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Shilling Grange Children’s Home #2
Een nieuw begin
1949, Shilling Grange weeshuis. Na de breuk met haar verloofde probeert Clara haar leven weer op te pakken. Als leidster heeft ze een band opgebouwd met alle kinderen van het weeshuis, die net zoals zij alles verloren tijdens de oorlog. Met de kleine Peg bijvoorbeeld, die niet wil praten, en met de behulpzame Joyce, die getekend is door polio. Clara houdt van ze, en van haar baan, die een stuk zwaarder geworden is nu ze er alleen voor staat. Buurman Ivor, voormalig D-Day held en Clara's steun en toeverlaat in de zorg voor de kinderen, is namelijk verdwenen. En dan krijgt ze ook nog eens vreselijk nieuws: het weeshuis wordt verkocht, de kinderen worden naar andere tehuizen gestuurd en zelfs naar Australië verscheept! Clara moet snel een nieuw huis vinden, maar de tijd dringt. Kan ze de kinderen redden?
288 pages, Paperback
Published August 24, 2023
1629 people are currently reading
462 people want to read
About the author
Lizzie Page
15 books195 followersHello and thank you for stopping by.
I love reading ALL the books, and I've always loved reading the adventures of women in the past so it seemed natural to me to write historical fiction.
I live with my family by the sea in South East England. And with my dog. How did I forget my dog? I enjoy traveling and lived in Japan for several years. I've had lots of different jobs from waitressing and teaching to admin and bingo-calling - but being a writer is my absolute favourite.
I hope my novels help shine a light on the achievements, love and relationships of twentieth-century women, and that the books are entertaining and moving.
I'd love to hear what you think - feel free to send me a message on twitter @LizziePagewrite or on FB or leave a review here.
Happy reading,
Love Lizzie xx
I love reading ALL the books, and I've always loved reading the adventures of women in the past so it seemed natural to me to write historical fiction.
I live with my family by the sea in South East England. And with my dog. How did I forget my dog? I enjoy traveling and lived in Japan for several years. I've had lots of different jobs from waitressing and teaching to admin and bingo-calling - but being a writer is my absolute favourite.
I hope my novels help shine a light on the achievements, love and relationships of twentieth-century women, and that the books are entertaining and moving.
I'd love to hear what you think - feel free to send me a message on twitter @LizziePagewrite or on FB or leave a review here.
Happy reading,
Love Lizzie xx
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
February 15, 2022
Clara Newton was housemother to the orphans at Shilling Grange Orphanage in England. It was 1949 and Clara’s fiancé had been killed during the war and for a while her life had spiralled. But now, with the children to care for, her life felt somewhat complete. Two new children arrived – Joyce who had been stricken by polio, and Evelyn who had moved so many times she just didn’t care anymore. But Clara was determined these children would know love…
The news that the orphanage was to be sold and the children sent elsewhere knocked Clara for six. Between them, she and the children vowed to help with the current money worries and finding new homes for the children. Alex was adopted by his best friend from school’s family, Peter gained an excellent job in London – but it seemed some would be sent to Australia, and others to a home for disabled children. Clara couldn’t bear to hear that. Sweet little Peg, stoic Rita, Joyce who had come into her own with photography. Where was it going to end?
A Place to Call Home is the 2nd in the Shilling Grange Children’s Home series by Lizzie Page and I enjoyed it. Perhaps not quite as much as the first, but it was still a great read. Poignant and heartbreaking, Clara was a perfect housemother. Maybe she cared too much, but she was happier with that than the rough treatment some children received. I happily recommend this one but suggest reading from #1 would be the best.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
The news that the orphanage was to be sold and the children sent elsewhere knocked Clara for six. Between them, she and the children vowed to help with the current money worries and finding new homes for the children. Alex was adopted by his best friend from school’s family, Peter gained an excellent job in London – but it seemed some would be sent to Australia, and others to a home for disabled children. Clara couldn’t bear to hear that. Sweet little Peg, stoic Rita, Joyce who had come into her own with photography. Where was it going to end?
A Place to Call Home is the 2nd in the Shilling Grange Children’s Home series by Lizzie Page and I enjoyed it. Perhaps not quite as much as the first, but it was still a great read. Poignant and heartbreaking, Clara was a perfect housemother. Maybe she cared too much, but she was happier with that than the rough treatment some children received. I happily recommend this one but suggest reading from #1 would be the best.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2022
1949-Clara Newton finds purpose to her life looking after orphans after the death of her fiancé. As a housemother of Shilling Grange Orphanage in England, she becomes attached to several orphans with disabilities. She worked with a war hero, Ivor, but he has disappeared.
Expenses are skyrocketing and the children and Carla try to work together to help save expenses, to save their home. Clara is distraught when she finds out the orphanage is going to be sold and certain children like Joyce, and Peg will be taken to a home for disabled children. Others will be sent to Australia, and Clara is concerned for all the children and their well-being.
Time is running out as Clara is desperate to find the children caring and loving homes. Will Ivor show up in time, to help Clara with all the children? Will they each find loving homes? Heartbreaking but as people band together and try to help each other, it gives one hope.
Thank you NetGAlley, Bookouture and Lizzie Page for this advanced audio. This book is available February 17, 2022.
#bookreview, #audiobook, @booksconnectus, #netgalley, #bookouture, #lizziepage, #stamperlady50, #bookstagram
Expenses are skyrocketing and the children and Carla try to work together to help save expenses, to save their home. Clara is distraught when she finds out the orphanage is going to be sold and certain children like Joyce, and Peg will be taken to a home for disabled children. Others will be sent to Australia, and Clara is concerned for all the children and their well-being.
Time is running out as Clara is desperate to find the children caring and loving homes. Will Ivor show up in time, to help Clara with all the children? Will they each find loving homes? Heartbreaking but as people band together and try to help each other, it gives one hope.
Thank you NetGAlley, Bookouture and Lizzie Page for this advanced audio. This book is available February 17, 2022.
#bookreview, #audiobook, @booksconnectus, #netgalley, #bookouture, #lizziepage, #stamperlady50, #bookstagram
January 19, 2022
What a warm hearted read, making you root for the underdog, and the things you make your mind up that you don’t want become your hearts desire.
This is the second book in this series, and the author does a great job of bringing you up to date!
The setting is post WWII England, and Clara Newton is the housemother of displaced children, or gifts she is given to help and raise. We walk with these orphans as they go about life, and see how they come together in crisis. Each child has their own story, and we soon care about each of them. Keep the tissues handy!
Now I’m looking forward to the third book in this series!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bookoutour, and was not required to give a positive review.
This is the second book in this series, and the author does a great job of bringing you up to date!
The setting is post WWII England, and Clara Newton is the housemother of displaced children, or gifts she is given to help and raise. We walk with these orphans as they go about life, and see how they come together in crisis. Each child has their own story, and we soon care about each of them. Keep the tissues handy!
Now I’m looking forward to the third book in this series!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bookoutour, and was not required to give a positive review.
February 11, 2022
A Place to Call Home (Shilling Grange Children's Home Book 2) by Lizzie Page, is such a heartwarming read/listen. Thoroughly heart-wrenching, set in the aftermath of WWII, England, 1949, a housemother is tasked with trying to find homes for the orphans she has come to deeply love and care about.
The reader is gifted with the background of each child and comes to know them personally throughout the story, sensing their feelings, emotions, and the trauma they have felt.
But the orphanage's future is at risk, and they could lose the last of stability - the last of what Clara, their housemother, that has worked so hard to give them and provide. The harsh realities portrayed are true to historical events, yet room is left for hope, love, and is filled with grace.
This story was well written, and the audiobook is well narrated by Emily Barber whose English accent and tone is the perfect vehicle to tell the story.
4.5 Stars
My profound thanks to NetGalley, Lizzie Page, and Bookouture Audio for providing an AAC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The reader is gifted with the background of each child and comes to know them personally throughout the story, sensing their feelings, emotions, and the trauma they have felt.
But the orphanage's future is at risk, and they could lose the last of stability - the last of what Clara, their housemother, that has worked so hard to give them and provide. The harsh realities portrayed are true to historical events, yet room is left for hope, love, and is filled with grace.
This story was well written, and the audiobook is well narrated by Emily Barber whose English accent and tone is the perfect vehicle to tell the story.
4.5 Stars
My profound thanks to NetGalley, Lizzie Page, and Bookouture Audio for providing an AAC in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 16, 2022
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Lizzie Page's heartwarming A PLACE TO CALL HOME.
A PLACE TO CALL HOME is the sequel to "The Orphange" in which we were introduced to Clara Newton, the recently appointed housemother of Shilling Grange Children's Home. This book picks up where the previous one left off still in 1949 and with a new challenge facing them. As we followed their story perviously, Clara would do anything to protect the children in her care and see that they are given the best possible chances and hopeful outcomes.
When Clara's fiance Michael was killed on Christmas Eve in 1944, she thought her life was over. Then the war ended, her life went on but it was unfulfilling. When an opportunity arose for a housemother in an orphanage in Suffolk, Clara applied and was surprised when, despite her lack of experience with children of any kind, she was offered the job. Arriving in Lavenham and the orphanage gave her something of a shake-up and within the first day she had already decided that she couldn't do it. But...upon making an agreement of a trial period with her point of contact with the council (who run the home), Clara decided to stay...and she soon discovered she loved it and the children. Not to mention the dashing mysterious Ivor Delaney...but that's another story entirely.
After the troubles she faced previously, Clara is determined to do her level best for the children and help give them the best chance of a loving forever home. Being housemother to the nine children in her care is the greatest privilege she has ever experienced but with that job comes a lot of blood, sweat and tears. As a council run children's home money is naturally tight and so Clara continues to manage as best she can. Unfortunately, everyone she'd previously had to lean on have gone - Judy's dead, Ivor's disappeared without a word, Julian is history and Anita, her last and somewhat precarious confidante, has her hands busy with her family. Not for the first time, Clara feels completely alone. Even Miss Bridges, who was once sympathetic and helpful, has withdrawn and she is left with the efficient if somewhat distant Miss Cooper.
As if she's not overwhelmed enough under the weight of tight budgets and an even tighter council, two new girls arrive at Shilling Grange and each of them come with their own set of challenges. Evelyn is a quiet reserved 11 year old who, once left malnourished and neglected in foster care, now eats anything and everything. Joyce, also 11, was rejected by her parents when she developed polio leaving her slightly disabled with a leg heavy with atrophy that she drags everywhere. As a result, she is angry, rude and belligerent and Clara, despite her attempts to win her over, often despairs as to what to do with her.
Added to that, twins Barry and Billy, whose adoption quickly fell through previously live and breathe their new-found passion: football. And although she has made every effort to attend one of their matches, something else always comes up to prevent her...but the boys, bless them, understand that the other children need her more. Maureen is the oldest and is still something of a concern to Clara, even after the trouble she found herself in last year, and that doesn't change this time round either. Alex is still her sturdy child, content with the world of academia, continuing to bury his head in books. Peter, who was abused by his uncle previously, has taken some time to thrive but, through his talent for creating the most amazing cartoon comics, is given a promising opportunity. Rita though 10 often appears older, has come along in leaps and bounds on the piano and is now busy practicing to participate in the Festival of Britain and it's all she can talk about...when she doesn't whisper "mama" in the vain hope her mother somehow survived the Blitz eight years before. And then there is little Peg, who never speaks and yet uttered but one word "cows" which thus saved Clara from a stampede, for whom Clara's heart aches the most as she is such a sweet innocent little girl. All these children, plus the new additions, are all dear to Clara's heart and she would do anything to protect them.
And then she hears the most devastating news. Shilling Grange is to be sold and, despite the council's promise to move them into a purpose-built dwelling thus keeping them together, discovers that half of them are to be shipped to Australia as part of the Child Migrant Scheme (a cheap solution for the council resulting in child slavery). The remaining few are to installed at the Home for Handicapped Children. Clara is livid. Despite all her hard work, all the children's hard work, to cut costs and keep Shilling Grange an efficient and viable commodity she soon discovers she has been naive in her trust and that the council has lied to her.
Joining forces with Miss Bridges and Miss Cooper, Clara endeavours to find homes for the children to save them from the fate that otherwise awaits them. Staving off the buyer who had initially approached the council with the idea, Clara soon finds out that with the loss of one buyer there will be plenty of other wealthy ones lining up to purchase Shilling Grange, going up for auction in just a few short weeks' time.
Can Clara save her children from the fate that undoubtedly awaits them? Or will they lose everything they hold dear? And if Ivor returns at a time she needs him most, will it be too late? For the children, for Clara and for them?
A PLACE TO CALL HOME is a heartwarming and, at times, a heartbreaking read. The author weaves a tale that has readers spellbound through vivid descriptions and the heartfelt stories they each have. Every moment is poignant, inspiring and touching with a few twists that have you wondering where it is all going to end up. Is this the end of Shilling Grange?
The ending is satisfactory to a point, tying up the loose ends facing them now, but still leaves it wide open for a third of which I hope there is because really...Clara and Ivor need to stop second guessing each other and just move forward together. So as the most prominent issues were resolved, readers were still left wondering what happens next?
Wonderfully written and cleverly crafted, A PLACE TO CALL HOME is a heartwarming read perfect for fans of Call the Midwife, Shirley Dickson and Diney Costeloe.
I would like to thank #LizziePage, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #APlaceToCallHome in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
A PLACE TO CALL HOME is the sequel to "The Orphange" in which we were introduced to Clara Newton, the recently appointed housemother of Shilling Grange Children's Home. This book picks up where the previous one left off still in 1949 and with a new challenge facing them. As we followed their story perviously, Clara would do anything to protect the children in her care and see that they are given the best possible chances and hopeful outcomes.
When Clara's fiance Michael was killed on Christmas Eve in 1944, she thought her life was over. Then the war ended, her life went on but it was unfulfilling. When an opportunity arose for a housemother in an orphanage in Suffolk, Clara applied and was surprised when, despite her lack of experience with children of any kind, she was offered the job. Arriving in Lavenham and the orphanage gave her something of a shake-up and within the first day she had already decided that she couldn't do it. But...upon making an agreement of a trial period with her point of contact with the council (who run the home), Clara decided to stay...and she soon discovered she loved it and the children. Not to mention the dashing mysterious Ivor Delaney...but that's another story entirely.
After the troubles she faced previously, Clara is determined to do her level best for the children and help give them the best chance of a loving forever home. Being housemother to the nine children in her care is the greatest privilege she has ever experienced but with that job comes a lot of blood, sweat and tears. As a council run children's home money is naturally tight and so Clara continues to manage as best she can. Unfortunately, everyone she'd previously had to lean on have gone - Judy's dead, Ivor's disappeared without a word, Julian is history and Anita, her last and somewhat precarious confidante, has her hands busy with her family. Not for the first time, Clara feels completely alone. Even Miss Bridges, who was once sympathetic and helpful, has withdrawn and she is left with the efficient if somewhat distant Miss Cooper.
As if she's not overwhelmed enough under the weight of tight budgets and an even tighter council, two new girls arrive at Shilling Grange and each of them come with their own set of challenges. Evelyn is a quiet reserved 11 year old who, once left malnourished and neglected in foster care, now eats anything and everything. Joyce, also 11, was rejected by her parents when she developed polio leaving her slightly disabled with a leg heavy with atrophy that she drags everywhere. As a result, she is angry, rude and belligerent and Clara, despite her attempts to win her over, often despairs as to what to do with her.
Added to that, twins Barry and Billy, whose adoption quickly fell through previously live and breathe their new-found passion: football. And although she has made every effort to attend one of their matches, something else always comes up to prevent her...but the boys, bless them, understand that the other children need her more. Maureen is the oldest and is still something of a concern to Clara, even after the trouble she found herself in last year, and that doesn't change this time round either. Alex is still her sturdy child, content with the world of academia, continuing to bury his head in books. Peter, who was abused by his uncle previously, has taken some time to thrive but, through his talent for creating the most amazing cartoon comics, is given a promising opportunity. Rita though 10 often appears older, has come along in leaps and bounds on the piano and is now busy practicing to participate in the Festival of Britain and it's all she can talk about...when she doesn't whisper "mama" in the vain hope her mother somehow survived the Blitz eight years before. And then there is little Peg, who never speaks and yet uttered but one word "cows" which thus saved Clara from a stampede, for whom Clara's heart aches the most as she is such a sweet innocent little girl. All these children, plus the new additions, are all dear to Clara's heart and she would do anything to protect them.
And then she hears the most devastating news. Shilling Grange is to be sold and, despite the council's promise to move them into a purpose-built dwelling thus keeping them together, discovers that half of them are to be shipped to Australia as part of the Child Migrant Scheme (a cheap solution for the council resulting in child slavery). The remaining few are to installed at the Home for Handicapped Children. Clara is livid. Despite all her hard work, all the children's hard work, to cut costs and keep Shilling Grange an efficient and viable commodity she soon discovers she has been naive in her trust and that the council has lied to her.
Joining forces with Miss Bridges and Miss Cooper, Clara endeavours to find homes for the children to save them from the fate that otherwise awaits them. Staving off the buyer who had initially approached the council with the idea, Clara soon finds out that with the loss of one buyer there will be plenty of other wealthy ones lining up to purchase Shilling Grange, going up for auction in just a few short weeks' time.
Can Clara save her children from the fate that undoubtedly awaits them? Or will they lose everything they hold dear? And if Ivor returns at a time she needs him most, will it be too late? For the children, for Clara and for them?
A PLACE TO CALL HOME is a heartwarming and, at times, a heartbreaking read. The author weaves a tale that has readers spellbound through vivid descriptions and the heartfelt stories they each have. Every moment is poignant, inspiring and touching with a few twists that have you wondering where it is all going to end up. Is this the end of Shilling Grange?
The ending is satisfactory to a point, tying up the loose ends facing them now, but still leaves it wide open for a third of which I hope there is because really...Clara and Ivor need to stop second guessing each other and just move forward together. So as the most prominent issues were resolved, readers were still left wondering what happens next?
Wonderfully written and cleverly crafted, A PLACE TO CALL HOME is a heartwarming read perfect for fans of Call the Midwife, Shirley Dickson and Diney Costeloe.
I would like to thank #LizziePage, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #APlaceToCallHome in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
February 18, 2022
Clara Newton lost the love of her life during World War II. However, she has not given up on life. In fact, she does what she can for the orphans under her care at the orphange where she works. It is not just a job. In fact, it is so much more. Clara receives tragic news - the orphanage is going up for sale and she and the children will likely be separated.
Each child is precious to Clara. Consider Joyce, suffering from polio. Then there is Peg, a child who does not speak. Young Alex, who loves Clara but wants his father. Evelyn, discriminated against due to her skin color and one who is wise beyond her years. Each child, as well as a few others, are very dear to Clara. She cannot imagine the children being split up, with some of their prospects that would hardly be liveable.
Clara searches high and low to find homes for the children. They have already lost so much, she cannot bear to think of them losing even more. Meanwhile, a man who once touched her heart, Ivor, has returned after the war. Perhaps Ivor can help her keep the home, or at least protect the children.
A Place to Call Home is the second book in the Shilling Grange Children's Home series. The first book, The Orphanage, introduced Clara and showed her remarkable strength as she lovingly cared for all of the children. This second book could be read as a standalone, but readers will not be disappointed if they take the time to read the two books in order.
I loved these children, especially Evelyn, a girl of tender years who has seen it all but never stopped smiling, even after great loss. Love was the hallmark of the orphanage, even with the sad situation they all were facing. Equally heartbreaking and touching, this book was a stellar read from beginning to end.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Each child is precious to Clara. Consider Joyce, suffering from polio. Then there is Peg, a child who does not speak. Young Alex, who loves Clara but wants his father. Evelyn, discriminated against due to her skin color and one who is wise beyond her years. Each child, as well as a few others, are very dear to Clara. She cannot imagine the children being split up, with some of their prospects that would hardly be liveable.
Clara searches high and low to find homes for the children. They have already lost so much, she cannot bear to think of them losing even more. Meanwhile, a man who once touched her heart, Ivor, has returned after the war. Perhaps Ivor can help her keep the home, or at least protect the children.
A Place to Call Home is the second book in the Shilling Grange Children's Home series. The first book, The Orphanage, introduced Clara and showed her remarkable strength as she lovingly cared for all of the children. This second book could be read as a standalone, but readers will not be disappointed if they take the time to read the two books in order.
I loved these children, especially Evelyn, a girl of tender years who has seen it all but never stopped smiling, even after great loss. Love was the hallmark of the orphanage, even with the sad situation they all were facing. Equally heartbreaking and touching, this book was a stellar read from beginning to end.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
January 27, 2022
Shilling Grange Children's Home #2
England, 1949:
when Clara Newton's fiance died during WWII, she thought her life was over. But now she looks after orphans who, like her, lost everything during the war. Children like sweet little Peg who won't speak, and Joyce whose body was scarred by polio. Clara loves them all dearly, even though life as a housemother can be lonely - especially now that Ivor, a D-Day war hero had disappeared. Then Clara receives some terrible news, the orphanage is going to be sold and the children sent far away.
This is such a moving story that it will mess with your emotions. Each child has their own story to tell. This book sees Clara faced with new challenges but she has more confidence to deal with them now. This book follows on from where the last book, The Orphanage, left off. I did feel the story dragged out for a bit in the middle. Not all the issues were resolved by the end of the book, leaving the way open for book three. Clara is a wonderful housemother and will do anything in her power to help the children in her charge. This is a beautifully written story.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #LizziePage for my ARC of #APlaceToCallHome in exchange for an honest review.
England, 1949:
when Clara Newton's fiance died during WWII, she thought her life was over. But now she looks after orphans who, like her, lost everything during the war. Children like sweet little Peg who won't speak, and Joyce whose body was scarred by polio. Clara loves them all dearly, even though life as a housemother can be lonely - especially now that Ivor, a D-Day war hero had disappeared. Then Clara receives some terrible news, the orphanage is going to be sold and the children sent far away.
This is such a moving story that it will mess with your emotions. Each child has their own story to tell. This book sees Clara faced with new challenges but she has more confidence to deal with them now. This book follows on from where the last book, The Orphanage, left off. I did feel the story dragged out for a bit in the middle. Not all the issues were resolved by the end of the book, leaving the way open for book three. Clara is a wonderful housemother and will do anything in her power to help the children in her charge. This is a beautifully written story.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #LizziePage for my ARC of #APlaceToCallHome in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2022
The Sale
A most welcome sequel to "The Orphanage" by Lizzie Page. A continuing story of the Orphans and of the housemother Clara. I loved hearing the new adventures of Alex, Maureen, Rita, Peg, Peter, and the twins Billy and Barry. Then the introduction of the two new children Evelyn and Joyce.
In this story the council decides to sell the Orphanage because of financial concerns. They want to send the children to Australia. Clara fights to save it and to keep the children in England and together. The children and Clara come up with ways to cut expenses to try and save their home.
Meanwhile Clara faces challenges with the everyday running of the orphanage. She desperately tries to find homes for as many of the children as possible. She tries to keep them safe from unsafe outside influences and to keep the council at bay from sending the children away.
It is a heartbreaking story , but filled with love found in the orphanage. The children feel like family. Clara has to wonder is she too close to the children and knows she has to find them homes and let them go. Will she be able to save them from the ship to Australia?
I enjoyed reading this book and I think you will as well. I await the next book in the series as their story continues. I do recommend this book.
Thanks to Lizzie Page for writing a great story, to Bookouture for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.
A most welcome sequel to "The Orphanage" by Lizzie Page. A continuing story of the Orphans and of the housemother Clara. I loved hearing the new adventures of Alex, Maureen, Rita, Peg, Peter, and the twins Billy and Barry. Then the introduction of the two new children Evelyn and Joyce.
In this story the council decides to sell the Orphanage because of financial concerns. They want to send the children to Australia. Clara fights to save it and to keep the children in England and together. The children and Clara come up with ways to cut expenses to try and save their home.
Meanwhile Clara faces challenges with the everyday running of the orphanage. She desperately tries to find homes for as many of the children as possible. She tries to keep them safe from unsafe outside influences and to keep the council at bay from sending the children away.
It is a heartbreaking story , but filled with love found in the orphanage. The children feel like family. Clara has to wonder is she too close to the children and knows she has to find them homes and let them go. Will she be able to save them from the ship to Australia?
I enjoyed reading this book and I think you will as well. I await the next book in the series as their story continues. I do recommend this book.
Thanks to Lizzie Page for writing a great story, to Bookouture for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.
January 4, 2022
A beautiful brilliant book!
Ever since finishing the first novel in this series, I have been desperate to get my hands on this and find out what has happened to Clara and the children (and the deliciously Byronic Ivor!) Within the first chapter I was right back there in Lavenham and – despite planning to take my time – couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it.
What I love most about Lizzie Page’s books is that she writes authentically about the time period while giving us strong characters we can identify with today. I am not a historian, but there are many times in this book where I was hit with the similarities between the issues then and now. Clara is a wonderful protagonist – honest, kind and sometimes naïve – and her flaws make her both believable and relatable. I want so much for everything to work out for her!
Page cleverly weaves the threads of the individual characters into Clara’s narrative and the plot moves at a pace as we are drawn into the stories of the individual children at the home. My heart was squeezed many times by their experiences and their relationships with each other and Clara. Page doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities for orphaned children in post-war Britain, but her light touch means that this is not harsh or uncomfortable to read.
Another beautiful book which warmed my heart. Now I’m desperate for Book Three!
Ever since finishing the first novel in this series, I have been desperate to get my hands on this and find out what has happened to Clara and the children (and the deliciously Byronic Ivor!) Within the first chapter I was right back there in Lavenham and – despite planning to take my time – couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it.
What I love most about Lizzie Page’s books is that she writes authentically about the time period while giving us strong characters we can identify with today. I am not a historian, but there are many times in this book where I was hit with the similarities between the issues then and now. Clara is a wonderful protagonist – honest, kind and sometimes naïve – and her flaws make her both believable and relatable. I want so much for everything to work out for her!
Page cleverly weaves the threads of the individual characters into Clara’s narrative and the plot moves at a pace as we are drawn into the stories of the individual children at the home. My heart was squeezed many times by their experiences and their relationships with each other and Clara. Page doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities for orphaned children in post-war Britain, but her light touch means that this is not harsh or uncomfortable to read.
Another beautiful book which warmed my heart. Now I’m desperate for Book Three!
February 20, 2022
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'A Place To Call Home' by Lizzie Page.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Lizzie Page, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 17th February 2022.
This is the second book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in the 'Shilling Grange Children's Home' series. The first book I read is called 'The Orphanage' which is the first book in the series and I would highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. I am a HUGE fan of Lizzie after falling in love with her book 'The Orphanage' which is also the first book in this series and if this is half as good as that was it is bound to be a page turning read. The synopsis also stated that this book is "Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Diney Costeloeand The Orphan Sisters." I am a huge fan of 'Before We Were Yours' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of an article and 64 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Clara Newton. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
'A Place To Call Home' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Lizzie discusses/includes child abuse and neglect.
Wow!!! Yet another absolutely captivating heart warming and tear jerking stunning page turner ♥ Well done Lizzie on yet another stunning success!
This book is absolutely beautifully written and it had me absorbed from the first page to the last. The vivid descriptions really put me in the storyline with Clara and the children and the cover and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.
This series itself was quite unique for me as in I have never actually read a fictional book about a children's home apart from the first book in this stunning series 'The Orphanage'. I have read several non fiction foster books but never any fictional so I have been looking forward to getting sucked into this continuation of Shilling Grange children's home !! The storyline is filled with heartbreak, love, friendship, family, shocks, tension, sadness, hope and much more. My mind and heart was completely captivated throughout and I couldn't stop turning the pages from start to end. I was completely shocked and saddened by certain events. I can't say any more than that as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. There are several parts where I found tears running down my face which isn't an easy feat so you may want a box of tissues on standby and I would definitely clear your schedules as this really is unputdownable. I cannot wait until the next book in this beautiful and amazing series comes out!!! If it is half as addictive as this and 'The Orphanage' then it is bound to be a winner!!! I absolutely loved how this book ended even if it ended in even more tears!!! This would make an absolutely stunning TV series!!
Although this is the second book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
I absolutely fell in love with the kids and I absolutely adored Clara in what she was doing for them in 'The Orphanage' and I was over the moon to "meet" them all again. I love that the main protagonist was a strong female who went from someone who seemed to have certainly chosen the wrong job and really annoyed me on several occasions with her materialistic ways to a fighter and a role model for the children and I enjoyed watching her grow and develop in 'The Orohanage' and watching her grow and develop even more in this book. I absolutely love how she fought for the children even when it felt like she was banging her head against a brick wall she never gave up!!! She was not only struggling with everything that was going on with the council but with the children, her own emotions and feelings and much more yet she continued to keep going strong even when, at times, she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. I look forward to meeting her again in the next book in this wonderful series. I could not stand Mr Browne who I found to be horrible and insensitive nor Julian who I found to be a stuck pillock from the start. I absolutely adored Ivor and although I was gutted for someone about something (don't want to give anything away for future) it will be interesting to see what the future holds after a certain surprise!! I fell in love with Marilyn and found her to be a fantastic and supportive friend to Clara and I could absolutely hug her for what she did!!! It is so lovely to see that, although Marilyn is Clara's fiancé's mother (Michael, who passed away) that she has such a strong bond and is a mother figure to Clara and a grandmother figure to the rest of the children. I loved all the children who each had their own unique personalities. I found Evelyn ans Peg very sweet, Alex made me laugh on several occasions and as for Billy and Barry I must say the Weasley twins definitely came to mind!!!! My heart went out to Rita and Joyce and it was wonderful seeing how Maureen had grown and matured so much from 'The Orphanage' and through this book. An absolutely fantastic mix of characters and I am looking forward to meeting Clara, Ivor, the current children and the new children in the next book.
