Three women. A chance to rewrite history…
1918.The Great War is over, and Clara Carter has boarded a train bound for Cornwall – to meet a family that would once have been hers. But they must never discover her secret…
1939. Hannah has always been curious about her mother’s mysterious past, but the outbreak of the Second World War casts everything in a new light. As the bombs begin to fall, Hannah and her brothers are determined to do their bit for the war effort – whatever the cost.
2020. Caroline has long been the keeper of her family’s secrets. But now, with her own daughter needing her more than ever, it’s time to tell the truth – to show Natalie that she comes from a long line of women who have weathered the storms of life, as hardy and proud as the rugged Cornish coastline…
From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes a sweeping, epic novel of mothers and daughters, secrets and lies, and a love that lasts a lifetime…
My Thoughts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fern Britton has been a favourite author of mine for quite some time now, so when given the opportunity to read and review her latest novel I jumped at the chance.
We find ourselves being transported to the beautiful setting of Cornwall, where we first meet Clara, a young woman who meets, and quickly falls in love with Bertie just before the start of the first world war. She is an incredibly strong woman, and so loving towards her family, but she certainly finds herself facing some difficult decisions in her life.
The story then focuses on her daughter Hannah and the path in which her life takes, leading us through the second world war. Hannah is a lovely person, but she is far from being a good judge of character. As a young woman, she wishes to stand and fight for the country she loves during these dark times.
In the present day we meet Caroline, who is the daughter of Hannah and granddaughter of Clara. When she receives a trunk from Malaysia, she learns secrets about her family that her mother has never told her. The story then alternates between the three women, each of them sharing their own life stories, and the genes that are passed down between them.
This is such a beautiful read, I found it rather impossible to part with this story at the best of times. Fern Britton always manages to create characters that possess so much depth and intrigue. The setting is delightful, with Cornwall being one of my favourite places to visit, I could picture the scenes playing out before me. The story flowed effortlessly from beginning to end, and had so much detail put in to the characters situations and the times in which they were living.
A heart warming story that captivates you entirely. I adored this book.
About the Author
Fern began her career as a television presenter in 1980 after completing a stage management course at the Central School of Drama. In 1985 Fern became the presenter of the popular Coast to Coast, which lead to presenting roles on prime time television shows, the most iconic of which was on ITV’s flagship show This Morning. Fern’s warmth, humour, empathy and compassion have made her incredibly popular and she has become a much sought after presenter. In 2008 Fern released her autobiography Fern: My Story, which was a huge bestseller. Fern is deeply committed to a number of charities, in particular those working with and for women, children and childbirth. She lives with her husband Phil Vickery, the well respected chef, and her four children in Buckinghamshire.
Victoria Wilks 