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Lily Rose defies her family’s expectations of making a good marriage. She works as a chef in one of New York’s top restaurants, enjoying the challenge of creating culinary masterpieces using wartime rations. The man she loves, Tom, as well as the man her family insists she marries, Nathaniel, are both drafted into the military. Will she have to choose between her family and her heart or will war decide for her…?

A New York Secret is an historical novel set in the USA during the Second World War. The tastes, sights and sounds of the setting are clearly evoked through the descriptions within the book.

Lily is not content to simply accept her role in society so uses the opportunity of war to forge a career. Her mother is desperate to secure their social status with a successful marriage with wealthy Nathaniel. But Lily’s heart lies elsewhere, with her restaurant colleague Tom. Both men join the army and Lily hopes for their safe return.

The majority of the book shows us Lily’s perspective but there are other chapters to show her mother and grandmother’s viewpoints. The war showed the world what women were capable of, stepping out of their traditional roles. Lily defies convention and the expectations placed on her by virtue of her sex, age and status.

I enjoyed the different perspective that this book offered. There feels like a feminist agenda underlying the plot due to the focus on women’s roles. Lily’s story provides a unique view of the class system, gender relations and personal politics of the era.

A New York Secret was a very enjoyable novel about love and life in the face of war and social expectations.

I have previously reviewed other Ella Carey books including Secret Shores, Beyond The Horizon, Paris Time Capsule, The House by the Lake, From a Paris Balcony and The Things We Don’t Say.

A New York Secret book description

She looked at the telegram in horror, the words blurring in front of her eyes. She dropped to her knees, feeling that her entire world was ending. The paper slipped from her hands as she put her head in hands, sobs wracking her chest…

1942, New York. As war rages in Europe, Lily Rose is grateful for her perfect life: the love of her wealthy uptown parents in their beautiful brownstone overlooking the park and her dream job as a chef at one of New York’s finest restaurants, the art deco dream that is Valentino’s. But in her heart, Lily is drawn towards the bohemian Sicilian community in Greenwich Village, where gorgeous fresh fruit spills onto the pavement and the smell of freshly baked cannoli tempt her inside every Italian deli.

Part of the attraction is Tom Morelli, talented chef and handsome grandson of Sicilian immigrants. His deep brown eyes call to her and set her heart on fire. As wartime rationing bites in the city, Lily and Tom stay up late, dreaming up delicious meals that will see Valentino’s through the war and distract New Yorkers from the threat of sons and sweethearts being called up. Lily knows he has found the key to her heart.

Then Tom receives a devastating summons that changes everything: he is drafted to Italy. He must return to his beautiful homeland to fight a desperate war.

Suddenly alone, with only the memory of Tom’s last kiss, Lily turns to her parents for support. But when her mother finds out about her relationship, she is furious. When the war ends, Lily’s duty is to marry the man picked for her, raise children and never work again. They give her a heartbreaking ultimatum: end her relationship with Tom and give up her job or lose her family and inheritance forever.

Lily knows she must follow her heart to Valentino’s and to Tom. But when Tom is declared missing in action, Lily is totally heartbroken. If she pursues her dreams, will there be anything left for her when the war is over?

From top-ten bestseller Ella Carey comes an utterly heartbreaking historical novel, inspired by true events, about the courage, love and friendships that sustain us in the darkest of days. Fans of Fiona Davis, Rhys Bowen and The Nightingale will be captivated.

Author Bio:

Ella Carey is the international bestselling author of The Things We Don’t Say, Secret Shores, From a Paris Balcony, The House by the Lake, and Paris Time Capsule. Her books have been published in over fourteen languages, in twelve countries, and have been shortlisted for ARRA awards. Ella is a Francophile who has long been fascinated by secret histories set in Europe’s entrancing past. She has degrees in music, nineteenth-century women’s fiction, and modern European history. She lives in Melbourne with her two children and two Italian greyhounds who are constantly mistaken for whippets.

Ella loves to connect with her readers regularly through her facebook page and on her website.

http://www.ellacarey.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyauthor/

https://twitter.com/Ella_Carey

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3e4TKVv

Julie returns to her family’s resort following her mother’s stroke but discovers the business is also in danger. Her husband Tristan is thoroughly unsupportive but she meets up with her first love Chase. Meanwhile other family secrets come to light as a runaway teen searches for her birth mother at the resort…

The Choice I Made is a novel about family drama that deals with some pretty big issues including adoption and miscarriage. The author explores the intricacies of relationships in depth as marriages are put under pressure.

Her parents sent Julie out to forge a career even though she wanted to join the family business. She feels that her career as a lawyer is not fulfilling or honourable and yearns to be back at the resort. Her husband is adamant they should have a child but has refused to support Julie through two mscarriages so she cannot consider another pregnancy.