Congratulations Lizzie on yet another absolutely gorgeous book ♥ This is exactly why you are one of my favourite authors. Here's to your next success 🥂
Overall an absolutely heartwarming, soul lifting unputdownable book that will captivate your heart, body and mind.
Genres covered in this book include Saga, Coming-Of-Age Story, Historical Fiction and War Story amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Before We Were Yours', Casey Watson, Harry Keeble, Shane Dunphy, Louise Allen, Angela Hart, 'The Orohanage' and anyone looking for a heartwarming book on children's homes.
434 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free if you have kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#APlaceToCallHome #Bookouture #LizziePage #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@LizziePage @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
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Review for 'A Place To Call Home' by Lizzie Page.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Lizzie Page, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 17th February 2022.
This is the second book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in the 'Shilling Grange Children's Home' series. The first book I read is called 'The Orphanage' which is the first book in the series and I would highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful cover and intriguing sounding synopsis and title. I am a HUGE fan of Lizzie after falling in love with her book 'The Orphanage' which is also the first book in this series and if this is half as good as that was it is bound to be a page turning read. The synopsis also stated that this book is "Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Diney Costeloeand The Orphan Sisters." I am a huge fan of 'Before We Were Yours' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of an article and 64 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in England 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Clara Newton. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
'A Place To Call Home' discusses some topics that may trigger some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Lizzie discusses/includes child abuse and neglect.
Wow!!! Yet another absolutely captivating heart warming and tear jerking stunning page turner ♥ Well done Lizzie on yet another stunning success!
This book is absolutely beautifully written and it had me absorbed from the first page to the last. The vivid descriptions really put me in the storyline with Clara and the children and the cover and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.
This series itself was quite unique for me as in I have never actually read a fictional book about a children's home apart from the first book in this stunning series 'The Orphanage'. I have read several non fiction foster books but never any fictional so I have been looking forward to getting sucked into this continuation of Shilling Grange children's home !! The storyline is filled with heartbreak, love, friendship, family, shocks, tension, sadness, hope and much more. My mind and heart was completely captivated throughout and I couldn't stop turning the pages from start to end. I was completely shocked and saddened by certain events. I can't say any more than that as I don't want to spoil it for future readers. There are several parts where I found tears running down my face which isn't an easy feat so you may want a box of tissues on standby and I would definitely clear your schedules as this really is unputdownable. I cannot wait until the next book in this beautiful and amazing series comes out!!! If it is half as addictive as this and 'The Orphanage' then it is bound to be a winner!!! I absolutely loved how this book ended even if it ended in even more tears!!! This would make an absolutely stunning TV series!!
Although this is the second book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
I absolutely fell in love with the kids and I absolutely adored Clara in what she was doing for them in 'The Orphanage' and I was over the moon to "meet" them all again. I love that the main protagonist was a strong female who went from someone who seemed to have certainly chosen the wrong job and really annoyed me on several occasions with her materialistic ways to a fighter and a role model for the children and I enjoyed watching her grow and develop in 'The Orohanage' and watching her grow and develop even more in this book. I absolutely love how she fought for the children even when it felt like she was banging her head against a brick wall she never gave up!!! She was not only struggling with everything that was going on with the council but with the children, her own emotions and feelings and much more yet she continued to keep going strong even when, at times, she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. I look forward to meeting her again in the next book in this wonderful series. I could not stand Mr Browne who I found to be horrible and insensitive nor Julian who I found to be a stuck pillock from the start. I absolutely adored Ivor and although I was gutted for someone about something (don't want to give anything away for future) it will be interesting to see what the future holds after a certain surprise!! I fell in love with Marilyn and found her to be a fantastic and supportive friend to Clara and I could absolutely hug her for what she did!!! It is so lovely to see that, although Marilyn is Clara's fiancé's mother (Michael, who passed away) that she has such a strong bond and is a mother figure to Clara and a grandmother figure to the rest of the children. I loved all the children who each had their own unique personalities. I found Evelyn ans Peg very sweet, Alex made me laugh on several occasions and as for Billy and Barry I must say the Weasley twins definitely came to mind!!!! My heart went out to Rita and Joyce and it was wonderful seeing how Maureen had grown and matured so much from 'The Orphanage' and through this book. An absolutely fantastic mix of characters and I am looking forward to meeting Clara, Ivor, the current children and the new children in the next book.
Congratulations Lizzie on yet another absolutely gorgeous book ♥ This is exactly why you are one of my favourite authors. Here's to your next success 🥂
Overall an absolutely heartwarming, soul lifting unputdownable book that will captivate your heart, body and mind.
Genres covered in this book include Saga, Coming-Of-Age Story, Historical Fiction and War Story amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of 'Before We Were Yours', Casey Watson, Harry Keeble, Shane Dunphy, Louise Allen, Angela Hart, 'The Orohanage' and anyone looking for a heartwarming book on children's homes.
434 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon or free if you have kindle unlimited which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#APlaceToCallHome #Bookouture #LizziePage #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@LizziePage @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
January 5, 2022
Book two Shilling Grange children's home Lavenham.
Suffolk 1949, Clara Newton housemother is awaiting three more children but only two girl's turn up Evelyn and Joyce unexpectedly while she is out at the market and she is determined to do her very best to welcome them in to the home.
Her job is to keep them all together and does everything in her power, a place called home where everything happens for a reason.
This book will make you laugh and cry such a heart-wrenching read and Clara is not alone, this book will always remain in every ones heart and I loved it just as much as book one all the children are unique in their own way with their own personality and little Peg will always remain my firm favourite such a sweetheart that needs plenty of love and Clara shows she has plenty to go round.
It has to be one of my most loved series that I am reading at the moment and so I await and welcome book three .
Suffolk 1949, Clara Newton housemother is awaiting three more children but only two girl's turn up Evelyn and Joyce unexpectedly while she is out at the market and she is determined to do her very best to welcome them in to the home.
Her job is to keep them all together and does everything in her power, a place called home where everything happens for a reason.
This book will make you laugh and cry such a heart-wrenching read and Clara is not alone, this book will always remain in every ones heart and I loved it just as much as book one all the children are unique in their own way with their own personality and little Peg will always remain my firm favourite such a sweetheart that needs plenty of love and Clara shows she has plenty to go round.
It has to be one of my most loved series that I am reading at the moment and so I await and welcome book three .
February 6, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I haven't read the first book in this series but I definitely want to read the whole series and the other books by this author.
This is well written and has well developed characters with real world circumstances yet has the historical aspect too.
I haven't read the first book in this series but I definitely want to read the whole series and the other books by this author.
This is well written and has well developed characters with real world circumstances yet has the historical aspect too.
February 21, 2022
England, 1949, Clara Newton’s fiancé died in World War Two, and she felt as if she had died with him. Thinking her life was over she felt like she had nothing left. She begins looking after the orphans who also lost everything they had, during the war. She feels her life has a purpose again. But there is nothing easy about being a housemother. The needs for the children in her care are so desperate, from Peg who doesn’t speak and Joyce who has polio. Clara will do anything she possibly can for the children. But then Clara receives horrible that the orphanage is going to be sold and the children will be sent away. Joyce and Peg will be sent to a home for disabled children and all the others will be sent to Australia. Clara has to find homes for them or she will never see them again. She has to do everything she can to save them, but most of all she must keep them together, all they have is each other. They need her as much as she needs them. This is the second book in the series Shilling Grange Children’s Home, and it was just as good as the first book. This was a wonderful continuation of the series as it was nice to reconnect with the children. This story was so wonderfully written that you can’t help but relate with Clara and her love for the children. This book was both heartbreaking and inspirational. This is such a rapid page turner and is one that is sure to stay with you for a very long time. The unforgettable characters and their situations were so heartwarming and captivating, and the flow of the story made this an unputdownable book. This story was so well written that I felt like I wanted to jump into the book and wipe away their tears. It was truly phenomenal, I loved it.
Thank you Lizzie Page for such a beautifully written story filled with inspiration and hope. I look forward to reading the last book in the series. I loved it and I highly recommend it.
Thank you Lizzie Page for such a beautifully written story filled with inspiration and hope. I look forward to reading the last book in the series. I loved it and I highly recommend it.
October 23, 2023
I am really enjoying this series that takes place in England from the late 1940s thru the early 1950s. Clara's fiance, a pilot from the US, was killed in the war. She lost her job and was at lose ends, so when she saw an advert for a housemother needed for a children's home, she applied and was hired.
These books wouldn't win a literary award, but the stories are sweet and often humorous or very sad. The youngest, Peg, doesn't speak, Rita, age ten, becomes a pianist and is very talented, Alex is a genius, and Clara calls him her little professor. The older children, Peter, a redhead with lots of freckles, is a cartoonist, and Maureen is boy crazy and a great baker. There are more children and many neighbors that make these books delightful.
These books wouldn't win a literary award, but the stories are sweet and often humorous or very sad. The youngest, Peg, doesn't speak, Rita, age ten, becomes a pianist and is very talented, Alex is a genius, and Clara calls him her little professor. The older children, Peter, a redhead with lots of freckles, is a cartoonist, and Maureen is boy crazy and a great baker. There are more children and many neighbors that make these books delightful.
February 15, 2022
This is Book 2 in the Shilling Grange children’s home series. This book carries on where the first book left off and we are back with Carla Newton and the children she looks after. I really enjoyed this book and the development of all the characters as we progress through the story. I loved reading about the children and each of them had their own little personality which was really good to read about. This book was at times an emotional read but there were also parts that made me smile and laugh out loud.
