Blog Tour: The House of Light and Shadows by Lauren Westwood

 

Kate Goodman is about to go into an interview where she is hoping to be made a partner in her London law firm when she receives an urgent phone call asking her to come to East Sussex to look after her sister's children, Isobel and Max. Given that Kate has been estranged from her sister for 15 years, she is most surprised to find out that she has been named as their emergency contact.

Kate drops everything, heads to their fancy school and finds out that the teenagers have basically been fending for themselves for a couple of months since her sister fell and injured herself in the old house that she owns, Rookswood House. Now her sister, Emma, is in long term care due to her mental health and addiction issues. Kate has no idea what has happened, or where Emma's husband is, but she does agree to stay and care for them.

Rookswood House itself is somewhat derelict, so Emma and her family live in the nearby gatehouse.  Originally the house was home to Ada and Camille, known locally as the Weird Sisters. Ada, in particular, was well known for being a pioneering photographer, indulging in what we would see today as truly macabre photography. For example, early in the book there is a photo taken which is then developed in such a way so that the family is all neatly lined up as normal except the father is holding his head under his arm. 

Despite the dangers in the derelict house, Emma finds herself drawn to the house over and over and, despite being a very practical person, soon believes that there is someone or something in the house that is trying to give her a message.

Kate tries to figure out how to care for two teenagers, both of whom are hiding things from her, the regular calls from the schoolmaster, the builder who says Emma has engaged him to help with Rookswood, although the scope of what that really means is unclear, and tries to work out exactly what happened with her sister. There is a lot going on!

This is a dual timeline novel, although to be fair, the majority of the book is in the modern storyline, It is not a 50/50 split. Every few chapters there is an interspersed chapter during which we learn Ada's story, and what it is that she needs Kate to do in order for her to be free and maybe save Rookswood at the same time. There are so many ways in which Ada and Kate and Emma and Camille's stories echo each other. Can Kate and Emma avoid the same ending to their own relationship?

I love a book where the house is a character. Rookswood has so many secrets and casts such an imposing presence on the pages. I particularly enjoyed all the information about the history of Victorian photography, strange as it might have been. 

The only other book I have read by Lauren Westwood was the The Little Paris Toyshop which I absolutely adored (my review). This book has a very different feel to that one, so which is the more trademark Lauren Westwood book. I guess I am just going to have to read more from her to find out!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

The House of Light and Shadows

An atmospheric and captivating old-house mystery, layered with romance and secrets.



Secrets lurk in the shadows at Rookswood House...

When Kate goes to look after her estranged sister’s children in their creepy old house, she takes a photo of what seems to be a ghost. Frightened yet intrigued, Kate undertakes to uncover the secrets of the house and the two mysterious sisters who lived there over a hundred years before.

But like the illusions of light and shadow in the sisters’ strange and disturbing Victorian post-mortem photography, Kate discovers that all is not what it seems. Someone – or something – has their own plans for Rookswood House – and for Kate.

With a potential developer circling around, her teenage niece in danger from an unseen force, and new love on the horizon, Kate must unravel the secrets and lies of her own and Rookswood’s past before she loses everything she holds dear.

If you like historical mysteries by Eve Chase, Rachel Burton and Harriet Evans, you'll love Lauren Westwood.

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/LightAndShadows

About the Author 

Lauren Westwood is an author of emotional women's fiction and intelligent romance novels.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: @Lwestwoodbooks

Twitter: @lwestwoodwriter

Instagram: @lwestwoodwriter

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/LaurenWestwoodNews

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Never Reviewed

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week's them is Books I Never Reviewed. When I set my reading/blogging goals this year, I said that I wanted to make sure that I reviewed all the historical fiction I read and all the books by Aussie authors. So far, I have well and truly exceeded that and have reviewed just about everything I have read. It isn't my intention to go back to reviewing every book I read as there is too much "I am so far behind" pressure that comes with that, but when it happens organically....great.

So I will start with the couple of things I have read but not reviewed this year, and then go back to last year's list to see what I can find there!

The Wedding People by Alison Espach - I read this a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved it! It's a 5 star read for me. I intend to review this later this week.

