“The Mersey Angels” Review

Hello Friends!

I have been reading saga novels for God knows how long, maybe since last year, maybe since 2019, and the more I explore I am fascinated with the genre and the authors. Today I bring you a review of a saga novel.

“The Mersey Angels“, written by Sheila Riley, is a Saga novel, the second book in the Liverpool Saga series, published on 10th August 2021 by Boldwood Books.

I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, Sheila Riley and Boldwood Books for the eCopy of this book, via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Synopsis

1916 LIVERPOOL

Following the death of her father, Ruby Swift, and husband Archie finally move back into Ashland Hall.

As the Great War rages, fathers and sons take the King’s Shilling and head off to fight the unknown enemy, not knowing what horrors lie ahead.

With Ned Kincaid in the Navy, Archie signs up to the volunteer constabulary and nurses Anna Cassidy and Ellie Harrington enlist to do their bit for King and Country.

Soon the true casualties of war are being brought home in droves, Ruby converts Ashland Hall into an auxiliary hospital for wounded servicemen.

It’s not long before the true cost of war is brought closer to home and Anna and Ellie enlist in the British Military Nursing Corp and soon find themselves in the battlefields of France in search of the truth.

But they soon discover more than they bargained for…

Purchase Links: Amazon UK | Amazon US

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About the Author

Sheila Riley wrote four #1 bestselling novels under the pseudonym Annie Groves and is now writing a new saga trilogy for Boldwood under her own name. She has set it around the River Mersey and its docklands near to where she spent her early years. She still lives in Liverpool. Her new trilogy began with The Mersey Orphan in September 2019.

Social Media Links: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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My Review

Saga books, at least those that I have read, have this sense of community and family. Maybe because of the circumstances following the characters, with the wars and the dangers. Nevertheless, it’s something I love. In this book we follow a group of characters during the WWI.

As Ruby turns Ashland Hall into a hospital and Anna and Ellie follow their path as nurses right to France, a lot can be said for these angels. The characters touched my heart, their kindness, their role in the story… I could feel compassion for them. I worry for them and for their loved ones. That’s the power of stories like this one, even if they are fiction, they feel real, because the events are realistic and the Great War really existed.

Like I previously said, this is about family, about the way we are connected, the way war affects people’s life. It’s also about secrets, and there are a lot of them when it comes to our society. It’s about hardship and love and finding your path and strength. In the end, it may feel like a rollercoaster of emotions, but it gives me hope.

Overall, it was an amazing book. And even though it’s part of a series, I felt it could be read as a standalone. Although, it was a nice continuation of book one and I loved to be back to this group of characters. Sheila Riley did a brilliant job with the characters and with transporting us to their sides in this setting and time period. If this genre and setting is one you enjoy reading about, do give it a change.

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Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour, with their reviews.

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Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.

If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.

I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.

Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.

Love,

Jess

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Promo Post: “Lost Love’s Return” by Alfred Nicols

Hello Friends!

Ready for a promo post? This book is now out and I will have the review posted this week so stay tune for that. Meanwhile, maybe you will be curious just by the synopsis, like I was.

“Lost Love’s Return“ written by Alfred Nicols, is a Historical Romance, published June 8th 2021 by Books Fluent.

Happy Publication Day!

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Synopsis

When Elizabeth, a young English nurse, falls in love with one of her American patients, her whole world changes. When Peter, the American soldier, is suddenly shipped home to the U.S. at the end of WWI, he does his best to alert Elizabeth to what’s happening but fails, leaving her with no idea where he is and no way to contact him — now oceans away.

For 27 years, Peter yearns for Elizabeth, regretting the actions that led him into a long-drawn-out loveless marriage. But now, with the help of his son, he locates the only woman he’s ever loved. The question is, will she give him a second chance?

Purchase Links: Amazon

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Author Bio

ALFRED NICOLS received undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Mississippi. Following military service, he had a career as a lawyer, a state trial judge, and a federal judge.

He and his wife Mary live on rural acreage in Mississippi, where their two sons have second homes. “Lost Love’s Return” and its 18 point reader guide were written to leave his children and grandchildren, maybe others, insight into issues in life and the value of family ties, even to imperfect people.

Social Media Links: Goodreads

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Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.

If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.

I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.

Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.

Love,

Jess

“Until We Meet Again” Review

Hello Friends!

Happy Saturday! I took some time from writing to come here and post my review of a book I read in the past month and that I hope I get to reread again, but I will explain that in the review.

“Until We Meet Again“, written by Rosemary Goodacre, is a Historical WW1 novel published on 31st October 2019 by Hera.

I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Rosemary Goodacre for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Synopsis

The Great War drove them apart – but love kept them together

Summer 1914: Shy young woman, Amy Fletcher, lives a quiet life in Sussex. An office worker, she lives at home, along with her parents and spirited younger brother, Bertie. But her life is transformed when she meets handsome young man, Edmond Derwent, son of one of the wealthiest families in the small town of Larchbury, and student at Cambridge University.

The couple are falling deeply in love when war breaks out and, eager to do his duty for England, Edmond signs up as an officer. The couple plan to be wed, eager to start a new life together – but their happiness is short-lived when Edmond is sent to Flanders to lead his men into battle. Amy trains as a VAD nurse and is soon sent to France, where she sees the true horror of war inflicted on the brave young men sent to fight.

Separated by war, Edmond and Amy share their feelings through emotional letters sent from the front line. But when Edmond is critically wounded at Ypres, their love faces the biggest test of all – can their love stay strong while the world around them is crumbling?

A romantic, emotional saga set in WW1 – readers of Rosie Goodwin, Katie Flynn and Val Wood will be captivated by this story of love.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Kobo

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About the Author

Rosemary Goodacre has previously worked in computing and teaching. She has had short stories published and a novella, A Fortnight is not Enough.

Her father’s family came from continental Europe and she loves travelling.
She enjoys country walking, bridge and classical music. She lives with her husband in Kent, England.

Social Media Links: Twitter | Facebook

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My Review

In the last couple of years I have found a love for Historical novels and I have been opening myself to read WWI and WWII novels since I know there are a lot of amazing books and authors out there that write about that time period. So far I have enjoyed the stories I have read. “Until We Meet Again” is one of those.

There are story that as soon as I finish them I know I will reread them again in the future. Some because I know a lot have escape my attention (in case of crime and mystery novels) and others is because of how exciting the storytelling was. In this case, it’s because I was an emotional chaos when I read it the first time and I have no idea how tho review it despite the fact that I have taken days to let everything settle down on my mind and heart.

If you read the blurb you can already have an idea why I was emotional, but the truth, even I wasn’t prepared for every page and every moment in this story. And since I haven’t read many historical novels that happen during the Great War, and I don’t consider myself an history fanatic/nerd/expert, it was a different experience for me than for some people, I’m sure. Nevertheless, that just made me want to research more about that era.

About the characters, I loved Amy. Despite the fact that I haven’t been through a similar situation as she has, I could still feel for her, have empathy. Every moment, everything she has to do to save people and survive. And Edmond… Their relationship… It all made me so focus, I couldn’t let go of the story until I knew what would happen to them and if they would reconnect.

For me, that emotional rollercoaster as well as the intensity I felt and the curiosity that kept me focus in the story, was thanks to the authors wonderful storytelling abilities. I could visualize what she was describing and all the powerful scenes just made me get transported to that time and location.

Overall, I really do need to reread the story because it was such an amazing book with a beautiful and emotional message of love, as well as the strength of the men and women that fought for freedom and to save the life of the innocent. That been said, of course I loved it and of course I want to reexperience it again, and see it with different eyes and not blind by emotion. And I do recommend it to everyone that like this genre of books.

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Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour, from reviews and basic promo/spotlight posts.

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Don’t forget to comment, don’t be stranger. If you have any book recommendation you can leave a message using the form on my Contact Me page.

If you are an author or publisher and want me to do a review of a book please check out my Request Review page to learn more about the reviewing policies.

I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.

Also, if you would like to join me as a guest on my blog, check out the Guests Post page to know more and contact me so we can start planing your visit.

Love,

Jess