Another month and ten more wonderful books read. This has genuinely been the hardest month to choose my top three reads so I am cheating and having a top four.
The Strawberry Thief by Joanne Harris. It has been twenty years since Chocolat was published and since then I have been a huge fan of Joanne Harris. This book sees Vianne return to Lansquenet sous Tannes with her daughter Rosette and back in her chocolate shop. Some of the old characters return as well as some new ones that could cause trouble for Vianne and her daughter. It was wonderful to be back in Lansquenet and catch up with some of the original characters again. A fantastic read.
The Garden of Lost and Found by Harriet Evans. This was such a beautiful read about three generations of Horner women and a missing painting by Victorian artist Edward Horner. Juliet, an art historian, finds her life falling apart after loosing her job and finding out her husband is cheating. She packs up her children and moves to Nightingale House where her grandmother and great grandmother lived before her, both seeking happiness at times of trouble. The stories of Juliet, Stella and Libby and the ties that bind them is beautifully told, and the book is as stunning as its cover.
The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal. This is the second book I read in April that features Victorian art, in this case the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Iris has a chance to leave her job painting the faces of dolls and become an artist if she models for Louis Frost. This is a dream for Iris, but her freedom costs her her family as it isn’t a respectable position for a young woman. She gets the attention of taxidermist Silas Reed who develops an obsession for Iris that could put her in danger. Dickensian is style this takes us to the murkier side of London and is a deliciously dark and gothic read with some wonderful characters.
The Butterfly Room by Lucinda Riley. Lucinda Riley is one of my favourite authors so it is no surprise her new book is one of top reads of the month. This is another remarkable read that covers seventy years and three generations. Posy is approaching her seventieth birthday and having to think about selling her beloved childhood home Admiral House that holds wonderful memories of her time with her father who died when she was seven, and where she brought up her own sons after her husband died. A chance encounter with her first love Freddie, who broke her heart fifty years earlier, brings the past into the present and Freddie has a secret that could change her life. Full of surprises and twists, this is a spellbinding read about love, loss and the chance of new beginnings.
I hope you will join me in May when I have some more wonderful books to read including the new Victoria Hislop novel and Envy by Amanda Robson.
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