Review: Angels of the Pacific

Title: Angels of the Pacific

Author: Elise Hooper

Publisher: 2nd March 2022 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 356 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, World War II

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

Their survival would depend on sisterhood and service.

Inspired by the extraordinary true stories of World War II's American Army nurses famously known as the Angels of Bataan and the unsung contributions of Filipinas of the resistance, this novel transports us to a remarkable era of hope, bravery, perseverance, and ultimately--victory.

The Philippines, 1941. Tess Abbott, an American Army nurse, has fled the hardships of the Great Depression at home for the glamour and adventure of Manila, one of the most desirable postings in the world, but everything changes when the Japanese Imperial Army invades with lightning speed and devastating results. Tess and her band of nurses serve on the front lines until captured as prisoners of war and held behind the high stone walls of Manila's Santo Tomas Internment Camp for four long years.

As the Japanese occupation of her beloved homeland commences, Flor Dalisay, a Filipina university student, will be drawn into the underground network of resistance and discover reserves of courage, resilience, and leadership she never knew she possessed.

The war and its aftermath will lead Tess and Flor to find each other to uncover secrets and reveal relationships they would never have predicted, as they work together to defeat the Japanese.

My Thoughts

Angels of the Pacific is a well researched story about WWII American army nurses serving in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation. Elise offers new insights into this genre with little-known details of the challenges faced by an incredibly brave and resilient group of women.

‘And I was right. I was teetering on the precipice of a whole new adventure. The world was about to change for me - for everyone - but not in the way I anticipated. Not one bit.’

I love quality tales from this era and it's not often that you come across new perspectives to bring fresh insight into a WWII saga. Although fiction, it is based on actual events. Elise provides unique perspectives into the role of these nurses involved in the most horrific and extenuating circumstances. I also appreciated the insight into the local Filipinos and the lengths they went to to protect their land and people. 

‘It was possible to both mourn the sorrow and pain of the past, but also view it as a time of growth and discovery. I realized that grief and gratitude can exist side by side.’

Whilst the research on the events and details were groundbreaking in many respects, I found the character development slightly lacking. I did not feel wholly invested in the characters' emotions at times. No doubt their commitment to assist and gather intel was inspiring but it felt like a documentary narration at various stages of the tale.

‘The ways this war was transforming our interactions - the casual goodbyes … the intensity of our friendships and romances - it was almost inconceivable and yet now it was all we knew …. It was the way we coped with the overwhelming uncertainty that would have paralyzed us if we gave ourselves time to contemplate it.’

Angels of the Pacific provides a unique aspect into a time and place not often explored in the WWII genre. So if you are looking for a fresh insight into quality historical fiction, look no further than this tale of a group of strong women who demonstrated incredible resilience and bravery in the face of such danger. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Little Wartime Library

Title: The Little Wartime Library

Author: Kate Thompson

Publisher: 17th February 2022 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 440 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, World War II

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

London, 1944.

Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While the world remains at war, in East London Clara has created the country's only underground library, built over the tracks in the disused Bethnal Green tube station. Down here a secret community thrives: with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café and a theatre offering shelter, solace and escape from the bombs that fall above.

Along with her glamorous best friend and library assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women's determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it seems it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.

Based on true events, The Little Wartime Library is a gripping and heart-wrenching page-turner that remembers one of the greatest resistance stories of the war.

My Thoughts

The Little Wartime Library is an inspiring tale of the remarkable true story of a library underground! Bethnal Green was a disused tube station yet, amazingly, converted into a library during WWII and the terrible years of the Blitz on London. What you have here is a wonderful rich historical fiction tale that tells of how people could escape reality for a short while between the pages of a book. Love it!

‘Was there something unique about the fact that her library was deep underground? In a world obscured from natural light and noise, did it make the act of reading more intimate, sharpen the imagination?’

What is evident here is the great love Kate has for libraries. Libraries are incredible places at the best of times - so vital and necessary to communities. Kate has demonstrated to readers her thoughts and feelings through the story and it is truly amazing. The quotes, research and absolute love of literature are inspirational and it quickly becomes clear that this is more than just a story as outlined on the cover. The passion goes far deeper than that. 

‘People came into the underground library, breathed in the aroma of books and 

let down their guard.’

The lead characters, Clara and Ruby, are fabulous - courageous yet imperfect, passionate yet realistic. This is a story about love and loss, acceptance and forgiveness and much more. There is real history on offer here all packaged up around the tale of a most unique library. It encapsulates what it truly means to be a part of something far bigger than oneself - the community, the support and the heartbreak. Inspiring on so many levels. 

‘… library work isn’t all about books. It’s the people who make it special; you never know who’s going to walk in and what their story is.’

I loved this book for all that it represented - the people, the time and how stepping into a library, into the wonderful worlds literature offers, can be so heartwarming. If you love books, if you love history and wish to see how the two intertwined for this brief moment - when ordinary people were living through extraordinary times - look no further than The Little Wartime Library.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Little Library on Cherry Lane

Title: The Little Library on Cherry Lane

Author: Katie Ginger

Publisher: 11th March 2022 by HQ

Pages: 384 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: romance, contemporary

My Rating:  4 cups

Synopsis:

Elsie Martin may lead a quiet life, but working in her beloved local library is enough to make her happy. After all, books have always been her armour against the world. So when the library is threatened with closure to make way for a new housing development, Elsie knows it has to be saved – and that, despite being painfully shy, she needs to lead the campaign to save it.

Jacob Yardley thinks he’s doing the right thing by building a new affordable housing development. Why shouldn’t local people be able to buy a house in the place they grew up? Having to leave his own small hometown broke his heart. Plus, people don’t really use libraries anymore, do they?

As Elsie and Jacob clash over the future of the library, sparks begin to fly. Jacob is falling back in love with books and libraries – could he possibly be falling for her too? And will Elsie be able to save the library that means so much to her?

My Thoughts

‘Books and the library had always been her sanctuary. They made her feel safe and secure when the rest of the world proved too much.’

The Little Library on Cherry Lane is a joy to read being a love story to books and libraries. Yes, once again I delve into all things bookish but this time around with an added bonus of a special homage to local libraries and the attributes they bring to the community. Set it in a tiny, rural village in the English countryside, removed from the modern world, it is pure delight. 

Of course this is a romance - enemies to lovers - with all the necessary ingredients associated with that trope. What attracted me to this book was the focus on a local library - a place, generally speaking, where you are most likely to find book clubs, toddler/children events, coffee mornings and overall a hub to gather for the local community. Katie brings to the fictional Meadowbank library a great cast of characters who each bring something to make readers both smirk or smile. 

‘Like I said in the meeting. This isn’t about books and bricks and mortar. This is about people and belonging and support and care. The library is so much more than books. Why can’t you see that?’

This book truly highlights just how important a library is to a local community and I’m not talking solely for the primary purpose of book lending. A library often evolves into a place for people to connect and learn, to gather and communicate, to find your tribe. The conflict over the library closure for land needed for affordable housing made for a realistic drama. At times, however, it became a little repetitive with simplistic and at times unbelievable actions and events but I was prepared to overlook that and just enjoy the journey. 

Dig a little deeper to look beyond the contemporary village romance and Katie alludes to some worthy topics. Yes, it is about taking up the fight for what you believe in, support of the community and gaining the confidence to take ownership of your life. What I really admired, however, was the light shining on the more serious issues of grief of a long term partner, the isolation and loneliness of first time mothers, the cruel world of council zoning and development which really added another layer to this worthy tale. 

Much like the warm cup of tea we so enjoy here at Great Reads & Tea Leaves, The Little Library on Cherry Lane will warm your heart transporting you to a place of gentle romance and easy drama all set in an inviting location amongst a gregarious group of characters. 

‘I just love books,’ she began with a slight tilt of her head. She pushed her curly hair back from her face. ‘They’re magical. They take you places you might never get the chance to see. They take you away from your troubles. They educate. They help you believe things can be different . . . better.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Wedding Crasher

Title: The Wedding Crasher

Author: Abigail Mann

Publisher: 17th March 2022 by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter

Pages: 400 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: women’s fiction, contemporary

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

Poppy is packing her bags to spend two blissful weeks alone on an island. It’s time away from the ex-husband who hasn’t quite moved out yet, and reminders of the marriage they rushed into young, before she’ll kick back on a girls’ holiday with her oldest friend Lola.

