Goodbye Liverpool

by Maureen Lee

A heartbreaking story of wartime love, loss and courage, from No.1 Sunday Times bestseller and queen of saga, Maureen Lee.

Liverpool, 1937. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Jessica endures her husband's petty cruelty for the sake of her two young children. Her only escape is the local cinema, where she can lose herself for an hour or two in the glamour and passion of the silver screen. But when she is offered a glass of champagne in a Liverpool hotel - and with it, the thrill of her own romance - her quiet life is shattered forever.

When her husband uncovers the truth, he is ruthless in his revenge. Left without a home, and separated from her beloved children, Jessica is alone and desperate.

But as the storms of war begin to gather, there are others in even greater need. Attempting to help a friend and her children escape from France, Jessica finds herself stranded in Paris under German occupation. To care for her new family in this darkest hour, she must find a courage she never knew she possessed...

*Previously published as Au Revoir, Liverpool*

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, World War II

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Maureen Lee was born in Bootle, England, UK, near Liverpool during the World War II. She attended Commercial College and became a shorthand typist. She married Richard, and they had three sons, now adults. The last years the marriage lives in Colchester, Essex.

During years, she published over one hundred and fifty short-stories, before published her first novel Lila in 1983. She continued published dramatic historical sagas mainly setting in Liverpool since 1994. In 2000, her novel Dancing in the Dark won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Reviews

[Linsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, a good light hearted easy to read book :)

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Recommended.

[Margaret · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was the first book that I had read by Maureen Lee and likely to be the last. So many descriptions and details left out, so much more could have been said in those pages and instead I am left thinking that she is a very very lazy writer with some decent ideas that she failed to fit on paper, or just failed to try.

[Omaira · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Sin ser una historia memorable, logra enganchar y resulta interesante ir viendo cómo evoluciona la vida de la protagonista. Lo más negativo que le vi es que no es fácil creerse los sentimientos que ella tiene por su familia y por los diferentes personajes que van pasando por su vida".

Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...

[Jo Ring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Maureen Lee. Read in Liverpool 🍭.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was okay. did enjoy it but wouldn't rave about it. Not overly sure I'd read more from this author but all in all a decent read.

Three stars.

[Layla · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars Loved this WW2 STORY. GREAT READ.

[Meg😛 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely heartwarming story, I loved every minute of this book. Would definitely recommend!

[Karen Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, probably a 4.5!

[Rachel Sellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written.

[Jessica Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it looked romantic and its set in liverpool, where my family comes from. Set in the 1940's, it tells the story of an ordinary person's problems in the midst of the colossal problems of the world.It's mostly light-hearted, but emotionally powerful on many occasions.

At the beggining of the book, Jessica is unloved, unappreciated and easily bullied; her children are her only comfort in a marriage in which her husband, Bertie, is extraordiarily unkind to her. At the end of the book, having been abandoned and cruelly deprived of her children, having survived the horrific second world war in occupied Paris, having realised that she's not as thick as Bertie had made her think she was, she discovers her own courage to 'keep calm and carry on'. Extremely beautiful, she captivates the heart of every man she meets: everyone is in love with her - including Bertie!

The characters were very real to me, and although I didn't approve of a lot of the stuff the main character did, in retrospect there's a lot of stuff that I've done in my own life that wasn't dissimilar, and I think that's the point. A truly beautiful story, easy to read and uplifting. I think Maureen Lee might even be one of my favorite authors! :)

[David Lowther · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Au Revoir Liverpool because I devour everything that has the Second World War as its backdrop. It turned out to be romantic fiction, not usually my cup of tea. However, after sorting out who was who at a wedding which opened the story, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was a saga, spread over ten years, stretching from Liverpool to Paris and back again. The heroine, Jessica, is, in part, a tragic figure who makes one serious mistake that costs her dear but whose qualities enable her to build a new life under very difficult circumstances.

Au Revoir Liverpool is not a war story but a story set in the war. There are some fascinating characters and the tale is really about how they interact with one another and this makes for a gripping read. Of course, the war is always there but only intrudes in the narrative when absolutely essential. Of course, there are tragedies which remind us just how terrible the conflict was. Excellent.

David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil. (www.theblue pencil.co.uk)
davidlowtherblog.wordpress.com

[MRS S PUSEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant story

I read this book quite a long time ago in paperback but I've read so many of this authors books i wasn't sure but like all her books it was lovely to read again,The people were very brave to have lived through the war year's the little theatre was a good way to forget their troubles in their lives and enjoy themselves.I felt sad for Louis but happy that Jessica made it home with the children and to Sam back in their lives.

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jessica, mother of two in a lacklustre marriage, is surprised to find she has feelings for someone else, with dire consequences. A pretty good book with (mostly) believable characters. There were the few gushy, somewhat embarrassing scenes but only a couple, and though I did find the depiction of one of the characters far too harsh, I enjoyed it over all.

[Erin booth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book was hard work to get into i found myself skipping pages because Jessica was a bit pathetic ! Read others by this author that I loved but this one didn't do it for me . In the end I lost interest and skilled to the final chapter .

[Pam Doyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly put off by cover but ok book. Woman cheats on husband so he takes kids and disappears. She tries to find them but can’t. Goes to France. Gets stuck in occupied Paris. Gets married has another kid. War ends. Returns to Liverpool and first kids back. Not deep and meaningful.

[MRS L S HEWER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, as ever

Another brilliant book that I couldn't put down. Reading inbetween jobs around thd house. Couldn't get enough. I have read all her books now. Absolutely brilliant.

[Marriyam Gunaratne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book of Maureen Lee I am glad I read even though I was put off by the blurb. I have never read a book with such twists and turns.

[Linda Doughty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I really enjoy reading Maureen Lee's books & I really enjoyed this one too.

[Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with everything this author has ever written, I inhaled it within one day. Always one to make me fall back in love with reading when I've had a lull or read a duff book. Exceptional story writer.

[Chris Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

5*. Loved this. I’ve loved every Maureen lee book I’ve read. The characters was so richly spoke of. I felt I knew them. I laughed and cried along with this book.

[Ankit · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were times I thought book finished but some problem always come ahead and it goes on.

[Jean St.Amand · Rating 4 out of 5]

That ending got me all misty eyed 😪

[Cecile Paddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the British jargon used in this story but just didn’t love the story all over, as I usually do with this author.

[HM Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read by Maureen lee.

[Ms Tracey Brownlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Really good story, I liked Jessica but as usual in books the author seemed to finish the storey ending too soon it was too rushed.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, set during WW2, a little far fetched, but enjoyable non the less.

[Itchy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. The author's description of the occupation of Paris was very poorly researched including the curfew and the rationing of food and clothing. The author didn't track events within the plot very well and referred to things that weren't possible because they were previously dealt with differently. The writing disintegrated as the book progressed and at the 75% point I gave up reading it. I won't bother reading any more of this author.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read several books by Maureen Lee I was glad to find this one for sale in the library best 20p I've spent! Easy to read story based in Liverpool during WW2.

[Sophie Giddens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author doesn’t fail to write the most heart warming books. It doesn’t quite reach the mark of the others I’ve read by her but it creates the same atmosphere all the same. I thoroughly enjoyed it