Lime Street Blues

by Maureen Lee

A wonderful Liverpool saga spanning forty years from bestselling author Maureen Lee. 1960s Liverpool's glamorous world of music is the place to be. So when Sean, Lachlan and Max form The Merseysiders, and Jeannie and Rita become part of The Flower Girls, they put heart and soul into their performances and achieve success beyond their wildest dreams. The greatest star of all is Sean McDowd, adored by women everywhere yet unable to get his first love out of his mind. But Jeannie Flowers has married Lachlan... No one is prepared for the deceits and betrayals that lie ahead.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction

480 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2002

About the author

Maureen Lee was born in Bootle, England, UK, near Liverpool during the World War II. She attended Commercial College and became a shorthand typist. She married Richard, and they had three sons, now adults. The last years the marriage lives in Colchester, Essex.

During years, she published over one hundred and fifty short-stories, before published her first novel Lila in 1983. She continued published dramatic historical sagas mainly setting in Liverpool since 1994. In 2000, her novel Dancing in the Dark won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read that I couldn't put down. Recommended.

[Charlotte Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book from start to finish and hard to put down

[Demi Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOOOOOOOO good and interesting to read about liverpool in the 60's

[Gemma Birkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read anything by Maureen Lee before I will again! I loved her writing style, and became absorbed into the story and the characters very quickly! There were so many twists and turns throughout, I constantly was left open-mouthed and wanting more. I could not put this book down. The ending was extremely sad and I felt gutted as I loved each and everyone of the characters Lee had created.

I feel sad that I am no longer reading Lime Street Blues.

[Jolene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I especially liked the second part of the book when the kids become grown-ups and go on with their lives. Unlike "Laceys of Liverpool" that I had just read before this one, this novels seems shorter and easier to deal with when it comes to the descriptions of people and places. It is dynamic and plots are quite interesting.

[Sophia Loves to read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed all the way through , always hard to put down

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set mostly in the 50s and 60s it takes place during the height of rock n roll and right at the heart of the start of British invasion Liverpool. Starting in the 1930s with young orphaned Rose who goes to work at the Limes a grand house run by Mrs. Corbett along with her son Colonel Corbett. The gardener Tom Flowers takes a liking to Rose and despite the large gap in their ages the marry and soon have three children. Sons Max and Gerald and daughter Jeannie. Tom is old fashioned and doesn't care much for the new ways of life. Max and Jeannie both show signs of musical talent and are soon joined by members of two other families the Baileys, Lachlan, Marcia and Elaine (who is not musical) and the McDowds Rita and Sean. The girls form a band the Flower Girls and the boys The Merseysiders. The girls quickly rise to fame only to break up and go their separate ways while the boys do well but break up due to differences in creativity and not that amicably. Jeannie has moderate sucess as a pianist, Marcia has six children and marries well, Rita achieves enormous sucess, Zoe also succeeds in television, while Max leaves rock n roll, Lachlan forms another sucessful group, and Sean becomes world famous. The book follows mostly Jeannie and her life and marriage to Lachlan who is obsessed with having a number one hit to the exclusion of most everything else. I got a bit of a Lennon McCartney vibe off Lachlan and Sean at times two powerful talented men who had a complicated relationship. It was a good book, not the best I've read of Maureen Lee but still a decent story. It followed these three families from the 30s to the mid 80s. There were characters I loved at one point then wanted to smack them the next for their stupid choices. But that's a sign of good writing. It was worth the time to read and overall despite some slow places it was a very enjoyable read.

[MRS S PUSEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant story

I just love this author this story brought back a lot of memories of fashion and the bands that were about in this era and talking about the cavern in Liverpool,i wasn't much of a Beatles fan only George Harrison he was the best,both main bands in the story sounded very and they all seemed to get on together but as time went on happiness and sadness among them became too much but all turned right in the end loved it.Have just got 4more of Maureen Lee books i can't wait to read more.Thank you Maureen Lee.

[Tess ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh goodness! what a gorgeous little book this was. i’d had it for so long and i’ve loved it for what feels to be so much longer that i can’t bear to part ways with it.

i really loved the slow descend from joy in the beginning to something less jovial at the end but i’m glad to say that i’m satisfied, no. i feel content 💗

[Mrs Susan McDermid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amongst one of Maureen Lee’s best

Just couldn’t stop reading this book. The characters were so real, the story line cleverly written. An Excellent book and one of many of Maureen Lee’s best

[Douglas Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a delightful story. A very pleasant read with a mixture of inevitable tragedy for a story that stretches over a 35 year period and the convenient conclusion that ties everything together. This is a great ‘holiday’ read. Pleasant and enjoyable.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

After wiping the tears from my eyes, I'll say it was a great book. Once I got to a certain place in the book, I couldn't put it down.

[Charlotte Hair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly crafted narrative that illustrated families in Liverpool across the years and how fame has largely changed their lives.

[Cecile Paddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a great story.

[Lady Dazy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story with some great characters that will take you back in time.
To read my review , please click on the link below

https://hubpages.com/literature/lime-...

[Shaista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t like the end that’s why giving it three stars. Thoroughly enjoyed it otherwise

[Liz Chapman · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first part of this book is a coming of age story set in the late 50s and early 60s in Liverpool. It is about the new young generation breaking away from the ideals and constraints of their parents and living their lives through their own modern values and free thinking . The Teddy boys and Rock and Roll in the fifties change into the Liverpool scene at the Cavern club and the new music sounds from groups like the Beatles , Rolling Stones and two new bands The Flowers and The Merseysiders. The last two bands being made up by school friends and siblings who rise to stardom and hit the drugs ,free sex and alcohol scene. The second part of the book is about relationships , love , parenting , loyalty , and the down side of show biz. The final part takes the book into the 1980s , middle age and the strained family relationships of the Flowers ,who have split as a group , and the Merseysiders who are still stars and touring world wide. Their world in many ways starts to fall apart and they must all try to pull it back together , save relationships and start life again with a much more mature and sober attitude. This book is a nice read and reminded me of my early years and all the music that was so important to us as teenagers , but I couldn't give it more than two stars.

[Maureen Vincent-Northam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lime Street Blues opens in 1939 when we meet 15-year-old Rose, orphan and maid to them up at the big ‘ouse. We get to know her and, later, her family as they’re growing up. By the 60s, we’re thrown very much into the world of music, the Cavern in Liverpool and everything.

There is a huge difference between the three main families involved in the story but they’re all linked by music. Odd friendships and alliances are formed, with the guys getting their rock n roll band together and the girls outshining them with their own girl group. However, this is more than a novel about the music scene; it’s as much to do with love, or the lack of.

Lime Street Blues is a long and involved tale covering several decades; we get to know many intriguing characters and see how they change with success – and failure. Rose, who played such a large role in the first part of the story, fades into the background, which I thought a great shame, and her daughter, Jeannie, takes over as leading lady, with some of the people I grew most fond of being killed off along the way!

All in all, an enjoyable read.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book a few years ago and at the moment I am working my way through my book shelve to clear out so am re reading them and deciding which ones to keep. Unfortunately this one will not be on my to keep list. I seem to remember really enjoying it last time and I couldn't work out why I just didn't this time. Then the more I thought about it I think there are a few flaws with it which mean it is not as good as Lee's other novels.
The first one is the time period the book starts way back at the beginning of the century 1916 I think (see I cant even remember) and Rose is the main character. We then move onto to the 1950's and Roses daughter has taken over as lead there is then another section in the 60's and finally finishes in the 80's. I just think that this is two big a time gap and the characters become confusing.
The other think is Rose and Tom really annoy me there is simply no other way of saying it.
However Lee does capture the feeling of the 60's and how important they where as a decade.
An ok read.

[Abi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is easy to make someone cry at a movie, when there are sets and perfectly picked music to pull on your heartstrings. This task is not so easy with words on a page, but Maureen Lee succeeded! Not just a single rolling tear but heartfelt sobs.
I loved this book, everything from the characters to the setting.
I felt as though I was growing up alongside them and facing the trials and tribulations of friendship and love too.
Never has a book made me wish time travel were possible more than this one...how I would love to experience how swinging the 60s really were!

[Karen Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An OK read - a bit slow in parts (and not the best ML has ever written) - but its OK fir a holiday read... I thought the latter part was a bit of an anti-climax - and the very last section too brief .. But hey - I couldn't do any better!

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its very boring at the moment!

[Jo Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving the book, just wish i had more time at the moment to finish reading it. This is my bedtime book for nights when having trouble slttping.

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't enjoy this as much as I have her other books.Set in the 60's in Liverpool it's about the music scene at the time.Still worth a read.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and it was nice to read a Maureen Lee book set somewhere other than during the war. I didn't quite warm to all of the characters but I suppose that happens whatever you read.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but slightly different to her usual style

[Sharon Reeves · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not as good as Maureen Lee's other books. The first part I found a bit slow and not very gripping, the second half was better. I read this while on holiday.

[Roxie Gallinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another great book Bravo Maureen Lee