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Goswell #3
The Second Bride
Ellen Tyson's idyllic village life is derailed when Annabelle moves in. The teenage daughter from her husband's first marriage, Annabelle is seventeen, surly, and defiant. And she has no interest in being part of her father's second family.
When a death certificate from the 1870s, hidden beneath the floorboards of their attic, is discovered during a renovation, Ellen tries to use it as a way to get closer to Annabelle. But as both women learn about Sarah Mills who died in 1872, they find the past reflected in their own lives in strange and startling ways.
A dual narrative between the present and the 1860s, The Second Bride is a powerful and moving drama that narrates the difficulties and joys of blending families.
When a death certificate from the 1870s, hidden beneath the floorboards of their attic, is discovered during a renovation, Ellen tries to use it as a way to get closer to Annabelle. But as both women learn about Sarah Mills who died in 1872, they find the past reflected in their own lives in strange and startling ways.
A dual narrative between the present and the 1860s, The Second Bride is a powerful and moving drama that narrates the difficulties and joys of blending families.
336 pages, Paperback
Published February 17, 2017
1129 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Katharine Swartz
11 books87 followersAlso published under the name Kate Hewitt.
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!
She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com.
After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, Katharine Swartz now lives in the Lake District with her husband, an Anglican minister, their five children, and a Golden Retriever. She enjoys such novel things as long country walks and chatting with people in the street, and her children love the freedom of village life—although she often has to ring four or five people to figure out where they’ve gone off to!
She writes women’s fiction as well as contemporary romance for Mills & Boon Modern under the name Kate Hewitt, and whatever the genre she enjoys delivering a compelling and intensely emotional story. Find out more about her books at www.katharineswartz.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 24, 2019
Having read the previous books in the Tales from Goswell series I was very happy to get into this novel. And as with the other books this one also had a dual timeline.
This story was somewhat darker though. I could really feel the desperation from the characters especially from Sarah who was from the Victorian time in one timeline. Katharine Swartz really wrote a perfect gothic writing about her. The descriptions were fantastic, I could really see the houses that Sarah lived in with her sister. I felt transported back in time. I could also really feel the omnipresent overwhelming feeling of helplessness that Sarah felt.
This feeling of helplessness was brought into the life of the present day timeline character Ellen. I read along, really feeling for her, and not knowing how to change anything. I was really interested in seeing how the author was going to put everything together. My only critic point that I had about the whole book is that this timeline didn't feel quite finished, I wanted something more somehow.
I especially loved reading that the author really had a death certificate of Sarah Mills found under the floorboards in her attic that led to the telling of Sarahs story in this novel.
Very much recommended
4/24/19
I still agree with the main part of what I wrote except for the 3rd paragraph... I realize now that the book and Ellen´s part of the book is as finished as it could be-- just like real life.
This story was somewhat darker though. I could really feel the desperation from the characters especially from Sarah who was from the Victorian time in one timeline. Katharine Swartz really wrote a perfect gothic writing about her. The descriptions were fantastic, I could really see the houses that Sarah lived in with her sister. I felt transported back in time. I could also really feel the omnipresent overwhelming feeling of helplessness that Sarah felt.
This feeling of helplessness was brought into the life of the present day timeline character Ellen. I read along, really feeling for her, and not knowing how to change anything. I was really interested in seeing how the author was going to put everything together. My only critic point that I had about the whole book is that this timeline didn't feel quite finished, I wanted something more somehow.
I especially loved reading that the author really had a death certificate of Sarah Mills found under the floorboards in her attic that led to the telling of Sarahs story in this novel.
Very much recommended
4/24/19
I still agree with the main part of what I wrote except for the 3rd paragraph... I realize now that the book and Ellen´s part of the book is as finished as it could be-- just like real life.
December 30, 2016
I read “The Second Bride” by Katherine Swartz because I was tempted by the synopsis. This book was unique in that it travelled back and forth between the 1870’s and present day. In both cases, the heroine has married a man who has either lost his wife through death or divorce and has taken on the child from that first marriage. Both time periods show that problems develop no matter when or where you are, especially when you are trying to make a new marriage work.
Sarah Mills and her mute sister, Lucy, are left orphaned with nowhere to go after the death of their father. Sarah is offered a chance to marry a friend of her late father’s in return for a home for her and Lucy. Her step-daughter is not welcoming and does not help Sarah at all. When the step-daughter finds herself disgraced, Sarah finds a way to help her, although her marriage is one of abuse and deprivation.
In current day, Ellen Tyson finds herself in an uncomfortable time in her marriage. She and her husband Alex are asked to take in Alex’s daughter, Annabelle, a teenager with an attitude. Ellen has just had a room readied for her office, but now has to turn it over to the ungrateful girl. Alex and Ellen’s young daughter must also change her life and welcome a new sibling.
My take on the novel is that both of these women are bound to make the best of an unwelcome situation. Both try their best to make sure that the family continues on living a peaceful existence in the face of the upheaval. I found that both Sarah and Ellen had to come to terms with the situation and cope in the best way possible. However, in Sarah’s case, I could not accept her life situation at all. I was horrified by the way she had to live and the insensitivity of her husband. Ellen, on the other hand, was able to bring her family together and make a go of it. I read the parts about Sarah Mills with angst. This was not a relaxing read.
I received a Kindle copy of this book from NetGalley.com for my honest review.
Sarah Mills and her mute sister, Lucy, are left orphaned with nowhere to go after the death of their father. Sarah is offered a chance to marry a friend of her late father’s in return for a home for her and Lucy. Her step-daughter is not welcoming and does not help Sarah at all. When the step-daughter finds herself disgraced, Sarah finds a way to help her, although her marriage is one of abuse and deprivation.
In current day, Ellen Tyson finds herself in an uncomfortable time in her marriage. She and her husband Alex are asked to take in Alex’s daughter, Annabelle, a teenager with an attitude. Ellen has just had a room readied for her office, but now has to turn it over to the ungrateful girl. Alex and Ellen’s young daughter must also change her life and welcome a new sibling.
My take on the novel is that both of these women are bound to make the best of an unwelcome situation. Both try their best to make sure that the family continues on living a peaceful existence in the face of the upheaval. I found that both Sarah and Ellen had to come to terms with the situation and cope in the best way possible. However, in Sarah’s case, I could not accept her life situation at all. I was horrified by the way she had to live and the insensitivity of her husband. Ellen, on the other hand, was able to bring her family together and make a go of it. I read the parts about Sarah Mills with angst. This was not a relaxing read.
I received a Kindle copy of this book from NetGalley.com for my honest review.
October 16, 2020
Swartz's latest novel set in Goswell features two timelines — present day and the 1860s. The modern story will hit close to home for many readers, because the angst and drama is quite realistic and heart-wrenching. Overall, the story dwells far too long in a dark, depressing manner, with some light shining only at the very end of both stories. A better balance would have served to make the novel brighter and less heavy on the soul.
Ellen Tyson and her husband Alex have made a comfortable life in Goswell with their blended family. But when Alex's estranged teenage daughter Annabelle moves in with them for a year, things get shaken up. Annabelle is surly and disrespectful to Ellen, and Ellen resents her presence more each day. Ellen finds an old death certificate hidden in her attic, and she sets about researching the circumstances of the young woman’s death. In 1860, a woman named Sarah must move to Goswell with her younger sister Lucy after their parents die. They move in with an aunt they never knew existed and are forced to live a different kind of life, until tragedy strikes and leaves them with nowhere to turn.
Ellen Tyson and her husband Alex have made a comfortable life in Goswell with their blended family. But when Alex's estranged teenage daughter Annabelle moves in with them for a year, things get shaken up. Annabelle is surly and disrespectful to Ellen, and Ellen resents her presence more each day. Ellen finds an old death certificate hidden in her attic, and she sets about researching the circumstances of the young woman’s death. In 1860, a woman named Sarah must move to Goswell with her younger sister Lucy after their parents die. They move in with an aunt they never knew existed and are forced to live a different kind of life, until tragedy strikes and leaves them with nowhere to turn.
September 11, 2024
Ellen is the most annoying and selfish characters!! I didn’t think she had a shred of compassion for Annabelle and also allowed her husband to be a deadbeat dad for years, all to preserve her perfect little family.
This book felt very unfinished. It just sort of drops off. Still enjoyed the story, just couldn’t stand Ellen!
This book felt very unfinished. It just sort of drops off. Still enjoyed the story, just couldn’t stand Ellen!
November 22, 2022
Wow! In addition to being my favorite of the "Goswell" series so far, this story was a rollercoaster of emotions (love, hate, anger, joy, sadness, frustration) and I loved every minute of the ride. The similarities in the two timelines, the historical references, and the strong characters all made for a book that was difficult to put down. I am beyond excited to finish this wholesome series!
I want to give a huge thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I want to give a huge thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2022
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Kate Hewitt's delightful dual timeline tale THE BRIDE'S SISTER.
It began with a death certificate under the floorboards...
Sarah Mills. River Cottage, Kendal. General debility. July 1872.
Kendal, 1868: Eighteen year old Sarah and her ten year old mute sister Lucy step off the train after the long journey from Goswell. Having been left orphaned after the death of their mother, they find themselves in the strange town awaiting the aunt they have never met. Edith was their mother's sister but for reasons unknown to the girls, they never spoke again after their mother met and married their father, a curate in Goswell.
Aunt Edith is a stern and strict figure, though not unkind. She takes the girls in, feeds them generous meals, gives them a roof over their heads and clothes them. She does not believe in idle hands and keeps the sabbath holy. But when a sudden tragedy occurs, leaving Sarah and Lucy destitute, an offer of marriage to a friend of her late father's gives the girls the prospect of a home in which they are cared for.
But marriage to James Mills is not without its problems. It seems he does not really want a wife but an unpaid skivvy, which is what Sarah and Lucy become. His 14 year old daughter Clara who parades herself about town in all manner of colourful flounces of gowns, totally inappropriate for a girl her age, incredibly spoilt having been the only child of her husband and his late wife. Clara makes life difficult for Sarah and her sister Lucy, whose bed is now a pile of blankets on the kitchen floor, like a servant.
Then when Clara finds herself in a position of disgrace, it's Sarah she comes to begging her for help. And so she does. But when James discovers the subterfuge, his wrath is such that he all but destroys Sarah.
Goswell, present day: During renovations of an upstairs attic room, builders comes across a piece of paper hidden under the floorboards. Ellen is intrigued by the mystery behind the words:
Sarah Mills. River Cottage, Kendal. General debility. July 1872."
Who was Sarah Mills? And if she lived and died in Kendal, what was her death certificate doing hidden under the floorboards of her house here in Goswell? And what on earth does general debility mean? Ellen begins initial enquiries which are quickly abandoned when when her husband Alex, who she describes as having the emotion intelligence of a hermit crab, announces that his his ex wife contacted him asking that they take his 17 year old daughter Annabelle in for a year while she does her final year of A levels, as she jetsets off to New York.
Ellen is dubious. Past experiences with Annabelle have not been pleasant and in the ten years since she has seen her, she fears it will not be different. But she makes an effort and relinquishes the room she has waited twelve years for to make room for Annabelle...who is anything but grateful. The teenager is rude, truculent with an uncompromising attitude. She gives the greatest death stare than anyone Ellen knows. And nothing she does is right.
In an attempt to remain positive, Ellen coaxes the spoilt madam into a little project she had all but forgotten in the busyness and upheaval of their lives created by Annabelle's arrival. The mystery of Sarah Mills and who she was and why her death certificate was found under the floorboards of the room that is now Annabelle's. The teenager shows some interest and Ellen hopes this could go some way to extending a kind of olive branch to the girl.
But is it enough?
THE BRIDE'S SISTER is a deeply heartbreaking tale that will certainly tug at your heartstrings. The Victorian timeline is especially difficult and uneasy, just as times were, and your heart just goes out to the young Sarah and her little sister Lucy who is so obviously autistic (a condition not known about in those days let alone tolerated). Lucy was slated as an "imbecile" and yet she was intelligent and understood everything, her communication silent and her hatred of being touched. The story surrounding Sarah and her sister was incredibly heartbreaking. Life was unkind to those without any means as well as to those who were different in any way, as Lucy was. The lengths to which Sarah goes to ensure the safety of her sister is admirable. And yet the threat of the workhouse was always there.
And then there was the present day story, which was equally uncomfortable. Annabelle was immediately unlikeable and her scenes made for incredibly uncomfortable reading. She was rude, truculent, sulky, sullen and incredibly uncompromising. She hated Ellen and made no bones about it.
As with all the stories in this delightful quartet, Kate Hewitt entwines the lives of past and present characters. Ellen is the mother of Sophie, who is the best friend of Merrie from the first book "The Wife's Promise" , and Jane (also from the first book) is Ellen's close friend. Interestingly, the teenagers in these stories have grown with the subsequent additions of further tales, with Natalie, who was 14 in the first book then 15 when Rebecca appeared in the second "The Daughter's Garden" , is now 17 and the same agae as Annabelle. I love how Hewitt connects all these characters in the subsequent tales, as each of their lives entwine within the sleepy coastal village of Goswell.
The title THE BRIDE'S SISTER conjures up images of happiness and contentment though this story is anything but. It is far more poignant than the first two but just as heart wrenching. Although we know of Sarah's ultimate fate from the beginning, the journey we are taken on is one filled with tragedy and heartache as we prepare ourselves for the tugging of our emotional heartstrings.
I love dual timelines and this tale is no different as each chapter alternates between the past and the present with the two seamlessly entwined through the discovery of a 150 year old death certificate. I had only ever read one Kate Hewitt book before (an historical fiction one as I'm not generally a contemporary fiction fan unless it's coupled with a historical timeline like this) and this series is fast becoming one of my favourites. Although each tale is different and standalone, Hewitt cleverly entwines previous characters with new ones with each new story.
Overall, though not an easy read, THE BRIDE'S SISTERis perfect for fans of dual timelines.
I would like to thank #KateHewitt, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBridesSister in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
It began with a death certificate under the floorboards...
Sarah Mills. River Cottage, Kendal. General debility. July 1872.
Kendal, 1868: Eighteen year old Sarah and her ten year old mute sister Lucy step off the train after the long journey from Goswell. Having been left orphaned after the death of their mother, they find themselves in the strange town awaiting the aunt they have never met. Edith was their mother's sister but for reasons unknown to the girls, they never spoke again after their mother met and married their father, a curate in Goswell.
Aunt Edith is a stern and strict figure, though not unkind. She takes the girls in, feeds them generous meals, gives them a roof over their heads and clothes them. She does not believe in idle hands and keeps the sabbath holy. But when a sudden tragedy occurs, leaving Sarah and Lucy destitute, an offer of marriage to a friend of her late father's gives the girls the prospect of a home in which they are cared for.
But marriage to James Mills is not without its problems. It seems he does not really want a wife but an unpaid skivvy, which is what Sarah and Lucy become. His 14 year old daughter Clara who parades herself about town in all manner of colourful flounces of gowns, totally inappropriate for a girl her age, incredibly spoilt having been the only child of her husband and his late wife. Clara makes life difficult for Sarah and her sister Lucy, whose bed is now a pile of blankets on the kitchen floor, like a servant.
Then when Clara finds herself in a position of disgrace, it's Sarah she comes to begging her for help. And so she does. But when James discovers the subterfuge, his wrath is such that he all but destroys Sarah.
Goswell, present day: During renovations of an upstairs attic room, builders comes across a piece of paper hidden under the floorboards. Ellen is intrigued by the mystery behind the words:
Sarah Mills. River Cottage, Kendal. General debility. July 1872."
Who was Sarah Mills? And if she lived and died in Kendal, what was her death certificate doing hidden under the floorboards of her house here in Goswell? And what on earth does general debility mean? Ellen begins initial enquiries which are quickly abandoned when when her husband Alex, who she describes as having the emotion intelligence of a hermit crab, announces that his his ex wife contacted him asking that they take his 17 year old daughter Annabelle in for a year while she does her final year of A levels, as she jetsets off to New York.
Ellen is dubious. Past experiences with Annabelle have not been pleasant and in the ten years since she has seen her, she fears it will not be different. But she makes an effort and relinquishes the room she has waited twelve years for to make room for Annabelle...who is anything but grateful. The teenager is rude, truculent with an uncompromising attitude. She gives the greatest death stare than anyone Ellen knows. And nothing she does is right.
In an attempt to remain positive, Ellen coaxes the spoilt madam into a little project she had all but forgotten in the busyness and upheaval of their lives created by Annabelle's arrival. The mystery of Sarah Mills and who she was and why her death certificate was found under the floorboards of the room that is now Annabelle's. The teenager shows some interest and Ellen hopes this could go some way to extending a kind of olive branch to the girl.
But is it enough?
THE BRIDE'S SISTER is a deeply heartbreaking tale that will certainly tug at your heartstrings. The Victorian timeline is especially difficult and uneasy, just as times were, and your heart just goes out to the young Sarah and her little sister Lucy who is so obviously autistic (a condition not known about in those days let alone tolerated). Lucy was slated as an "imbecile" and yet she was intelligent and understood everything, her communication silent and her hatred of being touched. The story surrounding Sarah and her sister was incredibly heartbreaking. Life was unkind to those without any means as well as to those who were different in any way, as Lucy was. The lengths to which Sarah goes to ensure the safety of her sister is admirable. And yet the threat of the workhouse was always there.
And then there was the present day story, which was equally uncomfortable. Annabelle was immediately unlikeable and her scenes made for incredibly uncomfortable reading. She was rude, truculent, sulky, sullen and incredibly uncompromising. She hated Ellen and made no bones about it.
As with all the stories in this delightful quartet, Kate Hewitt entwines the lives of past and present characters. Ellen is the mother of Sophie, who is the best friend of Merrie from the first book "The Wife's Promise" , and Jane (also from the first book) is Ellen's close friend. Interestingly, the teenagers in these stories have grown with the subsequent additions of further tales, with Natalie, who was 14 in the first book then 15 when Rebecca appeared in the second "The Daughter's Garden" , is now 17 and the same agae as Annabelle. I love how Hewitt connects all these characters in the subsequent tales, as each of their lives entwine within the sleepy coastal village of Goswell.
The title THE BRIDE'S SISTER conjures up images of happiness and contentment though this story is anything but. It is far more poignant than the first two but just as heart wrenching. Although we know of Sarah's ultimate fate from the beginning, the journey we are taken on is one filled with tragedy and heartache as we prepare ourselves for the tugging of our emotional heartstrings.
I love dual timelines and this tale is no different as each chapter alternates between the past and the present with the two seamlessly entwined through the discovery of a 150 year old death certificate. I had only ever read one Kate Hewitt book before (an historical fiction one as I'm not generally a contemporary fiction fan unless it's coupled with a historical timeline like this) and this series is fast becoming one of my favourites. Although each tale is different and standalone, Hewitt cleverly entwines previous characters with new ones with each new story.
Overall, though not an easy read, THE BRIDE'S SISTERis perfect for fans of dual timelines.
I would like to thank #KateHewitt, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBridesSister in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 28, 2017
In the present day, a woman (Ellen) having the attic room of his home renovated is handed a piece of paper the builders find: the death certificate of a 22-year-old woman from 1872, Sarah Mills. She sets it aside, intrigued but not enough to investigate it – yet. When her husband's 17-year-old daughter from his first marriage comes to live with them, bringing with her more emotional than physical baggage, Ellen seizes on the idea of finding out more about this girl who died so very young, involving the teenager in the search as, hopefully, a way of making some kind of connection. The results are mixed.
Sarah's story alternates with Ellen's. In 1868, she and her sister are left orphans, and their situation is desperate – until the aunt they never knew they had consents to take them in. Sarah on her own might be able to get by, but her younger sister Lucy is … different. She has never spoken, although Sarah knows this doesn't mean she's the "imbecile" everyone assumes she is, and she also has other idiosyncracies which make others uncomfortable. In other words, Lucy is autistic in a time long before that was viewed with any understanding or empathy.
How Sarah ends up dead and with a different name within the four years spanned in the book is a horribly painful story, not least because you read it knowing full well that there were hundreds, thousands of real stories just like it and worse. Alternating it with what are often called the "First World Problems" of Ellen and her stitched-together family is rather jarring; oh, dear, the teenager rolls her eyes and says "Whatever" a lot. This doesn't look like much compared to the physical and emotional abuse Sarah and Lucy face every day, and the extremely precarious, potentially terminal circumstances over which they walk a tightrope. Even the harsher problems that develop for this modern family seem so entirely trivial beside the life-and-death situations of the 19th century. A two-day suspension from school does not exactly stack up next to the possibility of being put into a workhouse.
And, in the end, it all seems to wrap up so happily. In the 19th century, yes, Sarah dies at 22 – but everyone else seems to have an abrupt upswing in fortune, very nearly happily-ever-after. And in the 21st century, as well, everything tidies up nicely by the end of the book; if it is not a HEA, there still is no real shadow over the ending. Everything's going to be just fine. And that doesn't work. There are serious issues in both centuries – none of which can or should be tucked up tidily with no loose ends – and it cheapens the rest of the story that the end comes as it does.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
Sarah's story alternates with Ellen's. In 1868, she and her sister are left orphans, and their situation is desperate – until the aunt they never knew they had consents to take them in. Sarah on her own might be able to get by, but her younger sister Lucy is … different. She has never spoken, although Sarah knows this doesn't mean she's the "imbecile" everyone assumes she is, and she also has other idiosyncracies which make others uncomfortable. In other words, Lucy is autistic in a time long before that was viewed with any understanding or empathy.
How Sarah ends up dead and with a different name within the four years spanned in the book is a horribly painful story, not least because you read it knowing full well that there were hundreds, thousands of real stories just like it and worse. Alternating it with what are often called the "First World Problems" of Ellen and her stitched-together family is rather jarring; oh, dear, the teenager rolls her eyes and says "Whatever" a lot. This doesn't look like much compared to the physical and emotional abuse Sarah and Lucy face every day, and the extremely precarious, potentially terminal circumstances over which they walk a tightrope. Even the harsher problems that develop for this modern family seem so entirely trivial beside the life-and-death situations of the 19th century. A two-day suspension from school does not exactly stack up next to the possibility of being put into a workhouse.
And, in the end, it all seems to wrap up so happily. In the 19th century, yes, Sarah dies at 22 – but everyone else seems to have an abrupt upswing in fortune, very nearly happily-ever-after. And in the 21st century, as well, everything tidies up nicely by the end of the book; if it is not a HEA, there still is no real shadow over the ending. Everything's going to be just fine. And that doesn't work. There are serious issues in both centuries – none of which can or should be tucked up tidily with no loose ends – and it cheapens the rest of the story that the end comes as it does.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
March 9, 2017
The Second Bride is a dark novel that tells two stories, one current and the other historical. Both storylines became more depressing as they progressed. I liked and felt for some of the characters, and wished for good outcomes for them.
When Ellen Tyson's stepdaughter, Annabelle, comes to live with her family, it quickly becomes clear that Ellen and husband, Alex, don't have the close relationship she imagined. The household is quickly divided over Annabelle and her refusal to try to fit into the family. Trying to bond with the girl, Ellen tells her about a death certificate from 1872 that construction works recently found under the floor of the home, and asks for her help in researching the young woman who died. This is where the historical storyline of Sarah and her mute sister, Lucy, comes in. We are shown that the two endured much hardship during their lives, as their story begins to unravel.
This book was interesting and definitely held my attention. It was much darker than what I've read previously by this author, and I was a little disappointed by that. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
When Ellen Tyson's stepdaughter, Annabelle, comes to live with her family, it quickly becomes clear that Ellen and husband, Alex, don't have the close relationship she imagined. The household is quickly divided over Annabelle and her refusal to try to fit into the family. Trying to bond with the girl, Ellen tells her about a death certificate from 1872 that construction works recently found under the floor of the home, and asks for her help in researching the young woman who died. This is where the historical storyline of Sarah and her mute sister, Lucy, comes in. We are shown that the two endured much hardship during their lives, as their story begins to unravel.
This book was interesting and definitely held my attention. It was much darker than what I've read previously by this author, and I was a little disappointed by that. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
December 13, 2016
The Second Bride by Katharine Swartz kept me reading into the night. Poor Sarah died at age 22 in 1872. Her death certificate was found hidden in the floorboard of a house undergoing remodeling, and Ellen, the present day wife, set off to solve Sarah's mystery. Poor Sarah and her mute sister Lucy lived a desolate life and through a series of bad events, Sarah ends up marrying a widower with a teenaged daughter. In the present, Ellen is married to Alex, whose teenaged daughter has come to live with them for a year. The book alternates between Ellen and Sarah's voices and the mystery is slowly unraveled. Netgalley provided me this e-galley in exchange for a fair and honest review. This book is worth reading.
March 24, 2018
I wasn't really sure where this story was going, with the awful structure of every other chapter being a different story. It always makes me feel like I'm reading two different books at once! Ellen's husband was so into his work, he hardly knew he had a wife until he started spending so much time with his stepdaughter that was fresh into his family and had ignored in his first marriage. The one I really felt sorry for was Sarah Mills and what an awful marriage she had. The husband had no heart, no conscience until she died. Yeah, a little late. He was beyond cruel, throwing her Sarah's autistic?sister into a sanitarium as his daughter (who was terrible) left because of a pregnancy. He was so horrible.
May 17, 2017
Major drama
It all begins with a death certificate, Sarah Mill's death certificate, hidden beneath the floorboards of Ellen's attic. Ellen is a freelancer, and the mother of two girls. She is finally going to get her own home office, it just needs some furnishing. This is how the certificate is discovered.
Ellen couldn't be happier with the prospect of her own room in the house but, this is threatened when Annabelle arrives at the scene. Annabelle is Ellen's stepdaughter, the last time they saw one another was when Annabelle was seven. They don't have any fond memories of that first time. It had been a bitter summer for them both... And now, it seems, Annabelle is back- only older.
Ellen's drama plays alongside the life of Sarah Mill's. Ellen thinks it might be a good idea to involve Annabelle into her project with the death certificate, seeing as Annabelle is studying History A Level (I studied this too!)
We learn of Sarah's life, the events leading to her death, her heartbreaks and hardships. This novel is strong in its range of core messages: sisterhood, loyalty, independence, courage, trust and acceptance. Sarah and her sister, Lucy, have just lost their mother. They haven't got a penny to their name and no living relative, except for an aunt who disowned their late mother. They turn to her, in good faith, and for a time there's hope- even in the dullness of their lives. Ellen learns of Sarah's remarkable,quiet life, while adjusting her own life to make room for a stepdaughter she barely knows.
This book explores the meaning of motherhood the sacrifices, the broken dreams, troubled marriages and ultimately, the disrupted families. The parallels between the two lives, Ellen's and Sarah's, were written well. The chapters were written in a way that made you feel like you didn't know which story interested you more. As a lover of history, my answer is clear: Sarah Mill's story was heartbreakingly tragic. Her hopes quashed, repeatedly: people never failed to disappoint. Yet she held strong, a determined force. Her sister, Lucy, remained her beautiful, sustaining, light. Will this change as well?
'The Second Bride' is far from your average book, fans of Rebecca Burns' 'The Bishop's Girl' would enjoy this. The style and themes are similar- both books have the power of connecting you, and touching your heart.
I received this book through NetGalley and I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it.
It all begins with a death certificate, Sarah Mill's death certificate, hidden beneath the floorboards of Ellen's attic. Ellen is a freelancer, and the mother of two girls. She is finally going to get her own home office, it just needs some furnishing. This is how the certificate is discovered.
Ellen couldn't be happier with the prospect of her own room in the house but, this is threatened when Annabelle arrives at the scene. Annabelle is Ellen's stepdaughter, the last time they saw one another was when Annabelle was seven. They don't have any fond memories of that first time. It had been a bitter summer for them both... And now, it seems, Annabelle is back- only older.
Ellen's drama plays alongside the life of Sarah Mill's. Ellen thinks it might be a good idea to involve Annabelle into her project with the death certificate, seeing as Annabelle is studying History A Level (I studied this too!)
We learn of Sarah's life, the events leading to her death, her heartbreaks and hardships. This novel is strong in its range of core messages: sisterhood, loyalty, independence, courage, trust and acceptance. Sarah and her sister, Lucy, have just lost their mother. They haven't got a penny to their name and no living relative, except for an aunt who disowned their late mother. They turn to her, in good faith, and for a time there's hope- even in the dullness of their lives. Ellen learns of Sarah's remarkable,quiet life, while adjusting her own life to make room for a stepdaughter she barely knows.
This book explores the meaning of motherhood the sacrifices, the broken dreams, troubled marriages and ultimately, the disrupted families. The parallels between the two lives, Ellen's and Sarah's, were written well. The chapters were written in a way that made you feel like you didn't know which story interested you more. As a lover of history, my answer is clear: Sarah Mill's story was heartbreakingly tragic. Her hopes quashed, repeatedly: people never failed to disappoint. Yet she held strong, a determined force. Her sister, Lucy, remained her beautiful, sustaining, light. Will this change as well?
'The Second Bride' is far from your average book, fans of Rebecca Burns' 'The Bishop's Girl' would enjoy this. The style and themes are similar- both books have the power of connecting you, and touching your heart.
I received this book through NetGalley and I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it.
January 18, 2023
A novel about family, second chances,and the lengths we go to for those we love.
England, 1868: Orphaned and penniless, 18-year-old Sarah is left the sole guardian of her beloved little sister Lucy – who she’s vowed to protect at all costs. With nowhere left to turn, she is forced to accept mysterious widower James Mills’ proposal of marriage.
She believes being his bride can’t possibly be as bad as the threat of the workhouse. But nothing prepares her for the darkness of her marriage, the shocking secrets of her new family, and the lengths she will have to go to to keep her sister safe…
Now: Living in the beautiful village of Goswell, Ellen believes her family life to be idyllic… until her estranged 17yo stepdaughter Annabelle moves in and shatters the peace. Ellen fears they will never bond until she finds a death certificate–for a woman named Sarah, from over a century earlier–hidden under the floorboards of their house, and Annabelle starts to help her unravel the mystery.
Yet as Ellen and Annabelle dig deeper into Sarah’s life and death, shocking truths, both past and present, come to light which change everything Ellen thought she knew about Sarah’s family–and the new addition to her own…
Kendal,once Kirkby,is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria,south-east of Windermere and north of Lancaster.It is the third largest town in Cumbria after Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness.
In historical times,the main industry was the manufacture of woollen goods,whose importance is reflected in the town's coat of arms and in its Latin motto "Pannus mihi panis"(Wool is my bread.)
The Borough of Copeland is a local government district in Western Cumbria. Its council is based in Whitehaven.Millom is a town and civil parish on the north shore of the estuary of the River Duddon in Southwest Cumbria.
St Bees is a coastal village,civil parish, and electoral ward in the Copeland district.
It has a large ecclesiastical parish with a priory.
Workington is also a coastal town and civil parish at the mouth of the River Derwent on the west coast in the Allerdale Borough of Cumbria.
England, 1868: Orphaned and penniless, 18-year-old Sarah is left the sole guardian of her beloved little sister Lucy – who she’s vowed to protect at all costs. With nowhere left to turn, she is forced to accept mysterious widower James Mills’ proposal of marriage.
She believes being his bride can’t possibly be as bad as the threat of the workhouse. But nothing prepares her for the darkness of her marriage, the shocking secrets of her new family, and the lengths she will have to go to to keep her sister safe…
Now: Living in the beautiful village of Goswell, Ellen believes her family life to be idyllic… until her estranged 17yo stepdaughter Annabelle moves in and shatters the peace. Ellen fears they will never bond until she finds a death certificate–for a woman named Sarah, from over a century earlier–hidden under the floorboards of their house, and Annabelle starts to help her unravel the mystery.
Yet as Ellen and Annabelle dig deeper into Sarah’s life and death, shocking truths, both past and present, come to light which change everything Ellen thought she knew about Sarah’s family–and the new addition to her own…
Kendal,once Kirkby,is a market town and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria,south-east of Windermere and north of Lancaster.It is the third largest town in Cumbria after Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness.
In historical times,the main industry was the manufacture of woollen goods,whose importance is reflected in the town's coat of arms and in its Latin motto "Pannus mihi panis"(Wool is my bread.)
The Borough of Copeland is a local government district in Western Cumbria. Its council is based in Whitehaven.Millom is a town and civil parish on the north shore of the estuary of the River Duddon in Southwest Cumbria.
St Bees is a coastal village,civil parish, and electoral ward in the Copeland district.
It has a large ecclesiastical parish with a priory.
Workington is also a coastal town and civil parish at the mouth of the River Derwent on the west coast in the Allerdale Borough of Cumbria.
