysfunction, which Harriet writes so skillfully, slowly peeling back the layers to reveal the darkest secrets they would rather keep hidden.

I enjoyed trying to predict what direction the story would take and how Alice and Tom’s lives would entwine. And would Alice find her final treasure? I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out but at times I had no idea how Harriet was going to tie it all together. But, as we approached the finale she pulled it off with finesse. I loved the ending and am so glad this is the first in a series as I need more from this family. I need the second instalment now! 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

Thank you to Viking for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hello lovely readers. Thank you for stopping by. Here’s a bit more about me and my books:

I’m the author of fourteen novels.

I’ve been a Richard and Judy book club selection twice and have shaken both Richard and Judy’s hands. I have sold over a million copies and been a Top Ten bestseller and still can’t believe I am lucky enough to be a writer.

I used to work in publishing editing some wonderful authors including Penny Vincenzi, Marian Keyes and Sue Townsend but my proudest moment was reissuing LACE as a very junior editor at Penguin.

In June 2025 my novel THE TREASURES will be published by Penguin. It is the first in a trilogy about a family, the Ravens, over a fifty years, from their beginnings to the present day. I am so excited about people reading it and can’t wait to hear what you think. I am really proud of it. I’m currently writing the second in the trilogy- more soon.

My favourite writers write the kind of books you find on holiday home shelves with faded covers and I want my books to have the same effect: Daphne du Maurier, Elizabeth Jane Howard, Rosamunde Pilcher, Penny Vincenzi, Dorothy L Sayers, Susan Howatch, Sally Beauman, Georgette Heyer, all of the Brontes, and of course Jane Austen.

I love musicals, karaoke, long hilly walks in the countryside, hedgerows (also Bramley Hedge), old Laura Ashley catalogues, Cheers and Frasier, peppermint creams and reading.

I have a very large fluffy cat whom we adopted last year when he decided to move into our house without consulting anyone else. It is like living with Ken from the Barbie movie.

I have two daughters. They are embarrassed by everything I do. Girls i’m only getting started, sorry.

I live in Bath, home of Jane Austen and Bath buns (but full disclosure have never had a Bath bun).

Last year I published my first murder mystery under the name Harriet F Townson, D is for Death, set in 1935 and featuring detective Dora Wildwood who finds a body in a library. There will be more Dora books, I don’t know when, but I adored writing it and her.

I am on the management committee of the Society of Authors, fighting for better deals for authors, talking about the dangers of AI, ghostwriters, bad contracts, ghosting, royalties and other issues facing authors. I volunteer with Inspiring the Future, aiming to widen aspiration for all children, and am an ambassador for the London Library.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Featured Books

SQUADPOD FEATURED BOOK: Time To Burn by Ellery Lloyd

Published July 23rd, 2026 by Pan Macmillan
Historical Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Science Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

From the author of The Club, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, Time to Burn is Ellery Lloyd’s compelling time travel thriller.

If the past catches up with you, time travel can be murder . . .

London, the present day: commercial time travel is a reality.

Tempus Tours – owned by controversial tech entrepreneur Inigo Frank – offers the wealthy a chance to witness pivotal moments in history.

To immortalise his achievement, Frank enlists award-winning filmmaker Phoebe Hunt to create a fly-on-the-wall documentary. On her first day shadowing Inigo, she is set to witness the return of a billionaire property developer and his family from their trip to the past. But instead of their awe-filled return, she captures the group arriving bloodied and traumatized, with one of their number missing.

Not only that, but Phoebe recognizes the missing woman. She knows not only that she’s not who she claims to be, but that the woman has every reason to harbor a grudge against her. And as events begin to unravel in the present day, it seems increasingly clear that the woman had sinister motives for returning to the past – and that people close to Phoebe are in danger.

Can Phoebe stop the ripple effect before she loses everything – and everyone – she holds dear?

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Have you ever wanted to go back in time and witness some of the most pivotal moments in history? Well now you can with Tempus Tours, a commercial time travel business that allows you to do just that. For a hefty price tag of course. Tempus’ owner, controversial tech entrepreneur Inigo Frank, decides he wants his achievements immortalised and invites award-winning filmmaker Phoebe Hunt to create a fly-on-the-wall documentary that goes behind the scenes at Tempus. She will start by capturing the return of a group who travelled back to the Blitz. But things don’t go to plan and the group return injured and bloody, while one member, Sasha, is left stranded in 1941. As Inigo and his team try to figure out how to rescue Sasha, Phoebe realises she recognises the missing woman. And she’s not who she says she is. And as events unfold, we learn she has sinister motives for remaining in the past that could change everything for people in the present.

Suspenseful, transportive, twisty and bingeable, Time To Burn is another winner from Ellery Lloyd. Expertly written and cleverly choreographed, this action-packed historical thriller had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story is told in the present and in 1941, with flashbacks that tell the story of Phoebe and Sasha’s shared past. I was intrigued by the idea of being able to travel back in time to witness history for yourself, but this story serves as a reminder of how such technology can be exploited and the butterfly effect that can occur from going back in time. 

Narrators Phoebe and Sasha are compelling and deeply flawed characters. But I had a real soft spot for these women, even if I didn’t always agree with their actions. We know from the start that their histories are intertwined in some way, that Phoebe regrets her behaviour and understands that Sasha is probably out for revenge, but it takes some time for the full picture to emerge. And when it did I certainly understood Sasha more but still wasn’t on board with her plan for revenge and the way she altered people’s lives.

An addictive and propulsive historical thriller that you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ellery Lloyd is the pseudonym for New York Times bestselling husband-and-wife writing team Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos.

Collette is a journalist and editor, the former content director of Elle (UK) and editorial director at Soho House. She has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and the Sunday Times.

Paul is the author of two previous novels, Welcome to the Working Week and Every Day is Like Sunday. He is the program director for Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Greenwich.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Audio Books book reviews

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The Midnight Guests by Alex Hay

Published September 10th, 2026 by Headline
Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Gay Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Welcome to the Hotel Artemis – and an opening night to remember. The White Lotus meets Peaky Blinders in this page-turning new mystery from the bestselling author of The Housekeepers.

1926. Diana Gold, owner and impresario, throws open the doors to the most opulent new hotel in London. As the champagne flows and the chandeliers shimmer, millionaires and gamblers rub shoulders with film stars and royalty.

Yet nothing at the Hotel Artemis is quite what it seems – not least two infamous guests who Diana expects at midnight. Powerful and dangerous, they’ve dragged her from the gutter and taught her all she knows. Now they’re calling in her debt – and Diana must take perfect care of them, unless they take care of her first.

But when a body is found in the hotel’s finest suite, the lavish opening night begins to spiral out of control. And over twenty-four fateful hours, the staff and guests of the Artemis will find out why they are really there.

buy here

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MY REVIEW:

Glamorous, entertaining, immersive and twisty, The Midnight Guests is an absolute delight. Cosy crime at its best, the story is told in dual timelines over two fateful twenty four hours. 

May 1st, 1926. The night of the grand opening of the Hotel Artemis, which is owned by socialite and impresario Diana Gold. Tonight the champagne will flow as prominent guests enjoy the result of months of her hard work. But there are two guests that Diana is not looking forward to welcoming; two infamous people who could give away the truth that lies beneath the glittering facade of this opulent hotel. Because the Hotel Artemis isn’t what it seems and Diana is hiding some dark secrets. And when a body is found in one of the lavish suites, it sparks a chain reaction of events that spirals out of control.

Meanwhile, in January 2026, Joe Carberry is staying at the Hotel Artemis for its final night in business. But Joe has ulterior motives for his stay. He is here to try and uncover the identity of the two bodies that were found in the hotel’s crypt a century ago. Could the bodies be linked to the tragic events that unfolded on opening night? And if so, who will end their night dead in the crypt? And why? 

Part The Great Gatsby and part Peaky Blinders, there is an elegance merged with a sense of danger and criminality in this book that feels intoxicating. Well-written, expertly plotted, intricately interwoven and surprising, Alex Hay crafted a treasure trove of mysteries and misdirects and transported me back back to the roaring 1920s with all of its sophistication and glamour. An array of potential victims and suspects kept me guessing and I was on tenterhooks from start to finish.