Never Want to Sea You Again by Leonie Woods - This is a short story freebie from the author's Substack page. It's a fun, forced proximity romance. One fun thing is that you can choose if you want to read the spice version or the not so spicy version of the story! I chose the spicy version. A billionaire's secret daughter hides on board a yacht and finds herself in the middle of the ocean with a grumpy sailor! 

The Venice Hotel by Tess Woods - I read this towards the end of last year and really enjoyed it! It brings together a group of characters in a Venice hotel at Christmas time and they end up having to work together to help one of the guests. It was darker than I expected but very good!

The Missing Sister by Lucinda Riley - You know, I have read all but the last book in this series and never reviewed any of them! I listen to them all on audio and they are big books. I do find the accents that are used, and the fact that there are different narrators for every audiobook, a bit odd. Maybe when I finish the series I will do some kind of retrospective review!

The Last Night in London by Karen White - I meant to pick up a Madeline Martin book when I started this one, but I liked it nonetheless!

The Ex Factor by Rachael Johns - This was another free short story and is still available on Substack. In this story a woman returns to the town and the husband she left behind so that she can get her divorce papers signed. This one was a bit spicy too!

Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - This is part of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series. I have reviewed a couple of them but not all of the. Seeing this author at Melbourne Writers Festival was one of my bookish highlights of last year. I listen to this series on audio too!

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods - Another audio read. I liked this one, without loving it. It's about a bookshop that has disappeared and a modern quest to find out what happened there. I am super excited about Evie Woods next book which is out soon called The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris!

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson - Yes, another opportunity to gush about how amazing Laura Pearson is. I have now read three of her books and they are all so unusual with really imaginative ideas! And, of course, great reads! My favourite is The Beforelife of Eliza Valentine, but this comes a close second.

The Yellow Wood by Minnie Darke - I have been a huge fan of Aussie author Minnie Darke since I read The Lost Love Song which is an absolutely beautiful book. This was an Audible only book about a free spirited woman who doesn't want to be tied down to anyone or anywhere and the artist who loves her and is trying to move on.

The Presidents Hat by Antoine Laurain - Over the last couple of years I have become a bit of an Antoine Laurain fan girl. There's every chance I will still review this for Paris in July later this year.

And yes, I know that is eleven choices but I thought I would throw in an extra given that two of them are short story freebies from the authors!

Have you read any of these?

This week

I'm reading

Last week I declared that I had a pretty standard reading pattern now of finishing around three books and starting a couple of others. Of course, because I made last week's declaration, I didn't get that much read this week.

I did finish The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner which I reviewed here.  I also read and reviewed The Woven Lie by Liz Harris.

Now I am reading The House of Shadow  and Light by Lauren Westwood. I  read her book The Little Paris Toy Shop a couple of years ago and I loved it. This book is completely different but it is good! My review will be up later this week.



I'm watching


We haven't watched much this week, although we are currently watching The Hunt for Red October. I have seen lots of bits of this movie but I think this is the first time I have watched it all the way through.



Life

Its been a very busy week in our house!

The most exciting thing last week is that we bought a new car! It is the updated version of the car we already had (a Nissan Qashqai) and we already love it! Meet Dot! Yes, we name our cars.

On Monday night we went to see Post Modern Jukebox in concert. Have you heard of them? They take modern songs and then give them a retro twist. For example, they may take a 2024 song and give it a 1950s treatment or a doo wop sound. It was such a great show. The highlight was a version of Hallelujah which gave me more than goosebumps. It bought me to tears! When the show ended, the cheering was the loudest I had ever heard at that venue. Here's a video from Youtube to give you a feel 

Did you do anything for Valentines Day? Robert was supposed to be busy so we booked lunch at a winery called Scotchman's Hill which is just over an hour away. The lunch was fantastic, the view lovely and of course the company was first class.

We did also go to a farewell to some friends. They are moving to regional New South Wales. We are going to miss them a lot, as they do feel like our friends - by which I mean not just my friend or Roberts friend that we both hang out with.