November 15, 2023
Book two, it was like coming home and seeing old friends.
On to book three!
On to book three!
March 10, 2022
It took me a while to get into the book. I've restarted it four times, and finally, the fourth time was the lucky break. Wonderful story of love and trust and fight and triumph, and long road of orphan children to building a family.
Sometimes it takes only one person to change someone's life forever. For the children of the Shilling Grange Orphanage, it was Clara Newton. After the war, she has dedicated her time, life and heart to the children who lost everything during the war. And by everything I do not mean the material things, besides their beloved parents, they have lost hope, trust, and security.
Once Ms. Newton finally found her way to her children's hearts, she received a piece of devastating news. Their home was up for sale, and kids were spread out thru multiple orphanage houses. With no time for grievance, Clara threw herself headfirst into a long fight for her children.
A beautiful and heartwarming story of a blended family. I was very happy I didn't give up on the book at the beginning. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture publisher for an amazing story.
Sometimes it takes only one person to change someone's life forever. For the children of the Shilling Grange Orphanage, it was Clara Newton. After the war, she has dedicated her time, life and heart to the children who lost everything during the war. And by everything I do not mean the material things, besides their beloved parents, they have lost hope, trust, and security.
Once Ms. Newton finally found her way to her children's hearts, she received a piece of devastating news. Their home was up for sale, and kids were spread out thru multiple orphanage houses. With no time for grievance, Clara threw herself headfirst into a long fight for her children.
A beautiful and heartwarming story of a blended family. I was very happy I didn't give up on the book at the beginning. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture publisher for an amazing story.
January 29, 2022
If you have never read a Lizzie Page book, you have missed a real treat!
In "A Place to Call Home (Shilling Grange Children's Home Book 2)" the character's literally dance across the page in realistic description. Clara Newton is the superintendent of the "Shilling Grange Orphanage". Perhaps "superintendent" is a empty word for a woman who loves and cares for each one of the destitute children with all her heart. For many with special needs, she is the only parental figure they will ever have.
Played out like a perfect "Hallmark" movie, Lizzie Page beautifully brings each child to life. A few examples include twin boys that love football, Rita who enjoys playing the piano, Peter a budding artist that loves to draw, and Joyce who learns the joy of photography. In an especially memorable scene, one can mentally hear the laughter and squeals of the children as they have a "possible" encounter with a hairy spider.🕷
The first book in this series is called "The Orphanage". If you have not read it, this works great as a standalone. "A Place to Call Home" will be published February 17, 2022 and is a total delight!
Bravo Lizzie Page!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the honor of reviewing this inspiring e-book. I love it!
In "A Place to Call Home (Shilling Grange Children's Home Book 2)" the character's literally dance across the page in realistic description. Clara Newton is the superintendent of the "Shilling Grange Orphanage". Perhaps "superintendent" is a empty word for a woman who loves and cares for each one of the destitute children with all her heart. For many with special needs, she is the only parental figure they will ever have.
Played out like a perfect "Hallmark" movie, Lizzie Page beautifully brings each child to life. A few examples include twin boys that love football, Rita who enjoys playing the piano, Peter a budding artist that loves to draw, and Joyce who learns the joy of photography. In an especially memorable scene, one can mentally hear the laughter and squeals of the children as they have a "possible" encounter with a hairy spider.🕷
The first book in this series is called "The Orphanage". If you have not read it, this works great as a standalone. "A Place to Call Home" will be published February 17, 2022 and is a total delight!
Bravo Lizzie Page!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the honor of reviewing this inspiring e-book. I love it!
February 24, 2022
A Place to Call Home is the second in the Shillings Grange series by Lizzie Page. Again, as with book one, I found it to be a good read but one that only really picked up towards the last quarter or so as things started to come together and other events occurred which set us up nicely for book three. Don’t worry if you are new to this series as it is easily read as a standalone story. There is plenty of information provided as to the backstory to all the various characters and how they find themselves currently dealing with a wide range of problems. There is a big cast of characters to get to know and admittedly it is slightly confusing at first but once you settle into the story you realise that each person has their own distinct and unique voice which shines through from the pages.
The loudest voice is that of Clara Newton, mistress of the Shillings Grange, the orphanage which houses an eclectic mix of children. Clara really has matured since we first encountered her in book one. Gone is the young woman who is struggling to acclimatise to her new job and who seemed at some points to have the children running circles around her. This time around I found her to be more settled and confident and much more willing to fight for the orphanage to stay open and for the children to have some form of safety, security and love. That’s not to say that Clara is perfect and gets everything right. In fact, far from it. She knows what she wants to achieve and faces a daily uphill battle to do so. There are many trials and tribulations that are sent her way and she faces stiff opposition to keep the orphanage open and prevent the children she has come to love so dearly from being separated. What really stood out in this book perhaps more so than the first is the Clara and the children have become like one big family unit. They may be unconventional and have come from various troubled and distressing backgrounds but they are solidifying a new group where they always try to look out for one another and make the best of any bad situation that comes their way.
Clara really wants her charges, both old and new, to blossom. I think now she feels more secure in herself and the death of her fiancée during the war although traumatic and devastating she is now finally beginning to put this loss behind her. She knows that she can’t go back to the past but must move forward into the future. The love she has for the children felt really strong in this story. Before, I felt she was very much like a fish out of water frantically swimming against the tide each day not knowing what direction she would take to reach her final comforting destination. I don’t think she has reached that end point yet but she is doing her best to get there and to navigate the bumps in the road along the way.
Maureen, the eldest of the children at the Grange, is being secretive and has dumped her boyfriend Joe much to Clara’s dismay. There were subtle hints as to what was going on with Maureen which I quickly guessed and was fervently hoping Clara would too. Peter, Rita, Alex, Peg, the twins Billy and Barry, all feature again. I have to say the twins really stand out in the way they are written, they are two peas in a pod who provide so many comedic moments and I could visualise them so clearly with all their antics and the exasperation Clara feels towards them sometimes. Two new residents arrive, Evelyn and Joyce, who both come with their own issues and troubles. Clara has to try and break down their barriers just like she has done with every child. I think now she is more wary in that she doesn’t rush straight into things headfirst, she has learned a lot from her time at the Grange. She knows children need time to settle in as they all come from such different backgrounds that have been troublesome and which have lasting effects.
I loved the way Clara interacted with all the children. She seemed more settled and wiser but still she questions herself and desperately hopes that her ally and support system Ivor will return. Clara wants to keep the home happy and safe for everyone but when rumours begin to spread that the home is to be sold, fear and doubt sets in. She knows she must do everything in her power to prevent the closure as she has done so well in helping the children become more confident and to deal with all the struggles that they face. When she hears even more devastating news that those who cannot find homes are to be shipped away to Australia, Clara knows she must do everything in her power to prevent this from happening. She has come so far to go down without a fight and now she can stand on her own two feet she is determined to show everyone and the powers that be that Shillings Grange is worthwhile and needs to be open as she does such good work. The children are happy and content and their care and wellbeing is always her utmost priority.
The story really developed as Clara champions the underdog and goes above and beyond to keep the Grange open. An unexpected source makes an appearance but will it be too little too late? I did enjoy how everything was panning out in the last quarter or so. I will say the romance side regarding Clara and Ivor remains as frustrating as ever. They are so destined to be together, but they really need their heads banging together as they are more separated and apart than ever before. Communication and being honest is the key but that doesn’t seem to be happening here. In her end notes Lizzie Page eluded to the fact that readers may find the Clara/Ivor situation frustrating but she assures us that she knows exactly in which direction this part of the story is heading. I trust we are in safe hands and I am keen to figure out what will happen for the pair and in fact for all the residents of the Grange.
A Place to Call Home is a good addition to the series overall. It’s a nice saga that really grows on you and Clara and the children do find a place in your heart. The issues of children’s safeguarding, the English class system and how the decisions made by bureaucrats do affect so many were well developed, and I hope will continue to be so in the next book. I’m looking forward to An Orphan's Song already as there are lots of unanswered questions making the reader want more.
The loudest voice is that of Clara Newton, mistress of the Shillings Grange, the orphanage which houses an eclectic mix of children. Clara really has matured since we first encountered her in book one. Gone is the young woman who is struggling to acclimatise to her new job and who seemed at some points to have the children running circles around her. This time around I found her to be more settled and confident and much more willing to fight for the orphanage to stay open and for the children to have some form of safety, security and love. That’s not to say that Clara is perfect and gets everything right. In fact, far from it. She knows what she wants to achieve and faces a daily uphill battle to do so. There are many trials and tribulations that are sent her way and she faces stiff opposition to keep the orphanage open and prevent the children she has come to love so dearly from being separated. What really stood out in this book perhaps more so than the first is the Clara and the children have become like one big family unit. They may be unconventional and have come from various troubled and distressing backgrounds but they are solidifying a new group where they always try to look out for one another and make the best of any bad situation that comes their way.
Clara really wants her charges, both old and new, to blossom. I think now she feels more secure in herself and the death of her fiancée during the war although traumatic and devastating she is now finally beginning to put this loss behind her. She knows that she can’t go back to the past but must move forward into the future. The love she has for the children felt really strong in this story. Before, I felt she was very much like a fish out of water frantically swimming against the tide each day not knowing what direction she would take to reach her final comforting destination. I don’t think she has reached that end point yet but she is doing her best to get there and to navigate the bumps in the road along the way.
Maureen, the eldest of the children at the Grange, is being secretive and has dumped her boyfriend Joe much to Clara’s dismay. There were subtle hints as to what was going on with Maureen which I quickly guessed and was fervently hoping Clara would too. Peter, Rita, Alex, Peg, the twins Billy and Barry, all feature again. I have to say the twins really stand out in the way they are written, they are two peas in a pod who provide so many comedic moments and I could visualise them so clearly with all their antics and the exasperation Clara feels towards them sometimes. Two new residents arrive, Evelyn and Joyce, who both come with their own issues and troubles. Clara has to try and break down their barriers just like she has done with every child. I think now she is more wary in that she doesn’t rush straight into things headfirst, she has learned a lot from her time at the Grange. She knows children need time to settle in as they all come from such different backgrounds that have been troublesome and which have lasting effects.
I loved the way Clara interacted with all the children. She seemed more settled and wiser but still she questions herself and desperately hopes that her ally and support system Ivor will return. Clara wants to keep the home happy and safe for everyone but when rumours begin to spread that the home is to be sold, fear and doubt sets in. She knows she must do everything in her power to prevent the closure as she has done so well in helping the children become more confident and to deal with all the struggles that they face. When she hears even more devastating news that those who cannot find homes are to be shipped away to Australia, Clara knows she must do everything in her power to prevent this from happening. She has come so far to go down without a fight and now she can stand on her own two feet she is determined to show everyone and the powers that be that Shillings Grange is worthwhile and needs to be open as she does such good work. The children are happy and content and their care and wellbeing is always her utmost priority.
The story really developed as Clara champions the underdog and goes above and beyond to keep the Grange open. An unexpected source makes an appearance but will it be too little too late? I did enjoy how everything was panning out in the last quarter or so. I will say the romance side regarding Clara and Ivor remains as frustrating as ever. They are so destined to be together, but they really need their heads banging together as they are more separated and apart than ever before. Communication and being honest is the key but that doesn’t seem to be happening here. In her end notes Lizzie Page eluded to the fact that readers may find the Clara/Ivor situation frustrating but she assures us that she knows exactly in which direction this part of the story is heading. I trust we are in safe hands and I am keen to figure out what will happen for the pair and in fact for all the residents of the Grange.
A Place to Call Home is a good addition to the series overall. It’s a nice saga that really grows on you and Clara and the children do find a place in your heart. The issues of children’s safeguarding, the English class system and how the decisions made by bureaucrats do affect so many were well developed, and I hope will continue to be so in the next book. I’m looking forward to An Orphan's Song already as there are lots of unanswered questions making the reader want more.
February 17, 2022
I love this author’s writing. She is unique and with her sparky, gently-funny asides, her sketches of people, she draws me right into her world. I think she must be a sensitive soul, Lizzie Page, and I imagine her sitting quietly at social occasions observing people, carefully, quietly, discreetly. She wouldn’t scribble down her observations in front of people but hurry home and do that afterwards. I’d love a peek inside her writer’s notebook.
The waifs and strays of Shilling Grange are bumbling along thanks to the love and care of Clara, their “house-mother”. She professes to not being maternal but she brims with love, this splendid young woman. There are mistakes and mishaps along the way and they are all very endearing. She was bereft of love herself as a child, so there is an understanding, a need to make life as happy as she can for her protégés. And they all have problems, ranging from abuse to mutism and lots more between. No spoilers here, but take it from me that each and every little cameo is believable… and ultimately lovable. In the immediate aftermath of a dreadful war, Clara is mindful of “The things people lived with. The memories they carried around with them…” and although the story brims with humour, there is poignancy in abundance.
Menace broods – and the spectre of Fairbridge Farm looms over the fate of some of the children. This is a real place in Australia that caused a scandal far too late. News of this awful place where children were treated so badly didn’t leak out until immediately but Clara has an instinctive fear about the proposition. Find out what happens and read for yourselves.
Page is a gifted writer, a natural. Her brushstrokes are deft, her little phrases say everything, whether it is a new-born baby described as “a swaddle of milk and talc” with “lashes like tiny feathers”, or “clouds, fine wispy things, like young boys’ moustaches”; “Howard was teething, his cheeks like fire engines.” This author knows about children. I could cite many more sentences that I highlighted.
I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next instalment. That was a bit of a tease, like a huge cliff-hanger, but I don’t believe we have too long to wait.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an early issue of this splendid book. This is my unbiased, honest review. Five full-fat stars, without question.
The waifs and strays of Shilling Grange are bumbling along thanks to the love and care of Clara, their “house-mother”. She professes to not being maternal but she brims with love, this splendid young woman. There are mistakes and mishaps along the way and they are all very endearing. She was bereft of love herself as a child, so there is an understanding, a need to make life as happy as she can for her protégés. And they all have problems, ranging from abuse to mutism and lots more between. No spoilers here, but take it from me that each and every little cameo is believable… and ultimately lovable. In the immediate aftermath of a dreadful war, Clara is mindful of “The things people lived with. The memories they carried around with them…” and although the story brims with humour, there is poignancy in abundance.
Menace broods – and the spectre of Fairbridge Farm looms over the fate of some of the children. This is a real place in Australia that caused a scandal far too late. News of this awful place where children were treated so badly didn’t leak out until immediately but Clara has an instinctive fear about the proposition. Find out what happens and read for yourselves.
Page is a gifted writer, a natural. Her brushstrokes are deft, her little phrases say everything, whether it is a new-born baby described as “a swaddle of milk and talc” with “lashes like tiny feathers”, or “clouds, fine wispy things, like young boys’ moustaches”; “Howard was teething, his cheeks like fire engines.” This author knows about children. I could cite many more sentences that I highlighted.
I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next instalment. That was a bit of a tease, like a huge cliff-hanger, but I don’t believe we have too long to wait.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an early issue of this splendid book. This is my unbiased, honest review. Five full-fat stars, without question.
October 2, 2023
Mijn ervaring:
Hoofdpersonage Clara, de huismoeder van Shilling Grange die graag voor haar kinderen wilt zorgen, wat een geweldige vrouw is dat zeg! Een vrouw die voor haar kinderen vecht. Het eerste deel van de serie Het weeshuis had ik al gelezen en hier lees je hoe Clara zich settelt en zich de geliefde huismoeder titel waarmaakt. Op zich hoef je niet het eerste deel vooraf te lezen, maar ik raad het toch aan om het wel te doen want ik ben blij dat ik dat wel heb gedaan. Ik was zo benieuwd hoe het nu met Clara en de kinderen zou gaan.
Clara krijgt te maken met nieuwe uitdagingen, waar ze na haar langzame, toch leerzame start nu met meer zelfvertrouwen weet hoe hiermee om te gaan. Haar vriendelijkheid, steun en medeleven geeft ze aan haar kinderen maar twijfelt toch nog of ze niet te dicht bij de kinderen staat. Haar karakter maakt het verhaal weer mooi, ze is gewoon een lieve vrouw met een hart van goud.
Heel fijn vond ik het om over de nieuwe avonturen van Rita, Alex, Maureen, Peg, Peter, Billy en Barry te lezen. Maar ook de aankomst van twee nieuwe kinderen in het huis, Evelyn en Joyce. Hoe deze twee jongedames aankwamen, moest ik stiekem wel om lachen.
Clara krijgt van de gemeente te horen dat het weeshuis, vanwege financiële problemen, moet worden verkocht. Ze willen de kinderen naar Australië sturen maar Clara gaat het gevecht aan want ze wil de kinderen in Engeland bij elkaar houden.
Zal ze de kinderen kunnen redden van het schip naar Australië.
Doordat Page de rol van de eerlijke en vriendelijke Clara zo goed heeft neergezet heb ik genoten, maar ik vond dit verhaal wel een beetje te lang. Het had iets ingekort kunnen worden. Dit gevoel had ik niet bij het eerste deel van de serie.
Al met al een mooi, beeldend, dat ik bij bepaalde gebeurtenissen met een brok in mijn keel heb gelezen, verhaal om te gaan lezen. Wat ik al eerder heb gezegd, lees ook het eerste deel, dan heb je er toch meer gevoel bij Clara en de kinderen.
De cover vind ik, net zoals bij het eerste boek, mooi en zeer bij het verhaal passen
Hoofdpersonage Clara, de huismoeder van Shilling Grange die graag voor haar kinderen wilt zorgen, wat een geweldige vrouw is dat zeg! Een vrouw die voor haar kinderen vecht. Het eerste deel van de serie Het weeshuis had ik al gelezen en hier lees je hoe Clara zich settelt en zich de geliefde huismoeder titel waarmaakt. Op zich hoef je niet het eerste deel vooraf te lezen, maar ik raad het toch aan om het wel te doen want ik ben blij dat ik dat wel heb gedaan. Ik was zo benieuwd hoe het nu met Clara en de kinderen zou gaan.
Clara krijgt te maken met nieuwe uitdagingen, waar ze na haar langzame, toch leerzame start nu met meer zelfvertrouwen weet hoe hiermee om te gaan. Haar vriendelijkheid, steun en medeleven geeft ze aan haar kinderen maar twijfelt toch nog of ze niet te dicht bij de kinderen staat. Haar karakter maakt het verhaal weer mooi, ze is gewoon een lieve vrouw met een hart van goud.
Heel fijn vond ik het om over de nieuwe avonturen van Rita, Alex, Maureen, Peg, Peter, Billy en Barry te lezen. Maar ook de aankomst van twee nieuwe kinderen in het huis, Evelyn en Joyce. Hoe deze twee jongedames aankwamen, moest ik stiekem wel om lachen.
Clara krijgt van de gemeente te horen dat het weeshuis, vanwege financiële problemen, moet worden verkocht. Ze willen de kinderen naar Australië sturen maar Clara gaat het gevecht aan want ze wil de kinderen in Engeland bij elkaar houden.
Zal ze de kinderen kunnen redden van het schip naar Australië.
Doordat Page de rol van de eerlijke en vriendelijke Clara zo goed heeft neergezet heb ik genoten, maar ik vond dit verhaal wel een beetje te lang. Het had iets ingekort kunnen worden. Dit gevoel had ik niet bij het eerste deel van de serie.
Al met al een mooi, beeldend, dat ik bij bepaalde gebeurtenissen met een brok in mijn keel heb gelezen, verhaal om te gaan lezen. Wat ik al eerder heb gezegd, lees ook het eerste deel, dan heb je er toch meer gevoel bij Clara en de kinderen.
De cover vind ik, net zoals bij het eerste boek, mooi en zeer bij het verhaal passen
February 12, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
Synopsis
Shilling Grange Orphanage, England, 1949. She would do anything to protect the innocent children in her care. But soon they could be sent into danger…
When Clara Newton’s fiancé died during World War Two, she thought her life was over. But now she looks after orphans who, like her, lost everything during the war. Children like sweet little Peg who won’t speak, and Joyce whose body was scarred by polio. Clara loves them all dearly, even though life as a housemother can be lonely – especially now that Ivor, a D-Day war hero with dark brown eyes who once helped with the children, has disappeared…
But then Clara receives some terrible news. The orphanage is going to be sold and the children sent far away. Joyce and Peg will be taken to a notorious home for disabled children. The others will be sent to Australia, where Clara fears they will be mistreated by unknown families. Any day now, the children could lose everything she worked so hard to provide…
With wealthy buyers lined up to purchase Shilling Grange and a ship already docked waiting to carry the children away, Clara is desperate. She must find loving new homes for them quickly, but time is running out… Can she save the orphans before they lose everything all over again? And even if Ivor returns when she needs him the most, will it be too late?
A completely heart-wrenching and unforgettable historical novel, set after the devastation of World War Two. Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Diney Costeloe and The Orphan Sisters.
Another beautifully written, heartwarming and heart wrenching read from Lizzie Page. The follow up to The orphanage is perfect for fans of Call The Midwife, The Tate and Lyle girls and any others set in the period. It’s stunningly written, beautifully narrated and the perfect cozy, fell-good novel, ideal for a wet weekend. #Jorecommends
Synopsis
Shilling Grange Orphanage, England, 1949. She would do anything to protect the innocent children in her care. But soon they could be sent into danger…
When Clara Newton’s fiancé died during World War Two, she thought her life was over. But now she looks after orphans who, like her, lost everything during the war. Children like sweet little Peg who won’t speak, and Joyce whose body was scarred by polio. Clara loves them all dearly, even though life as a housemother can be lonely – especially now that Ivor, a D-Day war hero with dark brown eyes who once helped with the children, has disappeared…
But then Clara receives some terrible news. The orphanage is going to be sold and the children sent far away. Joyce and Peg will be taken to a notorious home for disabled children. The others will be sent to Australia, where Clara fears they will be mistreated by unknown families. Any day now, the children could lose everything she worked so hard to provide…
With wealthy buyers lined up to purchase Shilling Grange and a ship already docked waiting to carry the children away, Clara is desperate. She must find loving new homes for them quickly, but time is running out… Can she save the orphans before they lose everything all over again? And even if Ivor returns when she needs him the most, will it be too late?
A completely heart-wrenching and unforgettable historical novel, set after the devastation of World War Two. Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Diney Costeloe and The Orphan Sisters.
Another beautifully written, heartwarming and heart wrenching read from Lizzie Page. The follow up to The orphanage is perfect for fans of Call The Midwife, The Tate and Lyle girls and any others set in the period. It’s stunningly written, beautifully narrated and the perfect cozy, fell-good novel, ideal for a wet weekend. #Jorecommends
February 12, 2022
I have not read the first book, which I guess would give some additional background to the characters, but the book does stand alone & it doesn’t take too long to work out who they are & how they fit together.
Set in the late 1940s, Clara is employed as the “housemother” in an orphanage/children’s home. She is devoted to the children despite their differences & difficulties – from Joyce who was rejected by her parents when she developed polio and was left unable to walk properly, to the twins Barry & Billy who have one passion: football, Peg who doesn’t speak and Peter who was abused by his uncle but has an incredible talent for drawing cartoons.
Clara is devoted to the children and always determined to fight for what is in their best interest, not necessarily what the Council believes to be best for them! When their building is rumoured to be being put up for sale, she works hard to cut costs and do everything they can to save Shilling Grange. As time goes on, Clara realises that she is being lied to about their future and is determined that the children are a family and will not be split up, particularly when she hears that some will be sent to Australia on the Childrens Migrant scheme.
The writing is very descriptive, and you can picture not only the crumbling Shilling Grange but the individual children, the town of Laverham and the glamorous Marilyn.
Overall this is a heartwarming read that focuses on the devastation and harm that adults can do to children, and the way that seemingly insignificant people can make such a difference.
I liked that the storyline didn’t quite go where you expected, there were twists & turns along the way and there are enough storylines left open for a sequel!
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own & my review is left voluntarily.
Set in the late 1940s, Clara is employed as the “housemother” in an orphanage/children’s home. She is devoted to the children despite their differences & difficulties – from Joyce who was rejected by her parents when she developed polio and was left unable to walk properly, to the twins Barry & Billy who have one passion: football, Peg who doesn’t speak and Peter who was abused by his uncle but has an incredible talent for drawing cartoons.
Clara is devoted to the children and always determined to fight for what is in their best interest, not necessarily what the Council believes to be best for them! When their building is rumoured to be being put up for sale, she works hard to cut costs and do everything they can to save Shilling Grange. As time goes on, Clara realises that she is being lied to about their future and is determined that the children are a family and will not be split up, particularly when she hears that some will be sent to Australia on the Childrens Migrant scheme.
The writing is very descriptive, and you can picture not only the crumbling Shilling Grange but the individual children, the town of Laverham and the glamorous Marilyn.
Overall this is a heartwarming read that focuses on the devastation and harm that adults can do to children, and the way that seemingly insignificant people can make such a difference.
I liked that the storyline didn’t quite go where you expected, there were twists & turns along the way and there are enough storylines left open for a sequel!
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the author & publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own & my review is left voluntarily.
July 6, 2023
Shilling Grange Orphanage, England, 1949. She would do anything to protect the innocent children in her care. But soon they could be sent into danger…
When Clara Newton’s fiancé died during World War Two, she thought her life was over. But now she looks after orphans who, like her, lost everything during the war. Children like sweet little Peg who won’t speak, and Joyce whose body was scarred by polio. Clara loves them all dearly, even though life as a housemother can be lonely – especially now that Ivor, a D-Day war hero with dark brown eyes who once helped with the children, has disappeared…
But then Clara receives some terrible news. The orphanage is going to be sold and the children sent far away. Joyce and Peg will be taken to a notorious home for disabled children. The others will be sent to Australia, where Clara fears they will be mistreated by unknown families. Any day now, the children could lose everything she worked so hard to provide…
With wealthy buyers lined up to purchase Shilling Grange and a ship already docked waiting to carry the children away, Clara is desperate. She must find loving new homes for them quickly, but time is running out… Can she save the orphans before they lose everything all over again? And even if Ivor returns when she needs him the most, will it be too late?
A completely heart-wrenching and unforgettable historical novel, set after the devastation of World War Two.
When Clara Newton’s fiancé died during World War Two, she thought her life was over. But now she looks after orphans who, like her, lost everything during the war. Children like sweet little Peg who won’t speak, and Joyce whose body was scarred by polio. Clara loves them all dearly, even though life as a housemother can be lonely – especially now that Ivor, a D-Day war hero with dark brown eyes who once helped with the children, has disappeared…
But then Clara receives some terrible news. The orphanage is going to be sold and the children sent far away. Joyce and Peg will be taken to a notorious home for disabled children. The others will be sent to Australia, where Clara fears they will be mistreated by unknown families. Any day now, the children could lose everything she worked so hard to provide…
With wealthy buyers lined up to purchase Shilling Grange and a ship already docked waiting to carry the children away, Clara is desperate. She must find loving new homes for them quickly, but time is running out… Can she save the orphans before they lose everything all over again? And even if Ivor returns when she needs him the most, will it be too late?
A completely heart-wrenching and unforgettable historical novel, set after the devastation of World War Two.
April 4, 2024
1949, Suffolk, Shilling Grange
Nu Clara's helpende hand Ivor tezamen met zijn verloofde van de aardbol verdwenen lijkt te zijn, blijft Clara als enige achter om voor de kinderen van het weeshuis te zorgen. De twee nieuwe meisjes Joyce en Evelyn zorgen voor enig tumult, maar dat is niet het enige wat Clara te verduren krijgt. De gemeente is de kosten van het weeshuis beu en zet het gebouw te koop. De kinderen dreigen hun thuis te verliezen, hun vriendjes en hun geliefde huismoeder Clara. Clara zet alles op alles om Shilling Grange te redden, maar zal het genoeg zijn?
Dit tweede deel van De weeshuis- serie las weer héérlijk weg!
Wederom weet Lizzie Page met haar mooie, gedetailleerde omschrijvingen de kinderen van het weeshuis tot leven te wekken. Ze geeft ze een gezicht, een verleden, maar bovenal een hart om als lezer verliefd op te worden. Dit geldt uiteraard niet alleen voor de kinderen, ook hoofdpersonage Clara is er eentje om in je hart te sluiten. De veranderingen die de personages doormaakten tegenover het eerste deel van deze serie kan je als lezer mooi volgen, maar ook de tijdsgeest verandert mee en wordt nauwkeurig weergegeven door Lizzie Page.
Non- fictie wordt op beeldende, vlotte en mooie manier aangevuld met fictie door de auteur. De dagdagelijkse hindernissen van het weeshuis, gegoten in een meeslepend en liefdevol verhaal. Een nieuw begin, een hartverwarmend verhaal over saamhorigheid, liefde, vriendschap en vertrouwen.
Nu Clara's helpende hand Ivor tezamen met zijn verloofde van de aardbol verdwenen lijkt te zijn, blijft Clara als enige achter om voor de kinderen van het weeshuis te zorgen. De twee nieuwe meisjes Joyce en Evelyn zorgen voor enig tumult, maar dat is niet het enige wat Clara te verduren krijgt. De gemeente is de kosten van het weeshuis beu en zet het gebouw te koop. De kinderen dreigen hun thuis te verliezen, hun vriendjes en hun geliefde huismoeder Clara. Clara zet alles op alles om Shilling Grange te redden, maar zal het genoeg zijn?
