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Whispers on the Water
Grace Tooley falls for Rupert Bradley when she is young, but he sees her as a mere girl and marries a woman from his own station in life. They meet again when the Great War has changed them both. Grace has suffered loss and pain and emerged as a strong, passionate woman. Rupert, nearly broken by the horrors he has endured, has been humiliated by the bride who once seemed so right for him, and he rejects Grace's love and any hope of future happiness. But Grace is determined to rediscover the spirit of the only boy she ever loved in the man who is ready to die.
- GenresHistorical Romance
544 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2002
11 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Audrey Howard
63 books51 followersAudrey Howard was born on 1929 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK, and grew up in St Annes on Sea, Lancashire, where she lives in her childhood home.
Before she began to write she had a variety of jobs, among them hairdresser, model, shop assistant, cleaner and civil servant. In 1981, while living in Australia, she wrote the first of her bestselling novels published since 1984. In 1988, her novel The Juniper Bush won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Before she began to write she had a variety of jobs, among them hairdresser, model, shop assistant, cleaner and civil servant. In 1981, while living in Australia, she wrote the first of her bestselling novels published since 1984. In 1988, her novel The Juniper Bush won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 23, 2021
It has been a long time since I read a book by this author, but as always thoroughly enjoyable.
Set just before and during World War I, it tells the story of Grace Tooley, and how after meeting her older brothers friend, Rupert Bradley, falls in love with him, and believes him to be her one true love for always.
Circumstances send them their separate ways, Rupert marrying a woman of his station and Grace forced into helping run the family business, after her brother Arthur, is lost during the sinking of the Titanic, and her parents fall apart due to their grief.
The onset of World War I, changes both Grace and Rupert in many ways both physically and mentally, with Rupert shunning Grace at every turn when they meet again.
But Grace is determined, to be with the only man she has ever loved, come what may.
Set just before and during World War I, it tells the story of Grace Tooley, and how after meeting her older brothers friend, Rupert Bradley, falls in love with him, and believes him to be her one true love for always.
Circumstances send them their separate ways, Rupert marrying a woman of his station and Grace forced into helping run the family business, after her brother Arthur, is lost during the sinking of the Titanic, and her parents fall apart due to their grief.
The onset of World War I, changes both Grace and Rupert in many ways both physically and mentally, with Rupert shunning Grace at every turn when they meet again.
But Grace is determined, to be with the only man she has ever loved, come what may.
February 20, 2011
I did enjoy listening to this book but I do think it was longer than it needed to be and there was too many pages/tracks dedicated to WWI and it sad to read about so much death in one family - even though this was probably true for some families during WWI.
Grace Tooley was a strong character right from the beginning when she was 14. She meets Rupert Bradley, a friend of her oldest brother, Arthur, and falls instantly in love with him. Rupert in turn is drawn to Grace but she is only a child in his eyes. When Arthur is tragically killed a little later Grace takes over the family tabacconist shop when her parents fall to pieces and none of her 5 brothers is interested in looking after the store.
When war breaks out first one, then 2 more join the forces and as the war drags on the next in line goes off to war - all with excitement to begin with. Grace becomes a VAD nurse at a local home turned into a hospital and there she meets Charlie Davenport, who falls in love with Grace and although Grace likes Charlie her heart still belongs to Rupert, who she knows is now married.
The war drags on and on (it takes up about 7 CD's) then first one brother, then another is killed in the war and Grace's parents have trouble coming to terms with each death. She meets Rupert again in hospital after his face was damaged by shrapnel. She goes to see him at home where he is convelescing but he is nasty to her when she tries to give him friendship and takes her roughly when she kisses him. After Rupert goes back to France where Charlie has already gone she decides to go and nurse in France. While there she meets with Charlie, they spend some time together and he asks her to marry him and she agrees. Soon she finds herself pregnant - whose child is it, she's not sure until Tamsin is born.
Rupert is back on leave once again when he meets Grace again and sees her child and even though she tried to deny that Tamsin was his he knew by just looking at her. On this trip he discovers that he is in love with Grace and she tells him that she has always loved him and still does, even though she is married to Charlie.
