Hannah Emery

This was a reasonably good read and a book I chose because of its cover. It is being marketed if you like Kate Morton or Lucinda Riley and I kind of get the comparison but the book is about half the length of either of those authors books and perhaps it is for this reason I didn't love it. Their books there is more story development and you lose yourself in them. This one told the story but each of the three inter connecting storylines could have been fuller for me. That said I would read further books by this author.… (more)

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. The Start of Us by Hannah Emery explores the question, “If you had a chance to live another life…would you? At the time of her parent's divorce, Erica discovered she could leave the present time and observe things that happened in the past. It was more of a curse than a blessing because she never knew when it was going to happen and disappearing for hours on end played havoc with her relationships with people because who would believe her? She thought she had outgrown it until it started to happen again after her boyfriend dumped her at a party. Only this time, it’s not someone else’s past she’s watching it’s a version of her who’s parents didn’t get divorced and who she thinks is stronger and more adventurous than she is. That party is a turning point in her life because she meets Daniel at the party and they fall in love and begin a life together, but there is always that what if … and when she and Daniel lose their infant son she begins to wonder if a world without that loss wouldn’t be a better place. The book reminded me a bit of the movie Sliding Doors, I enjoyed reading it and do recommend it. Publishing Date: July 31, 2020. #TheStartOfUs #HannahEmery #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter #HarperCollinsCanada… (more)

With chapters told through the eyes of Evelyn, Victoria and Isobel we catch glimpses of life in the shadow of the Castle Du Rêve in the 1940's, 1960's and 21st Century respectively. These three very different women's lives are interwoven although they (and the reader) are not aware of exactly how until the very end.

Evelyn grew up during World War II when the Castle Du Rêve was used as a safe place to stay for children from London. As Evelyn makes temporary friends she longs for a life outside of the castle and wanders into a strange Aladdin's cave of a shop one day where she meets Jack. Jack promises her a life of stardom in London but things change once they are married.

Victoria is blossoming into a young woman during the 1960's. When she falls in love with handsome lecturer, Henry, she imagines a life together away from her oppressive father but Henry has a secret he has kept from Victoria. A secret that will cost Victoria dearly.

Isobel has only been seeing Tom for a few months when she discovers that she is pregnant, and as they both live in tiny flats they have no option but to move into Tom's family home. Isobel has a feeling that all is not as it seems and she wonders whether Tom told her all of his secrets or if Tom's mother, Daphne, is keeping secrets of her own.

The stories are so intriguing and captivating that this was more of a page-turner than I expected. With the heart-rendering addition of letters that Henry has written to Victoria along the way I was amazed that I held my tears in until the end. As the castle gave up all of its secrets, I found myself hoping that they can all now live happily ever after.

With a castle, a curse and bursting with family secrets, The Secrets of Castle Du Rêve is a book full of mystery and intrigue; so beautifully written and filled with emotion that you would need to have a heart of stone to remain dry-eyed at the end.

I received this e-book from the publisher, HarperImpulse, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.… (more)

Jane Hunt Writer First Steps


Jane Hunt Writer Book Reviews Google


'Secrets in the Shadows' is a romantic saga spanning three generations of women over two centuries. The writing style makes easy reading but this story is extraordinary. A strange mystical thread binds each generation. In a battle of fate versus free will can Grace and Elsie stop their hereditary gift from becoming a curse and avoid past tragedies?

Moving seamlessly through the twentieth into the twenty-first century interwoven historical references and social norms enhance the poignant tales of Rose, Louisa, Grace and Elsie and the men in their lives. Cleverly written imagery makes it easy to visualise Blackpool in the 1920's, 1960 through to the new millennium and beyond. The plot's embroidery of twists and turns make this compelling reading as you wonder if each generation is doomed to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors.

It's easy to empathise with each of the women as they struggle with past emotional baggage which threatens their present life. The reader views key events from past and present points of view as the story explores past actions and present misconceptions.
'Secrets in the Shadows' is a poignant read for lovers of the mystical side of life, romance and twentieth century history.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins UK Harper Impulse via NetGalley in return for an honest review.… (more)