The story is filled with a collection of charismatic characters who leap from the pages. But the characters I loved most were the array of strong, feisty, audacious and devious women who were unashamedly themselves. These women were taking their lives into their own hands and refusing to conform to societal expectations or cow down to men. I had a real soft spot for Cleo and loved her character arc. But there were some great male characters, too, and I enjoyed reading Joe and following his journey as he tried to uncover the truth about the bodies in the vault. 

A glamorous and entertaining murder mystery that you don’t want to miss.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Headline and Netgalley for my copy of the book in exchange for my honest reivew.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alex Hay is a bestselling author whose debut novel The Housekeepers was a Waterstones Book of the Month and Paperback of the Year and won the Caledonia Novel Award 2022. He is also the author of The Queen of Fives and The Midnight Guests, both published to great acclaim. Alex was born in London and now lives in Brighton, U.K. with his husband. He is currently working on his next book.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2026

BOOK REVIEW: The Barbecue at Number 9 by Jennie Godfrey

Published February 12th, 2026 by Hutchinson Heinmann
Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Drama, Suspense, Literary Fiction

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FROM THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS . . .
It’s the summer of 1985 and the residents of Delmont Close are preparing a neighbourhood barbecue to watch the biggest music event in history: Live Aid. A day like no other that will end having reached millions and changing the lives of all who attend.

House-proud Lydia Gordon, whose idols are Princess Di and Delia Smith, is determined to put on a show that will impress everyone – with her posh garden and state-of-the-art television, and her sweet husband and two children, Hanna and David.

But as the guests flood into number nine, so do all of the secrets that have been kept in the close.

Rita, a new neighbour from Australia, is hoping for a fresh start but harbours a shocking event in her past; Steve, a young Falklands veteran, battles his own demons; and Mr Wilson is surely too good-looking to ever be trusted.

But as the hours count down to the last performance of the night, it’s Lydia who faces the heart-breaking truth that her immaculate home and flawless family might not be so perfect after all.

And if each of their neighbours is guilty of hiding something, so are the Gordons at number nine …

BUY HERE

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MY REVIEW:

Atmospheric, nostalgic, suspenseful and heartwarming, Jennie Godfrey had me in her thrall from the first page of this mesmerising story. This was such a ride. A story that offers us a glimpse into the complicated, layered and messy lives of the residents of one street, told over the course of one historic day.

We are transported back to the summer of 1985; a time when everyone was gearing up for the biggest event in music history: Live Aid. On Delmont Close, Lydia Gordon, the house-proud mother at number 9, decides this is the perfect opportunity to throw a barbecue for the neighbours. But what this Lady Di loving perfectionist doesn’t foresee, is that as the guests arrive they bring with them the secrets, lies and traumas they each have hidden. And then there’s the person that seems to be watching them. It’s the recipe for the perfect storm. And as the clock ticks down to the event’s finale, Lydia must confront the awful truth that her family aren’t as picture-perfect as she believed.

Jennie’s debut was one of my favourite books of 2024 so I had high hopes for this book. I wasn’t disappointed. Setting this story to a backdrop of Live Aid was a stroke of genius and I loved how Jennie used the concert as a countdown to the finale. As a child of the 80s I was here for all of the 80s nostalgia. It was a fun walk down memory lane merged with a mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat. I was hooked and devoured the book in just two sittings.

Skillfully written, expertly choreographed and perfectly paced, she has delivered another flawless tale. Jennie’s strength lies in how she takes the ordinary and mundane and makes it extraordinary. She writes people and situations we can all relate to and weaves in timely, important topics, making us feel every emotion alongside them while keeping us on the edge of our seats with anticipation. I liked these people and cared about them. I felt like they could be my friends or neighbours, making me feel even more invested in the story and what happened to them.

So, step back in time with this gripping and irresistible read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

Thank you Hutchinson Heinmann for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennie Godfrey was raised in West Yorkshire in a mill-working family and her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, was inspired by her childhood there in the 1970s. In 2020, Jennie gave up her corporate career to build a life around books. She is now a writer and part-time bookseller who lives, and writes, in the Somerset countryside.