Dit tweede deel van De weeshuis- serie las weer héérlijk weg!
Wederom weet Lizzie Page met haar mooie, gedetailleerde omschrijvingen de kinderen van het weeshuis tot leven te wekken. Ze geeft ze een gezicht, een verleden, maar bovenal een hart om als lezer verliefd op te worden. Dit geldt uiteraard niet alleen voor de kinderen, ook hoofdpersonage Clara is er eentje om in je hart te sluiten. De veranderingen die de personages doormaakten tegenover het eerste deel van deze serie kan je als lezer mooi volgen, maar ook de tijdsgeest verandert mee en wordt nauwkeurig weergegeven door Lizzie Page.
Non- fictie wordt op beeldende, vlotte en mooie manier aangevuld met fictie door de auteur. De dagdagelijkse hindernissen van het weeshuis, gegoten in een meeslepend en liefdevol verhaal. Een nieuw begin, een hartverwarmend verhaal over saamhorigheid, liefde, vriendschap en vertrouwen.
August 1, 2022
Hurrah for Miss Newton!
Clara Newton is the housemother of Shilling Grange Children's Home. She had rather a shaky start in the position in book one of this series, The Orphanage, but in this second instalment she's more sure of herself and what the children in her care need from her. However, bad news is on the horizon and when she learns that the home is to be sold and the children scattered far and wide (Australia no less!) she must try to find them the homes they have been looking for before it's too late.
She's also dealing with matters of the heart. The man she fell for in book one has done a disappearing act. Can anyone else live up to him?
A Place to Call Home is another lovely read with writing that just kept pulling me along and characters that were calling out to me to give them my attention. Clara is brilliant. She's a bit wobbly at times but always manages to save the day one way or another. The children themselves have had their characters built up incredibly well by Lizzie Page, each of them unique and special, and I was rooting for them and Clara to find a solution to the situation they found themselves in.
I do adore Lizzie Page's writing. I think it's the inimitable mixture of dry humour, heartbreaking sorrow and stories that seem relatable yet distinctive that makes me love them so much. I'm now really keen to read book three, An Orphan's Song, and see what's next for Clara and her brood. A Place to Call Home proved that there's plenty of life left in the tales of the Shilling Grange gang.
Clara Newton is the housemother of Shilling Grange Children's Home. She had rather a shaky start in the position in book one of this series, The Orphanage, but in this second instalment she's more sure of herself and what the children in her care need from her. However, bad news is on the horizon and when she learns that the home is to be sold and the children scattered far and wide (Australia no less!) she must try to find them the homes they have been looking for before it's too late.
She's also dealing with matters of the heart. The man she fell for in book one has done a disappearing act. Can anyone else live up to him?
A Place to Call Home is another lovely read with writing that just kept pulling me along and characters that were calling out to me to give them my attention. Clara is brilliant. She's a bit wobbly at times but always manages to save the day one way or another. The children themselves have had their characters built up incredibly well by Lizzie Page, each of them unique and special, and I was rooting for them and Clara to find a solution to the situation they found themselves in.
I do adore Lizzie Page's writing. I think it's the inimitable mixture of dry humour, heartbreaking sorrow and stories that seem relatable yet distinctive that makes me love them so much. I'm now really keen to read book three, An Orphan's Song, and see what's next for Clara and her brood. A Place to Call Home proved that there's plenty of life left in the tales of the Shilling Grange gang.
January 23, 2022
3.5*-4*
A Place to Call Home by Lizzie Page. Thank you NetGalley & publisher for an e-arc of this novel.
I did not realize when I started reading this that it was base on a true story.
The story/novel: When Clara Newton’s fiancé died during World War Two, she thought her life was over. But now she looks after orphans who, like her, lost everything during the war. This is a historical novel, set after World War Two. Shilling Grange Orphanage, England, 1949. Clara would do anything to protect the innocent children in her care, that she learns might be sent away for worse homes, and save the orphans before they lose everything all over again.
This is a story that pulls at the heart strings and makes you think about the lives we human make after we think our lives are over; second chances and the good individuals can do or difference they can make to a child.
This novel is a bit long and I think this story would have been a bit better if shortened. Not because it wasn't good, just because it dragged on in the middle. I recommend continuing on and finding out what Clara does to try to save her orphans. I love stories about people that sacrifice for children that have lost so much.
A Place to Call Home by Lizzie Page. Thank you NetGalley & publisher for an e-arc of this novel.
I did not realize when I started reading this that it was base on a true story.
The story/novel: When Clara Newton’s fiancé died during World War Two, she thought her life was over. But now she looks after orphans who, like her, lost everything during the war. This is a historical novel, set after World War Two. Shilling Grange Orphanage, England, 1949. Clara would do anything to protect the innocent children in her care, that she learns might be sent away for worse homes, and save the orphans before they lose everything all over again.
This is a story that pulls at the heart strings and makes you think about the lives we human make after we think our lives are over; second chances and the good individuals can do or difference they can make to a child.
This novel is a bit long and I think this story would have been a bit better if shortened. Not because it wasn't good, just because it dragged on in the middle. I recommend continuing on and finding out what Clara does to try to save her orphans. I love stories about people that sacrifice for children that have lost so much.
February 18, 2022
A Place to Call Home (Shilling Grange Children’s Home Book 2) by Lizzie Page continues the memorable story of the children and housemother at the Shilling Grange Orphanage in 1949. WWII has ended but the losses from that war continue to haunt not only the children but Clara Newton too. Like the children it seems that a permanent home is out of their reach. Clara fits these children so well being the mother that they needed but it looks as if they are to be separated when the building is sold. The one person who Clara had begun to depend on has disappeared.
Disappearing Ivor is such a major part of this story too. However, I was glad that Clara did not give up on herself and what she could accomplish. WWII changed the role of women forever. This is one woman to be admired. I must say that while some situations were totally resolved Clara and Ivor’s relationship not so much. I for one hope that there is a third book to see what happens next with the children, Clara, and Ivor.
Unforgettable characters who are resilient, resourceful, and completely lovable.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Disappearing Ivor is such a major part of this story too. However, I was glad that Clara did not give up on herself and what she could accomplish. WWII changed the role of women forever. This is one woman to be admired. I must say that while some situations were totally resolved Clara and Ivor’s relationship not so much. I for one hope that there is a third book to see what happens next with the children, Clara, and Ivor.
Unforgettable characters who are resilient, resourceful, and completely lovable.
An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 1, 2022
I was so excited to read A Place to Call Home, it is the second book in the Shilling Grange Children’s Home series and it did not disappoint me at all.
After the troubles that Clara had in the first book this one carries on from there. Clara is the housemother of Shilling Grange, I really like her character, she was more than a housemother, she was like a mother to all the children. She wants the best for the children and that might not always be what the county council thinks is best.
When the children’s home is put up for sale Clara is in for another fight, she has been misled by the council in many ways, now, not only is she fighting to save the children’s home but to keep the remaining children in her home together and safe, not shipped abroad or sent to a home for the disabled.
I loved this book, it is so nice to read of place names I know like Lavenham and Dedham which are not very far from where I live.
It wasn’t just the place names that made me love it though, the whole vibe in the book was one of family, even though they were not blood-related, Clara was their mother in every way that a mother would be.
Each child had such different characteristics, and it was nice that two more children arrived at the home, it was nice getting to know them too.
Overall, this was a fantastic book that was written beautifully and I would recommend it to all my friends and family.
After the troubles that Clara had in the first book this one carries on from there. Clara is the housemother of Shilling Grange, I really like her character, she was more than a housemother, she was like a mother to all the children. She wants the best for the children and that might not always be what the county council thinks is best.
When the children’s home is put up for sale Clara is in for another fight, she has been misled by the council in many ways, now, not only is she fighting to save the children’s home but to keep the remaining children in her home together and safe, not shipped abroad or sent to a home for the disabled.
I loved this book, it is so nice to read of place names I know like Lavenham and Dedham which are not very far from where I live.
It wasn’t just the place names that made me love it though, the whole vibe in the book was one of family, even though they were not blood-related, Clara was their mother in every way that a mother would be.
Each child had such different characteristics, and it was nice that two more children arrived at the home, it was nice getting to know them too.
Overall, this was a fantastic book that was written beautifully and I would recommend it to all my friends and family.
February 20, 2022
I have been again completely enthralled by Lizzie's delightful writing!
The sequel of The Orphanage is as gripping and witty as the first novel set in 1948! The characters (though numerous) are vividly drawn, each with their own cross to bear, distinctive personalities, and so moving! No place for hollow sentimentality in this novel, this novel feels real which makes the characters unforgettable. I love Clara, the young housemother: honest with herself, witty, brave, imperfect. The children, ah the children! A bundle which needs love, attention and a Place to Call Home! That becomes a problem in this novel as Shilling Grange might well be put on for sale.....
I particularly enjoyed in this novel the fact that though the topic (kids in an orphanage) is very sad, Lizzie has successfully managed (through wit and her attaching characters) to create a witty, heart warming place to call home, and this is what I will remember from the novel. I can't wait for the third novel!!!! Highly recommended!
The sequel of The Orphanage is as gripping and witty as the first novel set in 1948! The characters (though numerous) are vividly drawn, each with their own cross to bear, distinctive personalities, and so moving! No place for hollow sentimentality in this novel, this novel feels real which makes the characters unforgettable. I love Clara, the young housemother: honest with herself, witty, brave, imperfect. The children, ah the children! A bundle which needs love, attention and a Place to Call Home! That becomes a problem in this novel as Shilling Grange might well be put on for sale.....
I particularly enjoyed in this novel the fact that though the topic (kids in an orphanage) is very sad, Lizzie has successfully managed (through wit and her attaching characters) to create a witty, heart warming place to call home, and this is what I will remember from the novel. I can't wait for the third novel!!!! Highly recommended!
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