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Shipyard Girls at War By Nancy Revell Book Review

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shipyard girls book

Published 23rd March 2017 Arrow

Paperback Original, £5.99 Also available as an eBook

Arrow have a speciality in publishing these sweeping historical novels. It is easy to see why the genre is so popular in general, but also why Nancy Revell’s books are so popular. Researched within an inch of its life; the novel is enjoyably entertaining. A perfect way to spend hours, wrapped up in the characters lives. This is the second book in The Shipyard Girls saga and it is not only just as good as the first, but a perfect continuation. Recommended reading.

 

The second book in the compelling saga series The Shipyard Girls Perfect for fans of Donna Douglas and Ellie Dean
1941: It takes strength to work on the docks, but the war demands all hands on deck and the women are doing their best to fill the gap.
Rosie is flourishing in her role as head-welder while still keeping her double life a secret. But a dashing detective is forcing Rosie to choose between love and her duty.
Gloria is hiding her own little secret – one that if found out, could not only threaten her job, but her life.
The shipyards are proving tougher than Polly ever imagined, while she waits for her man to return home safely.
Join the shipyard girls as they journey through the hardships of life, love and war.
About the author:
Nancy Revell is a writer and journalist under another name, and has worked for many national newspapers, providing them with hard-hitting news stories and in-depth features. She has also worked for just about every woman’s magazine, writing amazing and inspirational true life stories.
Nancy has recently relocated back to her home town of Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, with her husband Paul and their English Bull Mastiff, Rosie. They live a short walk from the beautiful, award-winning beaches of Roker and Seaburn, within a mile of where The Shipyard Girls series is set. The subject is close to Nancy’s heart as she comes from a long line of shipbuilders, who were well-known in the area.

Some interesting facts:

* During research for The Shipyard Girls, writer and journalist Amanda Revell Walton found that the remarkable women who did some of the most dangerous work in both the First and Second World War have now died with little recognition or praise for the work they did and the conditions they encountered.
* During World War Two seven hundred women worked in the Sunderland shipyards carrying out dangerous and backbreaking jobs, previously only been deemed suitable for men, such as welding, riveting, burning and rivet catching, as well as general labouring, operating cranes, and painting.
* The conditions in which the women laboured were harsh and hazardous, with scant regard paid to health and safety. They also had to contend with constant air strikes by Hitler’s Luftwaffe, and many of the women workers would do so with the added worry that their children were in another part of the town.
* The yards in the ‘Biggest Shipbuilding Town in the World’ produced a quarter of Britain’s merchant shipping at the time, causing it to become one of the most heavily bombed towns during the war.
* It is believed that without the shipyards, the country would have been forced to surrender, as the cargo vessels being built were essential for the transportation of vital food, fuel and minerals, as well as taking troops to wherever they were needed in the fight against the Axis alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan.

 

Debbie Macomber If Not For You Book Review

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Debbie Macomber: If Not For You book review

If Not For You is a delightful and engaging novel. Debbie Macomber is so skilled at drawing out the characters that it is impossible to feel like you do not know them. This novel is not a standard girl-meets-boy novel. It is a novel about what happens when something unexpected throws two very different people together. The novel jumps straight into the action and has plenty of twists and turns to keep you occupied. Definitely worth a read.

 

Sometimes, just one person can change your whole world…

If not for her loving but controlling parents, Beth might never have taken charge of her life.

If not for her friend Nichole, Beth would never have met Sam Carney – a tattooed mechanic who is her conservative parents’ worst nightmare.

And if not for Sam – who witnessed a terrible accident and rushes to her aid – Beth might have never survived and fallen in love.

Yet there are skeletons in Sam’s closet that prevent him from ever trusting a woman again. Will he be able to overcome his past and fight for love?

 

Debbie Macomber is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers. In addition to fiction, Debbie has also published two bestselling cookbooks; numerous inspirational and nonfiction works; and two acclaimed children’s books. The beloved and bestselling Cedar Cove series became Hallmark Channel’s first dramatic scripted television series, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, which was ranked as the top program on US cable TV when it debuted in summer 2013. Hallmark has also produced many successful films based on Debbie’s bestselling Christmas novels. Debbie Macomber owns her own tea room, and a yarn store, A Good Yarn, named after the shop featured in her popular Blossom Street novels. She and her husband, Wayne, serve on the

Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, and she is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and her husband Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington (the town on which her Cedar Cove novels are based) and winter in Florida.

 

Another You By Jane Cable Book Review

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best-endeavours-endeavouring-to-surprise-jane-cable-on-what-happens-once-that-digital-publishing-deal-is-in-the-bag-continuesanotheryouI have long been a fan of Jane Cable. I loved her two previous books The Cheesemaker’s House and The Faerie Tree. Each book she has written has had an interesting premise and Another You is no exception. Jane’s debut novel The Cheesemaker’s House had a strong voice and was written with incredible talent and each book since then has just got even better. It is fascinating to see how each novel sets its location and theme so well.

Jane Cable writes for this magazine and that is no accident. She is talented beyond measure. Her books are always riveting and easy to read. Not all books which are good are easy to read. It is her excellent pacing, but is also how she drives the story forward. She uses every word well.

Another You is set in Dorset and focuses on Marie Johnson who is trapped in an abusive marriage and a job as a chef in the family pub. It is the 60th Anniversary of D-Day exercises and Marie bumps into a soldier on the beach. Little does she know this chance meeting will change her entire life. Another you blends military history, PTSD, romance and family dynamic all into one novel. It is an entertaining novel that leaves you guessing and has a fair amount of twists. I highly recommend this well researched and enjoyable novel. It is yet another triumph.

 

Sometimes the hardest person to save is yourself…

Marie Johnson is trapped by her job as a chef in a Dorset pub and by her increasingly poisonous marriage to its landlord.

Worn down by his string of affairs she has no self-confidence, no self-respect and the only thing that keeps her going is watching her son, Jude, turn into a talented artist.

But the 60th anniversary of a D-Day exercise triggers chance meetings which prove unlikely catalysts for change.

First there’s Corbin, the American soldier who she runs into as she’s walking on the cliffs. He is charming and has a quaintness about him, calling her an ‘English rose’.

Then there’s George the war veteran, who comes to dine at the pub, and his son Mark. George fascinates Marie with his first-hand accounts of the war, whilst Mark proves helpful in making sense of the pub’s financial situation.

And there’s Paxton. Another American soldier with an uncanny resemblance to Corbin. Young, fit and very attractive, Marie finds him hard to resist. But little does she know Paxton is also battling some inner demons.

As the heat of the summer intensifies, so do the issues in Marie’s life.

Why is Corbin so elusive? Why is the pub struggling to make ends meet? Why has Jude suddenly become so withdrawn and unhappy?

Can she help Paxton open up and begin to deal with his pain?

Or will she be shackled to the pub and her increasingly spiteful husband forever?

But as events unfold, Marie finally realises that she is not trapped, but stuck, and that it is down to her to get her life moving again.

Perfectly blending the complexities of twenty-first century life with the dramatic history of World War Two, Another You is a charming tale that will warm your heart.

Another You is available here.

 

 

The Alzheimer’s Solution By Ayesha Sherzai & Dean Sherzai Book Review

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the alzheimer's solution The Alzheimer’s Solution: A revolutionary guide to how you can prevent and reverse memory loss

 

Alzheimers is a disease that terrifies most people. We have been told for years that there is no cure. The medical profession are also unsure what causes it. Which makes this book revolutionary. It says it can reverse Alzheimer’s, and also gives those who already have it more years. A big claim indeed. Backed up with clinical studies and facts, this book IS very impressive indeed. It even has recipes to keep yourself brain healthy. A huge amount of research has gone into this book and I believe that everyone should read it, and follow it. I found this book fascinating. I will be trying my best to follow the programme. Especially as two-thirds of women end up with Alzheimers. More than men. Which is not just due to the fact that we tend to live longer but also because men have more cognitive reserve. Fascinating and life-changing. Get your hands on a copy.

THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, PROVEN PROGRAMME FOR REVERSING THE SYMPTOMS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Alzheimer’s Disease affects over 47 million people worldwide but 90 per cent of cases can be prevented.

Based on the largest clinical study to date, The Alzheimer’s Solution, by leading neurologists and Alzheimer’s specialists Drs Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, provides the essential practical tools you and your family need to reverse the symptoms and prevent cognitive decline. 

Alzheimer’s disease isn’t a genetic inevitability and a diagnosis doesn’t need to spell the end. Ninety per cent of us can avoid getting it and for the 10 per cent with strong genetic risk, the disease can be delayed by 10 to 15 years. This is based on the remarkable results Dr Dean Sherzai and Dr Ayesha Sherzai have seen in their own clinic.

This much-needed revolutionary book provides:

*The groundbreaking and successful programme for the treatment of Alzheimer’s
*A practical 5-part plan for reversing and preventing Alzheimer’s, covering food, sleep, exercise, stress-management and activities that keep your brain healthy
*A questionnaire for assessing your risk level and daily guides for optimising your brain’s health
*Delicious and simple brain-healthy recipes for you and the family to enjoy

The Alzheimer’s Solution By Ayesha Sherzai & Dean Sherzai is available here.

Roald Dahl Boy & Going Solo Two BBC Radio 4 Dramatisations Audio Books

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"None of these things is important, but each of them made such a tremendous impression on me that I have never been able to get them out of my mind." Road Dahl going solo, boy, audio book,

I have become a huge fan of audio books since becoming a mother. I love reading but fitting in the time, or even just managing to sit down is impossible sometimes. So having someone read them to you is just perfect. Like most children I loved Roald Dahl. I was obsessed with his stories and they still stay with me now I am an adult. I cannot wait for my son to discover them. When the CD of Boy & Going Solo dropped through our letterbox we were excited. These are two wonderful BBC Radio 4 full cast dramas. They star Patrick Malahide. With a run time of 3 hours, you can become fully immersed in these wonderful stories. Frost loves.

Two new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of Roald Dahl’s gripping autobiographical stories.

These two compelling adaptations, based on Roald Dahl’s real-life tales of his of his boyhood and youthful overseas adventures, celebrate his remarkable life and commemorate his genius.

Boy Dahl’s childhood was one of excitement, wonder, terror and sadness. From his fascination with the local sweetshop to the Great Mouse Plot, the horrors of boarding school, the obnoxious Boazers and his time as a chocolate taster for Cadbury’s, we hear of the extraordinary events that shaped him and inspired his bestselling books.

Going Solo Setting sail for Africa on the SS Montola, aged 22, Dahl is plunged into an unfamiliar world of eccentric colonial characters. In Tanzania he enjoys life on the savannah, encountering lions and deadly mambas – but when World War II breaks out, and he must round up the Germans in Dar es Salaam, he experiences the brutality of war. As he leaves the bush behind and takes to the skies as an RAF pilot, many thrilling adventures and dangerous missions will ensue before he finally makes his way back home…

Starring Patrick Malahide as the voice of Dahl, these colourful dramatisations will carry you away into worlds every bit as amazing, strange and memorable as the ones in his acclaimed fiction. Duration: 3 hours approx

“None of these things is important, but each of them made such a tremendous impression on me that I have never been able to get them out of my mind.” Roald Dahl

Boy & Going Solo: BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas is available here.

 

Sisters At War by Milly Adams Book Review

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Sisters At War is the second book by Milly Adams and it is yet another brilliant piece of historical fiction. Sisters at War is like a  Sunday Afternoon. It is like one of those great BBC dramas that you watch with your family that are both entertaining but also filling. They teach you something: entertainment with substance. Warm and life-affirming; it is hard for younger people to fathom wartime. Lucky us, but the previous generations suffered, fought and sacrificed.

Sisters at War is about two sisters. Selfish Hannah and selfless Byrony. Hannah is irritating. You really want to slap her. I think we all have a Hannah in our life. Byrony is the best of humanity. A person of decency and morals. Hannah only cares about herself and stays in Jersey. Bryony is happiest amongst her family and loved ones  and stays at Combe Lodge where everyone is pitching in. The family home has filled with evacuees and Bryony has joined the ATA, helping to ferry planes across the country, whatever the risk.

Sister at War is a wonderful book. A hard to put down book which fills the soul.

 

A compelling new Second World War novel. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Ellie Dean.

Bryony and Hannah are sisters, but they couldn’t be more different, and war has brought even more of a rift between them. Bryony is happiest where her family and loved ones are – at Combe Lodge, the family home – and these uncertain times have brought them all closer together. But Hannah is young and headstrong. No one will stop her from doing what she wants – and this time she’s decided to flee to Jersey.

Even though Hannah has left, at Combe Lodge, everyone else is pitching in with the war effort. The family home fills with evacuees and Bryony is doing her bit, flying planes at the nearby Combe Lodge Airlines.

But despite all that is going on with war, Bryony knows that above everything she needs to reach out to Hannah. Only she will be able to keep her flighty younger sister’s feet on the ground. But is Bryony too late to help her? Will Hannah ever come home?

Sisters at War is available here.

 

Because of You by Helene Fermont Book Review

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Exclusive Because of You by Helene Fermont Extract 1

When Because of You first arrived I wondered when I would find the time to get through this door-stopper of a book. It is a sprawling and ambitious novel which spans over thirty years and two countries. It tells the story of Hannah Stein, a Swedish teenager who arrives in London. It is well written and engaging, drawing you into the characters lives and leaves you impatient to learn what happens next. I greatly enjoyed this debut novel from Helene Fermont. Her characters are vivid and well-rounded, and the story has intrigue and glamour that brings you in. I particularly loved the parts about London and following thirty years in someones life. The scenes were brought out so well. Because of You is an ambitious triumph.

Because of You spans 36 years in the life of Hannah Stein, a Swedish teenager who arrives in London, at the tail end of the disco era, for a gap year before embarking on a teaching career. The people she meets change the course of her life irrevocably and the novel charts her changing personal and professional fortunes over the next three decades. Because of You is about love, coming of age, friendship, bereavement, stillbirth and rape. Its themes include redemption, acceptance, fidelity and family. Because of You is a story that every woman can relate to. Because of You is the deeply moving debut novel by Scandinavian writer Helene Fermont. It’s a gripping work of modern women’s fiction with a distinct ‘Scandi’ feel and a psychological twist. Scandinavian noir has firmly established itself as a bestselling genre in the UK. Because of You takes the elements that make this style of writing so compelling – the realism and dark, morally complex mood – and combines it with women’s fiction. This is a dark, morally complex and cross-generational story of enduring love, fate and destiny and will appeal to readers who appreciate an emotive, uncompromising and fulfilling read driven by character and circumstance.

Because Of You by Hélene Fermont (Fridhem Publishing) is out now, priced £9.99 in paperback and £3.99 as an eBook. Visit www.HeleneFermont.com

Because of You is available here.

We have an exclusive Because of You extract for you here.

 

Legacy by Hannah Fielding Review by Contributing Editor & author Margaret Graham

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legacy-by-hannah-fielding-reviewAward winning romance novelist, Hannah Fielding, has written the third book in her Andalucian Nights Trilogy and her readers will be relieved and excited to know that this epic, Legacy, is written with all the verve of her previous novels.

 

I say epic because it has a sweeping plot and setting. The author’s ability to sustain the story line and amalgamate the two main characters is impressive. Her setting is active. By this I mean that her descriptions don’t just sit like a sack of potatoes, but are interwoven into an action so they don’t stop the pace. She doesn’t however ignore the need for a pause to empathise with the setting, or for the reader to process a scene. This is something I try to encourage in those I mentor: pace is important, but so is pause.

 

She also ‘holds back’. This means that the reader has to wait for facts, secrets, feelings to be revealed, and this is an excellent use of tension. Fielding does this extremely well.

 

So, the plot in a nutshell: Luna Ward, a beautiful blonde journalist based in New York is commissioned to investigate – undercover –  the head of an  alternative health clinic in Spain. As one might expect she finds the man she has been asked to expose irresistible but  is he good, or bad? And what does her deception make her?

 

Secrets and lies threaten to destroy their lives, not to mention their love. So…?

 

Oh no, read it and see.

 

Hannah Fielding’s novel The Echoes of Love won first place in the Romance category at the Independent Publisher Book Award in New York in 2014, and in 2015 Indiscretion won 2015 USA Best Book Award for Romantic Fiction, and in April 2016  Gold Medal and Masquerade won silver medal for romance at the IPBA Benjamin Franklin Awards.

 

Frost Magazine is really excited that Hannah will be telling our readers of A Day in her Life very soon. Make sure you keep an eye out.

 

Legacy by Hannah Fielding  is published by London Wall Publishing.  £7.99