Kate Hewitt (1)

Another outstanding and heartbreaking work of historical fiction by Kate Hewitt. I read a great deal of historical fiction and WW2 is a period that is especially interesting to me. The disturbing details of the children’s psychiatric facility during the time of Nazi Germany and the real-life characters that were used to craft the novel were well done. Hannah is a nurse who at first works at a Lebensborn, but when her half-brother Georg contacts her and asks her to accompany her disabled show more nephew, Willi to a facility in Austria that he hopes will provide specialized treatment, she agrees. She quickly bonds with Willi, and soon comes to learn that the facility has no interest in helping the children at all but is quietly killing children with disabilities to rid society of those with imperfections. Hannah is not a perfect character. Even after she learns the truth, it takes her some time to act. But she is a character whose weaknesses the reader can understand and relate to, and as she grows into the best version of herself, and fights for the children there, you cheer for her in her best moments. I especially liked Margarethe. This was a heartbreaking story to read, and was very well written, covering an important time in history.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from Bookouture and NetGalley for review purposes. show less

Originally published as "The Other Side of the Bridge" by Katharine Swartz.

Ava and Simon Lancet lost their daughter Charlotte when Ava was 7 months pregnant. Simon seems unaffected by the loss but Ava cannot find her way forward. Now a year later there is another change in Ava’s life, another ending. Budget cuts have brought her job as an art teacher at the local primary school to an end. Ava has inherited a house in Iousidous, Greece from her grandmother Sophia Paranoussis. Sophia never show more talked about Greece and certainly never mentioned that she still owned property. With only one photograph from the solicitor Ava has decided to ask her husband for a separation and move to Greece. As the first women in Iousidous acknowledge that they knew her grandmother Ava wants now wants to know more. Ava remembers her grandmother saying, "Life is for living." Will finding answers about her grandmother lift Ava from the veil of grief? Can Ava live again?

Ava’s voice tells the story of Now and Sophia’s voice reveals her life in 1942. The dual timelines are captivating and transition seamlessly. With each character that is introduced the reader is drawn further into the weave of then and now. The embrace of friendship and love is as powerful for each generation and it is historical fiction that helps us see and feel beyond what any history text can document.

I recommend reading A Letter from Kate at the end of the historical fiction novel that shares the background of people and events that occurred in Greece during WWII. Although I traveled in Greece this is another compelling piece of history that I was not aware of in this beautiful country. show less

Half sisters Juliet and Lucy Bagshaw, practically estranged from one another, with a mother who seemingly exists for the sole purpose of irritating them, are brought together when the younger sister Lucy, loses her boyfriend, career and reputation back in Boston. Meanwhile in England her older half-sister Juliet invites her to come stay with her for a few months until she can get her life together. Polar opposites, Lucy is youthful, easygoing, free-spirited, and affable. Juliet is uptight, show more subdued, austere and bitter. Things get off to a rocky start and Lucy questions her decision to live in England with her sister at Tarn House in the cold, rainy Hartley-by-the-sea. But when both sisters begin to co-exist amicably, secrets involving their mother Fiona eventually come to light, and hard decisions in their lives must be made.
From the very first few pages of Rainy Day Sisters a warmth enveloped me that is a hallmark of Kate Hewitt's books, along with an atmospheric quality that I love. I can immediately envision the bucolic, remote English village overlooking fields of sheep and fells that I'm reading about. Rainy Day Sisters exudes a comfort and depth that draws you in and holds you there to the end. I could feel the tension between the two sisters, and could see the varying natures of the village's secondary characters that enriched the story. There was a nice, mellow flow of events with an ending that left me both satisfied and hungering for a continuation of Juliet and Lucy's story, particularly as it relates to their love lives, their mother and their relationship with one another. A very enjoyable read that I would highly recommend. show less

Anna Holley has gone home to the vicarage of the small village of Thornthwaite to spend Christmas with her family, after avoiding the whole experience for several years. Often overwhelmed by the large groups that descend on the vicarage during the Christmas season, Anna decides to escape one evening and visits one of the local pubs. A chance encounter with a kind man who is new to the village turns into something else entirely when Anna discovers that he has closer ties to her family than show more she expected.

A totally solid gentle romance that I can recommend to fans of the genre. Hewitt writes well and creates a believable and festive world in the small village in the Lake District. Anna has her flaws but remains sympathetic and the romance of the novel while starting off quickly, doesn't accelerate beyond the line of incredulity. This is the first novel in a projected quartet so there is some set up of the characters of the three other sisters of the family. I may be intrigued enough to pick up the next in the series. If you're looking for a sweet, festive romance this is a solid choice. show less