Today it is my pleasure to help kick off the blog tour for Until We Can Forgive by Rosemarie Goodacre.
They survived the Great War, but will life ever be the same?
Spring 1919: WW1 is over and a fragile peace has descended over the country. Now living in Cambridge with husband Edmond, Amy Derwent is settling into her new life as wife and mother to little Beth. But the shadow of the Great War looms large, particularly as the injuries Edmond sustained at Ypres still take their toll on him today.
Edmond’s cousin, Vicky, has now grown into a fine young woman, eager to help her country. Throwing off her privileged background to train as a nurse, she spends her days tending to the many soldiers still suffering the after-effects of their time on the battlefield.
Meeting Maxim Duclos, a young Frenchman who has arrived in Larchbury, fills her heart with joy – but when it is discovered that Maxim may be hiding the truth about his past, Vicky is faced with an impossible choice. Follow her heart’s desire and risk her family’s disapproval or keep her family – but deny herself the chance of true love?
The war may be over, but Edmond, Amy and Vicky must all face a new battle, finding their own peace in a country wounded by loss.
I’ve been so lucky to have read the previous two novels in this trilogy; Until We Meet Again and Until the War is Over – I highly recommend you grab yourself copies of these.
Edmond and Amy Derwent are our central characters, and they are characters that we have now followed through three novels. We have followed their relationship from when it was just a fleeting glance, all the way through to their marriage and the birth of their beautiful daughter Beth. I love a book series that allow me to become invested in characters, and Rosemarie Goodacre provides us with this opportunity beautifully.
Until We Can Forgive focuses on the time following the end of WWI – most families have suffered losses, and the Spanish Flu pandemic is finally abating. War injuries are impacting many lives, but despite these many obstacles families are working hard to rebuild their lives whilst establishing their new normal.
Edmond and Amy’s friends and family have all been affected in some way by the war. Vicky, Edmonds cousin, was too young to really have had any involvement in the war effort. However, seeing her friends and family playing their part has inspired her future. Despite her privileged upbringing, she is keen to assist in the rebuilding of her country. Inspired by Amy and the hundreds of other women who assisted their injured men, both on the front and at home, she is adamant that she wants to train and work as a nurse. When she meets Maxim, a young Frenchman, she discovers a love that she could never have anticipated existing. As we all know though, the road to love is never smooth…
I have loved following Edmond, Amy, their family and friends. Larchbury was hit by much tragedy during the Great War as many small communities were, but seeing them come out of the other side has been wonderful to follow. The community spirit is so evident, and there seemed to be very much a ‘can do’ attitude. Clearly worries for the future remained, but hope is very clearly depicted in Rosemarie’s writing. I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you all (although I do recommend you reading all three novels in the series) – I love reading wartime fiction, I love the hopefulness that existed even in the face of adversity. Rosemary Goodacre has given us an excellent example of such writing.
This is a bittersweet blog tour. Very sadly, Rosemarie Goodacre passed away a few short weeks ago. I am however honoured to have been a part of this blog tour for her final novel, and would like to thank Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and Hera Books for inviting me to be a part of it, and for providing me with a copy of the novel. My review is all my own, honest opinions.
Purchase Links
Author Bio
Rosemary Goodacre is thrilled to have a three book deal with Hera Books. Her World War I romance Until We Meet Again will be released on 31/10/19. Her heroine, Amy, faces many challenges as she works as a nurse and struggles to spend time with Edmond, her sweetheart.
Previously Rosemary has had a novella published, entitled A Fortnight is not Enough, and a science fiction story in the anthology Telescoping Time.
Rosemary has always loved languages and travel, mainly in Europe. In her spare time she enjoys country walking, bridge and classical music. She lives in Kent, England.
Chapter and Cake 