But before Poppy can set foot on the ferry, Lola waylays her. She has her first high-profile wedding planner gig on the neighbouring island, and there’s a problem – the photographer has bailed.

Poppy agrees to help out for Lola’s sake. But soon the bride confides she has cold feet and asks Poppy’s help escaping the island, and then Poppy realises she recognises the groom. Embroiled in a high-society disaster waiting to happen, Poppy has to save the wedding… but should she?

The Wedding Crasher will have you in stitches from start to finish – don’t miss the new uplifting book from Abigail Mann!

My Thoughts

‘What was she doing here, on Loxby? She had left the claustrophobia of home to give herself space to think, alone. If that was a test, she was surely failing. If she could learn to be comfortable on her own, she might not find the rest of her life so utterly terrifying.’

The Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann is a contemporary fiction with a focus on chaos leading up to a socialite wedding. There are flashbacks that help in understanding character motivations and history. Overall, it is about life and love in the search for happiness. 

‘What even is supper?’ asked Poppy. ‘I think it’s what Nigella Lawson does when she sneaks down to snaffle leftovers from the fridge in her nightie.’

The positives of this book are the second chance trope. There are also many funny one liners with a range of - to be expected - entertaining moments leading up to the big day. The dialogue is fast and witty. What I felt to be stronger were the more serious issues pertaining to feeling lost and uncertain in the face of divorce and loneliness. I wish these had been explored better. 

‘One of the things she liked best about photography was how necessary it was to stand at the periphery of a scene, but never imprinting herself on it.’

Herein lies my problem with this book. There were not enough funny or romantic moments (might I venture to say rather silly and ridiculous ones). It was a bit of overkill with the crazy relationships whether between friends, family or lovers - or all three at once. I would even go a step further and say that Poppy’s relationship with her soon to be ex husband was toxic and not a laughing matter, just the opposite. 

‘Poppy knew with singular focus that taking it was the only way she would have the courage to leave. This was her life raft. She needed to climb on…’

So whilst I appreciated Poppy’s growth and journey as she faced her flaws and had the odd chuckle, I did find the two opposing themes rather difficult to reconcile. 

‘And there was me thinking you had an uncomplicated life.’ ‘Does anyone? I think that’s just adulthood. A Groundhog Day of people saying “things will slow down soon” until one of you slips into a coma.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Snowy Mountains Cattleman

Title: Snowy Mountains Cattleman

Author: Alissa Callen

Publisher: 2nd February 2022 by Harlequin Australian, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 334 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: romance, contemporary

My Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

A woman's journey of self-discovery meets Bundilla's small-town charm and an intriguing post-WWII mystery in this captivating romance from bestselling Australian author Alissa Callen.

The greatest risk of all is love ...

Interior stylist Grace Davenport has come to the mountains for solitude and a place to heal after her parents' death. Returning to their beloved town of Bundilla, she plans to restore a local bluestone mansion in honour of their memory. She'll just be there for the summer, until she figures out her next step.

Rowan Parker never used to think twice about taking risks until his love for a woman blinded him to all common sense. Now, between his cattle farm in the high country and his work as a stonemason, there's no room in his life for further mistakes. But when he meets the beautiful but reserved new owner of the historic mansion he's been hired to rebuild, he realises his best laid plans have run amuck.

Together, Grace and Rowan work to bring the mansion back to life. But when they uncover a hidden trove of post-WWII secrets about the house's former inhabitants, their quest to find answers draws them ever closer. And just when the stone rubble around them begins to resemble a home, a landslide threatens all that Rowan and Grace have rebuilt. With their futures as unstable as the mountainside, each must fight for what they really want, even if it means losing everything...

My Thoughts

There's something for everyone in Alissa’s latest offering, Snowy Mountains Cattlemen. When you are looking for that light and loveable read, look no further especially if you like a few more ingredients than the prerequisite romance. Alissa brings all the small town feels of a picturesque countryside along with a mystery surrounding an old homestead renovation. 

This is such a light and lovely feel good book to read. The characters in the fictional Bundilla are regular folk you would more than likely meet and mix with on your travels. The leads - Grace and Rowan - having both lost their parents, share their journeys when dealing with grief. As Grace tries to realise her parents’ dream to purchase and renovate the run-down Crookwell Park homestead she employs cattleman and pastime stone mason, Rowan. I love how their romance swam along as they wavered and weaved in their healing journeys. 