October 23, 2023
I will rate it as 4. The Second Bride (Tales from Goswell) is a book by Katharine Swartz and Kate Hewitt. Lion Hudson Plc published it on February 17, 2017. It is a General Fiction Story and can also be classified as a Women’s Fiction. It revolves around the lives of Ellen Tyson and Sarah Mill. Both women live in different times. One is living now, while the other is from the 1870s. Their lives are very far different compared to each other, yet they are interconnected. When Ellen finds a death certificate from the 1870s hidden under the floorboards, Ellen’s life takes a different turn.
What I like about the novel is that the authors portray the differences in their lives, allowing me, as the reader, to establish curiosity about how their lives are connected. Katharine and Kate used a third-person perspective, giving the characters in the lives of Sarah and Ellen an identity. It is one of the great books that will let the readers experience what it feels like to be in the same room with the main characters instead of merely describing what is happening throughout the scenes. There was clarity regarding what was happening even if Katharine and Kate used a third-person point of view. It is also very amusing how Katharine and Kate opened the novel with so much thrill, depth, and curiosity and ended it with such drama, lightheartedness, and clarity.
The subsequent discussion is about the area that could have been improved. Ellen has an internal conflict that was not resolved. At the beginning of the story, it is promised that Ellen wanted to know more about the life of Sarah. As the story progresses, she becomes more enthusiastic, but in the end, she lets go of looking for answers after exhausting so much time and energy. This is another story wherein, after gathering all the evidence, the character abandons the adventure, adding to the mystery instead of finding a resolution. Was this intended by Katharine and Kate, the authors of this novel?
It is recommended for ages sixteen and above. Prepare your hearts as you read the book. It is not what it seems.
What I like about the novel is that the authors portray the differences in their lives, allowing me, as the reader, to establish curiosity about how their lives are connected. Katharine and Kate used a third-person perspective, giving the characters in the lives of Sarah and Ellen an identity. It is one of the great books that will let the readers experience what it feels like to be in the same room with the main characters instead of merely describing what is happening throughout the scenes. There was clarity regarding what was happening even if Katharine and Kate used a third-person point of view. It is also very amusing how Katharine and Kate opened the novel with so much thrill, depth, and curiosity and ended it with such drama, lightheartedness, and clarity.
The subsequent discussion is about the area that could have been improved. Ellen has an internal conflict that was not resolved. At the beginning of the story, it is promised that Ellen wanted to know more about the life of Sarah. As the story progresses, she becomes more enthusiastic, but in the end, she lets go of looking for answers after exhausting so much time and energy. This is another story wherein, after gathering all the evidence, the character abandons the adventure, adding to the mystery instead of finding a resolution. Was this intended by Katharine and Kate, the authors of this novel?
It is recommended for ages sixteen and above. Prepare your hearts as you read the book. It is not what it seems.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2022
The Bride’s Sister by Kate Hewitt is the third in the Goswell Quartet and another story told in two timelines. Ellen has a happy home until her husband’s daughter from his previous marriage has to come and live with them for a year. Things start going badly immediately. Annabelle is a teen with a bad attitude, not unusual for a seventeen year old, but Ellen takes it all much more seriously. She feels her daughter, Sophie, changing, and her husband pulling away. She is at her wit’s end. She had started researching a death certificate the workmen had found when they were redoing the attic room: Sarah Mills, who had died at age 22. Why had it been found beneath the floorboards? Was it there on purpose or by accident? She hoped Annabelle would become interested in the search for information as she loved history. Sarah’s story was a sad one. Some people never get a break. She was one of those.
This is a well-written and compelling story, suited to Hewitt’s talents. The characters were well done, both current and historic. People’s lives all contain problems and some of them are never apparent outside the home; some aren’t apparent in the home until it’s too late. Hewitt portrays that misery and regret supremely well. The storylines were both well done and appropriate to the time periods. They were both heart-breaking, in their own ways. The juxtaposition of the two stories was intriguing, as most genealogical research is within one’s own family, not stranger’s. Sadly the whole story can never be discovered completely. The relationship between the stories was tenuous, yet it did exist. This was a good story.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Bride’s Sister by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions were mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #KateHewitt #TheBridesSister
This is a well-written and compelling story, suited to Hewitt’s talents. The characters were well done, both current and historic. People’s lives all contain problems and some of them are never apparent outside the home; some aren’t apparent in the home until it’s too late. Hewitt portrays that misery and regret supremely well. The storylines were both well done and appropriate to the time periods. They were both heart-breaking, in their own ways. The juxtaposition of the two stories was intriguing, as most genealogical research is within one’s own family, not stranger’s. Sadly the whole story can never be discovered completely. The relationship between the stories was tenuous, yet it did exist. This was a good story.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Bride’s Sister by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions were mine. #Netgalley #Bookoutre #KateHewitt #TheBridesSister
November 28, 2022
This was the third in the quartet and I only realized the significance of the
title towards the end of the book.
Told in two time frames the older story is a hard one to accept. Sarah and her
sister are left destitute after the death of their parents and seek shelter with
their Aunt in Goswell. Estranged from the family, the Aunt gives them a home, but
it is a physically hard, mentally challenging life. When the Aunt tragically dies,
the two girls areagain destitute. sarah accepts marriage as a means of escape, not realising
that her sister Lucy who is simple, is lookeddown by both her husband and his daughter
from a previous marriage.
Fast forward and Ellen's life is turned upside down by the arrival of a step daughter
who is rude, condescending and uncooperative. Rifts both in her marriage and with
her ten year old, previously sunny tempered daughter appear. Finding a death certificate
for Sarah Mills just 22 years of age sets Ellen trying to unravel the mystery and the
story unfolds.
The story is revealing in both segments. total helplessness of females if left unprovided
for by careless parenting and their exploitation by husbands who could be hard, bigoted
or just careless of their wives feelings. We then have the blendedfamilies, a phenomena
of present times and the difficulties faced by all in such situations.
The book was a bit hard for me to read as it seemed so unfair, but it typified social
history of the times.
title towards the end of the book.
Told in two time frames the older story is a hard one to accept. Sarah and her
sister are left destitute after the death of their parents and seek shelter with
their Aunt in Goswell. Estranged from the family, the Aunt gives them a home, but
it is a physically hard, mentally challenging life. When the Aunt tragically dies,
the two girls areagain destitute. sarah accepts marriage as a means of escape, not realising
that her sister Lucy who is simple, is lookeddown by both her husband and his daughter
from a previous marriage.
Fast forward and Ellen's life is turned upside down by the arrival of a step daughter
who is rude, condescending and uncooperative. Rifts both in her marriage and with
her ten year old, previously sunny tempered daughter appear. Finding a death certificate
for Sarah Mills just 22 years of age sets Ellen trying to unravel the mystery and the
story unfolds.
The story is revealing in both segments. total helplessness of females if left unprovided
for by careless parenting and their exploitation by husbands who could be hard, bigoted
or just careless of their wives feelings. We then have the blendedfamilies, a phenomena
of present times and the difficulties faced by all in such situations.
The book was a bit hard for me to read as it seemed so unfair, but it typified social
history of the times.
October 31, 2022
The Bride's Sister (The Goswell Quarter Book 3)
The third instalment of this series
Set in England in 1868, the story of Sarah, an orphan who has only a sister and vows to take care of her. She does what she thinks is best, but things aren't going the way she wanted them to. I won't give you anything, but the story is based on that.
Next, travel from the past to the present in this dual her timeline novel of Ellen and her discovery. Goswell and Ellen have so many mysteries to learn about what happened and how the mysteries of their previous lives unfolded.
This was a good read and I mostly enjoyed it. It was dark and mysterious. This whole series is really charming. Once you start reading the books in the series, you won't be able to stop. Hewitt weaves the story very well. Well-paced and intriguing, this book was particularly emotional. From the beginning, Hewitt informs the reader of the ultimate fate of one of the main characters, and prepares the reader to calm the emotional heartstrings a bit. I also liked , and I was satisfied with the ending to see something good come out of the tragedy.
#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads #thegoswellquartet #thebridessister
The third instalment of this series
Set in England in 1868, the story of Sarah, an orphan who has only a sister and vows to take care of her. She does what she thinks is best, but things aren't going the way she wanted them to. I won't give you anything, but the story is based on that.
Next, travel from the past to the present in this dual her timeline novel of Ellen and her discovery. Goswell and Ellen have so many mysteries to learn about what happened and how the mysteries of their previous lives unfolded.
This was a good read and I mostly enjoyed it. It was dark and mysterious. This whole series is really charming. Once you start reading the books in the series, you won't be able to stop. Hewitt weaves the story very well. Well-paced and intriguing, this book was particularly emotional. From the beginning, Hewitt informs the reader of the ultimate fate of one of the main characters, and prepares the reader to calm the emotional heartstrings a bit. I also liked , and I was satisfied with the ending to see something good come out of the tragedy.
#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads #thegoswellquartet #thebridessister
December 19, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the oppotunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.
This is book three in the Goswell Quartet book, but it could easily be read as a stand alone book. I did not enjoy this book aas much as the second book, but it is still worth reading and that will definitely keep me reading onward in the series. This is a dual timeline book, set in 1860s, the story of Sarah, find herself without means, orphaned and the sole caretaker of her younger sister, Lucy. Sarah has no choice but to accept a marriage proposal that she hopes will help her, but she gets more than she bargained for and wonders if she made a mistake. The present storyline deals wit Ellen, who finds her step-daughter Annabelle suddenly moving in and upsetting her idyllic life. Ellen and Annabelle sooon find a mystery to solve regarding a death certificate for a woman named Sarah under the floorboards and they bond while solving the mystery that upsets everything that Ellen thought she knew..
This book was well written and I found most of the characters enjoyable, the scenery was well written and the descriptiveness was lovely. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
This is book three in the Goswell Quartet book, but it could easily be read as a stand alone book. I did not enjoy this book aas much as the second book, but it is still worth reading and that will definitely keep me reading onward in the series. This is a dual timeline book, set in 1860s, the story of Sarah, find herself without means, orphaned and the sole caretaker of her younger sister, Lucy. Sarah has no choice but to accept a marriage proposal that she hopes will help her, but she gets more than she bargained for and wonders if she made a mistake. The present storyline deals wit Ellen, who finds her step-daughter Annabelle suddenly moving in and upsetting her idyllic life. Ellen and Annabelle sooon find a mystery to solve regarding a death certificate for a woman named Sarah under the floorboards and they bond while solving the mystery that upsets everything that Ellen thought she knew..
This book was well written and I found most of the characters enjoyable, the scenery was well written and the descriptiveness was lovely. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
December 26, 2022
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Having read the first two books in this series, I was really looking forward to this one. However, it didn’t live up to the other two. I was truly hoping for more from this book. I loved the past timeline of this book as I haven’t read many books based in this time period. The family dynamics came to the forefront of the past timeline and didn’t feature as much romance as the other two books. This brought out the realities of many young women at the time by focusing more on family than romance. I truly appreciated the author taking this view and it kept me as invested as the other books in the series.
However, the modern timeline really fell short for me and I found myself struggling through the chapters which were based during this time. The plot of this part just didn’t capture my interest. I would have loved to have gotten more in depth focus on the past timeline rather than the modern one. However, I do recognise that this is merely personal preference more than anything.
Thank you once again to Bookouture for asking me on this book tour and I cannot wait to read more books from this author and publisher in the future.
Having read the first two books in this series, I was really looking forward to this one. However, it didn’t live up to the other two. I was truly hoping for more from this book. I loved the past timeline of this book as I haven’t read many books based in this time period. The family dynamics came to the forefront of the past timeline and didn’t feature as much romance as the other two books. This brought out the realities of many young women at the time by focusing more on family than romance. I truly appreciated the author taking this view and it kept me as invested as the other books in the series.
However, the modern timeline really fell short for me and I found myself struggling through the chapters which were based during this time. The plot of this part just didn’t capture my interest. I would have loved to have gotten more in depth focus on the past timeline rather than the modern one. However, I do recognise that this is merely personal preference more than anything.
Thank you once again to Bookouture for asking me on this book tour and I cannot wait to read more books from this author and publisher in the future.
June 13, 2023
Kate Hewitt's latest novel set in Goswell features two timelines — present day and the 1860s. The modern story will hit close to home for many readers, because the angst and drama is quite realistic and heart-wrenching. Overall, the story dwells far too long in a dark, depressing manner, with some light shining only at the very end of both stories. A better balance would have served to make the novel brighter and less heavy on the soul. When Ellen Tyson's stepdaughter, Annabelle, comes to live with her family, it quickly becomes clear that Ellen and husband, Alex, don't have the close relationship she imagined. The household is quickly divided over Annabelle and her refusal to try to fit into the family. Trying to bond with the girl, Ellen tells her about a death certificate from 1872 that construction works recently found under the floor of the home, and asks for her help in researching the young woman who died. This is where the historical storyline of Sarah and her mute sister, Lucy, comes in. We are shown that the two endured much hardship during their lives, as their story begins to unravel.
Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley
Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley
November 22, 2022
Once again in this series there is a dual timeline in The Bride's Sister (The Goswell Quarter Book 3) by Kate Hewitt. However, this is a darker story for Sarah and her sister Lucy who lived in 1868. For characters Alex and Ellen, the parents in the contemporary time it is clear better late than never. As for the character James from Victorian times, it is better never late which of course he most certainly was. The ending made clear that he has regretted his actions, seeking to make restitution. Like Dickens’ Scrooge, this story implies that he did just that.
Some serious subjects in this book that were handled with genuine realism, also with regret, remorse, and forgiveness. This may not be my favorite of the series but it is one that is worth reading.
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.
Some serious subjects in this book that were handled with genuine realism, also with regret, remorse, and forgiveness. This may not be my favorite of the series but it is one that is worth reading.
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.
August 24, 2024
Mending Fences
I have failed to mention in reviews of book 1 and 2 of this series what I will start now, each book so far would be she to be read as a stand alone. You'd have a bit of curiosity about what you missed out on but each book so far offers a new story not dependent on the previous books. Also, they are not filled with unnecessary foul language. I don't recall any of there were some curse words they must have been used sparingly because they don't stick out. Same with the sex, there is no play by play sex scenes. The author keeps it clean. Finally, each book in the series so far is a time slip which I love.
This story has me wanting to pull my hair out with the present day main character. She continues to fail at taking control. But the book does touch on some dark teen problems and blended families and most importantly the hard work of mending the broken hearted. This was beautiful.
I have failed to mention in reviews of book 1 and 2 of this series what I will start now, each book so far would be she to be read as a stand alone. You'd have a bit of curiosity about what you missed out on but each book so far offers a new story not dependent on the previous books. Also, they are not filled with unnecessary foul language. I don't recall any of there were some curse words they must have been used sparingly because they don't stick out. Same with the sex, there is no play by play sex scenes. The author keeps it clean. Finally, each book in the series so far is a time slip which I love.
This story has me wanting to pull my hair out with the present day main character. She continues to fail at taking control. But the book does touch on some dark teen problems and blended families and most importantly the hard work of mending the broken hearted. This was beautiful.
October 11, 2022
The third book in this series followed a pattern similar to the first two. In my opinion, the series has got better as it has progressed. A dual timeline story with plenty of family angst in the modern day yet their interest is piqued by a chance find of a mysterious artefact from the past. This artefact lifts the lid on a poignant Victorian story illustrating how the rights of women were suppressed as general opinion assumed they were inadequate of doing things like handling money. It also illustrated the ignorance about and awful treatment of people with a learning disability. Not a comfortable read at times, but this is a well written, engaging story that has a happy ending of sorts and kept me reading till the early hours.
July 26, 2023
Kate Hewitt writes in a masterful manner gifting the reader with a story that captures the heart and imagination completely.
The Bride’s Sister is a well crafted and beautifully written dual timeline story with well written characters and vivid descriptions that seamlessly transported me to another place and time. A perfect blend of contemporary and historical fiction, the storylines run somewhat parallel, stitching together a well layered story that slips back and forth between time periods effortlessly. The third book in the Goswell Quartet, this story was a bit darker and truly pulled on my heart strings.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity preview an advance digital copy of this story. This is my honest review and the opinions expressed are my own.
The Bride’s Sister is a well crafted and beautifully written dual timeline story with well written characters and vivid descriptions that seamlessly transported me to another place and time. A perfect blend of contemporary and historical fiction, the storylines run somewhat parallel, stitching together a well layered story that slips back and forth between time periods effortlessly. The third book in the Goswell Quartet, this story was a bit darker and truly pulled on my heart strings.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity preview an advance digital copy of this story. This is my honest review and the opinions expressed are my own.
November 10, 2022
The Bride’s Sister is book 3 in The Goswell Quartet series. I must say it is a powerful and moving story. As with the previous books, the story is told in a timeline of past and present.
A poignant story about family, second chances and the lengths we will go for those we love.
This story brought to light the ignorance and horrible treatment of people with disabilities.
*Recommended*
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
@shortbookthyme
@bookouture
@netgalley
A poignant story about family, second chances and the lengths we will go for those we love.
This story brought to light the ignorance and horrible treatment of people with disabilities.
*Recommended*
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
@shortbookthyme
@bookouture
@netgalley
May 3, 2023
This book had you in a roller coaster of emotions there was happy moments but also sad moments. It makes you think how hard life was in those days.
Ellen is given and death certificate that was found in her house with renovations being done it is if Sarah Mills aged 22 in 1872. We see what happens in Sarah’s life and what hardship she went through. Ellen is having an hard time in her family with her step daughter. Will things improve for her. I liked the storyline of both woman.
I enjoyed the characters in the book.
Well written.
Ellen is given and death certificate that was found in her house with renovations being done it is if Sarah Mills aged 22 in 1872. We see what happens in Sarah’s life and what hardship she went through. Ellen is having an hard time in her family with her step daughter. Will things improve for her. I liked the storyline of both woman.
I enjoyed the characters in the book.
Well written.
June 26, 2024
Kate Howell continues to impress me as an author who is able to pull the reader into the story! As with the previous two books in this series this story has dual timelines featuring the past and present. This is a poignant story that had me experiencing bittersweet moments contrasted with anger at the situations the characters are placed in. Anger because things the author features very much happen both in the past and today.
This story showcases how far people will go to survive and obtain second chances.
Thank You for the opportunity to read/review. Review Copy from netgalley.
This story showcases how far people will go to survive and obtain second chances.
Thank You for the opportunity to read/review. Review Copy from netgalley.
March 2, 2021
I’m sorry, I usually do not give books such terrible ratings, but this book was awful. SO DEPRESSING. I only kept reading it in hopes of a happy ending, plus I bought it a while back.
I read the two preceding books by this author and remember liking them. I have the next book by her, hopefully this one was just a fluke.
I read the two preceding books by this author and remember liking them. I have the next book by her, hopefully this one was just a fluke.
October 3, 2022
This third novel of the quartet is good, though I have found the historical timeline much more interesting and compelling than the modern one. On the other hand, I enjoyed meeting again the characters of the last two novels (modern timeline), and see how they all interact with each other.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.
April 10, 2025
Another beautiful story!
This is the 3rd book in the series by Kate Hewitt that I've read. Each 1Harder to put-down than the last. I'm torn between Wanting to start the last book I'm sorry that the series will be ending With that story Because the characters So Wonderful.
This is the 3rd book in the series by Kate Hewitt that I've read. Each 1Harder to put-down than the last. I'm torn between Wanting to start the last book I'm sorry that the series will be ending With that story Because the characters So Wonderful.
November 20, 2022
3 out 4 and, so far, the best of the lot! Although I really enjoyed the first 2
this one has more 'can't put it down' moments. Looking forward to starting no. 4.
this one has more 'can't put it down' moments. Looking forward to starting no. 4.
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