By this time you realize that something has to happen to Charlie so she and Rupert can be together, as I say so much tradegy and death in one family! Death strikes Grace's life 3 more times before she eventually realises that her future lies with Rupert.
Grace Tooley was a strong character right from the beginning when she was 14. She meets Rupert Bradley, a friend of her oldest brother, Arthur, and falls instantly in love with him. Rupert in turn is drawn to Grace but she is only a child in his eyes. When Arthur is tragically killed a little later Grace takes over the family tabacconist shop when her parents fall to pieces and none of her 5 brothers is interested in looking after the store.
When war breaks out first one, then 2 more join the forces and as the war drags on the next in line goes off to war - all with excitement to begin with. Grace becomes a VAD nurse at a local home turned into a hospital and there she meets Charlie Davenport, who falls in love with Grace and although Grace likes Charlie her heart still belongs to Rupert, who she knows is now married.
The war drags on and on (it takes up about 7 CD's) then first one brother, then another is killed in the war and Grace's parents have trouble coming to terms with each death. She meets Rupert again in hospital after his face was damaged by shrapnel. She goes to see him at home where he is convelescing but he is nasty to her when she tries to give him friendship and takes her roughly when she kisses him. After Rupert goes back to France where Charlie has already gone she decides to go and nurse in France. While there she meets with Charlie, they spend some time together and he asks her to marry him and she agrees. Soon she finds herself pregnant - whose child is it, she's not sure until Tamsin is born.
Rupert is back on leave once again when he meets Grace again and sees her child and even though she tried to deny that Tamsin was his he knew by just looking at her. On this trip he discovers that he is in love with Grace and she tells him that she has always loved him and still does, even though she is married to Charlie.
By this time you realize that something has to happen to Charlie so she and Rupert can be together, as I say so much tradegy and death in one family! Death strikes Grace's life 3 more times before she eventually realises that her future lies with Rupert.
August 3, 2013
I read this in May 2011, when it was borrowed from the local library (my Blog Post #125):
A much more satisfying read after the last book - I enjoyed it a great deal - always a good book when I cry!! A 4 **** Star read and actually not too much misery in this one .... not that Audrey Howard doesn't write misery and heart ache extremely well!!
Grace Tooley meets her one and only true love when she is about fourteen at a flying display .... he is rich, handsome and charming and the friend of her eldest brother, Arthur.
Whilst Rupert goes off to join the Army, but Grace finds it difficult to forget him. Grace is then beset by the tragic death of Arthur on the Titanic, and all but mental collapse of her parents. Rupert comes back into her life briefly as she tries to keep the family and business together.
Just as she seems to be getting it all back together again, she witnesses Rupert buying an engagement ring, and she has to comes to terms with losing her love forever.
The meet again during the Great War, when they have been changed into very different people by the death of 2 more of her brothers and Rupert's horrific injury and his wife's rejection. However, Rupert can't accept that Grace loves him and she eventually marries another Officer and finds out that she is pregnant. Who is the baby of the father, and will it be a happy ending?
A much more satisfying read after the last book - I enjoyed it a great deal - always a good book when I cry!! A 4 **** Star read and actually not too much misery in this one .... not that Audrey Howard doesn't write misery and heart ache extremely well!!
Grace Tooley meets her one and only true love when she is about fourteen at a flying display .... he is rich, handsome and charming and the friend of her eldest brother, Arthur.
Whilst Rupert goes off to join the Army, but Grace finds it difficult to forget him. Grace is then beset by the tragic death of Arthur on the Titanic, and all but mental collapse of her parents. Rupert comes back into her life briefly as she tries to keep the family and business together.
Just as she seems to be getting it all back together again, she witnesses Rupert buying an engagement ring, and she has to comes to terms with losing her love forever.
The meet again during the Great War, when they have been changed into very different people by the death of 2 more of her brothers and Rupert's horrific injury and his wife's rejection. However, Rupert can't accept that Grace loves him and she eventually marries another Officer and finds out that she is pregnant. Who is the baby of the father, and will it be a happy ending?
September 27, 2013
I realy enjoyed this,I listened to it when I was in the car and in bed..I'm going to buy the book. :)
September 17, 2012
A heartbreaking story set during World War 1, basically a love story but not picture perfect - much more realistic!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews