The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay
Julie Brooks
Reviewed by Helen
A duel time line story set in World War 1 England and Australia now, this is a page turner of a story as old family secrets are uncovered, we get to know Rose Luscombe and Ivy Toms as their lives entwine then there is Molly Wilson young Aussie school teacher who uncovers the truth about the past and finds herself and happiness on the journey. This is a story I thoroughly enjoyed, Julie Brooks has ticked all boxes for this story and had my mind going in many directions.
Molly is going through her late grandmothers things when she finds a letter addressed to her, a request to continue searching to find answers as to what happened to her great grandmother Rose Turner who went missing in the ocean in 1963. She has a photo of two young woman in their VAD uniforms labelled Rose and Ivy 1917, together forever. The historian in Molly comes to the surface and she makes a trip to England to uncover what she can.
Rose and Ivy are born one year apart on the Luscombe estate one born into the family one more to a family that works on the farm but as little girls they become friends and form a bond that should have lasted forever but life changes for these girls as they are from such different worlds, World War 1 is here and Ivy is now Rose’s maid, they become nurses and Rose decides that moving to Australia and marrying a man she has not met is the best thing for her, after her world is turned upside down with a revelation. So Ivy is sent along as her maid and companion for the trip, two woman leave England only one arrives in Australia.
When Molly arrives at the Luscombe estate she meets Richard Luscombe who is getting on in years now but has a lot of information and when he asks Molly to help archive the old paperwork Molly finds a lot of answers and more questions about Rose and Ivy and Molly is determined to get the answers and find out the truth.
This story had me invested from the start, so many fabulous characters that come to life on the pages, I felt transported back in time with Rose and Ivy and I loved uncovering the secrets and answers that Molly finds. My feelings throughout the story changed a few times with how I felt about the people in the story sometimes I was cheering them on and then not so happy with them and in my opinion that is the sign of a great story if I am so truly invested.
This is a story that I would highly recommend, come along for the journey and meet Rose, Ivy and Robert and Molly, Richard and Lucas who finally helps Molly put her past behind her and find happiness.
My thanks to Hachette Au for my copy to read and review
Molly is going through her late grandmothers things when she finds a letter addressed to her, a request to continue searching to find answers as to what happened to her great grandmother Rose Turner who went missing in the ocean in 1963. She has a photo of two young woman in their VAD uniforms labelled Rose and Ivy 1917, together forever. The historian in Molly comes to the surface and she makes a trip to England to uncover what she can.
Rose and Ivy are born one year apart on the Luscombe estate one born into the family one more to a family that works on the farm but as little girls they become friends and form a bond that should have lasted forever but life changes for these girls as they are from such different worlds, World War 1 is here and Ivy is now Rose’s maid, they become nurses and Rose decides that moving to Australia and marrying a man she has not met is the best thing for her, after her world is turned upside down with a revelation. So Ivy is sent along as her maid and companion for the trip, two woman leave England only one arrives in Australia.
When Molly arrives at the Luscombe estate she meets Richard Luscombe who is getting on in years now but has a lot of information and when he asks Molly to help archive the old paperwork Molly finds a lot of answers and more questions about Rose and Ivy and Molly is determined to get the answers and find out the truth.
This story had me invested from the start, so many fabulous characters that come to life on the pages, I felt transported back in time with Rose and Ivy and I loved uncovering the secrets and answers that Molly finds. My feelings throughout the story changed a few times with how I felt about the people in the story sometimes I was cheering them on and then not so happy with them and in my opinion that is the sign of a great story if I am so truly invested.
This is a story that I would highly recommend, come along for the journey and meet Rose, Ivy and Robert and Molly, Richard and Lucas who finally helps Molly put her past behind her and find happiness.
My thanks to Hachette Au for my copy to read and review
5 stars
Published December 29th 2021 by Hachette Australia
