Lovers and Liars

by Josephine Cox

A heartrending tale of two young lovers torn violently apart at the beginning of the twentieth century. Jampacked with drama, tragedy and thwarted love, this is Josephine Cox at her inimitable best. In the sleepy Lancashire village of Salmesbury, childhood sweethearts Emily and John are secretly planning a life together when they are cruelly forced apart. Already abandoned by her father, and unhappy at home, Emily is heartbroken when John leaves the village. Her life takes a devastating turn for the worse when she gives birth to a child. She dare not reveal the identity of the child's father or there will be a terrible price to pay. Many miles away, John is trying to forget Emily and forge a new life. Having carried her in his heart for years, a chance encounter leads him to believe she has forgotten him. Emily has never been able to banish thoughts of John. But when it looks as though history is about to repeat itself, Emily must put the past -- and John -- behind her and safeguard her daughter. But can she forget him?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical Romance, Audiobook

384 pages, Hardcover

First published February 16, 2004

About the author

Josephine Cox was born in Blackburn, one of ten children. At the age of sixteen, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. When the boys started school, she decided to go to college and eventually gained a place at university but was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home. Instead, she went into teaching – and started to write her first full-length novel. She won the ‘Superwoman of Great Britain’ Award, for which her family had secretly entered her, at the same time as her novel was accepted for publication. She is now a No.1 bestselling author with over 40 books to her name.

She wrote dark psychological thrillers under the name Jane Brindle.

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a few novels by Josephine Cox, and find I always thoroughly enjoy them. Her writing style is easy to read, and the stories and characters she creates are always believable. It's easy to get emotionally involved when it comes to her books.

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Very well written and hard to put down. Storytelling at it's best.

[Μέριλιν · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ήθελα να διαβάσω ένα αισθηματικούλι. Αυτό το διάλεξα για δύο λόγους. Πρώτον, από περιέργεια πως μία συγγραφέας έχει γράψει ΤΟΣΑ πολλά μυθιστορήματα, και δεύτερον διότι τη μετάφραση την έχει κάνει η αείμνηστη Καίτη Οικονόμου οπότε ήμουν σίγουρη ότι πλευρά γλώσσας δεν θα μου άναβαν τα λαμπάκια.

Σαν ιστορία σε σύνολο ήταν χαριτωμένη. Το διάβασα μέσα σε 3 μέρες σε αυτές τις ελάχιστες διαθέσιμες ώρες που έχω μέσα στην καθημερινότητά μου. Πολλά σημεία τα διάβασα και διαγώνια. Δεν ήταν πολτός, αλλά σεναριακά έριξα πολύ γέλιο. Αυτή τη φορά μαζί με το γέλιο μου έρχονταν και τραγούδια σκυλάδικα στο νου και δεν μου αρέσουν τα σκυλάδικα:

Κάθε φορά που τονίζονταν οι λόγοι που δεν βρέθηκαν ξανά ο Τζον και η Έμιλυ μου ερχόταν στο μυαλό αυτό το τραγούδι :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSdpa...

Κάθε φορά που χρησιμοποιούσε το σενάριο τον αγρίκο βιαστή άκουγα νοερά αυτό:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkuu0...

Όταν επενέβαινε ο παππούς Τόμας Αιζακ και ειδικά όταν έκανε τσαχπινιές αυτό:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roPON...

Ο δε Μάικλ που εγκατέλειψε την οικογένεια του, έζησε ως άστεγος, έγινε άνθρωπος ξανά με τη βοήθεια του Τζον και επέστρεψε πάλι σπίτι σαν να μην έφυγε ποτέ με μία σύζυγο που τον ήθελε ακόμα ε η κλάψα του Κόκκοτα μου ήρθε:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXKLO...

Μη με ρωτάτε αν μου άρεσε. Δεν ξέρω μετά από ότι έγραψα αν μου άρεσε ή όχι.

[MARGO · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much, it reminded my of books my late Mother used to read all the time by Catherine Cookson. In that respect it brought back fond memories of my Mother who used to give me the Catherine Cookson books to read after she read them. I find that the story line was well developed and I liked most of the characters except of course for the villian Clem Jackson. A nice light read to curl up and be cozy with on chilly winter nights.

[Azola Belewa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't bother waisting your time reading this book

[Debbie Burgess]

Didn't like the ending :(

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartbreaking yet beautiful novel which deserved 5 stars were it not for the fact that some elements to the storytelling seemed repetitive. In my opinion, the story could have been told in a hundred pages less, which would have better enabled it to unfold seamlessly and beautifully.

[Charlie Allin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book, written beautifully written and easy to read in one sitting

[Ivana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad, sad story indeed. I have my own copy and sometimes when you need a good tear-jerker then this would be the one I'd turn to. Good characters and a good way of learning when to grow up and realize you don't always get what you want especially the one you love.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tame and weak like most of the male characters. If it was on television it would be on, on a weekday in the afternoon.

[Shaista · Rating 3 out of 5]

What was that🤦‍♀️. Too unrealistic especially towards the end.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t finish got bored

[Maria P · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I may have read this in my teens but it didn’t ring any bells. Sure I have read one of this Author’s books before. I felt the story was quite poor. It jumped straight into the storyline right from the start and there was no build up to the main characters lives and their relationship, so I really couldn’t get very invested in them at all. I found the end frustrating (bit of a spoiler) as ultimately the main characters still didn’t explain fully what happened to each other and why they were separated. Yet dates of marriages would have made it abundantly clear someone had lied to them all along and who it was. There were also lots of crucial parts of the story that were glossed over or just jumped to a time afterwards and described in the past tense. A very slow and simple story and a bit sickly sweet at times, so not for me. Gave it 2 ⭐️ as it wasn’t dreadful. Interesting how when you go back to read authors from years ago that they no longer compare with current reads and how you remember them!

[alison morton · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read.

[Robyn Letourneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite reads for 2017

[Sally Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It has a few twists and turns. A very good story. Gripping.

[Lynn Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josephine Cox knows how to tell a good tale, I though I had worked out the ending but didn’t know how she would achieve it and I was completely wrong! I like a book which surprises you.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

[Anne Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww a lovely story

This was lovely, heartbreaking, sad happy and more. Such an adventure but such a lovely journey as Josephine always takes us on.

[Vicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Josephine Cox style. Good read. Good characters and storyline

[Rakesh Sha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitly a classic novel . Less romance , more tragic . If you wanna weep some grab this . Took me a while to complete cause sometime I forgot to read but it's worth for some time investment

[A.Flockhart]

I enjoyed this.Will read more by this author

[Kisatoh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full of drama and twists, but honestly… I hated the men. Weak ass characters

[Rebecca Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic, tragic, heartbreaking, love , farm

[DubaiReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally read this book back in 2005. It came highly recommended by a friend so I expected it to be an excellent read. Unfortunately I was disappionted.

Having recently listened to the abridged audio book version, read by Carole Boyd, I am of the opinion that the book benefits from being abridged. However, I still found the style a bit simplistic and uninspiring. The characters were good in parts, but very predictable. And I was frustrated at how Emily and John pined after each other like lost sheep for year after endless year. I just wanted to give them a good kick and for them to get over their teenage crushes and get on with life.

It's a hard book to review without giving too much away, so I will just say that young lovers, Emily and John are forced apart by cruel circumstances, but they don't forget each other. The story follows their lives after their separation and we are wondering how this impossible situation can be resolved. It is set at the beginning of the last century and is full of atmospheric descriptions of life at that time, probably the highlight of the book for me.

I have another JC audio-book to listen to, perhaps I will enjoy that more. She seems to be a highly recommended author and this book has been well received by her fans, perhaps this is just not my genre?

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is 1902. Emily is sixteen and blissfully in love with John, to years her senior. Together they are secretly planning a life, when they are brutally driven apart. Denied a man she loves, and dominated by a brutally possessive uncle, Emily is devastated when she is cruelly taken advantage of. When a child is born, her life is in tatters. And she cannot reveal the identity of the father to anyone or there will be a terrible price to pay....

swearing, sex scenes it was disturbing at times

[Stina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast past book that won't take you long to read, The author tells her story in a easy going writing style and it is so interesting, I did listen to this on audiobook and was just planning to fall asleep while listening but I was so compelled to listen to it that now it way past midnight and I kinda want to start it again to just listen to it because it was sad but yet comfortable.

I will not keep the book because I don't think I will pick it up again and I'm trying to only keep the books I really liked but would not mind listening to it again or listening to some of her other books.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a few years ago and I'am going to read it again soon. It is a very sad story and it let's you look at your own life and just see how lucky you are. It proves their is others in the world that don't get what they want in life and don't even find love. Ver good overall and as I remember very hard to put down. Highly reccommened.

[Zinhle]

i love such novels though it was breathtaking sometimes and i wanted to edit it #lol. it's a very good book, some guy recommended it as i told him i have a fiance don't know why my be he just compared me to the girl

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally got into this book. It was like being at a pantomime at times, booing and cheering characters. It moved along at a good pace with no dragging parts. The end was satisfying while unpredictable.