Posts from the last week

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten 5 Star Reads from Previous Years
Blog Tour: The Secrets of the Rose by Nicola Cornick

Blog Tour: The Woven Lie by Liz Harris

Blog Tour: The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

Weekend Cooking: Two Japanese Foodie Novel Reviews
Sunday Salon: Spell the Month in Books - February


I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date and Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz

Sunday Salon: Spell the Month in Books -- February

 

Reviews From the Stacks

For 2025 I have decided to have a go at Spell the Month in Books which is hosted at Reviews From the Stacks. The link party opens on the first Saturday of the month, but I won't be posting until the third Sunday as I already have other things scheduled every Saturday and for the first two Sundays of the month.


The idea is that you use the title of books to spell the month name. There is also a theme each month, with the theme for February being Valentine’s Day/something sweet on the cover. 

Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas - A caterer in an aged care home takes a busload of pensioners with her when she goes to Germany to meet a baker she met online.

Earthly Delights by Kerry Greenwood - This is about a baker who solves crime on the side and it is set in Melbourne! This author is better known for her Phryne Fisher series. (my review)

Battle Royale by Lucy Parker - Two bakers go head to head for the chance to cook for a royal wedding. At first they are fierce rival but when they have to work together, sparks fly.

Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop by Rebecca Raisin - After all that cake we need a cup of tea, surely? (my review)

Under the Maui Sky by Kellie Coates Gilbert - I haven't actually read this book but I do own it. The family in this one run a pineapple plantation! Just the thought of that brings back memories of eating pineapple ice cream when we visited Hawaii a couple of years ago.

The Art of Cake Alice Oehr - This was a delightful little book featuring some history of cake, some recipes and lots of sweet drawings. Click on the link for an example of a page. (my review)

The Recipe for Happiness by Jane Lovering - This book features a cook in a day centre for the aged. (my review)

Yellowcake by Margo Lanagan - To be fair, this book isn't really about cake at all or have much sweetness, but it works for this prompt! (my review)

The hardest letter for me this month was the U! 

The theme for next month is Science Fiction. Not sure I will be able to the whole thing with science fiction as it isn't a genre I read a lot of, but I will try.

I am also sharing this post with Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and given the foodie theme which inadvertently ended up being in the post I am also sharing it with Weekend Cooking which I host.

Weekend Cooking: Two Japanese Foodie Novel Reviews

I have done very badly in my reading for the Japanese Literature Reading Challenge which I signed up for this year and runs all through January and February. In my head, January should have been a month long extravaganza of all things Japanese, and then I could share a couple more reviews in February! Success! I did go and see a Japanese artist exhibition in January, but never really posted about it, and I have read one book this year, so ....not success?

The books that I do find myself reading when I read Japanese literature have quite a few similarities. Many of them episodic in nature - almost a collection of short stories. Most of them all seem to be looking at the people who are left behind and the grief they feel, and how grief is processed. Another series which has these similar characteristics is the Before the Coffee Gets Cold, which I have posted about previously. I have a friend who lived in Japan for a couple of years ago and we were talking about this recently which was an interesting conversation about the differences in cultures.

Today, I am going to share mini reviews of two books which both have food at their core and both have the similar episodic formats 

The first is The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisash Kashiwai, which is the second book in the Kamogawa Food Detectives series. I read and reviewed the first book in the series last year and really enjoyed it.

The idea of this book is that if you can find the restaurant you can tell them about a dish that has such perfect memories for you. The food detective, primarily former police detective Nagare Kamogawa, will then take the clues that you have provided and try to recreate the dish as authentically as possible. There is no magic in this series, unless you count the magical power of food to bring back memories

There are six stories in this book. They are:

 A famous swimmer who wants to have another taste of the nori-ben that his father used to make,  before they had a big falling out, 

A food writer who busily critiques all of the food she is served but then wants them to recreate a hamburger steak which is her son's favourite.

A couple who run a traditional confectionary shop who want to track down a Japanese Christmas cake

A model looking for the fried rice that her mother used to make her

A man looking for ramen that replicates the one he used to have at university

A one hit wonder that had been waiting thirty years for her next hit to recreate a celebration meal but it didn't happen.

The descriptions of the food throughout the book are absolutely mouth watering. The Christmas Cake story inspired me to make a Japanese Strawberry Shortcake, which is their version. I posted about making that here.

The relationship between Nagare and his daughter Koishi who helps him with his detecting underlies the stories, particularly as they take care to honour their wife and mother who has passed away some time ago. And yes, there is a cat! It's name is Drowsy and it appears in all the stories.

There are currently 11 books in this series published in Japan, but only two have been translated into English so far. As soon as more have been translated I will definitely be reading them 

The Chibineko Kitchen is the first book in The Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen series by Yuta Takahashi. It is also published with the title The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen.

I know that I probably shouldn't compare this book to either the When the Coffee Gets Cold series or the Yamogawa Food Detectives, but as I mentioned in the intro it is very difficult not too given the similarities in themes, the tone of the writing and the cats. There is one major difference with this book and that is there is a bit of a through story going through the four stories, more than there is in the other books I mentioned.

The Chibineko Kitchen is in a small seaside village not too far from Tokyo. They specialise in kagezen, which are traditional meals offered in remembrance of loved ones. The twist here is that it is possible that for the duration of the meal you can have one last conversation with them, one last chance to tell them that you love them, and to say goodbye.

In this book there are four stories.

The first is about a girl named Kotoko whose brother died and she is struggling with survivors guilt. She come to eat a fish stew made of a fish called fat greenling

The second story is about a young boy who shares an omelette sandwich with a young girl and then she disappears not long after!

The third is about making peanut rice for a neighbour of the restaurant

The final story is making beef hotpot and is for one of the main characters in the book

One of the points of difference to this book is that it actually includes the recipes. Some of them may be somewhat basic but they are there!

There are currently 9 books in the series. The second book comes out in English mid-year, and you can be sure that I will be getting my hands on it as soon as I can!

I know I have mentioned grief a lot here, but please don't think that these are heavy or depressing books. They are both very respectful of the people who are no longer in the lives of the characters for whatever reason, but there is also a joy and charm that lifts the books. As much as they are about looking backwards they are also about finding ways to move forward.

I have about four or five of these styles of books on my Kindle which I am hoping to read when I am visiting Japan and Korea in a few weeks time. That's my plan at any rate.

I am sharing this post with the Japanese Literature Challenge, hosted by Dolce Bellezza, with Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story, and the Books in Translation Challenge hosted at Introverted Reader

Weekly meals

Saturday - Honey Pepper Chicken Stirfry
Sunday - Leftovers
Monday - Out for dinner
Tuesday - Takeaway
Wednesday - Zucchini, Tomato and Parmesan Risotto
Thursday - Baked Tuscan Chicken and Pasta
Friday - Mushroom Spaghetti Bolognaise

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

Blog Tour: The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

 

Confession time - it had been two weeks since I last read a book set in Paris! Thank goodness that I had this one lined up to read for a blog tour, otherwise I might have needed an intervention!

When Miriam's great-aunt Esther passed away in New York, it is her task to go and sort everything out. Her grandmother and her great-aunt had not been close, but as she begins her task of cleaning up, Mim finds some notebooks which seem to be telling a different one to the story she has always been told. She has always believes that her grandmother had moved to England before the outbreak of WWII, and never wanted to go back to Paris. Why would the stories be so inconsistent? Why did her grandmother and her sister not get along? And who is Lili?

Esther and her family are a Jewish family who work in the music halls of Paris, most specifically the fabulous Bal Tabarin music hall. There she meets Annie, a Canadian woman who has come to Paris to follow her dreams of becoming a ballroom dancer, and ends up at Bal Tabarin. Whilst Esther's sister has already found her place in the theatre as a seamstress, Esther hasn't quite found what her role in the theatre or even in life is. 

As war erupts, the family and Annie, who is also Jewish, take a huge chance and go into hiding in plain sight but there is always the chance that someone might inform the authorities. Whilst they all work in the resistance, that is not as much of a focus as you might find in other WWII books, rather it is the individual stories of Esther, Annie and the other dancers which are the focus. 

As Mim reads through Esther's notebooks, she has so many questions. In the end, she is helped to understand her aunt's life by the downstairs neighbour, Bibi. And the message of how her aunt lived her life could well help Mim turn her own life around, and might even help repair her relationship with her own sister.

Mim has been in a downward spiral since being involved in an inappropriate relationship which lead to a terrible tragedy about which she feels very guilty. When she is on the plane to New York she meets a man named Lucky and they hit it off, but she can't get over her trust issues so she might end up sabotaging the budding romance before it even gets off the ground.

The author has a passion for dance and it shows in both storylines. My favourite dance aspect was in the modern story as Mim and Lucky try out several different dance styles looking for the one that speaks most clearly to Mim.

As with all dual timelines, there is usually one story that I resonate with more than the other and usually it is the one in the past, and this book is no different. I definitely choked up as we got to the end of the historical story and so many of the questions were answered.

It looks like this is Nicola Rayner's first foray into historical fiction. I hope to read more from her in the future!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

The Paris Dancer

A heart-wrenching and unforgettable story of courage, friendship and resistance, inspired by the incredible true story of a Jewish ballroom dancer in Paris during WWII, perfect for fans of The Paris Library.

Paris, 1938. Annie Mayer arrives in France with dreams of becoming a ballerina. But when the war reaches Paris, she's forced to keep her Jewish heritage a secret. Then a fellow dancer offers her a lifeline: a ballroom partnership that gives her a new identity. Together, Annie and her partner captivate audiences across occupied Europe, using her newfound fame and alias to aid the Resistance.

New York, 2012. Miriam, haunted by her past, travels from London to New York to settle her great-aunt Esther’s estate. Among Esther’s belongings, she discovers notebooks detailing a secret family history and the story of a brave dancer who risked everything to help Jewish families during the war.

As Miriam uncovers Esther’s life in Europe, she realises the story has been left for her to finish. Grappling with loss and the possibility of new love, Miriam must find the strength to reconcile her past and embrace her future.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/3MAASpc

About the author

Born in South Wales, Nicola Rayner is a novelist and dance writer based in London. She is the author of The Girl Before You, which was picked by the Observer as a debut to look out for in 2019, optioned for television and translated into multiple languages. Her second novel, You and Me, was published by Avon, HarperCollins, in 2020. In her day job as a journalist, Nicola has written about dance for almost two decades, cutting her teeth on the tango section of Time Out Buenos Aires. She edited the magazine Dance Today from 2010 to 2015 and worked as assistant editor of Dancing Times, the UK’s leading dance publication, from 2019 until 2022. She continues to dance everything from ballroom to breakdance, with varying degrees of finesse.



Social Media Links –

https://twitter.com/AriaFiction
https://x.com/nico1arayner
https://www.instagram.com/nicolaraynerwrites/
https://www.instagram.com/headofzeus
https://www.facebook.com/NicolaRaynerAuthor

Blog Tour: The Woven Lie by Liz Harris

When Violet qualifies as a teacher in post war Britain, she isn't sure that it is really what she wants to do. When she sees an ad to run a museum in a small village just outside Bury St Edmonds she applies, not really expecting to get the job. The trustees are impressed by her modern ideas and decide to appoint her to the role. Soon, she is moving into the village and starting her new life.

Everyone is really welcoming, from Dr Edward Russell to her new employees Gladys and Lucy. Everything is not as it seems though as Gladys firmly believes that she should have been appointed to the role, both because she had been there for such a long time, and because she needs to be able to continue in her illegal scheme to make copies of the items in the museum and sell the originals. It's a lucrative scheme and with Violet spending so much time listing the pieces, reorganising and making big plans for new displays, Gladys needs to come up with a new plan, and quickly.

Dr Russell previously ran the museum in addition to his role as a doctor in the community but he knows that this cannot continue due to his increased responsibilities thanks to the introduction of the National Health Scheme (NHS). He therefore reverts to his primary role as trustee but is open and available to assist Violet however he can. He isn't sure though why he doesn't let Violet know that he is engaged to the local district nurse, which makes their growing attraction problematic on a number of levels.

As Violet works very hard to set up her new life, get the museum running in the way that she would like it, and try and ignore her growing feelings for the doctor, is it any wonder that she doesn't see the signs that she is being undermined. 

I found the parts of the book where they talk about the establishment of the NHS extremely interesting It was a major change and had implications in Australia where we had a similar scheme for universal health care introduced, and both are still in place. 

I did find there were times when there was too much focus on the plotting and scheming, and it was all very black and white. 

I did like the secondary romances, although one of them came out of the blue, but did enable the rest of the story to progress. My favourite secondary character in the book was Lucy, who was basically the admin at the museum and she showed a lot of initiative and desire to learn more!

This is the third book in the Three Sisters trilogy and I said yes to this tour knowing that I hadn't read the previous two. All we really know is that one of her sisters now lives in France and the other in Jersey, so it doesn't really impact on the enjoyment. I am definitely tempted to add both of them to my TBR pile. Some of her other series look interesting as well.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here. I have also shared this with British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 3.5/5

About the Book

The Woven Lie

The Woven Lie is Violet’s story

Suffolk, 1948

When Violet Hammond sees an advertisement for a manager to run a museum in a village outside Bury St Edmunds, she jumps at the chance of a job that sounds both different and a challenge.

For Dr Edward Russell, forced to resign from managing the museum owing to the increasing pressures on him as a doctor, the person to succeed him is obvious – the highly competent Gladys Wilson. After all, Gladys had worked at the museum for years and had run it on her own on many occasions.

But when Edward interviews Violet, he’s excited by her enthusiasm and ideas for modernising the museum and her vitality, and he finds himself offering her the position. With a smile on her face and the right words on her lips, Gladys assures Edward that she’ll support Violet as much as she can.

But Gladys has no intention of doing so. On the contrary, she wants Violet to be sacked as soon as possible. She has too much to lose if Violet stays.

Purchase Link - mybook.to/TheWovenLie

About the Author


Born in London, Liz Harris graduated from university with a Law degree, and then moved to California, where she led a varied life, from waitressing on Sunset Strip to working as secretary to the CEO of a large Japanese trading company.

Six years later, she returned to London and completed a degree in English, after which she taught secondary school pupils, first in Berkshire, then in Cheshire and finally in Oxfordshire.

In addition to the twenty-one novels she’s had published since her debut novel The Road Back, Liz has had several short stories in anthologies and magazines.

Liz lives in Windsor, Berkshire. An active member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Historical Novel Society, her interests are travel, the theatre, reading and cryptic crosswords.

To find out more about Liz, visit her website at https://lizharrisauthor.com



Social Media Links –

Twitter Handle: @lizharrisauthor
Bluesky handle: @lizharris.bsky.social
Instagram Handle: liz.harris.52206
Website: https://lizharrisauthor.com
Facebook: Liz Harris

Blog Tour: The Secrets of the Rose by Nicola Cornick

 

Writer Hannah Armstrong has been commissioned to write the story of Grace Darling, a Victorian heroine who became famous after performing an amazing history following a shipwreck off the coast of the town of Bamburgh in north eastern England. For Hannah, this is a chance to come home for a while to spend time in the town she grew up and with her stepmother Diana. However, Hannah has never really been that enthralled with the tale of Grace Darling. She is much more interested in the story of Dorothy Forster, sister to a rebel Jacobite general, but she has a job to do, and she will do it. When she sees a portrait of Dorothy on the wall in her family home she is enthralled by the picture, and by all the Jacobite symbolism.

What she doesn't expect when she arrives at Bamburgh is to find that Diana has been keeping big secrets from her, and it means that she will need to spend more time in town than she first planned. It turns out though that there are many secrets, and as Hannah researches both stories, she begins to find more and more threads that link directly to her, and somewhat disturbingly that lead to some uncomfortable truths about her brother, Brandon.

Whilst this is a dual timeline, in effect we are getting three stories for the price of two. We find out more details about Grace's story as Hannah researches and writes. We get to see Dorothy Forster's story as it unfolds in the past. Dorothy is the person who keeps their household running. Her father is mentally absent most of the time and is very unwell, her older brother is mixed up in all sorts of trouble, including the Jacobite rebellion which aims to return Prince James Stuart to the British throne at the expense of King George I. Her younger brother Nicholas is away at Oxford studying, so Dorothy is most shocked when she finds out that he too is involved in the Jacobite conspiracy. Her uncle, Lord Crewe, is determined that the family name will not be tainted in any conspiracy as he knows that there is a risk that they will all be implicated, and he is prepared to use Dorothy as a marriage pawn if he needs to, much to her dismay.

As both stories progress, there is an echo through the generations, both in terms of the difficult familial dynamics, the feelings that Dorothy and Hannah have for men that they don't believe that they could or should have.  Dorothy was also the keeper of a talisman, known as The Rose. The talisman has been lost to history, but as Hannah researches it becomes clear that someone believes in the power of The Rose and will do anything to have it. 

I first became interested in Jacobite history after reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, but it really caught me once i read a number of Susanna Kearsley's books, starting with The Winter Sea. There were parts of this book that really reminded me of Kearsley's stories in terms of there being an almost mystical connection between some of the characters. Reading this book made me wish I had time to reread some of my favourites from her, or maybe I should just read her latest book! Either way would work for me I think!

I liked this book because it told the story of English Jacobites rather than just focussing on the Scottish history. We were in Scotland last year and we heard a lot about the Jacobites. We even visited the famous Glenfinnan monument to them, which is handily located right near the famous viaduct that the Harry Potter train crosses over!

Very early on in the book there is a passage about some glassware. Many years ago now, the National Gallery of Victoria had an exhibition of Jacobite glassware which I spent ages looking at. Some of these were meant to be used to communicate hidden political sympathies, and others were more overt. I couldn't help but think of that display when I read this passage. 

"I can't tell you how lovely it is to have you staying for more than just a few days," Diana said later, over dinner of shepherd's pie accompanied by some of the expensive red wine Hannah had brought with her. Diana had served the meal on the 'good' china with some antique crystal glasses she had bought in an antique shop in Alnwick.

"As soon as I saw them, I knew I had to have them," Diana had told her when Hannah had commented on them. "They came from a house clearance over at Adderstone. You remember the old manor house there? It's been derelict for years, but apparently its being turned into holiday flats now. The antiques dealer said these were quite a find."

"They're beautiful," Hannah had said truthfully, but in fact they were so fragile that she felt nervous to touch them. Hers was engraved with a circle of entwined oak leaves and Diana's had a rose on it. In the cupboard on the wall, Hannah could see the rest of the set sparkling in the light, each with a different motif - a butterfly, sunflower, crown and rosebuds. The symbols were the same as the ones in the portrait of Dorothy Forster in the hall. 

You can some of the symbolism in the image below from the exhibit. It wasn't the easiest to take photos of, but it does give you an idea. 

I had not previously read Nicola Cornick before. Looking at her backlist there are a number of her older books that I would like to read at some point!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, the Bookish Books challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge when I host here. I have also shared this with British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog.  Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5

About the book

The Secrets of the Rose

Bestselling author Nicola Cornick’s brand-new heart-breaking historical tale of unforgettable courage, hidden secrets and lasting love, perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Philippa Gregory and Christina Courtenay.

1715: With the country on the brink of rebellion, Dorothy Forster’s life at Bamburgh Hall is ruled by the men in her life – her feckless brothers stirring up trouble at court, her elderly father with his dangerous secrets and the man she loves who the world seems determined to keep her apart from. As tensions grow, Dorothy finds herself caught between the warring factions, danger everywhere. Then Dorothy discovers her family are the keepers of the legendary Rose, the talisman both sides believe will guarantee them victory in this deadly conflict. Now Dorothy will have to risk everything to keep the Rose safe; the fate of the country and the men she loves rests in her hands.

Present Day: Hannah Armstrong has returned home to Bamburgh Hall for work but when she discovers that her stepmother Diana has been keeping worrying secrets, her focus shifts to getting to the truth. Their family home once belonged to heroic Dorothy Forster, whose portrait graces the walls and whose spirit lingers in her home, but soon Hannah learns that there was much more to this formidable woman. Because Dorothy left behind a mysterious legacy and it’s not long before Hannah realises it’s one people are willing to kill for. Now Hannah is in a race against time to unravel the secrets of the past before danger arrives at their door.

Two women divided by time but bound by a centuries’ old mystery. Bestseller Nicola Cornick is back with a brand-new thrilling adventure, a heartbreaking love story and the unforgettable story of how the courage of one woman can save a family and even save a nation.

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/SecretsOfTheRose

About the Author

Nicola Cornick is the international bestselling and award – winning historian and author of over 40 novels featuring women from the footnotes of history. Translated into 25 languages and previously published by HQ, her first book for Boldwood, set in the time of Charles II, will be released in March 2024.



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