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Never Tear Us Apart by Rowan Coleman

Published July 3rd, 2025 by Hodder Books
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Fantasy, War Story, Time Travel Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Historical Fantasy

Welcome to my review of this mesmerising story. Thank you to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part, and to Hodder Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A spellbinding tale of love, strength and sacrifice from the Sunday Times bestselling author. Based on the gorgeous island of Malta in WWII, this is a story about the power of fate, and how sometimes, in order to find yourself – and to find love – you must first lose everything else. . .

Fate has brought them together. Will time tear them apart?

✨✨✨

2025

Named after a star, war correspondent Maia knows how to find the brightest stories – the tales of survival and strength – hidden amongst the dark realities of combat.

Now, travelling to Malta to visit her estranged father, with one more chance to build a relationship with her last remaining relative, she’s here to find her own story: never having found somewhere – or someone – she can call home, she’s desperate for answers that might show her where she truly belongs.

But when she arrives on the beautiful mediterranean island, she realises her long-lost family is full of more secrets than she could possibly have imagined. . .

✨✨✨

1942

Maia wakes up to find herself on an island under siege, a city in ruins – and knows she must have been sent here for a reason.

Who has she been sent to save? Or is it Maia herself that needs saving? And just when she’s finally found what she’s been seeking . . . will time separate them forever?


Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Santa Montefiore and Dinah Jefferies.

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MY REVIEW:

Breathtaking, moving and unforgettable, Never Tear Us Apart is a truly special book that has stolen a piece of my heart forever.  A dual timeslip novel, it follows war correspondent Maia Borg, who we first meet in 2025 when she is visiting Malta, the place her estranged father, David, was born. It is her first time here but Maia soon finds that she feels like she’s coming home. But one day while visiting a temple, Maia faints and wakes in an unfamiliar place. This place is dark, noisy and airless. And she quickly realises she is in a shelter while bombs fall around them. It is 1942 and Malta is under siege from the Nazis and their allies. At first she thinks it’s a dream or that her PTSD is giving her hallucinations. But over time, as she takes multiple trips between timelines, Maia starts to believe that her presence in both places is real. But why? What has she been sent back for? As she makes friends and begins to fall in love, Maia realises she has finally found a place she truly belongs. But just as that happens, something threatens to take it all away…

Rowan Coleman is an author whose books are on my autoread list and I’ve always had a soft spot for her historical fiction stories most of all. So I couldn’t wait to read this book. I had high hopes but was unprepared for the beauty of this book and the emotional rollercoaster I was about to embark on. This book really should come with a warning! Exquisitely written, cleverly choreographed and filled with vivacious characters, you can feel how much of Rowan’s heart and soul has been poured into this story. She made Malta come alive on these pages, transporting me to a place that has been on my bucket list for decades. I felt like I was taking every step and feeling every emotion alongside Maia. As a fan of history and historical fiction, I appreciated Rowan’s meticulous research and loved all of the history in this story. It was fascinating and I love how she allowed us to learn alongside Maia and experience her joy at understanding more about this country and her heritage. It has definitely made me even more eager to pay a visit and see these places for myself.

This book has a bit of everything: history, romance, drama, mystery and sci-fi, all merged together in perfect harmony to create a story I never wanted to end. I also didn’t want to leave these wonderful characters behind. I was so invested in their lives and was rooting for Maia at every step. I was on the edge of my seat, especially as we got to the final third of the book and the stakes got even higher. The sense of apprehension, urgency, tension and foreboding was palpable, leaping from the pages and setting my nerves on edge. I couldn’t have put this book down even if my house had been on fire. 

A mesmerising story that demands to be read, I highly recommend this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rowan Coleman is the internationally bestselling and award winning author and screenwriter of sixteen novels including THE MEMORY BOOK, THE SUMMER OF IMPOSSIBLE THINGS and THE GIRL AT THE WINDOW.