When she learns the truth about the debilitating stroke her mother has suffered, Julie returns home but Tristan makes it clear she has to choose between her family and him. The past rushes up to greet her as she meets first love Chase again, but her head and her hearts are at odds with each other. She is a wonderfully flawed character, struggling to deal with everything that life keeps throwing at her.

The subplot about the runaway teen gives the author a chance to explore Julie’s ethics and gives a greater nuance to her character. The right thing is not always clear cut and definitely not easy. There is an important message about the sacrifices women are expected to make for love and this is very thought provoking yet handled delicately.

The Choice I Made is an enjoyable family drama with an engaging lead charcaters and interesting plot developments.

Author Bio:

Cynthia Ellingsen is an Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction. Her books feature heartwarming characters and strong family connections, often with a touch of mystery. The Starlight Cove series, her best-known work, is available on audio and has been translated into several languages.

Cynthia began her writing career as a screenwriter in Los Angeles and now lives in Kentucky with her family.

https://www.cynthiaellingsen.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cynthiaellingsen

https://twitter.com/CynEllingsen

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2PwDulR

Apple: https://apple.co/2IOUVem

Kobo: https://bit.ly/34arE59

Google: http://bit.ly/3qfMHvs

Lucy and Nate had decided they never wanted children but, after an accident, Nate reconsiders his life and tries to persuade Lucy that a child would be wonderful. She finally agrees but too late as another accident brings tragedy… Isla and Ben were desperate for children a decade ago and their best friends agreed to donate embryos. The friendship stuttered and contact was cut but now it is time to tell their daughter the truth…

A Child Of My Own has such a fascinating dilemma, both in emotional terms but also moral. The rights to ownership of embryos is a tricky one, made even more so by the emotional investment in their existence.

One of the things I liked most about this book is that I was able to put myself into both of the lead women’s mindsets. The book is written in the first person narrative of both Lucy and Isla so their perspectives are equally represented. However, I found myself swayed towards one viewpoint based on my own morality but the right and wrong of the situation are so complex and blurred.

Against the main backdrop of the questions surrounding the remaining embryo, there is also the emotional angst of Reese’s discovery of her true parentage. I did not find the child character particularly authentic as she sometimes seemed much older than 9 but at other times much younger.

The style of writing is easy to read and the theme of motherhood shines through. The mother-daughter relationships between Lucy and Isla and their own mothers has coloured their own perspectives and choices.

A Child Of My Own was thoroughly entertaining due to the complexity of the legal, social, emotional and moral dilemma at its heart. My own heart was greatly affected by the plot and characters.

Author Bio:

Vanessa Carnevale is an Australian author of women’s fiction. She is also the host of Your Beautiful Writing Life retreats held in Tuscany and Australia.

Vanessa loves to travel, and spent several years living in Florence, Italy, a place she considers her second home. She lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Her previous novels, THE MEMORIES OF US and THE FLORENTINE BRIDGE are published by HarperCollins and have been translated into German and Slovenian. Vanessa’s third novel will be published by Bookouture in August 2020.

You can connect with Vanessa on Instagram and Facebook or via her websites: www.vanessacarnevale.com | www.yourbeautifulwritinglife.com

https://twitter.com/v_carnevale

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/2P2sKeB

Apple: http://apple.co/2K8AXeM

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2VY6eny

Google: http://bit.ly/3aaeRUu

Detective Katie Scott discovers the bodies of two children, leading to the re-opening of a cold case. One of the girls has been branded: what do the mysterious numbers represent?

The Fragile Ones is the 5th book by Jennifer Chase to feature army veteran Katie Scott as she returns to civilian life. There are mentions of previous cases but no obvious spoilers that would prevent you going back to read them out of order.

Katie continues to have a dogged determination to find justice for innocent victims. Her former life in the army still sends shockwaves through her as she relives the horror in flashbacks. Yet she is brave as she faces her fears and carries on with her duty. Her partner McGaven and dog Cisco return to support Katie, and her relationship with boyfriend Chad continues to develop.

The weather and scenery play a major role in this book as both hamper the investigation. Each chapter has a day and time stamp which serves to focus on the rapid developments and twists that Katie must negotiate. The case itself felt a little disjointed to me and by the end I didn’t feel that I knew enough about the killer, motives or victims. However, the pace of the plot and the passion of Katie are thoroughly entertaining.

The Fragile Ones is an enjoyable instalment in the Katie Scott detective series and I look forward to seeing what she will face next.

I have previously reviewed books 1 – 4 in the series: Little Girls Sleeping, Her Last Whisper, Flowers on Her Grave, Last Girls Alive.

“Please Mommy, can Tessa and I go play on the swing by the creek?” the little girl begs, pushing a blonde curl from her eyes. “We’ll stay together, and we promise to be safe.” Hours later, their mother waits anxiously for her darling girls to arrive home with a list of reasons why they are late. But the front door never opens…

When the bodies of eleven and twelve-year-old sisters, Tessa and Megan, are found at the bottom of a ravine—dressed in matching pastel summer outfits, their small bodies broken from the fall—Detective Katie Scott is called to one of the most shocking and heartbreaking crime scenes of her career.

Carefully picking through the fragile remains, Katie makes the first of many disturbing discoveries: the girls were not biological sisters. The youngest, Megan, is a DNA match to a kidnapping case years before. The tiny number burnt into her skin the mark of a terrifying killer intent on keeping count of his collection.

Her PTSD from the army triggered, Katie is left reeling as she maps other missing children in the local area. Has this twisted soul found a way to stay nearby his victims? Could he be watching now as Katie hits one dead end after another?

A wild storm building, matching a fiber found during the autopsy to a nearby boatyard is the break Katie needs. But when another girl goes missing, just as lightning strikes and the power goes out, Katie only has her instincts, her team and her service dog to rely on. As time runs out for Katie to finds the stolen child alive, who will become the next number on this monster’s deadly list?

Fans of Lisa Regan, Rachel Caine and Melinda Leigh, you better buckle-up for the ride of your life! BEWARE – this gripping crime thriller is guaranteed to keep you up all night!

Author Bio:

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.

In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

https://twitter.com/JChaseNovelist

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://bit.ly/37VtJUM

Apple: http://apple.co/33Qo547

Kobo: http://bit.ly/39VSrWy

Google: http://bit.ly/39PZY9w

Mala has a privileged position in the Nazi concentration camp but she dreams of freedom. Edek was one of the first inmates but knows the end is near. Together they fall in love and dare to dream of escape…

The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz is a devastatingly good historical fiction novel. I’ll be honest: it isn’t easy reading and I had to take a break every few chapters. The writing is clear yet emotive, pulling no punches. Difficult to read but impossible to put down.

The prologue gives a glimpse of the end of the story. I then made the mistake of googling the characters after the first chapter so I knew how the plot would end. This ramped up my anticipation but did remove all hope. Mala and Edek were real people, real victims of the Holocaust.

Set in the brutal environment of Auschwitz, the prisoner characters never lose their humanity despite the awful experiences. Yet, they are three dimensional characters, their foibles, doubts and nuances of personality are brought to life.

Mala and Edek are both inmates, surviving day to day amidst the horrors of death and violence. Their love story develops slowly, giving us time to enjoy their gentle passion in a place where love is scarce. The reality of their story makes the book even more tragic and adds a greater depth of poignancy to the unfolding plot.

The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz is a stunning novel that uses horrific historical detail to bring the Nazi extermination camp to life. I have previously reviewed the equally brilliantly terrible The Violinist of Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood.

CURRENT Media Pack

Author:      Ellie Midwood

Book:                   The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz  

Publication Day:  March 9th 2021

Buy LINKS  

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08P3HH53VCover

Apple: http://ow.ly/mZuu50CBqkh

Kobo: http://ow.ly/C5Ft50CBqbv

Google: http://ow.ly/oVUo50CBqm7

Description:

“We must die standing up for something.”

“And what are we standing up for?”

“The most important thing there is. Freedom.”

Millions of people walked through Auschwitz’s gates, but she was the first woman who escaped. This powerful novel tells the inspiring true story of Mala Zimetbaum, whose heroism will never be forgotten, and whose fate altered the course of history…

Nobody leaves Auschwitz alive.

Mala, inmate 19880, understood that the moment she stepped off the cattle train into the depths of hell. As an interpreter for the SS, she uses her position to save as many lives as she can, smuggling scraps of bread to those desperate with hunger.

Edward, inmate 531, is a camp veteran and a political prisoner. Though he looks like everyone else, with a shaved head and striped uniform, he’s a fighter in the underground Resistance. And he has an escape plan.

They are locked up for no other sin than simply existing. But when they meet, the dark shadow of Auschwitz is lit by a glimmer of hope. Edward makes Mala believe in the impossible. That despite being surrounded by electric wire, machine guns topping endless watchtowers and searchlights roaming the ground, they will leave this death camp.

A promise is made––they will escape together or they will die together. What follows is one of the greatest love stories in history…

Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Choice, and The Orphan Train will love this breathtakingly beautiful tale, of courage in the face of tragedy and bravery in the face of fear. Based on a true story, The Girl Who Escaped Auschwitz shows that, in darkness, love can be your light…

Author Bio:

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, The Girl from Berlin.’ Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.

In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.

Author Social Media Links

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/EllieMidwood

Website: http://elliemidwood.com/