Review of Black Roses by Jane Thynne

At last – a spy thriller set in 1933 which portrays the women behind the Nazi warlords! All the history books teach us about Hitler, Goebbels, Von Ribbentrop and Himmler but what about their wives and girlfriends? What do they do while their husbands are secretly preparing for war? What do they talk about and what are their lives like?

Clara Vine, blue-blooded daughter of a prominent member of Parliament, breaks with the accepted tradition of her class to become an actress. When she realises that, in spite of this, she is expected to marry, she acts on impulse. A good friend of hers has recently given her a letter of introduction to Max Townsend, a prominent film producer in Berlin, in order to further her career. Overnight, she travels to Germany without a word to anyone.

There, she goes to the Babelsburg studios and immediately makes a new friend, Helga. The studios are in the process of being taken over by the Hitler`s Propaganda chief, Joseph Goebbels and Clara finds herself unintentionally included in the circle of Nazi wives amongst whom is Magda Goebbels. This makes her an ideal source of information for Leo Quinn, an undercover agent who recruits her to gather information on her new circle of friends and trains her in spycraft. She must, however, turn her back on Helga for now.

Clara and Leo are attracted to each other and inevitably fall in love. Clara continues making films for the Reich, collecting snippets of information from the ladies circle and her Nazi escort and admirer Klaus Müller and passing them to Leo. It is only when Magda confides in Clara and entrusts her with a startling and alarming mission that Clara feels compromised and fears for her life, feeling trapped between duty and love. Who can she really trust?

I found the book a really compelling read and a fascinating insight into German society in the early 1930s. Jane Thynne has combined historical accuracy, suspense and romance in an unforgettable book. I cannot wait to read her next book, The Winter Garden! An excellent read.

Reviewed by Liz.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending us a copy to review.

Review of Soloman's Tale by Sheila Jeffries

Soloman's Tale is a lovely book told from the point of view of a cat called Soloman.

Soloman has been sent to protect his grown up owner Ellen and soon he becomes the protector and confidante of both Ellen and her young son John, as they battle family problems. When he arrives on Ellen's doorstep as a tiny scruffy kitten, no one realises the impact that he will have on Ellen's family.

It is a beautifully written book that will appeal to all animal lovers. Keep your tissues handy though as there are some heart breaking moments too.

This is a lovely heart warming story that was a delight to read and would make a lovely Christmas present.

I loved the cover too.

Thank you to Avon for sending us a copy to review.

Review of Tempting Fate by Jane Green

Gabby has been happily married to Elliott for twenty years, they have two daughters, a lovely home and close group of friends. However, Gabby longs for another child, whilst Elliott is not so keen.

When Gabby meets handsome and younger Matt at an event, she is flattered by his attention and the two soon begin a secret correspondence. However, one careless moment could wreck Gabby's life and her everything around her. Desperate to save the family life that she cherished so dearly, Gabby will do anything to save her marriage. But, is it too late for that?

This is a brilliant book that I didn't want to put down. The plot hooked me straight in and I ended up feeling as if I knew the characters. I really felt for Gabby's two daughtrs who were torn between their parents. It is an emotional and thought provoking book that I highly recommend.

This is the first book by Jane Green that I have read and I absolutely loved it.

5 stars

Thank you to Penguin for sending me a copy to review.