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Winterhart
Heden. Caitlyn denkt dat haar huwelijk met Patrick succesvol is. Hij is bijvoorbeeld een van de weinige mensen die niet smoorverliefd is op haar beeldschone vriendin Sara. Hij neemt weliswaar alle beslissingen, maar ze zijn gelukkig samen. Toch? Als een verschrikkelijk ongeluk haar bestaan op zijn kop zet, is Caitlyn gedwongen om alles wat ze ooit over haar huwelijk dacht en wat ze over Patrick weet te herzien. Ze neemt haar toevlucht tot een oud landhuis en begint langzaam de waarheid te achterhalen.
1947. Engeland krijgt te maken met een van de strengste winters sinds mensenheugenis. De bewoners van Kings Harcourt Manor raken afgesloten van de buitenwereld. Voor Thomasina 'Tommy' Carter, weduwe sinds het begin van de oorlog, is het bijzonder zwaar: de last van het ondersteunen van de familie valt op haar schouders. Ze vindt troost bij haar kinderen en bij het interessante gezelschap van Fred, een vriend van haar broer. Maar Barbara is er ook nog, een mysterieuze figuur uit haar verleden.
1947. Engeland krijgt te maken met een van de strengste winters sinds mensenheugenis. De bewoners van Kings Harcourt Manor raken afgesloten van de buitenwereld. Voor Thomasina 'Tommy' Carter, weduwe sinds het begin van de oorlog, is het bijzonder zwaar: de last van het ondersteunen van de familie valt op haar schouders. Ze vindt troost bij haar kinderen en bij het interessante gezelschap van Fred, een vriend van haar broer. Maar Barbara is er ook nog, een mysterieuze figuur uit haar verleden.
426 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2017
29 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Lulu Taylor
28 books206 followersLulu was brought up in the Oxfordshire countryside, attended a girls’ school and then went to Oxford University, where she read English Literature. After university, she worked in publishing for several years, before becoming a novelist.
Lulu says of her books: ‘I’ve always adored stories of the rich and reckless at play, everything from The Great Gatsby to the brilliant blockbuster novels of the 80s. It’s fantastic escapism, and I’ve always loved creating my own stories of adventure, romance and luxury. My heroines are often very privileged and blessed with great looks and good health – but that doesn’t mean their lives are simple – far from it. They go through plenty of drama and suffering before everything is finally resolved.
‘Sex, love, beauty and money have always entranced us, and one way or another are the basis for just about every story ever written. There’s plenty of all of that in my novels, along with high fashion, which I love. What’s more, writing about fashion means I can go virtual shopping, dressing my heroines in all the wonderful clothes I adore – the racks of Marchesa ball gowns, the shelves of Louboutins, mountains of Chanel bags and acres of Dior dresses... it’s lots of fun. The stories can also get quite racy at times. It’s all about entertaining and amusing the reader, and enjoying being inside my characters’ glamorous, rarefied existence. ‘I’m always thrilled when someone enjoys reading my book as much I enjoyed writing it.’
Lulu now lives in West Dorset near the Somerset border, with her husband and two children.
Lulu says of her books: ‘I’ve always adored stories of the rich and reckless at play, everything from The Great Gatsby to the brilliant blockbuster novels of the 80s. It’s fantastic escapism, and I’ve always loved creating my own stories of adventure, romance and luxury. My heroines are often very privileged and blessed with great looks and good health – but that doesn’t mean their lives are simple – far from it. They go through plenty of drama and suffering before everything is finally resolved.
‘Sex, love, beauty and money have always entranced us, and one way or another are the basis for just about every story ever written. There’s plenty of all of that in my novels, along with high fashion, which I love. What’s more, writing about fashion means I can go virtual shopping, dressing my heroines in all the wonderful clothes I adore – the racks of Marchesa ball gowns, the shelves of Louboutins, mountains of Chanel bags and acres of Dior dresses... it’s lots of fun. The stories can also get quite racy at times. It’s all about entertaining and amusing the reader, and enjoying being inside my characters’ glamorous, rarefied existence. ‘I’m always thrilled when someone enjoys reading my book as much I enjoyed writing it.’
Lulu now lives in West Dorset near the Somerset border, with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
October 18, 2017
This is an atmospheric seasonal read from Lulu Taylor revolving around two women in different time periods who have lost their husbands, facing mysteries and betrayal. In the desperately bleak winter of 1947, Tommy Carter has faced the loss of her husband at the beginning of World War Two. Life is hand to mouth and harsh for all that live at Kings Harcourt Manor as Tommy shoulders the burdens of having to provide for her family, lightened only by the joy of her children, and her brother's friend, Fred. Additionally, there is the strange presence of Barbara, a woman with an agenda of her own. Tommy is a woman with secrets from the past.
In the present day, Caitlyn is mourning the sudden death of her beloved husband, Patrick, when a traumatising accident has her retreating to the old manor in Oxford with her son, Max. Caitlyn has always believed her marriage was good, and has counted her blessings that Patrick never became enamoured with her best friend, the beautiful Sara. She thinks she knows Patrick and Sara. However, her illusions are shattered as the secret life of the ghastly and manipulative Patrick tumbles forth.
There are a number of connections between the two stories such as the similarity of the characters of Patrick and Barbara. There is an underlying air of menace in the novel and oodles of intrigue. My favourite storyline was the one featuring Tommy, the author gives us detailed descriptions of post war Britain, class, fashion, the rigid cultural norms, and the differing expectations and judgements of men and women. I was surprised with what Caitlyn was prepared to tolerate from Patrick, although intimate personal relationships are often a minefield, even in the modern era. This is a light and entertaining novel, perfect for this time of the year. Many thanks to PanMacmillan for an ARC.
In the present day, Caitlyn is mourning the sudden death of her beloved husband, Patrick, when a traumatising accident has her retreating to the old manor in Oxford with her son, Max. Caitlyn has always believed her marriage was good, and has counted her blessings that Patrick never became enamoured with her best friend, the beautiful Sara. She thinks she knows Patrick and Sara. However, her illusions are shattered as the secret life of the ghastly and manipulative Patrick tumbles forth.
There are a number of connections between the two stories such as the similarity of the characters of Patrick and Barbara. There is an underlying air of menace in the novel and oodles of intrigue. My favourite storyline was the one featuring Tommy, the author gives us detailed descriptions of post war Britain, class, fashion, the rigid cultural norms, and the differing expectations and judgements of men and women. I was surprised with what Caitlyn was prepared to tolerate from Patrick, although intimate personal relationships are often a minefield, even in the modern era. This is a light and entertaining novel, perfect for this time of the year. Many thanks to PanMacmillan for an ARC.
October 18, 2017
A story about two women one in the 1940 and the other in present day. Both women have now become widows and are struggling to cope with grief, family and getting on with life. There are lots of strange things going on in both stories and there were quite a few unlikeable characters too. I would like to thank NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2017
Caitlyn thinks her marriage to Patrick is a success. He is one of the few people who had not fell head over heels for her beautiful friend, Sara. When an accident turns her existence upside down, Caitlyn is forced to reassess everything she thought about her marriage. In an old Manor House, she begins to discover the truth. The worst winter in decades hits England, cutting off entirely the inhabitants of Kings Harcourt Manor.
This book has two plots running alongside each other. Caitlyn and Tommy (Thomasina) stories are told in their point of view in alternating chapters. The story takes a while to get into but please don't let this put you off as its well worth sticking with it. This is a historical fiction with a mixture of suspense and mystery thrown in.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Pan McMillian and the author Lulu Taylor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book has two plots running alongside each other. Caitlyn and Tommy (Thomasina) stories are told in their point of view in alternating chapters. The story takes a while to get into but please don't let this put you off as its well worth sticking with it. This is a historical fiction with a mixture of suspense and mystery thrown in.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Pan McMillian and the author Lulu Taylor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2018
Simmering, menacing, and dramatic!
Her Frozen Heart is predominantly set in the Oxfordshire countryside during the late 1940s, as well as present day, and is told from two different perspectives, Tommy, a young widow struggling to keep her family fed, safe, and warm during the harshest of winters, continuing war rations, and an unexpected visitor with malicious intentions; and Caitlyn, a young woman who finds her life unexpectedly turned upside down by the sudden loss of her husband and a secret that threatens everything she thought she knew about her marriage.
The writing is descriptive and unsettling. The characters in both time periods are troubled, determined, protective, and strong. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel subtly into a mysterious tale filled with life, loss, family, survival, heartbreak, betrayal, obsession, romance, misdirection, manipulation, and violence.
Overall, Her Frozen Heart is a clever, atmospheric, brooding thriller that reminds us just how quickly life can spin out of control and just how parasitic some of our relationships can truly be.
Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Her Frozen Heart is predominantly set in the Oxfordshire countryside during the late 1940s, as well as present day, and is told from two different perspectives, Tommy, a young widow struggling to keep her family fed, safe, and warm during the harshest of winters, continuing war rations, and an unexpected visitor with malicious intentions; and Caitlyn, a young woman who finds her life unexpectedly turned upside down by the sudden loss of her husband and a secret that threatens everything she thought she knew about her marriage.
The writing is descriptive and unsettling. The characters in both time periods are troubled, determined, protective, and strong. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel subtly into a mysterious tale filled with life, loss, family, survival, heartbreak, betrayal, obsession, romance, misdirection, manipulation, and violence.
Overall, Her Frozen Heart is a clever, atmospheric, brooding thriller that reminds us just how quickly life can spin out of control and just how parasitic some of our relationships can truly be.
Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 10, 2022
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
I liked this book, but it took me so long to get interested in the narrative – we’re talking about half way through the story. I am glad I persevered and can understand why Taylor paces herself to establish the characters. However, I think more could have been done to add some extra sparks along the way.
I liked this book, but it took me so long to get interested in the narrative – we’re talking about half way through the story. I am glad I persevered and can understand why Taylor paces herself to establish the characters. However, I think more could have been done to add some extra sparks along the way.
November 21, 2019
Dit boek werd pas aan het einde een beetje spannend!
Helaas vond ik het een vrij voorspelbaar boek en voelde het meer aan als een roman met een vleugje mysterie dan een thriller. Niet echt het ultieme boek voor mij dus!
Helaas vond ik het een vrij voorspelbaar boek en voelde het meer aan als een roman met een vleugje mysterie dan een thriller. Niet echt het ultieme boek voor mij dus!
November 28, 2017
Caitlyn thinks her marriage to Patrick is a success. He is one of the few people who had not fell head over heels for her beautiful friend , Sarah. When an accident turns her existence upside down, Caitlyn is forced to reassess everything she thought about her marriage. In an old Manor House, she begins to discover the truth. The worst winter in decades hits England, cutting off entirely the inhabitants of Kings Harcourt Manor.
This book has two plots running alongside each other. Caitlyn and Tommy (Thomasina), stories are told in their point of view. In alternating chapters. The story takes a while to het into but please don't let this put you off as its well worth sticking with it. This is a historical fiction with a mixture of suspense and mystery thrown in.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Pan McMillian and the author Lulu Taylor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book has two plots running alongside each other. Caitlyn and Tommy (Thomasina), stories are told in their point of view. In alternating chapters. The story takes a while to het into but please don't let this put you off as its well worth sticking with it. This is a historical fiction with a mixture of suspense and mystery thrown in.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Pan McMillian and the author Lulu Taylor for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2019
Fabulous story. I’ve read nearly every book Lulu Taylor has written and they’ve all been great. This one was no exception, it was compelling and I loved the fact it went back to 1947. It just kept on delivering and I just kept on reading until the end.
February 8, 2021
Really really liked this book. Very apt reading for this time. 9/10
November 26, 2017
This was a slow burner for me, it took absolutely ages for it to start getting under my skin, and once I was fully interested, it still didn't really hook me, although the lead up to the finale in both storylines was very good and I did care what happened to the characters.
This is a dual timeline story - every other chapter we are treated to 1947, and the story of Tommy and her family who after surviving World War Two now have another massive challenge to deal with - the worst winter for decades, with them being rather cut off in their manor house.
I'm not really a fan of anything set historically but I found myself far more interested in this story than the contemporary one, and I was continually wondering how Tommy's family were coping, while reading Caitlyn's sections. Caitlyn is recently widowed, suspects her husband was about to reveal something critical just before his death, and discovers that her best friend isn't all that she seems either.
With both stories I could see parallels at all points, with the sets of characters, and their circumstances, despite the 70 year gap between them. However it took about half a book to see where the stories could converge and why they were both present.
There are mysteries in both halves of the story but they didn't grip me. What did grip me were the descriptions of life during the freezing cold of 1947, and just how tough life must have been, while at the same time , there were assorted sub plots going on, and the introduction of Barbara really shook things up.
I did find though that following two complete stories I was starting to get confused with the sheer quantity of characters as to who was relate to who and what their purposes were.
Plenty of misdemeanours and secrets to discover, and plenty of story line. I liked the writing, I just didn't feel that this was Lulu Taylor's best book, but it did have lots to enjoy about it, especially if you are more of a fan of dual timeline stories than I am.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
This is a dual timeline story - every other chapter we are treated to 1947, and the story of Tommy and her family who after surviving World War Two now have another massive challenge to deal with - the worst winter for decades, with them being rather cut off in their manor house.
I'm not really a fan of anything set historically but I found myself far more interested in this story than the contemporary one, and I was continually wondering how Tommy's family were coping, while reading Caitlyn's sections. Caitlyn is recently widowed, suspects her husband was about to reveal something critical just before his death, and discovers that her best friend isn't all that she seems either.
With both stories I could see parallels at all points, with the sets of characters, and their circumstances, despite the 70 year gap between them. However it took about half a book to see where the stories could converge and why they were both present.
There are mysteries in both halves of the story but they didn't grip me. What did grip me were the descriptions of life during the freezing cold of 1947, and just how tough life must have been, while at the same time , there were assorted sub plots going on, and the introduction of Barbara really shook things up.
I did find though that following two complete stories I was starting to get confused with the sheer quantity of characters as to who was relate to who and what their purposes were.
Plenty of misdemeanours and secrets to discover, and plenty of story line. I liked the writing, I just didn't feel that this was Lulu Taylor's best book, but it did have lots to enjoy about it, especially if you are more of a fan of dual timeline stories than I am.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
November 3, 2017
I was sent an early copy of this book for my independent honest review. Lulu Taylor is a firm favourite with me. This does not disappoint. It follows her usual style of split time narratives. Although this follows alternate chapters, you will find that it does not become confusing, however if this style annoys you then Lulu is perhaps not for you. However I feel you will miss out.
I loved the main female characters in both time periods and was totally invested in their situation. Very good plot lines for both. As usual the stories are effectively brought together to conclude the links between past and present.
The only reason this wasn't a 5* for me is the twist felt a little too far fetched and unbelievable in a real life situation for me.
I certainly need to go and buy this for my Lulu Taylor collection on my bookshelves
I loved the main female characters in both time periods and was totally invested in their situation. Very good plot lines for both. As usual the stories are effectively brought together to conclude the links between past and present.
The only reason this wasn't a 5* for me is the twist felt a little too far fetched and unbelievable in a real life situation for me.
I certainly need to go and buy this for my Lulu Taylor collection on my bookshelves
March 4, 2023
goeie smulboeken zijn een zegen
November 5, 2017
two totally separate time frame stories running in this book, and I cannot imagine how they are going to come together. Intrigued. Full review to follow at www.sandiesbookshelves.blogspot.co.uk
December 13, 2017
Her Frozen Heart by Lulu Taylor is a marvellous contemporary and historical psychological thriller that will have you questioning the truth from the start.
United by a house, the action alternates chapters between 1947 and present day. The house is an old house seen by some as a prison, by others as a sanctuary. It holds its secrets that unfold.
The novel explores character traits as action in both time periods mirrors each other. There will always be people motivated by control, money, power, position and jealousy. They contrast with those who know the real riches in life are people and relationships.
The novel explores the theme of what is real? What is imagined? Where does the truth lie? Characters, skilled in the art of manipulation twist the truth - or do they? The dead cannot speak, therefore will we ever know the real truth?
An air of menace permeates the whole novel. The reader races towards the conclusion with pounding heart.
Both time frames have the theme of loss. The horrors of World War II were not too far behind 1947. "There are... horrors - that I'll never unsee." Present day shows the fragility of life. How it can be snuffed out in a moment.
Family is important. Depending on your motivation, a mother's love may be an unbreakable bond or a loose thread.
There are the uncomfortable themes of rape and manipulation. Seemingly strong characters have had much to overcome.
Her Frozen Heart definitely messes with the reader's mind as we desperately try to separate the truth from the lies.
A marvellous and compelling read.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
United by a house, the action alternates chapters between 1947 and present day. The house is an old house seen by some as a prison, by others as a sanctuary. It holds its secrets that unfold.
The novel explores character traits as action in both time periods mirrors each other. There will always be people motivated by control, money, power, position and jealousy. They contrast with those who know the real riches in life are people and relationships.
The novel explores the theme of what is real? What is imagined? Where does the truth lie? Characters, skilled in the art of manipulation twist the truth - or do they? The dead cannot speak, therefore will we ever know the real truth?
An air of menace permeates the whole novel. The reader races towards the conclusion with pounding heart.
Both time frames have the theme of loss. The horrors of World War II were not too far behind 1947. "There are... horrors - that I'll never unsee." Present day shows the fragility of life. How it can be snuffed out in a moment.
Family is important. Depending on your motivation, a mother's love may be an unbreakable bond or a loose thread.
There are the uncomfortable themes of rape and manipulation. Seemingly strong characters have had much to overcome.
Her Frozen Heart definitely messes with the reader's mind as we desperately try to separate the truth from the lies.
A marvellous and compelling read.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
January 22, 2025
Mini spoiler in omschrijving
Ik moest eventjes wennen aan de 2 perspectieven/tijdsperiodes. Maar dat went vanzelf. Ik was blij dat er op een gegeven moment ook een soort connectie kwam tussen de twee verhalen namelijk het huis. Ik moet zeggen dat ik niet zeker wist hoe het verhaal zou aflopen en wat waar zou zijn en wat niet. Het einde was erg leuk en daardoor was er toch een stukje spanning over de waarheid en afloop. Ik geef het boek 3 sterren omdat ik het goed vond, maar niet geweldig
Ik moest eventjes wennen aan de 2 perspectieven/tijdsperiodes. Maar dat went vanzelf. Ik was blij dat er op een gegeven moment ook een soort connectie kwam tussen de twee verhalen namelijk het huis. Ik moet zeggen dat ik niet zeker wist hoe het verhaal zou aflopen en wat waar zou zijn en wat niet. Het einde was erg leuk en daardoor was er toch een stukje spanning over de waarheid en afloop. Ik geef het boek 3 sterren omdat ik het goed vond, maar niet geweldig
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2023
4.5⭐️
I really enjoyed the dual timelines in this book. Each of them had a really engaging mystery that I was eager to get to the bottom of. I also enjoyed getting to know the characters, and I liked them. Except Sara, and Barbara. They were just bizarre!
The pace of the book was great, it kept me reading well past my bedtime!
I really enjoyed the dual timelines in this book. Each of them had a really engaging mystery that I was eager to get to the bottom of. I also enjoyed getting to know the characters, and I liked them. Except Sara, and Barbara. They were just bizarre!
The pace of the book was great, it kept me reading well past my bedtime!
November 11, 2024
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would.
When I started it, I wasn’t sure I was going to stick it out, but I’m glad I did! It wasn’t what I expected at all…in a good way!
If you can get past the first couple of chapters (which inevitably look to set the scene) it really starts to improve.
I would recommend 😊
When I started it, I wasn’t sure I was going to stick it out, but I’m glad I did! It wasn’t what I expected at all…in a good way!
If you can get past the first couple of chapters (which inevitably look to set the scene) it really starts to improve.
I would recommend 😊
December 25, 2023
Wat een heerlijk boek
Ik ben sowieso een fan van dubbele tijdlijn en dit is echt een aanrader wat mij betreft
Ik ben sowieso een fan van dubbele tijdlijn en dit is echt een aanrader wat mij betreft
October 6, 2019
There are two timelines in this story and in a way the main characters life’s mirror each other. It’s quite a compelling read as there are some nasty characters who you hope get what they deserve.
December 14, 2017
Although the main characters, Caitlyn and Tommy, are separated by 70 years, the two womens’ lives share many commonalities. Both have been widowed at a young age. Both have children who need a mother’s love as the family navigates the trauma of an untimely loss. Both are admired by eligible bachelors who understand the need to proceed gently with their courtship. And both have another woman in their lives who seems intent on disrupting the widows’ grieving and cutting short any shoots of romance before they get a chance to grow and flourish.
Lulu Taylor’s novel weaves an intriguing thread through dual time-lines with individual stitches drawing the two stories together into a single patchwork of lost love, hope, and betrayal. The misfortunes experienced by the present-day Caitlyn being a mirror of the adversity confronting Tommy who is living through the extreme winter conditions of Oxfordshire in 1947 Britain. Both widows are forced to counter the indomitable influence of the other woman. For Caitlyn that other woman is the seemingly glamorous, successful, and irrepressible Sara. For Tommy, amid the deprivations of post war Britain, it’s the scheming, manipulative, and increasingly antagonistic Barbara. But this is not a simple tale of romance and jealousy, an underlying mystery melds the two widows’ lives together. The backdrop for both stories is Kings Harcourt Manor, the home of an exceedingly valuable Gainsborough portrait of Venetia, a beautify wife who lived in Kings Harcourt Manor in the 18th century, and who was found dead one morning in the main bedroom leaving her husband inconsolable.
All the characters are well-rounded and astutely portrayed. Every reader will surely have had the dubious pleasure of knowing someone with the spitefulness of Sara or the avaricious of Barbara. Indeed, as the plot develops, the depiction of Caitlyn and Tommy, and the struggles they face, is conveyed with a tenderness of detail that is bound to have you fighting their battles alongside them, willing them to overcome their individual plights and to find happiness in the guise of second-chance love.
Unfortunately, for me, in places the prose suffers from sections of dialogue that doesn’t ring true to the ear, and I found the author’s habit of including italicized inner thoughts that simply repeated the sentiments of the narrative’s previous paragraph somewhat tedious. But these indiscretions didn’t significantly detract from my overall enjoyment, they were more of a minor distraction than a ruinous annoyance.
Written devoid of sensationalism, and with a pace that never slackens, this novel uncovers the dark underbelly of human emotions. Keeping its secrets until the denouement, it transforms what would otherwise be a routine romance tale into a story that tugs at the heartstrings from a different, but ultimately uplifting, perspective. It is crafted with a hard realism that betrays a twenty-first century reincarnation of the guile of Catherine Cookson. If you like the sweetness of your romance dished up with a pinch of sourness, then this is a book you’ll definitely enjoy.
Lulu Taylor’s novel weaves an intriguing thread through dual time-lines with individual stitches drawing the two stories together into a single patchwork of lost love, hope, and betrayal. The misfortunes experienced by the present-day Caitlyn being a mirror of the adversity confronting Tommy who is living through the extreme winter conditions of Oxfordshire in 1947 Britain. Both widows are forced to counter the indomitable influence of the other woman. For Caitlyn that other woman is the seemingly glamorous, successful, and irrepressible Sara. For Tommy, amid the deprivations of post war Britain, it’s the scheming, manipulative, and increasingly antagonistic Barbara. But this is not a simple tale of romance and jealousy, an underlying mystery melds the two widows’ lives together. The backdrop for both stories is Kings Harcourt Manor, the home of an exceedingly valuable Gainsborough portrait of Venetia, a beautify wife who lived in Kings Harcourt Manor in the 18th century, and who was found dead one morning in the main bedroom leaving her husband inconsolable.
All the characters are well-rounded and astutely portrayed. Every reader will surely have had the dubious pleasure of knowing someone with the spitefulness of Sara or the avaricious of Barbara. Indeed, as the plot develops, the depiction of Caitlyn and Tommy, and the struggles they face, is conveyed with a tenderness of detail that is bound to have you fighting their battles alongside them, willing them to overcome their individual plights and to find happiness in the guise of second-chance love.
Unfortunately, for me, in places the prose suffers from sections of dialogue that doesn’t ring true to the ear, and I found the author’s habit of including italicized inner thoughts that simply repeated the sentiments of the narrative’s previous paragraph somewhat tedious. But these indiscretions didn’t significantly detract from my overall enjoyment, they were more of a minor distraction than a ruinous annoyance.
Written devoid of sensationalism, and with a pace that never slackens, this novel uncovers the dark underbelly of human emotions. Keeping its secrets until the denouement, it transforms what would otherwise be a routine romance tale into a story that tugs at the heartstrings from a different, but ultimately uplifting, perspective. It is crafted with a hard realism that betrays a twenty-first century reincarnation of the guile of Catherine Cookson. If you like the sweetness of your romance dished up with a pinch of sourness, then this is a book you’ll definitely enjoy.
December 4, 2017
I don't know what I expected from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book is two stories in one, linked by a house- King's Harcourt, at the heart of both worlds. In the present day, Caitlyn is married to Patrick with a 12 year old son, Max, and appears to have the perfect life, until one day she finds herself having to question the very foundation of her world. What is the truth? Who can she trust? Meanwhile, Tommy Carter, widowed early in WW2 is keeping her ancestral family home and the wide and varied family and friends going through the devastating winter weather of 1947. We jump back and forward between the stories, which held my interest and had me wondering how the two worlds were going to tie together, and what the outcome of each story would be. The linkage is excellent, as is the ending and the pulling together where the one ending clears up both stories. I've chosen this as the next book for my book club, so my advanced review copy from NetGalley has borne fruit.
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December 8, 2017
Finally, at long last I have gotten around to reading my first Lulu Taylor book. I don’t know what’s taken me so long to do so considering I have a few of her books on my TBR pile but I’m certainly glad I have now rectified that. Having now finished Her Frozen Heart, I think I made a wise choice in starting with this one as I have seen other people's views with regard to this book and I have to agree that this is a real slow burner but around a quarter of the way through it does start to get under your skin. This is not an action packed read by any means but yet there is enough here to really draw you in and have you hooked wondering what the eventual outcome will be. Her Frozen Heart definitely has sinister, dark, compulsive and even some gothic undertones and the more I reflect on the overall story I would definitely class it as a mystery with a hint of thriller thrown in. There is no big who dunnit but more so why have certain characters so ingrained themselves in others' lives and why have said characters allowed them to do so?
Her Frozen Heart has a dual storyline following two women separated by over 70 years. The more the story develops it is evident to the reader that there are more than a few similarities between the situations the two women find themselves in. Each chapter alternates between Caityln in the present day and Tommy (Thomasina) in the bitterly cold winter of 1947. Normally in a dual storyline that dips between the past and the present, I prefer the character in the present day to be uncovering more about the story of the past seeking clues to uncover a great mystery. Here that wasn’t the case as it was more of a comparison story which highlighted two very manipulative, psychotic women and how they worked their way into the lives of ordinary families with the greatest of repercussions.
The prologue opens in the summer of 1940, the war has been raging for a year and Tommy is left to step up and take care of King’s Harcourt Manor. Then the news that nobody wants arrives, her husband Alec has been killed. Now Tommy is in sole charge of her children Harry and Antonia she must be the strong one and take care of her mother and siblings as well as managing the family estate in her brother's absence. Right from the opening few pages there was a real sense of darkness, of bad things to come, that there would be elements within the story that would thrill, shock and surprise. That’s not to say this book was a tough, gloomy read that you would struggle through. In fact it was far from that as I read this in two sittings so hooked did I become.
In the present day Caitlyn Balfour is married to business man Patrick. They share a young son Max who hates going away to boarding school. Their life is one of luxury but at the same time Caityln seemed to be quite the doormat, who couldn’t stand up for herself or form her own firm opinions. Caityln’s word is torn in two when Patrick is unexpectedly killed. It's like an earthquake shatters her life and she is forced to go over her life in minute detail. Everything she believed to be true including the man she believed loved her with all his heart and soul as she did him may be in fact all false and just a dream not a reality.
Caityln's best friend since college Sara is there as a support to her but honestly Sara was a character whom no one would like. In fact I’ll go as far to say that I detested her. I could see the games she was playing, that her offerings of friendship and support were false. She was compulsive, psychotic, always wanting to be in control of everything. She makes Caityln doubt her own beliefs and viewpoints. The more Sara wiggled her way into Caityln's life the more worried I became. Caitlyn makes a big move to Oxford to escape old memories. Hoping for a new start she meets old college friend Nicholas, now a lecturer in the university. Here is where connections to the past slowly start to emerge and the tension mounts and mounts until you think things are really going to go belly up pretty soon. Caityln was a character who I would initially say was weak but as her mind grew ever more curious she grew in strength and was clever enough to question things. The more Sara fed her lies and half truths about her marriage, the more I wanted Caitlyn to confront her but if that had occurred too early the book wouldn't have been half as good as it was.
Normally with a dual time-line story I usually prefer one plot over the other and in this case I think it was Tommy's story I kept wanting to read more of. Not that I didn't find it fascinating to read about Caitlyn, it's just the atmosphere created in Tommy's story was pure chilling and so beautifully crafted that it made for a haunting, thrilling, tense, powerful read that I couldn't bare to leave out of my hands. Tommy is a very strong, resilient woman and the winter of 1947 brings plenty of challenges. As massive snowstorms paralyse the country and the house becomes cut off her metal is certainly put to the test. She has the constant worry of trying to keep everyone and the house warm in continuous sub zero temperatures and the dwindling supplies of food don't help things either.
I quickly got the sense that Tommy wasn't completely happy with her life, that she was hiding something and always putting on a brave face. She did her best for her family at all times but would a point be reached where she cracked. The arrival of her brother's friend Fred to stay sets in motion a chain of events that will test all involved to their very core. Romance does feature ever so slightly but it's more how Tommy and her family cope being so cut off. I could picture everything so clearly in my mind. This vast house in the middle of the country side surrounded by snow drifts while all the time more sinister events begin to occur.. Another unexpected guest in the form of a so called old school friend of Tommy's, Barbara, really set the cat among the pigeons. Control, possessiveness and manipulation are the words that spring to mind.
After a run of fairly OK books, nothing that would really make me want to scream and shout about them, along has come Her Frozen Heart and restored my faith that I would discover another excellent book before years end. I am frustrated with myself the fact I took so long to read a Lulu Taylor book but on the other hand I know can go back and devour her back catalogue especially with the Christmas holidays coming.
Here Frozen Heart is a very well written story that keeps you guessing. The comparisons that can be made between the two female characters were expertly woven in. I enjoyed how everything was drip fed to us despite my misgivings about the slow start as after reflection I realise it was probably necessary to the overall plot. I can't say there was one stand out, mind blowing twist instead there were several more minor twists one of which still slightly confuses me but still it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. Take your time and savour every moment of this brilliant read it was stunningly atmospheric and one I will remember for quite some time. Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to it this Christmas.
Her Frozen Heart has a dual storyline following two women separated by over 70 years. The more the story develops it is evident to the reader that there are more than a few similarities between the situations the two women find themselves in. Each chapter alternates between Caityln in the present day and Tommy (Thomasina) in the bitterly cold winter of 1947. Normally in a dual storyline that dips between the past and the present, I prefer the character in the present day to be uncovering more about the story of the past seeking clues to uncover a great mystery. Here that wasn’t the case as it was more of a comparison story which highlighted two very manipulative, psychotic women and how they worked their way into the lives of ordinary families with the greatest of repercussions.
The prologue opens in the summer of 1940, the war has been raging for a year and Tommy is left to step up and take care of King’s Harcourt Manor. Then the news that nobody wants arrives, her husband Alec has been killed. Now Tommy is in sole charge of her children Harry and Antonia she must be the strong one and take care of her mother and siblings as well as managing the family estate in her brother's absence. Right from the opening few pages there was a real sense of darkness, of bad things to come, that there would be elements within the story that would thrill, shock and surprise. That’s not to say this book was a tough, gloomy read that you would struggle through. In fact it was far from that as I read this in two sittings so hooked did I become.
In the present day Caitlyn Balfour is married to business man Patrick. They share a young son Max who hates going away to boarding school. Their life is one of luxury but at the same time Caityln seemed to be quite the doormat, who couldn’t stand up for herself or form her own firm opinions. Caityln’s word is torn in two when Patrick is unexpectedly killed. It's like an earthquake shatters her life and she is forced to go over her life in minute detail. Everything she believed to be true including the man she believed loved her with all his heart and soul as she did him may be in fact all false and just a dream not a reality.
Caityln's best friend since college Sara is there as a support to her but honestly Sara was a character whom no one would like. In fact I’ll go as far to say that I detested her. I could see the games she was playing, that her offerings of friendship and support were false. She was compulsive, psychotic, always wanting to be in control of everything. She makes Caityln doubt her own beliefs and viewpoints. The more Sara wiggled her way into Caityln's life the more worried I became. Caitlyn makes a big move to Oxford to escape old memories. Hoping for a new start she meets old college friend Nicholas, now a lecturer in the university. Here is where connections to the past slowly start to emerge and the tension mounts and mounts until you think things are really going to go belly up pretty soon. Caityln was a character who I would initially say was weak but as her mind grew ever more curious she grew in strength and was clever enough to question things. The more Sara fed her lies and half truths about her marriage, the more I wanted Caitlyn to confront her but if that had occurred too early the book wouldn't have been half as good as it was.
Normally with a dual time-line story I usually prefer one plot over the other and in this case I think it was Tommy's story I kept wanting to read more of. Not that I didn't find it fascinating to read about Caitlyn, it's just the atmosphere created in Tommy's story was pure chilling and so beautifully crafted that it made for a haunting, thrilling, tense, powerful read that I couldn't bare to leave out of my hands. Tommy is a very strong, resilient woman and the winter of 1947 brings plenty of challenges. As massive snowstorms paralyse the country and the house becomes cut off her metal is certainly put to the test. She has the constant worry of trying to keep everyone and the house warm in continuous sub zero temperatures and the dwindling supplies of food don't help things either.
I quickly got the sense that Tommy wasn't completely happy with her life, that she was hiding something and always putting on a brave face. She did her best for her family at all times but would a point be reached where she cracked. The arrival of her brother's friend Fred to stay sets in motion a chain of events that will test all involved to their very core. Romance does feature ever so slightly but it's more how Tommy and her family cope being so cut off. I could picture everything so clearly in my mind. This vast house in the middle of the country side surrounded by snow drifts while all the time more sinister events begin to occur.. Another unexpected guest in the form of a so called old school friend of Tommy's, Barbara, really set the cat among the pigeons. Control, possessiveness and manipulation are the words that spring to mind.
After a run of fairly OK books, nothing that would really make me want to scream and shout about them, along has come Her Frozen Heart and restored my faith that I would discover another excellent book before years end. I am frustrated with myself the fact I took so long to read a Lulu Taylor book but on the other hand I know can go back and devour her back catalogue especially with the Christmas holidays coming.
Here Frozen Heart is a very well written story that keeps you guessing. The comparisons that can be made between the two female characters were expertly woven in. I enjoyed how everything was drip fed to us despite my misgivings about the slow start as after reflection I realise it was probably necessary to the overall plot. I can't say there was one stand out, mind blowing twist instead there were several more minor twists one of which still slightly confuses me but still it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. Take your time and savour every moment of this brilliant read it was stunningly atmospheric and one I will remember for quite some time. Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to it this Christmas.
October 14, 2017
Two widows, separated by half a century, connected by a beautiful Jacobean manor house - and treachery close to home: this is the intriguing premise of Her Frozen Heart, the latest dose of cosy escapism from Lulu Taylor. But this dual-time tale has a dark undercurrent - and not all is as it first appears...
Following the sudden, tragic death of her charismatic husband Patrick, Caitlyn retreats to Oxford with their son, Max, to grieve and attempt to rebuild her life. But as she begins to uncover shocking details about her husband's secret life, she begins to realise that he was not the person she thought he was. And neither is her best friend, Sara...
Five decades before, war widow Tommy faces a harsh winter in the dispiriting, bleak aftermath of conflict. With her own terrible secrets held close, she must soldier on and keep the crumbling family pile ticking over, providing as best she can for her own sprawling clan and her collection of post-war waifs and strays. In the face of such deprivation and hardship comes a glimmer of hope, of happiness - but also a threat, a cuckoo in the nest.
Can both women keep those they love safe - and save themselves?
Lulu Taylor has crafted two tales which weave and wend around each other, the parallels clear - sometimes unsubtly so. The realities of the two women are very different; Tommy, bound by the mores of a society and class slow to change, and Caitlyn, thoroughly modern and surrounded by the technology and ephemera of the twenty-first century. However, both women are frustratingly in the thrall of the men in their lives; in Tommy's era, understandable and expected. In Caitlyn's case, however, the reader is regularly infuriated by her distinctly un-modern approach. The deeply unpleasant Patrick reaches his tentacles from beyond the grave to toy with Caitlyn cruelly, and she perceives this as an act of love; there is an unpalatable (Christian) grey area around his treatment of her, which is portrayed as at once controlling and loving. Indeed, Patrick's fondness for humiliating and manipulating women - not only his wife - is considered unconventional yet masterful, something to be admired. All of which leaves something of a nasty taste, as does the denouement of this modern day strand - one cannot help but feel sorry for the deeply flawed Sara who, while not without blame, is another unwitting victim of Patrick's machinations.
Meanwhile, back in 1947, the 'viper in the bosom' is - surprise - another woman, also bent on self-aggrandisement (or preservation in a harsh world, depending on your perception). Barbara is, undoubtedly, a thoroughly unpleasant and manipulative individual, with a hazy past and shades of bigamy and worse. Sniffish comments about past affairs and the whiff of prostitution are bandied about, and much is made of her morality (or lack thereof). In a 1940s setting this is entirely believable; however, when placed alongside the apparent acceptance of - and indeed, sympathy for - a homosexual character, the moralising doesn't ring true. Society looked down its nose at 'immoral' women - but the vitriol reserved for gay men in that environment was above and beyond.
There isn't much to like, cast-wise, here - the vast majority of characters are flimsy, unlikeable and just plain infuriating. With the exception of 1947's Tommy and Gerry (yes, really), I couldn't wait to get away from them. All are the stuff of stereotype, even the ones who are vaguely decent. Caitlyn, particularly, is hard to feel sympathy for, even taking account her recent loss and her subsequent trials. And all the 1940s men are a Goodnight Sweetheart cliche, handsomely smoking through their stiff upper lips - under lamplight, naturally.
Taylor succeeds far more in her evocation of battered post-war Britain, with its continuing privations and power shortages. The cruel winter of 1947, which almost finished the job the war had started in bringing the country to its knees, is bitterly evoked; the ghostly breaths and snow-covered landscapes are vividly drawn. The 'antique' strand works better as a whole than its modern day counterpart, drawing on rich period detail and Christie-esque country house atmospherics. The rendering of London in the aftermath of war is also a treat, albeit one which only extends to the lives of the upper classes, for whom drinks parties and cocktails carried on regardless. It is also easier to feel empathy for Tommy's terrible past, shackled by a society for which respectability and propriety must be maintained, whatever the awful cost. The reader cannot help but to root for her when, even as the world outside freezes, her heart begins to thaw.
Her Frozen Heart is a mixed bag. Diverting yet often infuriating, it effectively whiles away a couple of afternoons, and makes perfect escapist reading for this time of year. On the whole, however, it's as ephemeral as those frosty plumes of winter breath, insubstantial and gauzy. And with characters you'll be pleased are so easily forgettable.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Following the sudden, tragic death of her charismatic husband Patrick, Caitlyn retreats to Oxford with their son, Max, to grieve and attempt to rebuild her life. But as she begins to uncover shocking details about her husband's secret life, she begins to realise that he was not the person she thought he was. And neither is her best friend, Sara...
Five decades before, war widow Tommy faces a harsh winter in the dispiriting, bleak aftermath of conflict. With her own terrible secrets held close, she must soldier on and keep the crumbling family pile ticking over, providing as best she can for her own sprawling clan and her collection of post-war waifs and strays. In the face of such deprivation and hardship comes a glimmer of hope, of happiness - but also a threat, a cuckoo in the nest.
Can both women keep those they love safe - and save themselves?
Lulu Taylor has crafted two tales which weave and wend around each other, the parallels clear - sometimes unsubtly so. The realities of the two women are very different; Tommy, bound by the mores of a society and class slow to change, and Caitlyn, thoroughly modern and surrounded by the technology and ephemera of the twenty-first century. However, both women are frustratingly in the thrall of the men in their lives; in Tommy's era, understandable and expected. In Caitlyn's case, however, the reader is regularly infuriated by her distinctly un-modern approach. The deeply unpleasant Patrick reaches his tentacles from beyond the grave to toy with Caitlyn cruelly, and she perceives this as an act of love; there is an unpalatable (Christian) grey area around his treatment of her, which is portrayed as at once controlling and loving. Indeed, Patrick's fondness for humiliating and manipulating women - not only his wife - is considered unconventional yet masterful, something to be admired. All of which leaves something of a nasty taste, as does the denouement of this modern day strand - one cannot help but feel sorry for the deeply flawed Sara who, while not without blame, is another unwitting victim of Patrick's machinations.
Meanwhile, back in 1947, the 'viper in the bosom' is - surprise - another woman, also bent on self-aggrandisement (or preservation in a harsh world, depending on your perception). Barbara is, undoubtedly, a thoroughly unpleasant and manipulative individual, with a hazy past and shades of bigamy and worse. Sniffish comments about past affairs and the whiff of prostitution are bandied about, and much is made of her morality (or lack thereof). In a 1940s setting this is entirely believable; however, when placed alongside the apparent acceptance of - and indeed, sympathy for - a homosexual character, the moralising doesn't ring true. Society looked down its nose at 'immoral' women - but the vitriol reserved for gay men in that environment was above and beyond.
There isn't much to like, cast-wise, here - the vast majority of characters are flimsy, unlikeable and just plain infuriating. With the exception of 1947's Tommy and Gerry (yes, really), I couldn't wait to get away from them. All are the stuff of stereotype, even the ones who are vaguely decent. Caitlyn, particularly, is hard to feel sympathy for, even taking account her recent loss and her subsequent trials. And all the 1940s men are a Goodnight Sweetheart cliche, handsomely smoking through their stiff upper lips - under lamplight, naturally.
Taylor succeeds far more in her evocation of battered post-war Britain, with its continuing privations and power shortages. The cruel winter of 1947, which almost finished the job the war had started in bringing the country to its knees, is bitterly evoked; the ghostly breaths and snow-covered landscapes are vividly drawn. The 'antique' strand works better as a whole than its modern day counterpart, drawing on rich period detail and Christie-esque country house atmospherics. The rendering of London in the aftermath of war is also a treat, albeit one which only extends to the lives of the upper classes, for whom drinks parties and cocktails carried on regardless. It is also easier to feel empathy for Tommy's terrible past, shackled by a society for which respectability and propriety must be maintained, whatever the awful cost. The reader cannot help but to root for her when, even as the world outside freezes, her heart begins to thaw.
Her Frozen Heart is a mixed bag. Diverting yet often infuriating, it effectively whiles away a couple of afternoons, and makes perfect escapist reading for this time of year. On the whole, however, it's as ephemeral as those frosty plumes of winter breath, insubstantial and gauzy. And with characters you'll be pleased are so easily forgettable.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2021
Echt weer een fantastisch goed boek van deze auteur. Ik ben echt dol op dit soort verhalen.
July 18, 2020
Although the main characters, Caitlyn and Tommy, are separated by 70 years, the two womens’ lives share many commonalities. Both have been widowed at a young age. Both have children who need a mother’s love as the family navigates the trauma of an untimely loss. Both are admired by eligible bachelors who understand the need to proceed gently with their courtship. And both have another woman in their lives who seems intent on disrupting the widows’ grieving and cutting short any shoots of romance before they get a chance to grow and flourish.
Lulu Taylor’s novel weaves an intriguing thread through dual time-lines with individual stitches drawing the two stories together into a single patchwork of lost love, hope, and betrayal. The misfortunes experienced by the present-day Caitlyn being a mirror of the adversity confronting Tommy who is living through the extreme winter conditions of Oxfordshire in 1947 Britain. Both widows are forced to counter the indomitable influence of the other woman. For Caitlyn that other woman is the seemingly glamorous, successful, and irrepressible Sara. For Tommy, amid the deprivations of post war Britain, it’s the scheming, manipulative, and increasingly antagonistic Barbara. But this is not a simple tale of romance and jealousy, an underlying mystery melds the two widows’ lives together. The backdrop for both stories is Kings Harcourt Manor, the home of an exceedingly valuable Gainsborough portrait of Venetia, a beautify wife who lived in Kings Harcourt Manor in the 18th century, and who was found dead one morning in the main bedroom leaving her husband inconsolable.
All the characters are well-rounded and astutely portrayed. Every reader will surely have had the dubious pleasure of knowing someone with the spitefulness of Sara or the avaricious of Barbara. Indeed, as the plot develops, the depiction of Caitlyn and Tommy, and the struggles they face, is conveyed with a tenderness of detail that is bound to have you fighting their battles alongside them, willing them to overcome their individual plights and to find happiness in the guise of second-chance love.
Written devoid of sensationalism, and with a pace that never slackens, this novel uncovers the dark underbelly of human emotions. Keeping its secrets until the denouement, it transforms what would otherwise be a routine romance tale into a story that tugs at the heartstrings from a different, but ultimately uplifting, perspective. It is crafted with a hard realism that betrays a 21st century reincarnation of the guile of Catherine Cookson.
If you like the sweetness of your romance dished up with a pinch of sourness, then this is a book you’ll definitely enjoy.
Lulu Taylor’s novel weaves an intriguing thread through dual time-lines with individual stitches drawing the two stories together into a single patchwork of lost love, hope, and betrayal. The misfortunes experienced by the present-day Caitlyn being a mirror of the adversity confronting Tommy who is living through the extreme winter conditions of Oxfordshire in 1947 Britain. Both widows are forced to counter the indomitable influence of the other woman. For Caitlyn that other woman is the seemingly glamorous, successful, and irrepressible Sara. For Tommy, amid the deprivations of post war Britain, it’s the scheming, manipulative, and increasingly antagonistic Barbara. But this is not a simple tale of romance and jealousy, an underlying mystery melds the two widows’ lives together. The backdrop for both stories is Kings Harcourt Manor, the home of an exceedingly valuable Gainsborough portrait of Venetia, a beautify wife who lived in Kings Harcourt Manor in the 18th century, and who was found dead one morning in the main bedroom leaving her husband inconsolable.
All the characters are well-rounded and astutely portrayed. Every reader will surely have had the dubious pleasure of knowing someone with the spitefulness of Sara or the avaricious of Barbara. Indeed, as the plot develops, the depiction of Caitlyn and Tommy, and the struggles they face, is conveyed with a tenderness of detail that is bound to have you fighting their battles alongside them, willing them to overcome their individual plights and to find happiness in the guise of second-chance love.
Written devoid of sensationalism, and with a pace that never slackens, this novel uncovers the dark underbelly of human emotions. Keeping its secrets until the denouement, it transforms what would otherwise be a routine romance tale into a story that tugs at the heartstrings from a different, but ultimately uplifting, perspective. It is crafted with a hard realism that betrays a 21st century reincarnation of the guile of Catherine Cookson.
If you like the sweetness of your romance dished up with a pinch of sourness, then this is a book you’ll definitely enjoy.
November 30, 2017
Her Frozen Heart, Lulu Taylor
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Women's fiction, Romance
My first read from Lulu Taylor and though the writing style was perfect for me I did think to begin that I wasn't going to enjoy this story.
It seemed each time I got into what was happening in the life of Caitlyn or Tommy the chapter would leave them and go to the other one. It took a while before the two stories seemed to gel for me, I couldn't see the connection and frustrated myself trying to work it out.
Once I really got into it though I loved it and slowly I found myself drawn into the main characters lives.
Loved Caitlyn, and so felt for her when her so called friend Sara began to stir up her memories of the past. she really was a first class bitch, and she was very true to type - I've met people like her, emotional vampires, always desperate for approbation and attention from their freinds, but never really happy, ready to use, discard, seduce anyone who can get them on the next rung of what they see as their right, regardless of who gets hurt.
Poor Tommy found someone like that intruding in her life, not by choice but foisted upon her, when her good nature made it impossible to say No.
I loved Tommy, she'd been through so much. I wanted to know Why was her mother so sniping, so sneering of Tommy's past.
I admired her so much for her determination, her hard work in protecting those she saw as hers, her family and close freinds, she had a very hard job keeping things run during the war when everyone was facing shortages.
Its like another world reading about how they lived during the war and yet it happened, and that's exactly how people managed to get by.
Talking to my grandkids recently we touched on the 3 day week, electricity rationing, petrol rationing during the 70s and they were astonished. Seems incredible to think of it now but that's how it was, and like Tommy and family we just got on with life, managed as best we can.
I think its hard for those who haven't experienced that kind of mass shortages, the time when flicking a switch doesn't bring lights on, TV on etc.
Its a great read, not a heart stopping must-keep-reading book, but one where you can put it to one side, pick up a day later and within a few lines you're back immersed in the world of the characters within the book. Now I know the story I don't think its one I'd reread but its definately a five star read.
I loved the way the stories got closer to the end and then the surprises revealed when everything comes to a head.
Stars: five, a really enjoyable, satisfying read.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
December 1, 2017
A riveting, romantic thriller which will keep you checking over your shoulder!
Caitlyn is blissfully happy with Patrick. Their marriage is exactly the way Patrick wants it to be and Caitlyn is happy to go along with his wishes. He is, after all, the one man who is not secretly in love with her best friend! When a terrible accident happens, Caitlyn’s world is turned upside down. She begins to wonder who the real Patrick is. Perhaps she never really knew her friend either. Her cautious investigations slowly reveal the truth…
Thomasina Carter, a feisty war widow, finds herself and her family cut off by the devastating winter of 1947. Their home, Kings Harcourt Manor, is isolated and running on empty. Tommy keeps the family together, but the arrival of a manipulative old school friend changes the household dynamics irrevocably. Can she manage to save her family and secure her future in the Manor?
Taylor lulled me into thinking that this was to be a gentle love story. Then, just as I dropped my guard, she turned up the heat. All was not as it seemed. Secrets and lies emerged and innocent characters revealed unexpected traits. The dual timelines, past and present, took turns in jolting me out of my complacency.
The timelines dovetail in the end and Taylor manages to tie up loose ends with skill and imagination. Clever twists and turns made it impossible to put the novel down and I found myself unable to extricate myself from either of the scenarios. Although Taylor’s characters are fascinating and believable, there were times when I wanted to be right inside their heads. A touch more in-depth characterisation of the protagonists would have satisfied that whim.
The theme song of Play Misty For Me began reverberating in my brain as I read and if this novel is ever made into a film a fitting tune would need to be sourced. Lulu Taylor has sparked my interest and I’ll be looking out for more of her novels. Her Frozen Heart is a good read and would make the perfect Christmas stocking filler. It is also a novel I’ll be adding to my book club’s collection in 2018.
Gigi
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Caitlyn is blissfully happy with Patrick. Their marriage is exactly the way Patrick wants it to be and Caitlyn is happy to go along with his wishes. He is, after all, the one man who is not secretly in love with her best friend! When a terrible accident happens, Caitlyn’s world is turned upside down. She begins to wonder who the real Patrick is. Perhaps she never really knew her friend either. Her cautious investigations slowly reveal the truth…
Thomasina Carter, a feisty war widow, finds herself and her family cut off by the devastating winter of 1947. Their home, Kings Harcourt Manor, is isolated and running on empty. Tommy keeps the family together, but the arrival of a manipulative old school friend changes the household dynamics irrevocably. Can she manage to save her family and secure her future in the Manor?
Taylor lulled me into thinking that this was to be a gentle love story. Then, just as I dropped my guard, she turned up the heat. All was not as it seemed. Secrets and lies emerged and innocent characters revealed unexpected traits. The dual timelines, past and present, took turns in jolting me out of my complacency.
The timelines dovetail in the end and Taylor manages to tie up loose ends with skill and imagination. Clever twists and turns made it impossible to put the novel down and I found myself unable to extricate myself from either of the scenarios. Although Taylor’s characters are fascinating and believable, there were times when I wanted to be right inside their heads. A touch more in-depth characterisation of the protagonists would have satisfied that whim.
The theme song of Play Misty For Me began reverberating in my brain as I read and if this novel is ever made into a film a fitting tune would need to be sourced. Lulu Taylor has sparked my interest and I’ll be looking out for more of her novels. Her Frozen Heart is a good read and would make the perfect Christmas stocking filler. It is also a novel I’ll be adding to my book club’s collection in 2018.
Gigi
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
October 23, 2017
I am a bit stuck with what to say with this book, and not in a negative way!
I absolutely loved this book, I couldn’t read it fast enough and lost an entire nights sleep as i just couldn’t find a place to stop reading for the night! I tried twice, putting it down, turning the lights out but my brain just didn���t want to switch off so in the end i gave in trying and just finished the book 🙂
If you have read any of Lulu Taylor’s other books then you will love this one. I personally think this is her best book so far by a mile. And I have read all her books to date.
You really need a nice cuppa tea and a duvet day to escape into a very cold, very snowy dual time line mystery, with a touch of winter romance of course! You may even like me be in need of a tissue or two! And i don’t cry easily at anything! There are very few books that have genuinely made me cry, Watership Down, Black Beauty, Wuthering Heights and Anne Victoria Roberts books, Lousia Elliot and Liams Story. Those two are my go too books if i feel low, and now this one 🙂
The story is set over two different time periods with 2 main protagonists, Tommy in 1947 and Caitlyn in the present day.
Both women find themselves young widows with children to raise on their own and both women are still dealing with their own demons.
The book is full of intrigue and atmosphere and transports you back to the big freeze on 1947, the rations they were subjected to, even rations on electricity.
The plot twists between the two different women and entwines their story wonderfully, and just when you think you know what is coming, there is a twist so out the blue and unexpected taking you down an entirely different path.
I can’t say too much as i don’t want to ruin it for anyone else, but it really is a wonderful surprising book that you lose yourself in.
I absolutely loved this book, I couldn’t read it fast enough and lost an entire nights sleep as i just couldn’t find a place to stop reading for the night! I tried twice, putting it down, turning the lights out but my brain just didn���t want to switch off so in the end i gave in trying and just finished the book 🙂
If you have read any of Lulu Taylor’s other books then you will love this one. I personally think this is her best book so far by a mile. And I have read all her books to date.
You really need a nice cuppa tea and a duvet day to escape into a very cold, very snowy dual time line mystery, with a touch of winter romance of course! You may even like me be in need of a tissue or two! And i don’t cry easily at anything! There are very few books that have genuinely made me cry, Watership Down, Black Beauty, Wuthering Heights and Anne Victoria Roberts books, Lousia Elliot and Liams Story. Those two are my go too books if i feel low, and now this one 🙂
The story is set over two different time periods with 2 main protagonists, Tommy in 1947 and Caitlyn in the present day.
Both women find themselves young widows with children to raise on their own and both women are still dealing with their own demons.
The book is full of intrigue and atmosphere and transports you back to the big freeze on 1947, the rations they were subjected to, even rations on electricity.
The plot twists between the two different women and entwines their story wonderfully, and just when you think you know what is coming, there is a twist so out the blue and unexpected taking you down an entirely different path.
I can’t say too much as i don’t want to ruin it for anyone else, but it really is a wonderful surprising book that you lose yourself in.
January 22, 2018
Another great read from Lulu Taylor. A page turner, exciting, pacy with twists and turns and unexpected happenings.
Beginning with a prologue set in Kings Harcourt Manor in 1947 and then to the life of Caitlyn, recently widowed, and her son Max. This is a seemingly perfect life until a terrible accident, and death of Patrick. Caitlyn's friend, Sara has a prominent role in their life. So far so good, but everything is not as it seems.
Then we learn more about life in 1947 with Tommy and her two children. Like Caitlyn, Tommy is widowed. At first her marriage also seems perfect, with Alec, her handsome hero, but as the story unfolds, the reader discovers how difficult life is and has been for Tommy. She is a capable, strong woman who takes charge of home and family when their home is cut off by blizzards and snow drifts.
This is a complex family and far from perfect, with her brother, his friend, her disapproving mother and as if that isn't bad enough, a friend appears, in need of shelter, along with her young daughter. Financial difficulties beset them, as well as the practicalities of getting food and fuel through the snow, and rations that were running out to sustain their needs.
Tommy is determined she will hold it all together against tremendous odds, and is a great heroine. Similarly Caitlyn is finding life extremely difficult after her husband dies and the complicated relationship she has with her friend, Sara, only makes life more traumatic.
I am an admirer of strong heroines. I enjoy a riveting story line. I like the historic details about life in the period following World War II, rationing, difficult freezing winters, and problems getting anywhere by public transport etc. Not only that is also a psychological thriller, keeping the reader guessing throughout.
An excellent book, I can recommend it.
Beginning with a prologue set in Kings Harcourt Manor in 1947 and then to the life of Caitlyn, recently widowed, and her son Max. This is a seemingly perfect life until a terrible accident, and death of Patrick. Caitlyn's friend, Sara has a prominent role in their life. So far so good, but everything is not as it seems.
Then we learn more about life in 1947 with Tommy and her two children. Like Caitlyn, Tommy is widowed. At first her marriage also seems perfect, with Alec, her handsome hero, but as the story unfolds, the reader discovers how difficult life is and has been for Tommy. She is a capable, strong woman who takes charge of home and family when their home is cut off by blizzards and snow drifts.
This is a complex family and far from perfect, with her brother, his friend, her disapproving mother and as if that isn't bad enough, a friend appears, in need of shelter, along with her young daughter. Financial difficulties beset them, as well as the practicalities of getting food and fuel through the snow, and rations that were running out to sustain their needs.
Tommy is determined she will hold it all together against tremendous odds, and is a great heroine. Similarly Caitlyn is finding life extremely difficult after her husband dies and the complicated relationship she has with her friend, Sara, only makes life more traumatic.
I am an admirer of strong heroines. I enjoy a riveting story line. I like the historic details about life in the period following World War II, rationing, difficult freezing winters, and problems getting anywhere by public transport etc. Not only that is also a psychological thriller, keeping the reader guessing throughout.
An excellent book, I can recommend it.
October 18, 2017
This book has two plots running alongside each other. The reader is encouraged to work out what the connection is., but it does get a bit confusing.
Caitlyn, married to Patrick and mother to Max, lives a perfect life in a perfect house. Patrick is all controlling, but being steered by Patrick does not bother Caitlyn until she has to sit back and take a look at her life. Patrick is killed in an accident whilst on his way home from Heathrow. He rings Caitlyn en route and starts to tell her something. Her best friend Sarah is mentioned but the connection fails. She cannot think about the contents of this conversation, once she has to get to grips with Patrick;s death.
Tommy, widowed near the start of the war, is trying to keep her family fed. She has been managing the house and land, to enable them all to live. Her brother Roger, who is the heir, is recuperating after being injured in the war, so it is left to Tommy to keep everything going. Her sister and her two children live in the main house and mother in the other half. Life is one long struggle with rationing etc. but things look much brighter when Roger's best friend Fred comes to stay and to recuperate.
Both sides of the story work well. They are different but you can easily engage and want to find out more. The two heroines are very much in charge of their, and their children's, destiny.
I liked the characters and could only hope that they would have a happy ending.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.
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