A life long Bronte fan, under the Bronte inspired pen name Bella Ellis, Rowan also writes the Bronte Mysteries – a carefully researched series of novels that imagine that before they were were famous the Bronte Sisters were amateur detectives. THE VANISHED BRIDE and THE DIABOLICAL BONES and The RED MONARCH are out now.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Waterstones* | Bookshop.org* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

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book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Book Club

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Mourning Necklace by Kate Foster

Published May 29th, 2025 by Mantle
Historical Fiction

Welcome to my review for this mesmerising novel which was the July SquadPod Book Club pick. Thank you to Mantle for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Inspired by an infamous real-life case, The Mourning Necklace is the unforgettable feminist historical novel from the Women’s Prize-longlisted author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.

They said I would swing for the crime, and I did . . .

1724. In a tavern just outside Edinburgh, Maggie Dickson’s family drown their sorrows, mourning her death yet relieved she is gone. Shame haunts them. Hanged for the murder of her newborn child, passers-by avert their eyes from her cheap coffin on its rickety cart.

But as her family pray her soul rests in peace, a figure appears at the door.

It is Maggie. She is alive.

Bruised and dazed, Maggie has little time for her family’s questions. All that matters to her is answering this one: will they hang her twice?

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MY REVIEW:

“They said I would swing for the crime, and I did. Now I wear the rope-mark like a mourning necklace .”

Kate Foster once again proves fact is stranger than fiction with this astonishing and unforgettable novel. Based on the true story of Maggie Dickson, a Scottish woman who was charged with the murder of her baby and sentenced to hang for the crime. But that isn’t what makes her famous. Maggie is remembered because she survived her hanging. The Mourning Necklace is a fictionalised account of what happened, weaving fact with fiction to tell the story of her life and imagine how she escaped death. 

Maggie is a fascinating character. Strong, determined but naive, she has big dreams but actually knows very little about life and the world. When the story opens, all we know is that she miraculously survived her hanging, that she claims she didn’t murder her child, and that she’s hiding a secret. We then jump back a year and follow her as a series of unfortunate events lead up to her arrest. Despite not knowing what had happened that fateful night for a lot of the book, I liked Maggie and had a lot of empathy for her as she went through so many tragic events that highlighted how hard life was for a woman at that time. But was she guilty of murder? And how did she survive her hanging? I wasn’t sure and you will have to read the book to find out.

Kate Foster can do no wrong. I’ve read all three of her books and each one is sheer perfection. Just like her previous books, this story is exquisitely told, richly imagined and meticulously researched, transporting us to 18th Century Scotland. Ablaze with tension, we are kept on the edge of our seats for more than half the book, wondering if Maggie murdered her baby and how she survived hanging. But even when those questions are answered the tension doesn’t ease. More questions come to the forefront to keep us turning the pages, making this a book that is impossible to put down. And while Maggie’s conviction and escape from death grab our attention, there is so much more to her and her story that is compelling. In this book Foster explores themes such as reproductive and women’s rights, poverty, poor working conditions, patriarchy, motherhood, domestic abuse, grief and heartache, making it a story that feels as relevant today as it did hundreds of years ago. 

Outrageous, riveting and utterly magnificent, The Mourning Necklace had me enrapt from start to finish.  And that ending  😭😭😭

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate Foster has been a national newspaper journalist for over twenty years. Growing up in Edinburgh, she became fascinated by its history and often uses it as inspiration for her stories. The Maiden won the Bloody Scotland Pitch Perfect 2020 prize for new writers. She lives in Edinburgh with her two children.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier

Published September 12th, 2024 by The Borough Press
Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Medical Ficiton, Domestic Ficiton, Coming-of-Age Story

Welcome to my review for this beautiful novel which I read with the Historical Fiction Book Club this month.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FROM THE GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives learning to handle.

Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may take a lifetime.

Skipping like a stone through the centuries, we follow Orsola as she hones her craft through war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss.

The beads she creates will adorn the necks of empresses and courtesans from Paris to Vienna – but will she ever earn the respect of those closest to her?

Tracy Chevalier is a master of her own craft, and The Glassmaker is vivid, inventive, spellbinding: a virtuoso portrait of a woman, a family and a city that are as everlasting as their glass.

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MY REVIEW:

Venice in 1486. 14-year-old Orsola Rosso lives across the lagoon on Murano, a place where time flows differently – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives perfecting. But it is a man’s world, and after her father’s sudden death it is her brother, Marco, who takes his place. Meanwhile, Orsola learns to craft glass in secret, slowly penetrating glassmaking’s patriarchal world. The story then follows through the centuries, following Orsola and her family as they try to survive in an ever-changing world. 

Beautiful, immersive, moving and enthralling, The Glassmaker is a time-bending tour-de-force that sparkles as brightly as a Murano bead. Part historical fiction and part fable, Tracy Chevalier plays with the concept of time, bending all of the rules and creatively reshaping it to craft this imaginative story. Magnificently written, meticulously researched, cleverly choreographed, with evocative imagery and richly drawn characters, Chevalier showcases herself to be a maestra in her own field with this dazzling and unforgettable story. There is a strong sense of place, Chevalier capturing the beauty of Venice and Murano and the spirit of their inhabitants. Time moves differently on Murano – a hundred years can go by in the blink of an eye while the people who live here age only a few years. It’s a fascinating concept and I enjoyed how she used it to demonstrate how little life actually changes despite the passing of the years and discoveries that are made.

The story centres around the Rosso family, particularly Orsola Rosso, who is just a teenager when the story begins. Orsola is an unforgettable heroine. Talented, strong, resilient, determined and passionate, she challenges societal and gender norms to fulfil her dream of becoming a glassmaker and sustaining her family. But she is also a character who settles for less and endures hardships, often for the good of her family over her own desires, and I sometimes found it hard to understand why she would be so steadfast in some areas and capitulate in others. We follow the Rosso family through many years of historical and societal changes. They face wars, plagues, hunger, new technology and changes to the glass industry. We watch them fall in love, suffer heartbreak and grieve for people they’ve lost. I enjoyed  watching this family and witnessing how the individual members adapted to all of their challenges and changes. It created a strong bond, made me root for them and feel invested in their lives. And I was sad when I closed the book and left them behind.

A spectacular story that will stay with you long after reading, pick this up if you enjoyed How to Stop Time or The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracy is the author of 11 novels, including the international bestseller GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, which has sold over 5 million copies and been made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. American by birth, British by geography, she lives in London and Dorset. Her latest novel, THE GLASSMAKER, is set in Venice and follows a family of glass masters over the course of 5 centuries.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Uncategorised

BOOK REVIEW: Fair Rosaline by Natasha Solomons

Published August 3rd, 2023 by Manilla Press
Historical Ficiton, Romance Novel, Retelling

Welcome to my review for this dark and irresistable retelling. Thank you to Manilla Press for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

One of the most anticipated novels of the year – the captivating and powerful untelling of Romeo & Juliet . . .

The first time Romeo Montague sees young Rosaline Capulet he falls instantly in love. Rosaline, headstrong and independent, is unsure of Romeo’s attentions but with her father determined that she join a convent, this handsome and charming stranger offers her the chance of a different life.

Soon though, Rosaline begins to doubt all that Romeo has told her. She breaks off the match, only for Romeo’s gaze to turn towards her cousin, thirteen-year-old Juliet. Gradually Rosaline realises that it is not only Juliet’s reputation at stake, but her life.

With only hours remaining before she will be banished behind the nunnery walls, will Rosaline save Juliet from her Romeo? Or can this story only ever end one way?

A subversive, powerful untelling of Shakespeare’s best-known tale, narrated by a fierce, forgotten voice: this is Rosaline’s story.

Hamnet meets My Dark Vanessa in this fierce, feminist, intensely gripping novel; captivating and chillingly relevant, FAIR ROSALINE takes everything you thought you knew about Romeo and Juliet and turns it on its head . . .

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MY REVIEW:

We all know the story of Romeo and Juliet. Or, at least we think we do. 

Spellbinding, poignant, dark and irresistible, Fair Rosaline is a feminist ‘untelling’ of the famous love story. And once you’ve read it you will never look at the much-loved classic the same way again. Told from the perspective of Rosaline, Juliet’s cousin and the girl who Romeo romanced before her, this version is a story of love, sex and coercion.

Beautifully written, Natasha Solomon’s poetic prose is filled with emotion whilst also setting the scene vividly. The streets of Italy come alive, the characters leap from the pages and you can feel the heartache of forbidden love on every page. Rosaline isn’t a character I’d given a lot of thought to before this book, but I loved hearing what Solomons imagined to be her story and connected with her quickly. Meanwhile, we meet a very different Romeo in this book to the one we’ve seen before. This Romeo is not a hero, but a predator, who love-bombs, gaslights and controls, while Rosaline and Juliet are his naive prey. It’s powerful and thought-provoking, making me question everything I thought I knew about a story I’d long loved. 

Fierce, bold, complex and compelling, this powerful retelling is a must-read.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to listen for 60 days free using my affiliate link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Natasha’s Amazon Author Page: I’ve always worked as a writer more or less. After University I completed an MPhil in Eighteenth century literature at the University of Glasgow and then began a doctorate researching Women’s Romantic Poetry and the Domestic Muse.

Unfortunately, I became un-stuck on a chapter on Verse Letters and so began writing my first novel as way of avoiding correcting the footnotes. My entire career to date has been an extremely elaborate form of avoiding that tricky chapter…

I still love research and writing immersive fiction and hate footnotes. I live in Dorset, in a thatched cottage with my husband — the award winning children’s writer David Solomons – and our children and Labrador, Mr Bingley. Sometimes David and I write screenplays together. Then we argue about them.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Categories
Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Published January 29th, 2015 by Pan Macmillan
Historical Fiction, Romance Novel, War Story, Historical Romance

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on this masterpiece. Thank you to BookBreakk and Pan Macmillan for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Bestselling Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Soon to be a major motion picture, Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale has captured the hearts of millions of readers becoming a number one bestseller across the world. It is a heart-breakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the endurance of women.

This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II, when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France.

It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

‘A rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival’ â€“ Kate Morton, author of Homecoming

‘Movingly written and plotted with the heartless skill of a Greek tragedy, you’ll keep turning the pages until the last racking sob’ â€“ Daily Mail

‘I loved The Nightingale . . . great characters, great plots, great emotions, who could ask for more in a novel?’ â€“ Isabel Allende, bestselling author of The House of the Spirits

‘A griping tale of family, love, grief and forgiveness’ â€“ Sunday Express

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MY REVIEW:

Astonishing, breathtaking, phenomenal, heart-rending, courageous and powerful, The Nightingale, is an unforgettable masterpiece. Like most of Kristin Hannah’s novels, this book had been languishing on my shelf for far too long when I finally decided to pick it up on a whim this month. Why did I wait so long? 

The story explores what it means to be a woman during war, telling the story through the eyes of sisters Vivianne and Isabelle as they live through World War Two. The pair are separated and have very different experiences but each possess strength, an unbreakable determination to survive, and a strong moral compass that sees them taking huge risks in order to help others. 

A tearjerker that is filled with kindness, joy, connection and bravery, I was an empty shell when I finished this book. Masterfully told, hauntingly evocative and devastatingly real, it is easy to see why this story is considered a modern classic and so highly recommended. Rating this is one of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given. It left me with the biggest book hangover and even now, over a week after finishing it, the characters and story are still with me and I think about it daily. It has taken a place in my heart and on my list of favourite books of all time. And that final line! Oh, my heart 💔😭

When the year started I had a number of Kristin Hanah’s books on my TBR but hadn’t read any of them. Now, as it ends, I’ve read two of them, they are both in my list of favourite books this year. Ms. Hannah is undoubtedly now one of my favourite authors and I will be prioritising her backlist in 2025. 

I can’t recommend this magnificent story enough. If you haven’t read it, please do ASAP. Just clear your schedule first because once you start you’ll not be doing anything else.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. You can listen for 60 days free by clicking my affiliate link here*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

From Kristin’s Website: Kristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, which was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People’s Choice award for best fiction in the same year.  Additionally, it was a selection of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club in 2023. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week.  In 2018, The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.

The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstores’ bestseller lists.  Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and the Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.  

The Nightingale is currently in production at Tri Star, with Dakota and Elle Fanning set to star.  Tri Star has also optioned The Great Alone and it is in development.  Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out.  The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke and Season Two is currently set to conclude the series on April 27, 2023.  

A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx