The Ship's Midwife

 The Ship's Midwife

Peta Miller

Reviewed by Helen

WOW what a fantastic debut, I loved this one from start to finish, heart-breaking and poignant as we sail from England to Brisbane in 1850 on the Lady Susan with immigrants about to start a new life in Australia but things don’t always go to plan when typhus breaks out on the ship.

Sarah Hallow is the daughter of a midwife and now that she has lost her mum she is heading for Australia with not a lot of plans boarding the ship she meets Bridie Marley who is leaving Ireland to start a new life and also has a family connection to midwifery, they are sharing a cabin and they become fast friends and when they come to the aid of a pregnant woman in the steerage class a long labour but the baby a daughter is born healthy and well, but in the bed a few away is a woman who is extremely sick and the doctor on board starts to worry when more people are falling ill with the fever.

As more passengers fall ill Sarah, Bridie and Will Waterford the ship’s doctor’s son work hard on the long journey to Brisbane in the makeshift hospital as they make plans to open a midwifery business when they get to Brisbane, there are deaths along the way and the conditions are terrible food and water are in short supply and the ship is not allowed into any port. Who will make it to Brisbane?

They finally make it to the quarantine station on Stradbroke Island which is nowhere near ready for them but these people have made it this far and they do not give up. The strength and friendship that is shown by Sarah, Bridie Will and the captain and crew as well as the passengers was wonderful, you would not wish this upon anyone.

This story is based on a true story and it shows the toughness of the people who arrived on these shores so many years ago. I did cry many tears reading this one It is emotional but the ending is the best I loved it and I would highly recommend this story and huge congratulations to Peta Miller on such an awesome debut I look forward to many more stories.

My thanks to Harlequin AU and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

June 7, 2023 by HQ Fiction

The Italian Daughter

 The Italian Daughter

Lost Daughters #1

Soraya Lane

Reviewed by Helen

This is a lovely story, it is heartbreaking but it also shows how strong love can be and what they will go through to prove that love, come along to Italy and meet the wonderful characters in this story from the 1940’s and present day.

Estee was always going to be a ballerina and it is what she was pushed to do by her mother, it was hard in 1936 pre- war with no friends not much food, when she meets Felix who is two years older than her twelve years and there is an instant connection a true friendship starts and last for many years. Estee gets her chance and becomes a ballerina at La Scala in Milan the only problem she sees is that she will never see Felix again.

But years later after the war it is 1946 and Felix meets up with his beloved Estee, but Felix is due to marry Emilie in an arranged marriage and Felix does not want it to go ahead he wants Estee to be his wife, a choice has to be made and hearts are broken will they ever be mended?

Present day London and Lily is a winemaker and has travelled to many countries learning her trade, she is stopping at home before she starts her new position in Italy and there is a letter from a lawyer about the estate of her late grandmother, she is given a box that has two pieces of paper in it, a program from La Scala and a recipe and this now creates a mystery to be solved, will Lily uncover her grandmother’s past and find answers to what happened all of those years ago and will she find herself and maybe love in Italy, there must be a connection.

This is a beautifully written story that pulled me in from the start the characters are wonderful and the emotions are flying off the pages, it is one that I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good historical and a beautiful romance, and yes there were tears.

My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

September 23, 2022 by Bookouture

Estella

 Estella

Kathy George

Reviewed by Helen

Firstly let me say that I have never read Great Expectations, I do have a little knowledge of Miss Havisham but not much and I was really looking forward to this one and was not disappointed it is really well written and had me thinking all the way through.

Estella is three years old when she is adopted by the very eccentric Miss Havisham who was jilted at the alter and has never gotten over it, Miss Havisham plans to bring Estella up to break men’s hearts as her heart was broken. They live in Satis House a run down and neglected home and Estella’s lessons start early. Estella does learn about love through the housekeeper and then she meets a young boy Pip and they spend many hours together and Pip is very fond of Estella, but years go on and Estella is sent to France to school and it is five years before she returns to Satis House, she is now a young woman ready to break hearts in London.

Staying with friends in Richmond she meets up with Pip again who is helping Estella find her way around town as she looks for a husband, Estella is very picky and is not always nice to some people, but eventually she chooses a husband is he the right one?

I did enjoy this book although I am not sure that I liked Estella all the time there were times when I was cheering her on and other times not so, but being taken from her mother and bought up my Miss Havisham was always going to play a big part in how Estella is in her later years and I did love Pip such a lovely character and will he ever find the happiness he deserves.

This is one that I do recommend even to those who have not read Great Expectations, Kathy George is a wonderful storyteller.

My thanks to Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review.

4 stars

May 3, 2023 by HQ Fiction AU

The Paris Maid

 The Paris Maid

Ella Carey

Reviewed by Helen

I love Ella Carey’s stories, they are written with emotion and love and this one is no exception, MS Carey takes us to Paris as Paris is about to be liberated in 1944 and England in present time as Nicole starts searching for answers about her Granny Louise, it is an emotional journey but so beautifully told.

When Nicole Beaumont is sent an old photo of a woman on the back of a truck, head shaved and swastika on her head she is shocked to recognize her as her beloved Granny Louise, this starts Nicole on a journey to Paris to the Ritz Hotel and then to meet with her aunt and cousin, Nicole is determined to get answers she knows in her heart that her Granny Louise would never have been a Nazi collaborator.

Louise Basset has been working as a maid at The Ritz Hotel in Paris cleaning rooms that the Nazis occupied, Louise has a great memory and mind for codes and while she works she listens and reports back to the resistance. When a young allied pilot is bought in to be hidden till they can safely get him out of Paris a friendship begins for Louise and then a young German woman Sasha is sent to share Louise’s room, things are getting more dangerous.

Nicole and her aunt and cousin talk to the French historian working at the Ritz to get help searching for answers and what they hear is nothing that they expected, what are the answers?

This is a page turner as we get to know some fabulous characters in such hard times but the strength of the resistance will always amaze me and Ella Carey tells the story with compassion and so much love, this is one that I would highly recommend, a beautiful story.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

April 6, 2023 by Bookouture

The War Nurses

 The War Nurses

Anthea Hodgson

Reviewed by Helen

This was one of the most emotional books I have read for a while, it is heartbreaking, moving and so much more, but told so beautifully with compassion and such love as Anthea Hodgson takes us back in time to an unforgettable story about our Australian nurses during WW2 a story that is inspired by her own great aunt, Minnie Hodgson, I do advise that you have a box of tissues handy.

It is 1942 and country nurses from Western Australia Minnie Hodgson and Margot McNee board a ship bound for Singapore, they are looking at adventure and are proud to be doing their part in the war, they meet many other nurses and make life time friends, but soon Singapore is under siege and they need to evacuate.

They board the Vyner Brooke and continue to work hard looking after the injured soldiers and the many other people who are on board, woman and children from many different countries but they are bombed by the Japanese, there is such devastation, survivors floating on rafts and in life boats doing their best to get to one of the islands, separated one group of nurses find themselves on Bangka Island, what happens here, the fate of these nurses is atrocious, so shocking that is must never be forgotten.

The other group of nurses find themselves in a prisioner-war-camps till the end of the war, here these strong determined and courageous woman do everything they can to survive in the worst possible conditions with cruel captors, no food no medical help, just their fortitude and grit and the friendship and love they share with each other. The resilience and grit from these woman had me cheering them on through my tears.

Getting to know Margot, Beth, Lola, Minnie and the other nurses will stay with me for a long time to come, this story is compelling and poignant, with fabulous characters and it is an unforgettable story based on true facts and pays tribute to these nurses who should never be forgotten. It shows true friendship and how it can sustain people in such hard time.

I loved this book from start to finish, I cried so much and I cheered them on and I smiled at the humour and wit that they could still show through it all, many thanks Anthea Hodgson for such a beautiful story that is told so well.

My thanks to Penguin AU for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

April 12, 2023 by Penguin

A Woman's Work

 A Woman's Work

Victoria Purman

Reviewed by Helen

Another brilliant story from Victoria Purman, this time she has taken me back to 1956, and tells the story of what life is like back then, we are introduced to two woman, who both live in St Kilda, so very different but show such strength and courage, come along and meet them and see what our mother’s and grandmother’s lives were like.

1956 and the Olympics are going too held in Melbourne and there is much excitement, to be had, television is about to come as well and the fabulous Australian Woman’s Weekly cooking competition is on, and the prize money is awesome and Kathleen O’Grady and Ivy Quinn will be entering.

Kathleen is married to motor mechanic Peter, she is thirty years old has been married for eleven years and they have five children and being a mother and wife is starting to take its toll on her, when her mother visits and brings the latest copy of the Woman’s Weekly they discover the competition and start creating recipes to enter.

Ivy Quinn, is thirty six and widowed, she has a twelve year old son Raymond and a job as a Doctor’s receptionist when young Raymond sees the prize money and thinks what it could buy them they decide to get creative and enter, although Ivy is not the best cook she is more than happy to enter with her son.

This is a beautifully told story that is realistic in the way things were back in 1956, this is what many woman went through, men ruled and it was really hard for any woman to make a decision for themselves, Victoria Purman has taken matters that still play a big part today and told them with care thought and compassion and bought this story and the characters to life on the pages. There are so many wonderful characters.

I loved this one so much and I learnt more about the times then and am glad that things are moving forward for many people, it is a story that I would highly recommend, Victoria Purman writes stories that are packed with real life and emotion, don’t miss this one it is a must read. This will be going on the keeper shelf.

My thanks to Harlequin AU for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

April 5, 2023 by HQ Fiction AU

The Prospector's Only Prospect

 The Prospector's Only Prospect

Dani Collins

Reviewed by Helen

I haven’t read a western historical for so long and as I am a big fan of Dani Collins I was drawn towards her new book and I thoroughly enjoyed being taken back to the days of the old west, meeting Virgil Gardner and Marigold Davis was a delight the story is witty, sensual and filled with so many emotions as they work an uphill battle, with a cast of wonderful characters to find their HEA.

Virgil Gardner is in Denver City needs a mother for his three children, he is part of a company that prospects for gold, not an easy life and he is known to be grumpy, bad tempered and cantankerous, but needs must and he advertised for a mail order bride, when Pearl answers his advertisement he sends the money for her trip, but the woman who gets of the stage coach is not Pearl.

Marigold is divorced and living in Kansas is getting harder for her because of her reputation, but when her younger sister agrees to be a mail order bride Marigold steps in and decides that she will go, but eight days on a stagecoach is not what she had hoped the trip would be neither was the mosquitoes, the mud or the rough and tumble men.

Their first meeting does not go well at all, the sparks fly in many different ways but Virgil takes Marigold back to the camp where he does not think she will last but after a couple of weeks and a meeting with a bear, a bad haircut and the fact that the men love her and his kids do as well then maybe it might, then maybe it won’t when someone else arrives.

This one had me turning the pages, laughing and cheering Marigold on, she is one strong feisty heroine even after all she has been through and Virgil so untrusting but the pull between them cannot be denied for long they fight themselves long and hard to keep their hearts closed off, but love will win through. I do highly recommend this one, it has a bit of everything in it.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

5 stars

March 28, 2023 by Entangled: Amara