Archive | July 2023

The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick

Jul20

Looking For Stars

The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick is the most delightful contemporary novel that will warm your heart and make you smile.

The little Italian hotel is a place where strangers go to heal and leave as friends. It is a place to rediscover the little things that make you smile and bring you joy. And it is a place where friends encourage each other to face their darkest hurts.

Everyone has things that hurt us – from bereavement to illness to relationship breakdowns. Everyone experiences pain differently and everyone heals differently.

We meet a group of five strangers plus the two who run the hotel. The pain of loss is tangible. “Without Daisy in her life, Edna’s loneliness felt like an unwelcome house guest that wouldn’t leave.” Loss consumes, threatening to drag us down into the depths. We need to find a reason to smile again. “Losing her was like an eclipse of the sun.” The days feel so dark. We need others to help to lift us up. Sometimes we just need someone to sit in the silence beside us.

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The Soldier’s Child by Tetjana Denford

Jul13

Keep The Light Burning

The Soldier’s Child by Tetyana Denford is a powerful and moving historical novel that I just could not put down.

The novel spans many years, beginning just after the end of World War I. We travel across continents from Ukraine to America as we follow the members of one family.

We witness the terrible heartaches as the Soviets inflict a reign of terror. Many innocents were killed or sent to gulags. The people of the Ukraine looked to the Nazis for a better life which shows just how badly the Soviets treated them. Incidentally, my uncle was born in 1922 in Ukraine and he said that his family preferred the Nazis to falling into Soviet hands.

Unmarried mothers were frowned upon. We witness a mother’s sacrifice and also her love that will never die. “Losing the ones we love are sometimes the sacrifices we make to keep them alive.” We do what we can for our children, practicing sacrificial love.

A poor upbringing means a character longs for home. “Home was a dream he’d had his whole life.” Home is not found in bricks and mortar but in people. “He [father] smelled of home.”

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A Killing At Smugglers Cove by Michelle Salter

Jul12

Capturing The 20’s Atmosphere

A Killing At Smugglers Cove by Michelle Salter is an entertaining historical cosy crime novel. It is part of An Iris Woodmore Mystery series but can be read as a stand-alone.

The action takes place in 1923 at Dawlish on the south Devon coast. The light-hearted tone is reminiscent of Miss Marple as the amateur super sleuthing kicks in.

World War I is over but still some secrets remain as people are forbidden to talk of wartime exploits due to the official secrets act. It does not stop Iris Woodmore trying to sniff out a story!

As remains are found in Smugglers Cove and then another body turns up, the residents wonder if they could be linked. The local police seem to be decidedly lacking in their investigations as Iris Woodmore decides to dig deeper.

The roaring twenties are in full swing. There is a gaiety at times as people try to put the war behind them.

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This Child Of Mine by Emma-Claire Wilson

Jul12

Incredibly Beautiful

This Child Of Mine by Emma-Claire Wilson is a simply beautiful contemporary tale that will tug at your heart. Tissues will be needed.

The story is told in the first person from the point of view of the leading lady. We can ‘feel’ her pain and her fears. We understand her tears.

Receiving the best and the worst of news on the same day, is enough to tear anyone apart. We see a rift appearing as a character decides to take control of the only thing she can – her choices. Life moves from ‘our’ to ‘my’, and as it does, journeys of isolation begin.

On our hardest days, we need not travel alone, as those who love us will journey beside us, if we let them. “Grief is a path best walked in company.” We can never take away the pain but we can hold hands and walk together.

There has been much loss in the lives of both leading characters. “We were falling apart, in separate places.” In our hurt and pain, we sometimes pull away. The hurt and pain that we are pushing down, never goes away, it is just hidden. Those who know us, offer tea, sympathy and “the I get it hugs and the it gets easier smiles” – except it doesn’t get easier, we just learn to cope – or not.

We witness a character drowning in guilt. Words spoken in anger can never be taken back.

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