Journey's End

The Journey #2

by Josephine Cox

Following the fortunes of some of the much-loved characters from her bestseller "The Journey", Josephine Cox's powerful new novel spans continents, decades and generations of one family. Like a ghost from the past, she walked along the platform towards them! It has been over twenty years since Vicky Maitland set foot on English soil. Twenty years since she left Liverpool with her three children, bound for a new life in America, leaving her beloved husband Barney behind. But this long journey home is the hardest of all. She is here in search of the truth, afraid of what she may find. Why did Barney turn against his family so suddenly, so cruelly? Only her old friend Lucy Baker knows what happened. And Lucy promised Barney she would never tell his secret. Is it time she broke her silence and explain the events of so long ago? As the past weighs heavily on Lucy's heart, other ghosts are stirring, intent on revenge. Will they finally catch up with Vicky and Lucy?

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Historical Romance

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Josephine Cox was born in Blackburn, one of ten children. At the age of sixteen, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. When the boys started school, she decided to go to college and eventually gained a place at university but was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home. Instead, she went into teaching – and started to write her first full-length novel. She won the ‘Superwoman of Great Britain’ Award, for which her family had secretly entered her, at the same time as her novel was accepted for publication. She is now a No.1 bestselling author with over 40 books to her name.

She wrote dark psychological thrillers under the name Jane Brindle.

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. If you've read The Journey then Journey's End is a must read, if you want to find out how this emotional story ends. Loved the characters and didn't want to put this down.

[Nova · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lame! unbelievable characters; no plot to speak of and long paragraphs describing the menu for dinner or afternoon tea. Didn't get much past half way till I started speed reading/skimming to get to the end

[Tia Sparrow · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a ridiculous storyline, it isn't credible that people would speak or react to situations as they do in the book. Had to force myself to finish it and won't read anything else by the author. Picked it up off Suggested Reads shelf at local library, so was hoping for more.

[Somer Schaffer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just long and boring at times, if shorter it would have been more entertaining, but it dragged on. I'd skip a few pages here and there because they were just descriptions...

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely enjoyed. Storytelling at it's best.

[kelly Challans · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was only the last part of the book where anything really happened wouldn’t recommend

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3 and 1/2 stars is better. I don't think I was in the mood for this story of deception with over tones of evil at the end. A man who had a fatal disease pretended to be a drunk and womanizer to chase his family away so they could go to America and have a 'good life' and not have to watch him die. 20 years later Lucy, his care giver and "wife" decided that the wife and children needed to know the truth which she had been sworn to keep secret. She wrote to the wife and let her know of Barney's deception and that started a huge uproar in her family as everyone took sides for and against their beloved father.

[Margaret · Rating 1 out of 5]

How can I put this, this book was very boring I had to skip lines to come to the end and nothing was interesting until the end.It kept on rambling on and on with no content to many details for nothing.

[Kat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty sappy stuff and hard to believe a group of adults TWENTY YEARS LATER AND ON would collapse into tears thinking of Barney and what he did. Just sappy and not believable even for a fiction story. Not one of her best at all.

[Rinburevolution · Rating 2 out of 5]

By the time I got about halfway through, I wanted to punch Barney in the d*ck for being "Mr. Perfect". The ending seemed tacked on as an afterthought, why they included Edward at all is beyond me.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of her best. Found it a bit slow and skimmed through most of it. Overall though an easy read

[Gav Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. Read first 20 pages and I was done. Only picked up off the shelf to read as I'm in between books. This is one of my wife's. Simply couldn't be arsed with it. Bored me.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline is dull. Why wait twenty years to tell a secret. I taught maybe the secret was that barney had done something drastic only to find out he was dying and send his family packing off to America.
The fact that his family still felt the same way as they did twenty years later is ridiculous.

I was disappointed when Edward Trent showed up at the wedding. I was expecting more action. It would make a better story if he had taken lucy away. Have more lone time together to speak about what happened to their son. It would have made it more interesting when the wedding guests realise she was missing.......

When ronnie came to England and started dating Amy, we didn't find out the reaction everyone had when they found out, he was barney's son.
Thomas and Leonard came to England to tell Vicky she was been followed and could be in danger and she told them to leave.

But then shortly later they show up to the wedding with Susie. Where did she come from, no one had seen her since her mother left America.

Was all very rushed at the end.

[Jill Barnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very disappointing effort from Josephine Cox. I have enjoyed her books in the past ,but this one has such an unrealistic plot, it makes for a really weak story. Who, in his right mind would deceive his family in to thinking he'd become a drunkard and womanizer, when he is actually terminally ill? Ok, as a result they emigrated to a better life in America, but the pain and heartache he caused affected everyone psychologically, damaging their emotions. And, what is even more incredible, this terminally ill man then goes on to have a new wife and child before he finally dies. Not J C's usual writing style either. A lot of retrospective thoughts and repetition. A most unsatisfactory read.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got to the end, which after so much impending doom was quick and flat. The whole idea of Barney pretending to be a womanising drunk so his family would leave him to die without them was ridiculous. I didn't like the writing style, which seemed almost amateur at times - odd for someone who's churned out so many books.

[Kat Ashworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author created a level of tension in this second novel that wasn’t present in the first of the series. The culmination of choices and actions woven together through each unique character peaks in the last few chapters. Eager to see how it all unravels.

[R E Hanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well thought through romantic drama.

Mostly believable characters. All the necessary coincidences for good reading. Good overcomes evil . Nothing too sordid. Keeps you reading to the end

[Mrs J Johansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost didn't bother to read this book as I found the first chapter very irritating with an endless, and pointless, conversation between two women. However I gave it a second chance. It was OK but overly wordy at times and a rather predictable plot.

[Mhairi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - didn't realise when I picked this up it was the second in a series but I thought it was good nonetheless. First Josephine Cox book and definitely an author I wouldn't mind trying some more from.

[Stella Heuer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy reading interesting story about family secrets and promises made and how they devastate lives. Interesting concept that people more likely to want to know the truth than being protected from it.

[Beverley Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Really good reading and a very ok interesting tale love this author and all of the books I have read

[Peter Mitchell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josephine Cox fan.

Have been a fan for many years.
As soon as you start reading you are hoping for a happy ending for her wonderful characters.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have read her books for years but enjoying them very much.

[beverley jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read couldn't put it down

Loved the journey so read this follow up was fantastic didn't want it to end will be reading more of this authour

[jayne hay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continue the love the two woman have for .Barney

When Vicky left for American and a new life she though Barney didn't love her anymore but Lucy knew the truth

[Lynn Hutchinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reliably good tale from this author. Believable, sad but uplifting too.

[Carol bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing

Very good read I love Josephine Cox books read her books for years just about read them all only a couple to go.

[Nicola Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Couldn’t wait to read this sequel and I wasn’t disappointed I was gripped right from the beginning till end. Fantastic.

[Samantha George · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book continuing Lucy and Vicky’s story.
I just loved both books, such likeable characters and both had me hooked from the beginning!
Such a lovely ending too!