Blog tour: The Butlins Girls by Elaine Everest

Buy here from Amazon.co.uk

'Molly Missons gazed around in awe. So this was Butlin's. Whitewashed buildings, bordered by rhododendrons, gave a cheerful feeling to a world still recovering from six years of war. The Skegness holiday camp covered a vast area, much larger than Molly expected to see.'

Molly Missons hasn't had the best of times recently. Having lost her parents, now some dubious long-lost family have darkened her door - attempting to steal her home and livelihood...

After a horrendous ordeal, Molly applies for a job as a Butlin's Aunty. When she receives news that she has got the job, she immediately leaves her small home town - in search of a new life in Skegness.

Molly finds true friendship in Freda, Bunty and Plum. But the biggest shock is discovering that star of the silver screen, Johnny Johnson, is working at Butlin's as head of the entertainment team. Johnny takes an instant liking to Molly and she begins to shed the shackles of her recent traumas. Will Johnny be just the distraction Molly needs - or is he too good be to be true?

I was pleased to receive this new book from Elaine Everest as I thoroughly enjoyed The Woolworths Girls, and just looking at this cover I knew I would not be disappointed.

Molly Missons, a gentle young girl recovering from parents tragic death receives devastating and confusing news that she had been cut out of her parents will, to lose her home and livelihood to relatives she knew nothing about, cousin Harriet and her deplorable son, Simon. 
With help from good friends she is able to escape this and move to Skegness, to Butlins holiday camp, working as a Butlins auntie.

Here she forms a friendship with Bunty and Plum, who have their own heartbreaks and issues to overcome, and whose stories blend beautifully to enrich the plot. She also meets her screen idol and crush, Johnny Johnson, will he be the cure she needs to mend her fragile heart?

The Butlins Girls really is a warm, gentle, nostalgic tale with a feel good vibe, It sums life in a post war holiday camp up beautifully, it is written true to it's era and is a satisfying read. I'm certain fans of 1940's fiction will adore it.

Many thanks to Bethan at ED PR for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review

Review: While I Was Waiting - Georgia Hill *GIVEAWAY*

Tired of her life in London, freelance illustrator Rachel buys the beautiful but dilapidated Clematis Cottage and sets about creating the home of her dreams. But tucked away behind the water tank in the attic and left to gather dust for decades, is an old biscuit tin containing letters, postcards and a diary. So much more than old scraps of paper, these are precious memories that tell the story of Henrietta Trenchard-Lewis, a love lost in the Great War and the girl who was left behind.

I love time slip novels, especially set in this time so I was thrilled to be able to review While I was Waiting, then discovered I had it sat on my 'to be read' list on my Kindle all along!

I fell straight into Rachel's story, about to start renovating the wonderful sounding Clematis Cottage, and feeling a little out of sorts in her new village. Moving from the anonymous atmosphere of London into village life was daunting, but she quickly discovered the huge list of perks that made up for it. The beautiful countryside, the wildlife and the sense of community to name but a few.

While renovations were taking place an old biscuit tin was found containing old letters and a journal from the turn of the 20th century. They were the previous owner of Clematis Cottage, Mrs Hetty Trenchard-Lewis, and what a story she had to tell. From being left with her maiden aunts at the huge but crumbling Delamere House, with the cousins Richard and Edward, Hetty tells of her life in the Edwardian era, the trials of growing up without her mother, about love and loss. Her tale is a fascinating one which Rachel begins to become obsessed with, as the tale is unfinished and Rachel feels a huge pull to know what eventually became of Hetty - especially as she still feels her benevolent presence around her home.

She makes friends, some a little closer than others, and slowly realises what was lacking in her life, and how to love again. 

All in all, While I Was Waiting was a really lovely and quite addictive story which I read in three long sittings! I too felt the pull to see how life had turned out for the enchanting Hetty. 

I found Rachel's character infuriating at times, and willed her not to be so stand offish and rude - especially to the lovely (and seemingly easy-on-the-eye, Gabe)! But warmed to her while observing her relationship with Stan, her gardener. An elderly widower who also felt out of place in the world.

I loved 'seeing' the house come back to life and the beautiful descriptions of Rachel's illustrations and the surrounding countryside. Being set around the year 2000 there was also a very poignant storyline about the foot and mouth epidemic that ravaged the countryside which is not easy to forget and highlights the devastating downside to country living.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

ABOUT GEORGIA HILL

I used to live in London, where I worked in the theatre. Then I got the bizarre job of teaching road safety to the U.S. navy – in Marble Arch!

A few years ago, I did an ‘Escape to the Country’. I now live in a tiny Herefordshire village, where I scandalise the neighbours by not keeping ‘country hours’ and being unable to make a decent pot of plum jam. Home is a converted Oast house (Old agricultural building used for drying hops), which I share with my two beloved spaniels, husband (also beloved) and a ghost called Zoe.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel widely, though prefer to set my novels closer to home. Perhaps more research is needed? I’ve always wanted to base a book in the Caribbean!

I am addicted to Belgian chocolate, Jane Austen and, most of all, Strictly Come Dancing.

AUTHOR LINKS

https://www.facebook.com/georgiahillauthor/

https://twitter.com/georgiawrites

http://www.georgiahill.co.uk/

https://www.pinterest.com/georgiawrites/

GIVEAWAY

A print copy of the book (Open Internationally)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

5*Review: The Queen's Choice by Anne O'Brien and GIVEAWAY!

Available here at Amazon.co.uk

Her children or her crown

France, 1399: The Duke of Brittany is dead and his widow, Joanna of Navarre, has inherited control of their land – a testament to her intellect, integrity and political prowess.

Then comes an unprecedented proposal from Henry IV, King of England. The price of becoming his Queen? Abandoning her homeland, leaving her children and sacrificing her independence.

Henry's hold on the crown is unsteady and war is brewing. With the constant threat of rebellion, Henry will trust no-one – not even his new Queen. Crossing the channel is a dangerous prospect. But the union between Joanna and Henry would bring the chance of a vital alliance between two proud states – if they will allow it.

One question. Two paths. A choice that will make history.

It is 1936 and Richard II, King of England's wedding day to the very young Isabella of Valois. John IV, Duke of Brittany and his wife Joanna are there. Whilst mingling with the crowd they happen upon Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby and the current King's cousin with whom there is no love lost. Even though Joanna and John have a pleasant and companionable marriage, like the wedding taking place - she was an extremely young bride and there is a sizeable age difference between the couple, when she meets Henry a part of her awakens and she suddenly has feelings for him that she's never felt for a man before. 

She tries to put him and her feelings out of her mind and does not meet Henry again for another two years when he is accused of treason and bursts into their home in Brittany after being banished from England. The feelings she first developed come flooding back.

Henry later returns to England to launch an attack on Richard II, deposing him of his crown and becoming Henry IV, King of England. The Duke of Brittany has died with Joanna widowed and in control of her own lands. After what he deems a suitable period of time Henry sends a marriage proposal to Joanna who wants to accept but is warned that if she does she will lose everything: her land, her power, her fortune and her children. 

She makes the seemingly impossible decision and chooses the path of love and Henry, yet marriage and true love does not run smoothly and tensions quickly rise. Henry is filled with insecurities, and Joanna is a powerful and independent woman but untrusted as a French princess in the times when the relationship between England and France was not a happy one, a political gamble that they were trusting the unity would ease. It really highlights all the perils of the middle ages, and how different marriage was back then. 

I really enjoyed this offering from O'Brien. I have a keen interest in this period of time and I found the book historically accurate as well as being a beautifully written romance, focusing on the seldom heard of Joanna of Navarre. Living just around the corner from Bolingroke Castle also brought the book home to me.

This really is a must read for fans of historical fiction and a perfect tale to curl up and escape with.

I have a signed copy of The Queen's Choice up for grabs - Just leave a comment below to be entered into the draw! UK only please - winner will be chosen at random at 6pm 21st January 2016...

Many thanks to Sophie at ED PR for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.