Snowy Mountains Cattlemen is the second in the Bundilla series but can definitely be read as a standalone. As always, the experience would be that much richer when familiar faces appear, but I had not read book one. I would certainly love to return to this heartwarming community with promised future instalments in this lovely series. The added bonus of a somewhat derelict homestead slowly revealing its hidden secrets from the past brought not only a joint project for Grace and Rowan to work on together but also added another layer to the story. 

A country girl herself, Alissa brings real authenticity to the locale, capturing the genuine charm of the community. Snowy Mountains Cattlemen is an engaging tale with all the small town antics, a homestead mystery and well matched romantic leads that helped make this a delightful escapism. 

‘Today had been the first step in reshaping the landscape of her new life. When the days shortened and the mountain weather cooled, she needed to have found a way through her grief for she had nowhere left to go.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Mozart Code

Title: The Mozart Code

Author: Rachel McMillan

Publisher: 15th March 2022 by Thomas Nelson

Pages: 336 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: women’s fiction, historical fiction, romance

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

Lady Sophia Huntington Villiers is no stranger to intrigue, as her work with Alan Turing’s Bombe Machines at Bletchley Park during the war attests. Now, as part of Simon Barre’s covert team in postwar Vienna, she uses her inimitable charm and code name Starling to uncover a lethal double agent immersed in the world of relics—including the death mask of Mozart. 

Simon Barrington, eighth earl of Camden, is determined to end the Cold War before it becomes as devastating as the war Britain has just won. He has been in love with Sophie Villiers since the moment he met her. A marriage of convenience to save Simon's estate brings them closer until a mission in Prague drives Sophie to a decision that will brand her not only a traitor to her country but also to her new husband.

With Sophie’s allegiance in question, Simon is torn between his duty to the crown and saving the woman who might have betrayed his cause and his heart.

My Thoughts

Rachel McMillan has done it again! Much like The London Restoration, her latest offering, The Mozart Code, is an incredibly well written book - so rich in history with clever tales of espionage, combined with a wonderfully moving romance. 

‘I often wonder if men do not revel in the carnage of war because it allows them to rebuild the world to suit whatever utopia they imagine. They can ascribe their own traits and philosophies in the reconstruction of devastation. They can compose, as it were.’

Although a standalone novel set in post World War II entering into the Cold War, it does commence shortly after The London Restoration. This time around Rachel gives her readers the story of Simon Barre and Sophie Villiers, who are both now working as operatives in Vienna after World War II. I adored The London Restoration and believe reading this first book would be beneficial to the overall backstory of this world Rachel has so meticulously presented, giving readers a deeper appreciation and immersion. 

‘As if each city had chosen human portals through which to whisper their secrets … in a city of spies, shadows met every corner and crept over every wall.’

The Mozart Code tells the tale of spies in Vienna after WWII due to the seeming threat of communism. This is a well crafted mystery highlighting the division and corruption in both Vienna and Prague combined with the much sought after recovery of relics and treasures thought to have perhaps been lost during the war. Rachel tells the story of a sinister underworld and the incredible danger faced in trying to find answers. 

It is also a romance with the chemistry between Simon and Sophie simmering away over many years and circumstances, they now find themselves bringing it to the boil. Although in a marriage of convenience, their history dictates a far deeper relationship. Just like the spy saga, their relationship is complex and unpredictable but similarly proving to be a rich and rewarding read. 

“We’ve been like a string of dynamite burning for years and it’s finally reached the end of its fuse.”

Although some readers claim to get a little lost in both the depth and breadth of detail, I have nothing but praise for Rachel’s writing talent. Her use of language is sublime with everything from the vibrant imagery of the darkened Vienna streets to the smouldering tension and unspoken words between Simon and Sophie. 

Much like The London Restoration oozed Rachel’s love of all things British, The Mozart Code is like a companion love story to both Vienna and Prague with the addition of Mozart and music. If you love quality European historical fiction, spy stories, romantic thrillers then look no further. 

“You’re not in love with me, you know.” Simon straightened. “I don’t recall telling you I was in love with you.” He had long since determined that the word would send her far from his orbit. “Just a look there. You got all misty and far away. We’ll make it a rule. Never say it to me and I won’t say it to you.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.