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A Gathering Storm
From the million-copy Sunday Times bestseller comes a gripping story of family secrets, all-consuming love and the chaos of war.2011. When Lucy’s troubled father Tom passes away, she travels to Cornwall to visit his childhood home – the once-beautiful Carlyon Manor. Before he died, Tom had been researching an uncle she never knew he had. Determined to find out why, Lucy tracks down Beatrice Ashton, a local woman who seems to know more than she lets on, and has an extraordinary story to tell . . . 1935. Growing up in Cornwall, Beatrice plays with the children of Carlyon Manor – especially pretty, blonde Angelina Wincanton. Then, one summer at the age of fifteen, she falls in love with a young visitor to the Rafe, whom she rescues from a storm-tossed sea. On the surface, her life seems idyllic. But the dark clouds of war are gathering, and nobody, not even the Wincantons, will be left untouched.A Gathering Storm is a powerful tale of courage and betrayal, spanning from Cornwall to London and Occupied France, in which friendship and love are tested, and the consequences span generations. Secrets from the past, unravelling in the present… Rachel delivers intriguing, involving and emotive narrative reading group fiction like few other writers can.Praise for Rachel Hore's 'Compelling, engrossing and moving' SANTA MONTEFIORE 'Simply stunning . . . I savoured every moment’ DINAH JEFFERIES 'A story that stirs the deepest emotions' WOMAN & HOME ‘An emotive and thought-provoking read’ ROSANNA LEY ‘Hore tackles difficult subjects with a clever, light touch and a sunny positivity. Her women are brave and good and you desperately want them to win’ DAILY MAIL ‘An elegiac tale of wartime love and secrets’ TELEGRAPH ‘A tender and thoughtful tale' SUNDAY MIRROR
478 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
126 people are currently reading
3621 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Hore
40 books748 followersRachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, Norfolk and turning to writing fiction.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.
Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.
Rachel is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Dream House (2006), The Memory Garden (2007), The Glass Painter's Daughter (2009), which was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Novel of the Year 2010, A Place of Secrets (2010), which was a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick, and A Gathering Storm (2011), which was shortlisted for the RNA Historical Novel of the year, 2012. The Silent Tide was published in 2013, A Week in Paris in 2014 and The House on Bellevue Gardens in 2015.
Her new novel, Last Letter Home, will be published on 22nd March 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
January 24, 2022
The book had all the things that a love story needs to make it readable...and I did somewhat enjoy it. I just wasn't "over the moon" about it. There were stories from the past and stories from the present all woven together with history and mystery mixed in. While there were some very interesting story lines, I had a difficult time really getting into the book, or the characters. I just could not warm up to Beatrice for much of the book due to her "obsessions" of Rafe and the storyline about the child was a bit unbelievable. There were times I just thought to myself, "really?". Anyway, it's a good read, just not a great read and while Rachel Hore's books usually start with a bang, they do tend to drag a bit. If you are romance/history/mystery fan, you will probably like this more than I did.
November 17, 2011
That cover! A story moving between past and present! A big house in Cornwall!
I’d left Rachel Hore’s book on the library shelf before, but this one I couldn’t resist!
The story opens in the present. Lucy’s father has died, and as she goes through his papers she discovers that he has been researching the life of an uncle she knew nothing about. She wonders why this man had been written out of her family history.
And so on a trip to Cornwall she makes a detour so that she can visit Carlyon, her father’s childhood home. She meets Beatrice, an elderly widow who knew her father and his family many years earlier.
Beatrice grew up in the 1930s the only child of middle class parents. She seemed a solitary child, but in time she made friends with the children of the aristocratic Wincanton family who lived at the big house. Carlyon.
Angelina Wincanton was her best friend. She was blonde, pretty, charming, but just a little spoiled. And she was Lucy’s grandmother.
One summer, the year she turned fifteen, Beatrice met Rafe. Lucy’s mysterious uncle. They quickly became friends and, of course, Beatrice would introduce Rafe to the Wincantons. They were charmed by him, and he by them, but something wasn’t quite right.
And as Beatrice and Angelina grow up their friendship remains but the differences between them become apparent. In class, character, character, attitude, outlook…
Beatrice’s father’s health deteriorates.
And then war comes, and it changes everything.
The story moves between Cornwall, London and France as the War changes the lives of Beatrice, Rafe and the Wincantons. Irrevocably.
I knew from the first page that Rachel Hore could write wonderfully. She mixes wonderful descriptions and very real emotions with just the right amount of restraint.
Each every one of a broad cast of characters, and all of their relationships, were beautifully drawn. I didn’t like them all, but I understood and believed in each and every one. I did like the young Beatrice. Very much. She was brave, intelligent, compassionate … and fallible …
And I must praise the plotting and the storytelling too. Many characters and plot threads were woven together so cleverly. And although I realised how the central mystery must play out while there was still some way to go it really didn’t matter. I didn’t want the journey to end. Because I went through so many emotions, such highs and such lows, with this book.
The one weak link, I felt, was the contemporary story. It lacked the depth of the story of the past and would have been better to either give it more space to grow or to push it back to be simply a framing device. As it was it just felt a little bit forced.
But still I loved The Gathering Storm. It was an engaging story very well told.
And now I have Rachel Hore’s backlist to investigate. It looks very promising …
I’d left Rachel Hore’s book on the library shelf before, but this one I couldn’t resist!
The story opens in the present. Lucy’s father has died, and as she goes through his papers she discovers that he has been researching the life of an uncle she knew nothing about. She wonders why this man had been written out of her family history.
And so on a trip to Cornwall she makes a detour so that she can visit Carlyon, her father’s childhood home. She meets Beatrice, an elderly widow who knew her father and his family many years earlier.
Beatrice grew up in the 1930s the only child of middle class parents. She seemed a solitary child, but in time she made friends with the children of the aristocratic Wincanton family who lived at the big house. Carlyon.
Angelina Wincanton was her best friend. She was blonde, pretty, charming, but just a little spoiled. And she was Lucy’s grandmother.
One summer, the year she turned fifteen, Beatrice met Rafe. Lucy’s mysterious uncle. They quickly became friends and, of course, Beatrice would introduce Rafe to the Wincantons. They were charmed by him, and he by them, but something wasn’t quite right.
And as Beatrice and Angelina grow up their friendship remains but the differences between them become apparent. In class, character, character, attitude, outlook…
Beatrice’s father’s health deteriorates.
And then war comes, and it changes everything.
The story moves between Cornwall, London and France as the War changes the lives of Beatrice, Rafe and the Wincantons. Irrevocably.
I knew from the first page that Rachel Hore could write wonderfully. She mixes wonderful descriptions and very real emotions with just the right amount of restraint.
Each every one of a broad cast of characters, and all of their relationships, were beautifully drawn. I didn’t like them all, but I understood and believed in each and every one. I did like the young Beatrice. Very much. She was brave, intelligent, compassionate … and fallible …
And I must praise the plotting and the storytelling too. Many characters and plot threads were woven together so cleverly. And although I realised how the central mystery must play out while there was still some way to go it really didn’t matter. I didn’t want the journey to end. Because I went through so many emotions, such highs and such lows, with this book.
The one weak link, I felt, was the contemporary story. It lacked the depth of the story of the past and would have been better to either give it more space to grow or to push it back to be simply a framing device. As it was it just felt a little bit forced.
But still I loved The Gathering Storm. It was an engaging story very well told.
And now I have Rachel Hore’s backlist to investigate. It looks very promising …
December 23, 2014
This was just what I needed. A nostalgic mystery where two different generations collide. Lucy has just lost her father and when she is looking through his old papers she finds that he was searching the family tree and had discovered a relative she knew nothing about. She goes to Cornwall with a boyfriend Will and decides to look in to her family tree at the same time. She ends up finding a woman Beatrice Ashton who has a brilliant and fascinating tale to tell.
I enjoyed this book as it was easy to read and had an interesting storyline. I predicted one of the twists from the off but there were plenty of other parts relating to Beatrice's story that I didn't predict. The writing was simple but effective and I enjoyed finding out more about the second world war including how dangerous mission work was and about the FANY.
A good, easy read about family mysteries and the Second World War.
I enjoyed this book as it was easy to read and had an interesting storyline. I predicted one of the twists from the off but there were plenty of other parts relating to Beatrice's story that I didn't predict. The writing was simple but effective and I enjoyed finding out more about the second world war including how dangerous mission work was and about the FANY.
A good, easy read about family mysteries and the Second World War.
May 10, 2021
This was such a lovely story. Told from two points of view, Beatrice and Lucy
Lucy is on a trail started by her father before he died but she’s not sure who he was looking for and why. It leads her to Beatrice and her war story.
This is so well told and researched. The story of Beatrice in war time Cornwall that takes her to Paris, London and back to Cornwall with a little bit of heart break along the way
Lucy is on a trail started by her father before he died but she’s not sure who he was looking for and why. It leads her to Beatrice and her war story.
This is so well told and researched. The story of Beatrice in war time Cornwall that takes her to Paris, London and back to Cornwall with a little bit of heart break along the way
November 13, 2011
For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you know I have a soft spot for historical fiction novels. The intrigue and mystery of a foreign time period always draws me in and makes the plot of these novels that much better. Rachel Hore’s A Gathering Storm is no different, and I found myself incredibly immersed in this harrowing mystery.
Lucy Cardwell’s father has died. When looking through his papers, she finds that he started doing research on Rafe Ashton, a long-lost uncle. Determined to pick up the pieces of her father’s search, she sets out to find out more about this man, Lucy decides to visit her father’s childhood home, Carlyon Manor. While there, she is instructed to talk to an old woman by the name of Beatrice, who would most likely know the story of Carlyon Manor and its inhabitants. Beatrice tells her that she normally played with all the children of the Manor at that time (in the 1930′s), especially Angelina Wincanton, Lucy’s grandmother. Beatrice also tells Lucy that she and the others had some excitement one summer, as she rescued a man named Rafe Ashton from certain death as he was drowning in rough seas. After this daring rescue, Beatrice fell in love with Rafe, yet the impending second world war threw their plans into certain turmoil. Will Beatrice be able to give Lucy the information she was looking for, or will Lucy’s world be turned upside down with Beatrice’s long-buried secret?
The pacing of the novel could use a bit of work. The first third builds up fairly slowly. It’s a lot of character development, that while necessary could have been sped up slightly. When you reach the last third of the book the pace quickens rapidly and hooks you in until you finish. The weaving from the past to the present would have been of better use if Lucy had a more integral/interesting part to play in the plot. I understand her use in the development, but not much really happens with her side storyline. It seems that Hore lacked interest in developing her more. I would have liked to see an epilogue that took place six months/a year later. It would have given the reader a chance to see how she dealt with the big reveal.
As I started reading this novel, another kept popping in my mind, The House at Riverton. That novel, as well as A Gathering Storm, were both written with from the point of view of having a huge mystery looming over you the entire time. You know there are things that haven’t been said yet and secrets that have yet to come to light. You can tell that Hore is an incredibly gifted writer by the simple fact that you’re not bored by all of the back story leading up to the big reveal. Each piece of the story is meticulously planned out so as not to give anything away prematurely. As in any mystery you start guessing what the big secret is, but it’s not until the end that you find out how close your assumptions were. The ending leaves you completely breathless, gasping for air, amazed at the cruel nature of people. I’m still reeling from it.
All in all the facts are these: Hore is a gifted storyteller, giving us a fascinating look into World War II England and the behind-the-scenes people who never got the glory they so justly deserved. If you enjoy a good suspenseful mystery injected with tons of historical information this is definitely the book for you!
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-Eb
Lucy Cardwell’s father has died. When looking through his papers, she finds that he started doing research on Rafe Ashton, a long-lost uncle. Determined to pick up the pieces of her father’s search, she sets out to find out more about this man, Lucy decides to visit her father’s childhood home, Carlyon Manor. While there, she is instructed to talk to an old woman by the name of Beatrice, who would most likely know the story of Carlyon Manor and its inhabitants. Beatrice tells her that she normally played with all the children of the Manor at that time (in the 1930′s), especially Angelina Wincanton, Lucy’s grandmother. Beatrice also tells Lucy that she and the others had some excitement one summer, as she rescued a man named Rafe Ashton from certain death as he was drowning in rough seas. After this daring rescue, Beatrice fell in love with Rafe, yet the impending second world war threw their plans into certain turmoil. Will Beatrice be able to give Lucy the information she was looking for, or will Lucy’s world be turned upside down with Beatrice’s long-buried secret?
The pacing of the novel could use a bit of work. The first third builds up fairly slowly. It’s a lot of character development, that while necessary could have been sped up slightly. When you reach the last third of the book the pace quickens rapidly and hooks you in until you finish. The weaving from the past to the present would have been of better use if Lucy had a more integral/interesting part to play in the plot. I understand her use in the development, but not much really happens with her side storyline. It seems that Hore lacked interest in developing her more. I would have liked to see an epilogue that took place six months/a year later. It would have given the reader a chance to see how she dealt with the big reveal.
As I started reading this novel, another kept popping in my mind, The House at Riverton. That novel, as well as A Gathering Storm, were both written with from the point of view of having a huge mystery looming over you the entire time. You know there are things that haven’t been said yet and secrets that have yet to come to light. You can tell that Hore is an incredibly gifted writer by the simple fact that you’re not bored by all of the back story leading up to the big reveal. Each piece of the story is meticulously planned out so as not to give anything away prematurely. As in any mystery you start guessing what the big secret is, but it’s not until the end that you find out how close your assumptions were. The ending leaves you completely breathless, gasping for air, amazed at the cruel nature of people. I’m still reeling from it.
All in all the facts are these: Hore is a gifted storyteller, giving us a fascinating look into World War II England and the behind-the-scenes people who never got the glory they so justly deserved. If you enjoy a good suspenseful mystery injected with tons of historical information this is definitely the book for you!
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
http://wp.me/p18lIL-Eb
October 5, 2011
Despite being what most people would consider 'chick lit', I actually really enjoyed this book. I'm new to Rachel Hore, a local Norfolk author, but I have to say she's a great storyteller. The book is set in Cornwall just before the war. It tells the story of a local upper class family, the Wincantons and their stately home, and a local girl Beatrice. Beatrice meets the Wincanton children one day on the beach and strikes up a friendship with Angie, the eldest daughter. One day Beatrice meets a lad called Rafe, but their blossoming friendship is cut short by the arrival of war. It's a tale of childhood love, of betrayal, of courage, of espionage, Nazis, torture, and who your friends really are. The closing chapters are so well written you can't put it down, and when the story ends you're left with a lump in your throat. Not ashamed to admit it, this is a book that I enjoyed and thoroughly recommend.
June 10, 2021
A lovely nostalgic dual-timeline read set in Cornwall (with parts in Europe & London too) during the war & present day. It’s well constructed & very moving in parts, but I did find it slow going in places & it took me a while to get into at first so it isn’t the favourite of my recent wartime reads.
June 11, 2021
Really enjoyed this book.
March 12, 2016
I needed an escapist read, something not too heavy or intricate, after recently finishing both "A Tale of Two Cities" and "The Way We Live Now!" Rachel Hore has penned several, so I picked up "A Gathering Storm" because of 1. the cover, 2. the setting -- who can resist England's oh-so-romantic Cornwall? and 3. the time period -- WW2.
I mostly enjoyed this at-times-light-at-times dark novel, and it moved quickly for me. My sympathy quickly meshed with Beatrice, who, perhaps because of the lack of parental affirmation in her life, learns to gain acceptance through nurturing others (even to the detriment of her own personal need). Although at times Bea could rightly be accused of being 'wishy-washy', as events around her start to pick up and the war begins, her character growth becomes clear to the reader.
By the culmination of the novel, Beatrice has more than 'come into her own'. The author cleverly illustrates the progression of Beatrice's personality. Beatrice, perhaps because of her background, has learned to cope with what life hands out to her. Although her struggles are grim and bitter, destined to turn even those most resilient into bitter and antagonistic souls, Beatrice deals with them seemingly without harboring resentment or bitterness.
Beatrice Marlow is the child of a French mother and English father, growing up in Cornwall. She becomes friends with the Wincanton family and her story becomes enmeshed with theirs throughout the pre-war and war years in England.
I think I would have appreciated Bea's story more had the author more thoroughly developed some of the characters in the book . The reader is left to himself to discover the reasons behind her parent's lack of interest in Bea's life. For a long time Beatrice keeps secret her engagement and later, the news of the birth of her baby a secret. There seems to be a lack of communication between Bea and her parents even though she is living in London during the Blitz.
Rafe Ashton, who Bea falls so irrevocably in love with, is also a mysterious character whose motivations and personality seem to be mostly hidden from the reader. Until thwarted in love himself, he fails to return Bea's consuming romantic interest, and yet his character is prominent in the novel.
And there is selfish, self-centered, starved-for-affection Angie. (Is Bea drawn to those who will ultimately use and hurt her?) Why does Bea not stand up for herself? why doesn't she confront Angie who all too obviously is using Rafe for attention? The reader however will find that Beatrice does change through the events of the war as she finds her place in life and develops into a sturdy, self-sufficient and stalwart individual. However it is not until Bea reaches her eighties that she finds the sympathy and understanding for her former-best-friend Angie.
I had to admire the way the author draws attention to the heroism and sheer guts of those who endured London bombings, faulty spy systems, and their rationalization that they 'must do something'.
"Outside in Trafalgar Square, clouds raced across the sky and a cold wind blew. An old man with a crooked back swept the pavement with slow, awkward movements, the wind whipping up eddies of dust, so her eyes began to smart. No one showed any surprise these days at a woman weeping in the street.
'Cheer up, love,' said a skinny old woman in a ragged black dress and headscarf, who was sitting on the steps feeding the pigeons. 'There's them with troubles worse than ours.'
I enjoyed reading this novel, particularly because of the time period. Who cannot be fascinated with the events of World War 2? It was such an incredible period of history. However I do think I would have admired this novel more had the author not included a dual story which served simply to distract me from the main story. I know that is a popular literary device especially now, but in this book it just didn't work for me.
I was relieved to read that Beatrice does survive her stint in the Resistance (even though so many did not), and I must confess I had to stay up well after midnight to find out what would happen to her!
I mostly enjoyed this at-times-light-at-times dark novel, and it moved quickly for me. My sympathy quickly meshed with Beatrice, who, perhaps because of the lack of parental affirmation in her life, learns to gain acceptance through nurturing others (even to the detriment of her own personal need). Although at times Bea could rightly be accused of being 'wishy-washy', as events around her start to pick up and the war begins, her character growth becomes clear to the reader.
By the culmination of the novel, Beatrice has more than 'come into her own'. The author cleverly illustrates the progression of Beatrice's personality. Beatrice, perhaps because of her background, has learned to cope with what life hands out to her. Although her struggles are grim and bitter, destined to turn even those most resilient into bitter and antagonistic souls, Beatrice deals with them seemingly without harboring resentment or bitterness.
Beatrice Marlow is the child of a French mother and English father, growing up in Cornwall. She becomes friends with the Wincanton family and her story becomes enmeshed with theirs throughout the pre-war and war years in England.
I think I would have appreciated Bea's story more had the author more thoroughly developed some of the characters in the book . The reader is left to himself to discover the reasons behind her parent's lack of interest in Bea's life. For a long time Beatrice keeps secret her engagement and later, the news of the birth of her baby a secret. There seems to be a lack of communication between Bea and her parents even though she is living in London during the Blitz.
Rafe Ashton, who Bea falls so irrevocably in love with, is also a mysterious character whose motivations and personality seem to be mostly hidden from the reader. Until thwarted in love himself, he fails to return Bea's consuming romantic interest, and yet his character is prominent in the novel.
And there is selfish, self-centered, starved-for-affection Angie. (Is Bea drawn to those who will ultimately use and hurt her?) Why does Bea not stand up for herself? why doesn't she confront Angie who all too obviously is using Rafe for attention? The reader however will find that Beatrice does change through the events of the war as she finds her place in life and develops into a sturdy, self-sufficient and stalwart individual. However it is not until Bea reaches her eighties that she finds the sympathy and understanding for her former-best-friend Angie.
I had to admire the way the author draws attention to the heroism and sheer guts of those who endured London bombings, faulty spy systems, and their rationalization that they 'must do something'.
"Outside in Trafalgar Square, clouds raced across the sky and a cold wind blew. An old man with a crooked back swept the pavement with slow, awkward movements, the wind whipping up eddies of dust, so her eyes began to smart. No one showed any surprise these days at a woman weeping in the street.
'Cheer up, love,' said a skinny old woman in a ragged black dress and headscarf, who was sitting on the steps feeding the pigeons. 'There's them with troubles worse than ours.'
I enjoyed reading this novel, particularly because of the time period. Who cannot be fascinated with the events of World War 2? It was such an incredible period of history. However I do think I would have admired this novel more had the author not included a dual story which served simply to distract me from the main story. I know that is a popular literary device especially now, but in this book it just didn't work for me.
I was relieved to read that Beatrice does survive her stint in the Resistance (even though so many did not), and I must confess I had to stay up well after midnight to find out what would happen to her!
March 27, 2018
The struggles of Beatrice, brought up in Cornwall, and doing her bit for England during WWII. It was an enjoyable, light read. I couldn't give it 4 stars because the pace was rather slow at times, the brief contemporary story was without interest and, I know, Rachel Hore is no Rosamunde Pilcher, but it was quite a pleasant read.
August 24, 2021
I love this author all of her stories are engrossing . This is the story of Lucy. Her father has passed away but before he died he was looking into his past and researching about an Uncle that he never knew... Lucy takes up the investigation that takes her to Cornwall and she discovers a local woman Beatrice Aston who tells her the story and unravels some hidden truths - gripping.
November 20, 2018
Boring. Gave up 20% into the book
July 28, 2012
When Lucy delves into her father's past to find out why he was particularly interested in a certain man whose story he was never able to uncover, she meets a woman who holds the answers and peels back the layers of her life and reveals to Lucy hidden truths and a story rich in WWII details. Beatrice had been a welcome friend of the Wincanton family, a rich family who lived in a Manor named Carlyon Manor in England. The Wincantons were wealthy and Beatrice poor, but she was good company for their eldest daughter, Angelina. Through the years, Beatrice was a staple in the household being tutored by the children's teachers and growing up along side Angelina and her brothers. Their lives take a turn when Angelina gets sent away to boarding school and then after that there is the war. Hoping to do something for her country, Beatrice takes a job as a FANY. She helps people in the air raid shelters and drives around important people to their errands and meetings. Angelina and Beatrice take different life paths but their trails ultimately meet throughout the story. Then, there is the tale of Rafe. The love of Beatrice's life-the man Lucy's father, Tom, had been trying to find.
A Gathering Storm took me about 100 pages or so to really get into, but after that, I read the book very quickly to find out what happened next. The story goes back in time and comes back to present day, but most of the book takes place in the past and is mainly about Beatrice and her life during wartime. This is an engaging read. If you like historical fiction, you will love this book which is part love story, part war story and is an all around good read. It's a journey back in time told with grace and elegance. The characters become real people and the story is insprired from events that took place in World War Two. I enjoyed this book until I turned the very last page and I felt very satisfied. At times I cried and at times I was emmersed in the war while reading the story. Rachel Hore has done an enchanting job recreating a woman's life in England during WWII.
A Gathering Storm took me about 100 pages or so to really get into, but after that, I read the book very quickly to find out what happened next. The story goes back in time and comes back to present day, but most of the book takes place in the past and is mainly about Beatrice and her life during wartime. This is an engaging read. If you like historical fiction, you will love this book which is part love story, part war story and is an all around good read. It's a journey back in time told with grace and elegance. The characters become real people and the story is insprired from events that took place in World War Two. I enjoyed this book until I turned the very last page and I felt very satisfied. At times I cried and at times I was emmersed in the war while reading the story. Rachel Hore has done an enchanting job recreating a woman's life in England during WWII.
February 4, 2014
As a fan of Rachel Hore's works I shall begin by saying that this is her favourite book of mine. This might be because, unlike in her previous books, the historic story takes precedent over the one in the present and is the one that mainly occupies the book. That being said, I'm not sure how much the present day story really added to the book, other than as providing a link to the past; with the characters being very sketchy and failing to ignite interest. Indeed for the most part I found myself skipping over the chapters concerning the sub-plot of Lucy's romance.
Beatrice's story, on the other hand, I found captivating from beginning to end, and I loved how her character was portrayed and evolved; the quiet and initially somewhat awkward girl who is easily looked over, but who grows into this confident and strong-willed young lady with firm principles and resolve.
I liked the depiction of the pre-war years of Beatrice's life and the portrayal of her initial friendship with Angelina as well as her adorable crush on Rafe, whom she loves so steadfastly throughout the book. These early chapters set in Cornwall held an innocence that was endearing, particularly in light of all that was to come and the sheer contrast of the setting to the later years in a grey and bleak, battered and bruised war time London.
The war years themselves were very atmospherically drawn with a real sense of the period, and I thought the end sections depicting Beatrice's involvement helping the French Resistance were tense, thrilling and fascinating.
I did fit the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together about half way through the novel with regards to where Lucy's father was concerned, however, overall I don't think that detracted from the book. An engaging read.
Beatrice's story, on the other hand, I found captivating from beginning to end, and I loved how her character was portrayed and evolved; the quiet and initially somewhat awkward girl who is easily looked over, but who grows into this confident and strong-willed young lady with firm principles and resolve.
I liked the depiction of the pre-war years of Beatrice's life and the portrayal of her initial friendship with Angelina as well as her adorable crush on Rafe, whom she loves so steadfastly throughout the book. These early chapters set in Cornwall held an innocence that was endearing, particularly in light of all that was to come and the sheer contrast of the setting to the later years in a grey and bleak, battered and bruised war time London.
The war years themselves were very atmospherically drawn with a real sense of the period, and I thought the end sections depicting Beatrice's involvement helping the French Resistance were tense, thrilling and fascinating.
I did fit the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together about half way through the novel with regards to where Lucy's father was concerned, however, overall I don't think that detracted from the book. An engaging read.
February 6, 2014
I was torn between rating this as okay or liked it.
Beatrice is invited up to play at the charming Carlyon and begins a long relationship with its residents, especially eldest daughter Angie. It is here that Beatrice is educated, this family that provides an introduction so that she can get into a prep school for university. But it is on her own one lonely summer that meets Rafe, a handsome young boy she helps to rescue from the sea.
Adulthood brings tough times for all as the shadow of war looms over England. Hardest of all for Bea is watching Rafe fall for Angie. Then Rafe is taken prisoner, Bea meets a man of her own and becomes pregnant. But Bea's luck in love stays bad - her new man is killed in battle, leaving her pregnant. Hew own family wants little to do with her but Angie takes her in once more, helping her as she has the baby. When Rafe returns Bea thinks her happiness is complete. Then he is sent on a dangerous assignment and Bea herself has the chance to take up espionage work. As Germany grows increasingly violent in its death throes what will happen to Bea and Rafe?
I was surprised at our primary story tellers easy selfishness. She was quick to receive whatever Angie and her family offered, seeming to think it was somehow her due. She never seemed grateful in the least for what they did for her. Added to that is her continuing to cover her desire for adventure and purpose - and her boredom at being trapped at home - with patriotism. I couldn't like her and the end result is that the story sat rather oddly with me, as if it were out of focus. I liked the setting, liked the mystery but couldn't like the primary narrator.
Beatrice is invited up to play at the charming Carlyon and begins a long relationship with its residents, especially eldest daughter Angie. It is here that Beatrice is educated, this family that provides an introduction so that she can get into a prep school for university. But it is on her own one lonely summer that meets Rafe, a handsome young boy she helps to rescue from the sea.
Adulthood brings tough times for all as the shadow of war looms over England. Hardest of all for Bea is watching Rafe fall for Angie. Then Rafe is taken prisoner, Bea meets a man of her own and becomes pregnant. But Bea's luck in love stays bad - her new man is killed in battle, leaving her pregnant. Hew own family wants little to do with her but Angie takes her in once more, helping her as she has the baby. When Rafe returns Bea thinks her happiness is complete. Then he is sent on a dangerous assignment and Bea herself has the chance to take up espionage work. As Germany grows increasingly violent in its death throes what will happen to Bea and Rafe?
I was surprised at our primary story tellers easy selfishness. She was quick to receive whatever Angie and her family offered, seeming to think it was somehow her due. She never seemed grateful in the least for what they did for her. Added to that is her continuing to cover her desire for adventure and purpose - and her boredom at being trapped at home - with patriotism. I couldn't like her and the end result is that the story sat rather oddly with me, as if it were out of focus. I liked the setting, liked the mystery but couldn't like the primary narrator.
September 13, 2015
Story moves between past & present, Beatrice is telling the story as an old lady but it starts in her childhood then continues through WW2 and beyond.
There's a big secret that comes out towards the end of the book. Good story, easy to get into - I would have liked time to read it in a shorter period but too much else going on!
There's a big secret that comes out towards the end of the book. Good story, easy to get into - I would have liked time to read it in a shorter period but too much else going on!
July 15, 2022
Set during WWII, this is the story of two cousins who become rivals for a child's love.
Beatrice is the birth mother whose fiance is killed during the war and leaves her alone and expecting their child. Angie is the well to do married cousin who is unable to carry a child to full term and who is happy to help Bratrice to care for her child while she goes to work for the French resistance.
Beatrice is the birth mother whose fiance is killed during the war and leaves her alone and expecting their child. Angie is the well to do married cousin who is unable to carry a child to full term and who is happy to help Bratrice to care for her child while she goes to work for the French resistance.
April 24, 2024
This is the second book I've read by this author and I real love her writing.
Historical fiction with mystery and most of all love.
Historical fiction with mystery and most of all love.
January 20, 2025
Recommendation from Mum - I liked it but it was SO slow paced 🐢
November 1, 2012
On her way to a brief holiday in Cornwall, Lucy Cardwell finds herself making a quick break from her new boyfriend. Lucy's participation in this holiday is halted as they are passing through an area which contains her father's childhood home,Carlyon Manor. The draw to visit Carlyon Manor is so strong that Lucy abruptly decides to stay in the nearby village rather than going on with her scheduled holiday plans. The recent loss of her troubled father, Tom, has her questioning some of his papers she found. He had been researching an uncle she never knew he'd had. While there, Lucy meets an old woman named Beatrice who tells her a story so intriguing she cannot stop listening. Beatrice tells of her childhood in the 1930s with the children of Carlyon Manor. Angelina Wincanton, Lucy's grandmother, was one of those children. During Beatrice's fifteenth year, she rescues Rafe Ashton from the sea. The weeks and months pass with Beatrice, Rafe, and the Wincanton children growing up togther. Then the war rages and all are affected, yet in different ways. Beatrice's story covers years of strife, courage and betrayal. During WWII, not only their lives, but their friendships, are strained. While some give their all for freedom and loved ones, others remain selfish and unyielding. Lucy finds the answers to what her father had been searching for, and also something of herself, while she listens to this story full of secrets and a past mingled with terror.
Rachel Hore's writing style is excellent. She weaves her stories in such a way that keeps you wanting to read on. My only beef with this is the sexual scenes and their descriptions. It just isn't necessary. Merely the impression of what is about to happen is enough. One doesn't need to be told, play-by-play, what they are doing. Sorry, Rachel, it just does not have to be a part of a good read. We all know it happens, we don't need to be told 'how.'
Rachel Hore's writing style is excellent. She weaves her stories in such a way that keeps you wanting to read on. My only beef with this is the sexual scenes and their descriptions. It just isn't necessary. Merely the impression of what is about to happen is enough. One doesn't need to be told, play-by-play, what they are doing. Sorry, Rachel, it just does not have to be a part of a good read. We all know it happens, we don't need to be told 'how.'
September 25, 2011
I'm a massive fan of Rachel Hore and just had to pre-order this one for my Kindle - but I was really disappointed by it. Her strength has always been the easy relationship between the historical story and the modern, but she certainly lost her touch with this one. The modern story didn't engage me at all. Lucy is such a non-entity - just the person Beatrice tells her story to - and I really didn't have any interest in how her life turned out. I got the impression the author didn't either. The rest is a pretty straight telling of the story of the relationship between Beatrice and the Wincanton family, through the war years, and from childhood through her time as a Special Operations Executive agent in France. The research seemed pretty lightweight - a bit of Violet Szabo and Odette whatsername and more than a touch of Allo Allo. Things get a little hairy for Beatrice in France at one point, but I couldn't really care enough - she obviously survived as she was telling the story. So many authors have written about this period so much more eloquently. Such a disappointment, and I limped to the end - sorry Rachel, think this one's a dud.
June 15, 2017
I love Rachel, she had a way of writing characters and events that make it feel as though you are in the room with them watching as things evolve. I read this book in one sitting unable to stop turning pages until the end.
In 'A Gathering Storm' we are introduced to the delightful but spoiled Angie, and her very bestest of friends, Beatrice. We see the two girls grow and discover things about themselves and each other as they go through life against the backdrop of World War 2.
As Beatrice experiences the worst of the war, Angie is content to let things happen around her as long as she gets her own way and she is content to resort to devious methods when it comes down to it.
What evolves are decades of secrets that slowly gather like looming storm clouds until finally, the rain comes down.
The writing is good, a balance of show and tell, there is an honesty to the way that the characters interact and fantastic descriptions of Cornish landscape. I would recommend this book.
In 'A Gathering Storm' we are introduced to the delightful but spoiled Angie, and her very bestest of friends, Beatrice. We see the two girls grow and discover things about themselves and each other as they go through life against the backdrop of World War 2.
As Beatrice experiences the worst of the war, Angie is content to let things happen around her as long as she gets her own way and she is content to resort to devious methods when it comes down to it.
What evolves are decades of secrets that slowly gather like looming storm clouds until finally, the rain comes down.
The writing is good, a balance of show and tell, there is an honesty to the way that the characters interact and fantastic descriptions of Cornish landscape. I would recommend this book.
February 26, 2012
This book took a little while to get going, and the flitting back and forth in time took a while to get used to, but once the story kicked in it was so hard to put down. Alternating between the present day, and Cornwall in World War Two, we learn the story of Beatrice as she struggles to fit into society, as she recalls her life to curious Lucy, who is searching for more information about her family. Beatrice's story provides a brilliant glimpse into the life of women during the war, and the story approaches the subject in such a way that we see the impact on everyday life, something which is at times heartbreaking to read. You get drawn into the lives of the characters and long to know their fate, and as the pieces begin to fit together it's impossible to pull away from. A really interesting mix of contemporary and historical fiction, in a really simple, enjoyable story. I'd really recommend it.
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January 24, 2016I was really excited to dig into this story, it sounded intriguing. After Lucy Cardwell's father passes away she discovers he was looking for a long lost uncle she never knew existed. She decides to see if she can learn more about this man and travels to the sea-side town where her grandmother spent summers as a girl. It's there she meets an old family friend of her grandmother's who begins to tell her about the mysterious uncle her father was researching.
Unfortunately none of these characters came to life for me, there are two story-lines, one in the past and one in the present. I wasn't pulled into either story, the pacing was very slow but I also found the details and storytelling rather dull.
I thought this was going to be something to sink my teeth into, but I gave it 150 pages and found I didn't care one bit how the story was going to unfold. There are too many other books calling to me to spend any more time with one that doesn't interest me.
Unfortunately none of these characters came to life for me, there are two story-lines, one in the past and one in the present. I wasn't pulled into either story, the pacing was very slow but I also found the details and storytelling rather dull.
I thought this was going to be something to sink my teeth into, but I gave it 150 pages and found I didn't care one bit how the story was going to unfold. There are too many other books calling to me to spend any more time with one that doesn't interest me.
November 19, 2015
A Gathering Storm by Rachel Hore
This is the first novel I have read by this author, which did not disappoint me. In fact, I enjoyed Rachel Hore’s style so much that I shall read her other novels.
A Gathering Storm, set in Cornwall, London and France, seamlessly follows the lives of the characters in the early 21st century and in the mid 1930’s and 1940’s.
My interest didn’t flag while I followed the intriguing tale about poignant love, sacrifice and diverse situations.
The author’s ability to paint word pictures of places and people adds charm to the novel, which begins soon after the death of Lucy Cardwell’s troubled father. When Lucy sifts through his papers she finds out that he was seeking an uncle whose existence she had not known about. Curious, Lucy visits her father’s childhood home, Carlyon Manor. In the nearby village she meets Beatrice, whose extraordinary life holds the answer to Lucy’s questions.
July 9, 2015
I liked this book, it is one of those books that has two settings, one in the past, in this case during WWII and the one in the present in a small English seaside town.
I loved the author's description of both settings the problem I had with this book was that none of the characters seemed very likable to me. Including Beatrice whose story is both exciting and very sad, but I just could not bring myself to to like her.
This story does have mystery and some twists and turns and the parts that take place during WWII are exciting.
I will read another book by this author because I think she is a very good author I just didn't like the people in the story, but the story and setting for the story were very good.
I loved the author's description of both settings the problem I had with this book was that none of the characters seemed very likable to me. Including Beatrice whose story is both exciting and very sad, but I just could not bring myself to to like her.
This story does have mystery and some twists and turns and the parts that take place during WWII are exciting.
I will read another book by this author because I think she is a very good author I just didn't like the people in the story, but the story and setting for the story were very good.
October 28, 2011
This is the first time I ever read a book that has shook me to the core. None of the books I read before has done that to me. It felt as though I lived in the book. I was breathing the book!!! (NOT LITERALLY, of course) but it was so amazing. I couldn't wait to read more when I stopped reading the book due to other activities. It was soooooooo great. I love reading about history esp. when it is fiction. Thank you Rachel Hore for writing such an amazing book! I can't wait to read more of your novels.
September 2, 2016
This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it! A wonderful story about life in England before and during WWII. The main character, Beatrice, becomes a FANY (which I knew nothing about) and later a key member of a group that was working undercover in France.
August 4, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyed this book
February 6, 2012
absolutely loved this book
goes from past to present , just could not stop reading !
goes from past to present , just could not stop reading !
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