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Rivenshaw #4
Gifts For Our Time
Germany 1939, and Christa Sommer boards the Kindertransport, unsure that she'll ever see her beloved mother and father again.
Once in England she is taken in by elderly Mrs Pelling, who grows to love Christa as the daughter she never had.
But in 1945 Mrs Pelling dies. While her will cannot be found, her money-grabbing niece appears out of the blue to claim her inheritance and turfs Christa out, with only a suitcase to her name. The prejudice against Germans still runs high in England, and Christa is unable to secure a job or a place to stay...
Luck comes her way when a lady she saves from being mugged turns out to be Mayne Esher's friend Daniel's mother. Taking pity on Christa, they take her to Rivenshaw where they plan to start a new life as part of the Esher building firm.
There Christa is welcomed with open arms and she soon develops a love for the place, the people and, Daniel...
But Esherwood is not the trouble-free sanctuary she first thinks.
Determined to do their bit for soldiers returning from the war they have agreed to allow the council to build prefabs on some of Esherwood's garden. But an empire-building town planner seems set on taking all of Mayne's land for the war effort...
Mayne has also discovered a secret door at the back of the old Nissen hut, with a complicated locking mechanism that has local locksmiths dumbfounded.
Just what is hidden behind the door to warrant such high security?
- GenresRomanceHistoricalFiction
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2017
137 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Anna Jacobs
237 books511 followersAnna Jacobs has 87 novels published as of April 2019. She writes historical sagas and modern novels alternately, and in the past has written historical romances and fantasy novels (the latter as Shannah Jay).
She's addicted to story-telling and writes three novels a year. You can find a list of books and series on her website at www.annajacobs.com
Anna reads 3 novels a week. Happy reading, everyone.
She's addicted to story-telling and writes three novels a year. You can find a list of books and series on her website at www.annajacobs.com
Anna reads 3 novels a week. Happy reading, everyone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
January 27, 2018
Conclusions
Wow wow wow words can't describe just have fantastic this series of books were . A little village called rivenshaw .with a fantastic manor house called Esherwood with Mayne Esher trying to save his home with Judith by his side and his friends Victor , Francis , Daniel, plus there ladies and Ray everyone had there part to play the conclusion is every bit as fantastic as you can imagine 5 STARS for Anna Jacobs she really deserved 10 STARS for this fantastic series .
Wow wow wow words can't describe just have fantastic this series of books were . A little village called rivenshaw .with a fantastic manor house called Esherwood with Mayne Esher trying to save his home with Judith by his side and his friends Victor , Francis , Daniel, plus there ladies and Ray everyone had there part to play the conclusion is every bit as fantastic as you can imagine 5 STARS for Anna Jacobs she really deserved 10 STARS for this fantastic series .
March 5, 2019
This story starts slowly but builds up for a wonderful ending. It's a very fitting ending to the Rivenshaw series, I enjoyed meeting up with the characters from the previous books and meeting a few new ones. It's set post second world war when the country needs to get back on its feet, but there are still obstacles to overcome. It's about one man's struggle to keep his inheritance, but so much more than that it's about friendships and community.
June 24, 2023
A great finish to this great saga. Another great read.
Read
June 28, 2024Another very good read, shame there isn't a number 5
April 28, 2020
Great series enjoyed all four books.
July 28, 2020
An exciting and amazing novel
An excellent series that I have ever read. Really amazing.. never thought it would be so exciting towards the end. So much of twists and turns. Really superb. As always Anna is the best when it comes to Lancashire.Wow
An excellent series that I have ever read. Really amazing.. never thought it would be so exciting towards the end. So much of twists and turns. Really superb. As always Anna is the best when it comes to Lancashire.Wow
March 30, 2017
Lovely ending to a great series
December 27, 2017
Brilliant book
February 24, 2018
brilliant! I really enjoyed this, it definitely needs a 5th book in the series to finish it off though
September 23, 2025
Germany 1939, and Christa Sommer boards the Kindertransport, unsure that she'll ever see her beloved mother and father again.
Once in England she is taken in by elderly Mrs Pelling, who grows to love Christa as the daughter she never had.
But in 1945 Mrs Pelling dies. While her will cannot be found, her money-grabbing niece appears out of the blue to claim her inheritance and turfs Christa out, with only a suitcase to her name. The prejudice against Germans still runs high in England, and Christa is unable to secure a job or a place to stay...
Luck comes her way when a lady she saves from being mugged turns out to be Mayne Esher's friend Daniel's mother. Taking pity on Christa, they take her to Rivenshaw where they plan to start a new life as part of the Esher building firm.
There Christa is welcomed with open arms and she soon develops a love for the place, the people and, Daniel...
But Esherwood is not the trouble-free sanctuary she first thinks.
Determined to do their bit for soldiers returning from the war they have agreed to allow the council to build prefabs on some of Esherwood's garden. But an empire-building town planner seems set on taking all of Mayne's land for the war effort...
Mayne has also discovered a secret door at the back of the old Nissen hut, with a complicated locking mechanism that has local locksmiths dumbfounded.
Just what is hidden behind the door to warrant such high security?
My comments:
It's been a long journey for me with these characters from the valley which has lasted a number of years. One of my best friends recommended ellendale to me a few years a go and then informed me that the other places mentioned had their own series so last year I decided to obtain the whole collection and finally finish it. Now this is the final book of the collection and I am not going to lie I am feeling quite emotional as I write this review on the final book as I feel sad saying good bye to all these wonderful characters. I will be revisiting the valley again in the future for sure and re reading these wonderful books.
This final book was fantastic and I am really glad the characters all got the ending they did. It's clear the author did her research on the time and I loved the mystry in this book and could not wait to find out if they would manage to get into the celler and find out what was their.
I would highly recommend the valley collection is read in order starting with Ellendale, bagshaw moss, burch end and ending with Rivenshaw as that's the latest collection. While the characters in the other 3 series don't feature massively in rivenshaw apart from sargent Deema I still think it's better to read the full collection in order so you get to know the valley. I'm looking forwrd to reading more by this author as I've enjoyed everything I have tried by her so far.
It's good bye to these characters for now however this has been a wonderful collection of books and I've enjoyed getting to know these characters.
Once in England she is taken in by elderly Mrs Pelling, who grows to love Christa as the daughter she never had.
But in 1945 Mrs Pelling dies. While her will cannot be found, her money-grabbing niece appears out of the blue to claim her inheritance and turfs Christa out, with only a suitcase to her name. The prejudice against Germans still runs high in England, and Christa is unable to secure a job or a place to stay...
Luck comes her way when a lady she saves from being mugged turns out to be Mayne Esher's friend Daniel's mother. Taking pity on Christa, they take her to Rivenshaw where they plan to start a new life as part of the Esher building firm.
There Christa is welcomed with open arms and she soon develops a love for the place, the people and, Daniel...
But Esherwood is not the trouble-free sanctuary she first thinks.
Determined to do their bit for soldiers returning from the war they have agreed to allow the council to build prefabs on some of Esherwood's garden. But an empire-building town planner seems set on taking all of Mayne's land for the war effort...
Mayne has also discovered a secret door at the back of the old Nissen hut, with a complicated locking mechanism that has local locksmiths dumbfounded.
Just what is hidden behind the door to warrant such high security?
My comments:
It's been a long journey for me with these characters from the valley which has lasted a number of years. One of my best friends recommended ellendale to me a few years a go and then informed me that the other places mentioned had their own series so last year I decided to obtain the whole collection and finally finish it. Now this is the final book of the collection and I am not going to lie I am feeling quite emotional as I write this review on the final book as I feel sad saying good bye to all these wonderful characters. I will be revisiting the valley again in the future for sure and re reading these wonderful books.
This final book was fantastic and I am really glad the characters all got the ending they did. It's clear the author did her research on the time and I loved the mystry in this book and could not wait to find out if they would manage to get into the celler and find out what was their.
I would highly recommend the valley collection is read in order starting with Ellendale, bagshaw moss, burch end and ending with Rivenshaw as that's the latest collection. While the characters in the other 3 series don't feature massively in rivenshaw apart from sargent Deema I still think it's better to read the full collection in order so you get to know the valley. I'm looking forwrd to reading more by this author as I've enjoyed everything I have tried by her so far.
It's good bye to these characters for now however this has been a wonderful collection of books and I've enjoyed getting to know these characters.
February 25, 2019
I’m not biased but I do take good writing and plot development seriously.
This was the perfect ending to the 4 books installment. Thanks to her superb writing style and captivating storylines, I even surprised myself that I could enjoy a historical war novel so much!
There was a touch of a ghost element for a while where Judith thought she saw a ghost and at the end where the thieves and only Mayne could see the ethereal ghostly figures. Luckily, it stopped at there and didn’t progress further.
I’m utterly sad to see the end of this series and I do hope that Anna would write more! Would love to know how the characters lives change during Peace Time and how each of the four partners family lives will develop. Please write more Anna Jacobs! And thanks for such a good series!
This was the perfect ending to the 4 books installment. Thanks to her superb writing style and captivating storylines, I even surprised myself that I could enjoy a historical war novel so much!
There was a touch of a ghost element for a while where Judith thought she saw a ghost and at the end where the thieves and only Mayne could see the ethereal ghostly figures. Luckily, it stopped at there and didn’t progress further.
I’m utterly sad to see the end of this series and I do hope that Anna would write more! Would love to know how the characters lives change during Peace Time and how each of the four partners family lives will develop. Please write more Anna Jacobs! And thanks for such a good series!
January 30, 2018
The final book in the Rivenshaw series. Although it could be read as a stand alone novel as all the major plot points are covered..Set in post war Britain with it privations and shortages , it is a enjoyable read. We step back into the lives of the characters we have grown to know and to love. Jacobs skilfully draws the many threads of the previous books together, and also adds new characters, this book is a worthy conclusion to the series.
November 25, 2020
This was a nice summary to the series, although it did leave things a little bit up in the air. I felt like some of the plot lines were not quite as well-developed as other books, almost like the author started to lose interest in Rivenshaw a bit. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the series as a whole, and this book as the last of the series was a solid 4 star read.
November 27, 2018
I must admit I struggled a bit with this, the final Rivenshaw story. Although there is one sequence in the book that is outstandingly good (involving all the townsfolk), I really didn't like the supernatural element, which felt completely out of place.
January 12, 2019
Great series
I've enjoyed all the books in this series. It started with the first book just been picked up at my mother in laws but was hooked so needed to read the others too see what happened.
I've enjoyed all the books in this series. It started with the first book just been picked up at my mother in laws but was hooked so needed to read the others too see what happened.
June 12, 2019
Full series
This was the final book in this series, all four of them were, absolutely captivating, Mayne and Judith both magnetic character's from the very start, held my heart to the very end.
This was the final book in this series, all four of them were, absolutely captivating, Mayne and Judith both magnetic character's from the very start, held my heart to the very end.
October 3, 2019
A real gift !!
I’ve really enjoyed reading all four books, it has given me something to look forward to when I’ve had time to read in a busy working life... it’s sad when you get to the end of an enjoyable read!!!
I’ve really enjoyed reading all four books, it has given me something to look forward to when I’ve had time to read in a busy working life... it’s sad when you get to the end of an enjoyable read!!!
November 15, 2020
Rickshaw saga
I thoroughly enjoyed this saga from start to finish.It was captivating loved all the characters from all the books must say i couldn't wait to get on to next book amazing x
I thoroughly enjoyed this saga from start to finish.It was captivating loved all the characters from all the books must say i couldn't wait to get on to next book amazing x
June 18, 2023
I didn’t want this to end would have loved it to continue and see what happens to them now that Mayne and Judith are rich and the lives of the rest of his building company with his war friends. Another fantastic saga
Can’t wait to keep reading all her books
Can’t wait to keep reading all her books
February 10, 2024
More war and love stories and drama.
I very much enjoy that you do not have to read the sequence to understand the stories.
A bit too repetitive sometimes - I get it's different characters talking about a situation, but having the same words/phrase used to explain it isn't ideal.
I very much enjoy that you do not have to read the sequence to understand the stories.
A bit too repetitive sometimes - I get it's different characters talking about a situation, but having the same words/phrase used to explain it isn't ideal.
March 16, 2024
I have read all four books in this series in on week and I couldn’t stop until I had finished it .I loved them all but the final one made me cry happy tears and I wish the stories would carry on . I will have to see if there is a follow on from this Rivenshaw series as I enjoyed it so much
August 22, 2017
Brilliant
Brilliant as always would love there to be a book 5 to find out if the house gets finished and where all the friends end up
Brilliant as always would love there to be a book 5 to find out if the house gets finished and where all the friends end up
March 26, 2018
Gripping read
Absolutely wonderful story from the first book to this one. I'm sure all of Anna Jacobs readers will truly enjoy this book. A must read for all.
Absolutely wonderful story from the first book to this one. I'm sure all of Anna Jacobs readers will truly enjoy this book. A must read for all.
September 16, 2018
Concluding the saga of the friends of Esherwood Hall in Rivenshaw... There is a far fetched bit near the end, but overall I enjoyed it.
October 12, 2018
Dragged
This book dragged, I ended up skipping pages. It's a shame as I enjoyed the first two in the series.
This book dragged, I ended up skipping pages. It's a shame as I enjoyed the first two in the series.
July 23, 2019
Brilliant read .
Brilliant read,all four books are definite page turners. I wanted to get to the end to see how the story panned but didn’t want the story to end
Brilliant read,all four books are definite page turners. I wanted to get to the end to see how the story panned but didn’t want the story to end
August 12, 2019
Loved the whole series. Characters are portrayed beautifully.
August 29, 2019
Great book
Brilliant book couldn’t put it down. Anna Jacobs is a great author and attention to detail also fab. Currently reading another Anna Jacobs book.
Brilliant book couldn’t put it down. Anna Jacobs is a great author and attention to detail also fab. Currently reading another Anna Jacobs book.
August 30, 2019
Easy reading.
Difficult to put down. A nice happy story. Good conclusion to the trials and tribulations of family rivalry and the struggles after the war.
Difficult to put down. A nice happy story. Good conclusion to the trials and tribulations of family rivalry and the struggles after the war.
October 15, 2019
Brilliant
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews