The Guiding Light
Secrets Of The Monument by Arlene Pearson is a wonderful dual timeline novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.
The action is set over 1946 and 2015. The parallel stories are similar but different as we follow characters linked by family. There are misconceptions about situations in both time periods. We witness the power of the mind to influence our responses.
1946 was a very different time to present day. It was a time dominated by men. Females had fewer choices, with the scales very much weighted towards the males. Women could be incarcerated in mental institutions, simply on the word of the man. This was dangled over them, as just the threat was enough to ensure compliance.
Health and safety were unheard of in 1946. Characters took risks, sometimes with disastrous consequences.
You never forget your first love. We see hearts that return to a summer long ago. Loss and guilt have followed a character down the years.
Our upbringing shapes the adults we become. Unhappy children sometimes become fearful adults. We are not destined to repeat the sins of the fathers. We need to face our fears and step into the future.
There is a search to unite both time periods. Sometimes our quest takes us miles away, when in fact, the answers lie closer to home.
All the characters were delightfully drawn. The leading ladies were easy to empathise with, and they possessed an inner strength that they did not even realise they had.
I really enjoyed Secrets Of The Monument. Arlene Pearson really brought the landscapes to life with her words. I look forward to more from her.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
Secrets of the Monument
– In this intriguing dual-time story, two very different love stories prevail –
2015
Verity and Jeremy are idyllically happy in their new home, a country cottage at the foot of an old Greek temple on a green hill. He has promised her there will be no more surprises – until his chaotic music producer nephew turns up to stay and causes havoc.
1946
Amelia and Ed
Torn apart in distressing circumstances, is the romance between the daughter of the Lord of the Manor and the son of a pitman over before it ever really began?
When Verity’s Grandad Ed asks her to find his first love after sixty-seven years, to reveal a life changing secret, she embarks upon a journey which takes her to different shores. When worlds which are generations apart collide, will the mystery of the monument be revealed? Also, will Verity finally be able to shake off the turbulence of her own past and find a deeper love and understanding wins the day?
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Author Bio – Bio
Arlene Pearson lives with her family and a crazy cockatiel in in a small North East village and is a writer of blogs and fiction. She began writing seriously after graduating from Northumbria University with a Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing, initially writing articles for local publications. She was a Readers Champion Columnist for a Sunday newspaper for many years, also writing an on-line blog entitled Two Point Four Children/Teenagers. Arlene has also written a novella which can be found on the Cutalongstory Writers Community Website and has self-published four books on Amazon including a full-length novel entitled Where the Four Streams Meet.
Social Media Links –
- Twitter – @pearson_arlene – Arlene Pearson (@pearson_arlene) / Twitter
- Facebook – Arlene Pearson – Arlene Pearson | Facebook
- Linkedin – Arlene Pearson – Arlene Pearson | LinkedIn
