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All the disparate threads of this epic saga are seamlessly woven together in Ivy, the sixth and final book in The Katherine Wheel Series.
Drawn into the Resistance in Occupied France, Lottie’s strengths and endurance are tested to the limit.
Home-loving Isobel, torn between love and duty, must set herself free if she is ever to find happiness.
Flying planes for the Air Transport Auxiliary frequently puts Al in danger but securing the woman he loves proves much more challenging.
Cheadle Manor once lay at the heart of the lives of Lottie, Isobel and Al, but World War Two has broken every bond tying them to their safe haven. Can they ever come home and be together again?
Drawn into the Resistance in Occupied France, Lottie’s strengths and endurance are tested to the limit.
Home-loving Isobel, torn between love and duty, must set herself free if she is ever to find happiness.
Flying planes for the Air Transport Auxiliary frequently puts Al in danger but securing the woman he loves proves much more challenging.
Cheadle Manor once lay at the heart of the lives of Lottie, Isobel and Al, but World War Two has broken every bond tying them to their safe haven. Can they ever come home and be together again?
482 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2020
456 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Alex Martin
11 books134 followersI came late to writing. No, that's wrong. I came late to publishing my writing. And what a thrilling ride it's proving to be.
I'm never happier than when bashing both brain and keyboard in my Plotting Shed wherever that may be! On gloriously creative days, I can look up and find hours have passed. I'm amazed the scenery is unchanged, fixed, when I've been absorbed in heart-stopping drama or tragedy, or romance.
At last, I am following my bliss. I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm dancing.
There was an old black and gold typewriter knocking about my childhood home. When I wasn't skinning my knees climbing trees or wandering aimlessly in the countryside with my dog and my dreams, I could be found, as now, typing away with imaginary friends whispering in my ear.
My first novel, The Twisted Vine, is based on a happy time picking grapes in France in the 1980s. I met some amazing people there but none as outrageous as those that sprang to life on my screen. Daffodils is based in Wiltshire, where I grew up. It attempts to portray how ordinary lives, and the rigid social order, were radically altered by the catalyst of the First World War. This book developed into The Katherine Wheel Series, with a sequel set in 1919 in the aftermath of WW1, Peace Lily, and Speedwell, taking the characters into the roaring twenties and the dangerous world of motor-racing. Willow (a novella) introduces the next generation who face daunting challenges in WW2 in Woodbine and Ivy, the final book in this epic saga which draws all the many threads together in the previous six books into a dramatic climax.
The Spirit Level comprises two dual-time ghost stories. The Rose Trail is set in the English Civil War and Triskelion has a Druid priestess giving Fay and Percy an urgent message for the modern world.
The next book is always just around the corner. I'm just listening to the whispers from the other side to get the full picture... And now that book (my tenth!) is here. Warrior Queens is the third book in The Spirit Level Series although the link is tenuous. Three friends struggle through adversity and only their bond can get them through. A modern tale of girlpower.
I'm never happier than when bashing both brain and keyboard in my Plotting Shed wherever that may be! On gloriously creative days, I can look up and find hours have passed. I'm amazed the scenery is unchanged, fixed, when I've been absorbed in heart-stopping drama or tragedy, or romance.
At last, I am following my bliss. I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm dancing.
There was an old black and gold typewriter knocking about my childhood home. When I wasn't skinning my knees climbing trees or wandering aimlessly in the countryside with my dog and my dreams, I could be found, as now, typing away with imaginary friends whispering in my ear.
My first novel, The Twisted Vine, is based on a happy time picking grapes in France in the 1980s. I met some amazing people there but none as outrageous as those that sprang to life on my screen. Daffodils is based in Wiltshire, where I grew up. It attempts to portray how ordinary lives, and the rigid social order, were radically altered by the catalyst of the First World War. This book developed into The Katherine Wheel Series, with a sequel set in 1919 in the aftermath of WW1, Peace Lily, and Speedwell, taking the characters into the roaring twenties and the dangerous world of motor-racing. Willow (a novella) introduces the next generation who face daunting challenges in WW2 in Woodbine and Ivy, the final book in this epic saga which draws all the many threads together in the previous six books into a dramatic climax.
The Spirit Level comprises two dual-time ghost stories. The Rose Trail is set in the English Civil War and Triskelion has a Druid priestess giving Fay and Percy an urgent message for the modern world.
The next book is always just around the corner. I'm just listening to the whispers from the other side to get the full picture... And now that book (my tenth!) is here. Warrior Queens is the third book in The Spirit Level Series although the link is tenuous. Three friends struggle through adversity and only their bond can get them through. A modern tale of girlpower.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 7, 2020
A satisfying end to an excellent set of books. Ivy is a good read to finalise the Katherine Wheel Series. As always the main characters are well rounded and it’s been good to see them evolve in a natural way to adulthood and in the way they react to living within countries at war with each other. The dialogue instantly identifies who is speaking. The descriptions give a brilliant sense of place as a background for the action that takes place and the plot draws the reader in. I found the ending completely satisfying. Certainly one to be recommended to any reader.
June 12, 2021
Wonderful series!
I just finished Ivy the last of the six books in the Katherine Wheel series. It has been a very satisfying experience beginning pre WW1 and ending shortly after the end of WW2. I learned more of the history of this time while being part of a family joined by friendship then marriage. There were times when I laughed out loud, others when I cried at a terrible loss or at the inhumanity of war. But, in the end it is a story of survival, determination, and hope for the future. I enjoyed this series greatly!
I just finished Ivy the last of the six books in the Katherine Wheel series. It has been a very satisfying experience beginning pre WW1 and ending shortly after the end of WW2. I learned more of the history of this time while being part of a family joined by friendship then marriage. There were times when I laughed out loud, others when I cried at a terrible loss or at the inhumanity of war. But, in the end it is a story of survival, determination, and hope for the future. I enjoyed this series greatly!
July 5, 2024
Review
Great ending to the series. All characters tie in together in this book. Still gripping events with the way they are described. Through twists and turns, everything works out well. I was very satisfied with this entire series.
Great ending to the series. All characters tie in together in this book. Still gripping events with the way they are described. Through twists and turns, everything works out well. I was very satisfied with this entire series.
April 21, 2022
great historical novel
great historical novel about the horrors of war—and then the terrors of the Nazi’s and the concentration camps. Lotte a British heiress is trapped in German invaded France and it’s the story of her family in Briton and her survival in France that weaves a pattern of love and survival
great historical novel about the horrors of war—and then the terrors of the Nazi’s and the concentration camps. Lotte a British heiress is trapped in German invaded France and it’s the story of her family in Briton and her survival in France that weaves a pattern of love and survival
January 6, 2025
Daffodil Series
What a beautifully written series. Absolutely loved it, the research and story line were amazing. Look forward to reading more of her books.
What a beautifully written series. Absolutely loved it, the research and story line were amazing. Look forward to reading more of her books.
February 5, 2024
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series of books. I feel really sad that I’ve come to the end! This last book I’ve particularly enjoyed, reading about Lottie’s life stuck in France during Nazi occupation and working for the Resistance. Absolutely brilliant!
August 10, 2020
Tearful
I only read the last two books in this series, but I found them to be stories I could not sit aside. Parts of the story made me have tears in my eyes.
I only read the last two books in this series, but I found them to be stories I could not sit aside. Parts of the story made me have tears in my eyes.
March 10, 2022
A very good ending to an excellent series.
Ivy, the last book in the Katherine Wheel Series dealt with the bravery of those who were trying to survive WW2. This series began with WW1 and ended just after WW2. The series filled with adventure, love and loss during both wars and in between. Well written, with great depth in the characters, I highly recommend it.
Ivy, the last book in the Katherine Wheel Series dealt with the bravery of those who were trying to survive WW2. This series began with WW1 and ended just after WW2. The series filled with adventure, love and loss during both wars and in between. Well written, with great depth in the characters, I highly recommend it.
July 7, 2020
I am sorry that this is the last in the Katherine Wheel saga. But it does round off the story, or rather the stories, perfectly as the end of the war brings together the Phipps family and the Flintock-Smythes in Cheadle Manor to resolve all their difficulties– and liberate them to go their separate ways.
As in its prequel, Woodbine, the story deals primarily with the younger generation, and it sorts out the conundrum of Al and Isobel’s courtship in a time of war and want, but the greatest drama naturally focusses on Lottie, trapped in occupied Normandy, as D Day approaches. Stories of the D Day landings are always dramatic, but usually told from the point of view of the combatants or the Resistance, but in Ivy, while Lottie plays her part in the Resistance, it is the story of civilian life (and death), under fire from both sides, that is most gripping – the hunger, the panic, the terror, the suspicion and the simply not knowing.
And for Lottie there’s also the disorientation of her return to a world that has carried on without her and where she no longer feels she belongs. The conclusion is a hugely satisfying one, sending them all off towards their own chosen horizons. Now to go back to the beginning…
As in its prequel, Woodbine, the story deals primarily with the younger generation, and it sorts out the conundrum of Al and Isobel’s courtship in a time of war and want, but the greatest drama naturally focusses on Lottie, trapped in occupied Normandy, as D Day approaches. Stories of the D Day landings are always dramatic, but usually told from the point of view of the combatants or the Resistance, but in Ivy, while Lottie plays her part in the Resistance, it is the story of civilian life (and death), under fire from both sides, that is most gripping – the hunger, the panic, the terror, the suspicion and the simply not knowing.
And for Lottie there’s also the disorientation of her return to a world that has carried on without her and where she no longer feels she belongs. The conclusion is a hugely satisfying one, sending them all off towards their own chosen horizons. Now to go back to the beginning…
February 27, 2025
I couldn’t put this down!
I feel like I’ve been on the journey of a lifetime. This book continues the story of Lottie’s time spent in Normandy where she must assume a new identity and learn new skills in order to survive. We see her fall in love, take part in dangerous activities in the French Resistance and when it seems like all is finally well, we see how troubled she is in acclimating to the life she had lived before. A new destiny awaits her filled with purpose and meaning.
I literally finished this book in a matter of a couple days because I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to slow down my finishing of this series, but I felt compelled to keep on reading. It will be hard to come away from this story as I’ve become friends with the characters.
Well written. It is well researched and is easy to picture in my head what I’m reading. It makes me feel like I’ve watched a movie. The only thing that I felt that I missed and would’ve liked to see was a return visit to Normandy to visit Bernadette and Francoise and Bertrand. I think it might’ve been too perfect if we could’ve seen that. But otherwise it was a truly satisfying ending to a great series.
I feel like I’ve been on the journey of a lifetime. This book continues the story of Lottie’s time spent in Normandy where she must assume a new identity and learn new skills in order to survive. We see her fall in love, take part in dangerous activities in the French Resistance and when it seems like all is finally well, we see how troubled she is in acclimating to the life she had lived before. A new destiny awaits her filled with purpose and meaning.
I literally finished this book in a matter of a couple days because I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to slow down my finishing of this series, but I felt compelled to keep on reading. It will be hard to come away from this story as I’ve become friends with the characters.
Well written. It is well researched and is easy to picture in my head what I’m reading. It makes me feel like I’ve watched a movie. The only thing that I felt that I missed and would’ve liked to see was a return visit to Normandy to visit Bernadette and Francoise and Bertrand. I think it might’ve been too perfect if we could’ve seen that. But otherwise it was a truly satisfying ending to a great series.
July 13, 2020
This is the sixth and final book in the Katherine Wheel Series and carries on from Book 5.
A superbly written series.
Set in the UK and in France during WWII this book follows the younger generation of the two families in this saga.
Lottie finds herself stuck in France on a farm. She finds herself helping the Resistance movement, almost by default.
Isobel, her sister, is in the UK and is working as a Land Army girl, first on a farm away from home which wasn't a very good experience and later back at a farm near her home of Cheadle Manor.
Al is now a pilot ferrying planes for the RAF from base to base, not in the direct line of fire but still a dangerous job.
These three young people find reserves of strength and courage that war brings out in people.
The French scenes show the absolute depravity, cruelty and courage of ordinary people trying to fight for their freedom.
In amongst this traumatic period of WWII, loving relationships and strong bonds are formed in surprising places.
I have no hesitation in recommending this series.
A superbly written series.
Set in the UK and in France during WWII this book follows the younger generation of the two families in this saga.
Lottie finds herself stuck in France on a farm. She finds herself helping the Resistance movement, almost by default.
Isobel, her sister, is in the UK and is working as a Land Army girl, first on a farm away from home which wasn't a very good experience and later back at a farm near her home of Cheadle Manor.
Al is now a pilot ferrying planes for the RAF from base to base, not in the direct line of fire but still a dangerous job.
These three young people find reserves of strength and courage that war brings out in people.
The French scenes show the absolute depravity, cruelty and courage of ordinary people trying to fight for their freedom.
In amongst this traumatic period of WWII, loving relationships and strong bonds are formed in surprising places.
I have no hesitation in recommending this series.
August 27, 2020
A brilliant read and a fantastic ending to the series.
Ivy certainly finished off the Katherine Wheel series beautifully. The passion and understanding of the events of WW11 certainly comes out in this book and is so well written. The lives of two very different sisters is portrayed brilliantly and brings out the suffering that took place along with the determination to make a difference. The conclusion of the book was very touching and I did not want it to end. Excellent. Cannot wait to see what your next book will be Alex
Ivy certainly finished off the Katherine Wheel series beautifully. The passion and understanding of the events of WW11 certainly comes out in this book and is so well written. The lives of two very different sisters is portrayed brilliantly and brings out the suffering that took place along with the determination to make a difference. The conclusion of the book was very touching and I did not want it to end. Excellent. Cannot wait to see what your next book will be Alex
July 22, 2020
Book six did not disappoint. Every book in this series was very good. Each one picked up where the previous one left off, being different stories, weaving in new characters with the original ones. I like Alex Martin’s writing style. Once I started one of these books, I couldn’t stop until I was finished. Thank you for offering them on Kindle Unlimited. Keep up your great writing!!
April 10, 2024
the Katherine Wheel Series--all six
Not a terrific title, but super terrific series. Each book stands alone with fascinating characters. And so well written, that a reader is happy to know there's more as each book is finished. Wish there were even more than six. But happy with ending.
Not a terrific title, but super terrific series. Each book stands alone with fascinating characters. And so well written, that a reader is happy to know there's more as each book is finished. Wish there were even more than six. But happy with ending.
August 12, 2020
Finally finished the finale book of the series & oh my goodness it was the best of the WWII stories i have ever read!!! I have read several but none have touched me the way this one did!! Great job Alex Martin I enjoyed the series immensely!!!
December 4, 2020
Historical fiction at its best
I have read many historical fiction books and this has to be one of the best i have read. The characters and storyline drew me in and kept me reading the series to the very end . I highly recommend this series and im just sad that its came to an end, but what an ending!
I have read many historical fiction books and this has to be one of the best i have read. The characters and storyline drew me in and kept me reading the series to the very end . I highly recommend this series and im just sad that its came to an end, but what an ending!
September 16, 2021
Katherine Wheel Series
I enjoyed following these families through two wars and the joys and hardships that they endured . The books were well written and accurately researched. I felt that I got to know them well.
I enjoyed following these families through two wars and the joys and hardships that they endured . The books were well written and accurately researched. I felt that I got to know them well.
October 15, 2021
Review of the whole Katherine Wheel Series
Right from the start of this series you will be drawn into the lives and love of the families and the cruelty of war and aristocracy. I loved each book and could hardly put them down. These characters will live in your hearts forever.
Right from the start of this series you will be drawn into the lives and love of the families and the cruelty of war and aristocracy. I loved each book and could hardly put them down. These characters will live in your hearts forever.
October 11, 2022
Amazing Story
If you loved Downton Abbey then you absolutely must read this series, it is a wonderful tale set in such a difficult and changing era. The characters are real and the story very moving.
If you loved Downton Abbey then you absolutely must read this series, it is a wonderful tale set in such a difficult and changing era. The characters are real and the story very moving.
December 27, 2022
What a great story. From the beginning it was very interesting and was engrossing and hard to put down. This story had it all. The French Resistance, ordinary people trying to thwart the Nazi’s, bravery and the aftermath of war. Would recommend
July 30, 2025
Highly recommended
I started with Daffodils and was hooked. I usually just get free Kindle books, but had to read on and on. So refreshing as usually am just offered murder mysteries. You will not be disappointed in this series.
I started with Daffodils and was hooked. I usually just get free Kindle books, but had to read on and on. So refreshing as usually am just offered murder mysteries. You will not be disappointed in this series.
July 10, 2020
The entire series was great. Excellent characters, a good account of a frightening period of history
August 30, 2020
A perfect finale
I have enjoyed reading all the books in this series but this final one went even better. The story of Lottie's war kept me enthralled.
I have enjoyed reading all the books in this series but this final one went even better. The story of Lottie's war kept me enthralled.
September 20, 2020
Very good stories
I thou rely enjoyed all the Katherine Wheel stories.They had everything , suspense, love ,family,tragedy,jealousy,and how it was overcome.Very well written
I thou rely enjoyed all the Katherine Wheel stories.They had everything , suspense, love ,family,tragedy,jealousy,and how it was overcome.Very well written
Read
November 21, 2020And fantastic serious
July 16, 2021
Wonderful Saga
The entire journey with Katy and her family, one by blood the other by adoption, will grab your hearts and mind.
The entire journey with Katy and her family, one by blood the other by adoption, will grab your hearts and mind.
January 14, 2022
Very nice happy ever after ending to a lot of love stories over three generations of determined people .
April 16, 2022
A Good Read
Most believable story. Lively story line and believable people. Sad story with a good ending. Looking forward to more of these books!
Most believable story. Lively story line and believable people. Sad story with a good ending. Looking forward to more of these books!
July 19, 2022
Marvelous!!
I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series! Alex is a great writer! I am sad this is the last book, but I am so glad I found this series!
I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series! Alex is a great writer! I am sad this is the last book, but I am so glad I found this series!
September 28, 2022
Loved the entire series!
I honestly couldn't wait to start the next book. I truly enjoyed reading about each and every character. Well done, indeed!
I honestly couldn't wait to start the next book. I truly enjoyed reading about each and every character. Well done, indeed!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews