The Liberation - Kate Furnivall

The Liberation is set in Italy in 1945 as British and American troops attempt to bring order to the devastated country and Italy’s population fights to survive. Caterina Lombardi is desperate – her father is dead, her mother has disappeared and her brother is being drawn towards danger. One morning, among the ruins of the bombed Naples streets, Caterina is forced to go to extreme lengths to protect her own life and in doing so forges a future in which she must clear her father's name. An Allied Army officer accuses him of treason and Caterina discovers a plot against her family. Who can she trust and who is the real enemy now? And will the secrets of the past be her downfall?

This epic novel is an unforgettably powerful story of love, loss and the long shadow of war.

What I thought:

This is the first book that I've read by this author. The cover looked so inviting and I just love a good historical romance, though I have to say, now I've read it, I wouldn't really call it a romance. It's more of an adventure, a big, epic, thrilling adventure, with a little romance subtly woven in. It is a truly wonderful read.

The story is set in Italy, in Sorrento, Naples and Capri, once so rich and opulent, now practically in ruins, its people struggling to survive. Where orphaned children are left to scavenge like animals in the streets and where family loyalty and honour is everything.

Caterina Lombardi provides for her family by crafting beautiful wooden musical boxes and selling them. A skill taught to her by her father, who before he was killed when a bomb hit his workshop, was a master craftsman, renowned for making exceptional pieces of wooden furniture. Abandoned years ago by her mother, Caterina was now left to look after her younger brother and blind grandfather.

When her father's integrity is put into question after a visit from an Army Intelligence Officer, whose job it is to recover the country's stolen treasures, Caterina is quick to defend him. She embarks on a mission to clear her father's name, but in doing so she puts her life and that of her family at risk.

Caterina is quite a woman! Gutsy, feisty, proud and courageous, she soon proves that she can hold her own. I loved her character.

This is quite a thick book, but it is absolutely packed with action. Rich in intrigue and suspense, secrets and lies, deceit, kidnap and murder, I was hooked from the start. I had no idea at all of what the outcome would be. Each chapter brought yet more mystery and even more tension and suspense. It was totally captivating.

A gripping read, highly recommended.

The Food of Love - Amanda Prowse

Inspired by Amanda’s own extreme struggle with body image and a family history of anorexia, this is a compelling and heart-wrenching look at family, food and the challenge of raising teenagers in our self-obsessed, image conscious society.

Freya Braithwaite knows she is lucky. Nineteen years happily married to a man who still excites her, two beautiful teenaged daughters, and her dream career as a health food writer. Her home is filled with love and laughter, with a passion for food at its very core.

But no amount of love could have prepared Freya for the devastating impact of anorexia and bulimia on her family. In a desperate battle to rescue her youngest child from its clutches, Freya will do all she can to save her daughter, her marriage and her family. But how can she when food, the social glue of their family, is both the problem and the solution? Is Freya’s own obsession with clean eating partly to blame? And how can you save someone who doesn’t want to be saved? 

What I thought:

Since reading her first novel, Poppy Day, several years ago now, I have found that Amanda Prowse is one of those authors who never disappoints. Her books are always packed with emotion, so tissues at the ready, I was prepared and excited to get stuck into The Food of Love.

The Braithwaites are like any normal family. With two teenage daughters, Charlotte and Lexi, their days are filled with chatter, laughter and of course, arguments! It's a happy home. Dad, Lockie, is a freelance photographer, and mum, Freya, a food writer who loves cooking and is always whipping up fresh and exciting meals for her family. No frozen TV dinners or fishfingers and chips for this household!

When the school rings and asks Freya to call in to discuss Lexi, she's quite puzzled.It can't be anything serious, surely? Hers was a normal family, her girls well loved and cared for. The teacher is concerned after Lexi fainted at school. She thinks she may have an issue with food but Freya isn't convinced. If there was a problem then she'd know about it.

What follows is a story of torment and desperation, of love and heartache and of a once happy, stable family that begins to crumble and fall apart.

Lockie's character is refreshingly honest. He's a joker and at times a total embarrassment to his teenage daughters. I found his inability to cope with the situation and sometimes lack of tolerance, frustrating, although understandable, but his obvious love and devotion to his family won me over in the end. In fact the whole family's love for each other shines through as they struggle along on this harrowing journey.
 
This story is as ugly as it is beautiful. The excruciating pain and frustration borne by the whole family made for some uncomfortable reading at times. Lockie trying to exert a firm hand and Freya just trying to nurture her baby girl. Both helpless as they are engulfed by a blanket of gloom that poisons the happy unit they once were.

It was no surprise that this was an emotional read, but it wasn't just that. This book is a gift. It offers an insight into this little spoken about, often taboo subject. It doesn't hold back on the graphic reality of this horrific disease. A disease that can touch any one of us or our loved ones. It's a book that will stay with me.

In my opinion, it's the author's best book yet. I loved it. Highly recommended - read it and see for yourself.  


About the author

Amanda Prowse is a bestselling novelist with an incredible 136K followers on Twitter. This is her sixteenth novel and her books have been translated into a dozen languages and regularly top bestseller charts all over the world. Amanda has been dubbed ‘The Queen of Domestic Drama’ and writes about ordinary women and their families who find their strength, courage and love tested in ways they never imagined.

 

Through writing The Food of Love, Amanda has come face to face with her own feelings of shame, secrecy and obsession with food. Overweight as a child and a yo-yo dieter as an adult, Amanda has struggled with body image and overeating all her life.

A Suitable Lie - Michael J Malone

Andy Boyd thinks he is the luckiest man alive. Widowed with a young child, after his wife dies in childbirth, he is certain that he will never again experience true love. Then he meets Anna. Feisty, fun and beautiful, she's his perfect match... And she loves his son, too. When Andy ends up in the hospital on his wedding night, he receives his first clue that Anna is not all that she seems. He ignores it; a dangerous mistake that could cost him everything. A brave, deeply moving psychological thriller which marks a stunning departure for one of Scotland's top crime writers.

What I thought:

After hearing so many people rave about this book, I couldn't wait to read it myself, though I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The cover declares it as "domestic noir", so I figured there would be some sort of domestic violence, be it physical or mental. I have to say, though, I was not prepared for the story that unfolded before me.

Bursting with tension, this book focuses mainly on an issue I was vaguely aware of but had always dismissed without a second thought. It's a story of family life, the good and the bad, but mostly at its very worst. Gutwrenching and heartbreaking, I found myself torn - desperate to turn the next page, but fearful of what it would bring.

I found some parts of this dark tale deeply upsetting. This could be because the main character, Andy Boyd, had immediately forged a place in my heart. A real man's man, rugby player and bank manager who loves a pint with the lads and his brother, but loves his family more. What more is there to love? He's a widower and devotes his life to caring for his young son. Then he meets Anna. Gradually Andy's life begins to fall apart. Visits to family and friends are rare and he finds it difficult to function properly at work.

This wasn't just a good read, it was exceptional. I should also mention that hidden within this phenomenal storyline there is some truly beautiful writing. I'm struggling to think of another book that stirred my feelings quite like this. I had to constantly remind myself that it was only a story because I was so consumed with emotion. It was brutal and compelling. It was outstanding.

This is a book that will stay with me for a very long time and one you certainly won't want to miss.




 

My Husband's Wife - Amanda Prowse

Once a week, Rosie Tipcott counts her blessings.

She still goes to sit on her favourite bench on the north Devon cliffs and thanks her lucky stars for her wonderful husband, her mischievous young daughters, and her neat little house by the sea. She vows to dedicate every waking hour to making her family happy.

But then her husband unexpectedly leaves her for another woman and takes the children. Now she must ask the question: what is left in her life? Can Rosie find the strength to rebuild herself? More importantly, does she even want to?

What I thought:

I've read so many of Amanda's books now and I've never been disappointed. In the past, I've found her books "real" as well as emotional and this was no exception.

Rosie Tipcott is happy and content with her lot. Married with two beautiful daughters, she's not wealthy, in fact, she even has to clean caravans to help make ends meet, but she feels rich because she has a complete family, something she always yearned for as a child. Her mum left when she was just a baby, leaving her to be brought up by her father alone.

Then, with no warning, Rosie's little world of contentment is shattered.

First of all, this book is funny, so funny. Rosie's children come out with some real gems that will probably have you laughing out loud. Then it's sad, so very sad, so as with most of this author's books, have those tissues ready. Naomi and Leona, Rosie's daughters definitely steal the limelight in this story. Their huge personalities burst with energy throughout the whole book. Even when they're sad, they're funny.

This book will have you laughing and crying in equal measures. It's a wonderful story and although it made me very sad in parts, it was by no means downbeat. I thoroughly enjoyed the emotional journey it took me on and highly recommend this delightful read.