Lulu Taylor

A magazine recommendation to start the new reading year. Lulu Taylor's novel initially reminded me of Rebecca, as written by a chick lit author instead of Daphne Du Maurier. Lots of similarities abound - two whirlwind courtships, both wives overwhelmed by new hubby's gothic pile (or the crumbling folly in the grounds), deep, dark secrets, an ally in the form of the groundsman, and even a faithful dog - but the writing in this doesn't really capture the atmosphere of Du Maurier's classic. show more Fort Stirling is no Manderley, which was almost a character in its own right.

Comparisons aside, once the deluge of adjectives and awkward dialogue of the first few chapters settled down, I did get quite caught up in the dark, twisted plot. Delilah and John, and his parents Nicky and Alexandra, are the type of upper middle class 'dahlings' that I always struggle to connect with, but the flashbacks to the past, alongside Delilah's new life at Fort Stirling, are for the most part stronger than the melodramatic cast. The narrative is an uneven blend of convincing emotion and motivation, alongside unlikely coincidences and Victorian plot devices. Taylor definitely does darker scenes better than romance - I had to skim through the nauseating final chapters, after everything is neatly wrapped up!

Recommended, but borrow don't buy - or read Rebecca instead! show less

I am a bit stuck with what to say with this book, and not in a negative way!

I absolutely loved this book, I couldn’t read it fast enough and lost an entire nights sleep as i just couldn’t find a place to stop reading for the night! I tried twice, putting it down, turning the lights out but my brain just didn’t want to switch off so in the end i gave in trying and just finished the book 🙂

If you have read any of Lulu Taylor’s other books then you will love this one. I personally show more think this is her best book so far by a mile. And I have read all her books to date.

You really need a nice cuppa tea and a duvet day to escape into a very cold, very snowy dual time line mystery, with a touch of winter romance of course! You may even like me be in need of a tissue or two! And i don’t cry easily at anything! There are very few books that have genuinely made me cry, Watership Down, Black Beauty, Wuthering Heights and Anne Victoria Roberts books, Lousia Elliot and Liams Story. Those two are my go too books if i feel low, and now this one 🙂

The story is set over two different time periods with 2 main protagonists, Tommy in 1947 and Caitlyn in the present day.

Both women find themselves young widows with children to raise on their own and both women are still dealing with their own demons.

The book is full of intrigue and atmosphere and transports you back to the big freeze on 1947, the rations they were subjected to, even rations on electricity.

The plot twists between the two different women and entwines their story wonderfully, and just when you think you know what is coming, there is a twist so out the blue and unexpected taking you down an entirely different path.

I can’t say too much as i don’t want to ruin it for anyone else, but it really is a wonderful surprising book that you lose yourself in. show less

"The Forgotten Tower" by Lulu Taylor was a dual-timeline novel set across two generations living in Wakefield Castle, and the castle itself was easily my favourite part. The atmosphere and sense of place were strong, and I loved being grounded in the same setting across past and present. Interestingly, I found myself more invested in the modern timeline than the historical one, which is unusual for me.

The book was fairly slow, and while there’s a lot happening, not all of it felt show more necessary. There were mysteries unfolding in both timelines, but they never fully intrigued me. There were no real twists or moments that surprised me, which made the story feel rather flat most of the time.

Parts of the novel were quite dark and included themes of abuse, mental health, trauma, bereavement and domestic violence, which were handled seriously but may be difficult for some readers.

Georgia, in particular, annoyed me for a good portion of the book, but I did appreciate her character development by the end - it was one of the more satisfying aspects of the story. Overall, this was an okay read with a great setting and some solid character work, but the pacing and lack of compelling mystery kept it from being more memorable for me. show less

4.5* Having had a slumpy reading start to the New Year, I am glad I finally read a book that had me fully engaged. This is a story told over three time lines 2001, 2018 and 1968 by two narrators. We start with a prologue which is repeated later in the book when all the secrets have been revealed. We then meet Helen married to Hamish and returning to his family home Ballintyre after losing his job. On arrival Helen learns that Scylla, her sister in law has disappeared and neither Charlie her show more husband or Josephine Hamish and Charlie’s mother seem that bothered. We then go back to 2001 where Helen mistakenly invited to a party at Ballintyre meets Hamish and falls for him. Finally we go to 1968 where we meet Tigs who is in love with James he is Charlie and Hamish’s father.

We alternate between the time periods as the story progresses and things are revealed. I sometimes struggle when there are multiple time lines but the cast of characters is small in this book so that was never a problem.

I really enjoyed the Scottish setting. Finally I have to mention Josephine the mother in law from hell - her self absorption and obsession with her sons was extreme and I don’t think I have disliked a character quite so much in a long time.

I stayed up late to finish this as I could not hold it over for another night, the resolution to the story pleased me. show less