BLOG TOUR Life and Love at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

February 3, 2023 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ Leave a comment

I am very pleased to bring you my review of Life and Love at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke on day two of her fabulous blog tour!

With Mulberry Lane’s favourite pub, The Pig & Whistle undergoing renovation, proprietors Peggy and Able Ronoscki leave the chaos behind and head off on a trip of a lifetime to America. But disaster hits and Peggy finds herself in a critical condition in hospital.

Meanwhile, business is booming for young entrepreneurs Fay Ronoscki and Maggie Rowan with their new restaurant and catering empire. It seems neither has time for love.

But when fate throws a famous global singing sensation and glamourous racing car driver into the girls paths, falling in love with Jace and Greg seems beyond their control. Cupid has struck.

Life is made up of laughter, love and tears.

What is next for the folk of Mulberry Lane – can they find the happiness they all so crave?

Another passionate tearjerker from Rosie Clarke in the Mulberry Lane series.

Published only yesterday, I was so pleased to get my hands on an early copy of Life and Love at Mulberry Lane. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you will know what a fan I am of Rosie Clarkes Mulberry Lane series. Life and Love at Mulberry Lane is book 9 in the Mulberry Lane series, so we’ve had plenty of time to become acquainted with these wonderful characters. If you haven’t read anything from the Mulberry Lane series before, check out my reviews of the rest of this fabulous series;

The Girls of Mulberry Lane (Book 1)

A Wedding at Mulberry Lane (Book 2)

Mulberry Lane Babies (Book 3)

New Arrivals at Mulberry Lane (Book 4)

The Women of Mulberry Lane (Book 5)

A Reunion at Mulberry Lane (Book 6)

Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane (Book 7)

A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane (Book 8)

Life and Love at Mulberry Lane finds us in 60s where the next generation in Mulberry Lane is seeking to create their own successes and carve out lives of their own. Penny and Able find themselves heading off the America, with Able keen to show Peggy where he is from, leaving behind Fay and Maggie to finish renovations on the Pig and Whistle whilst pushing their budding businesses forward in the hope of being successful in their own right. But when Peggy finds herself injured so far away from her beloved Mulberry Lane, and with businesses hitting stumbling blocks and love being in the air, life is never straight forward!

I chose to read The Girls of Mulberry Lane because of my love of WWII fiction, so I was dubious when Rosie Clarke started to extend the Mulberry Lane series beyond this timeframe. However now that we are 9 books in, I can confirm that I read these books for the characters. I have loved following them and their children as they navigate a post war London, and it’s so wonderful as you watch the children grow into adults and carve their own paths in the world. I am sure this series is heading towards it natural conclusion now, but I remain hopeful that we’ll get one more book to finish off their stories nicely.

I am more than happy to recommend Life and Love at Mulberry Lane, along with the rest of this wonderful series to you all. It’s full of love, life and drama, with characters that you can’t help but become attached too. It’s Friday, so grab yourself a takeaway, a glass of wine, and settle in for a weekend with Peggy Ronoscki and her friends on Mulberry Lane!

Thank you to Boldwood Books, Rosie Clarke and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review!

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Author Bio

Rosie Clarke is a #1 bestselling saga writer whose most recent books include The Shop Girls of Harpers and The Mulberry Lane series. She has written over 100 novels under different pseudonyms and is a RNA Award winner. She lives in Cambridgeshire.

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BLOG TOUR Victory Bells for the Harper Girls by Rosie Clarke

May 4, 2022 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ Leave a comment

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review of Victory Bells for the Harpers Girls by Rosie Clarke.

Can the Harpers Girls look forward to some happy times as a new dawn rises over London?
Sally Harper is busy juggling running London’s Oxford Street Store Harpers and looking after her beautiful new-born daughter, whilst husband Ben is overseas on another dangerous mission, this time to rescue a friend in need.
Young Becky Stockbridge finds herself in a difficult situation which could bring shame to her and her family. Will Becky, with the help of her friends find her happy ever after and keep her secret?
Marion Jackson is blessed with a son as she eagerly awaits the return of her husband Reggie. But all is not right when Reggie returns. Is Marion strong enough to save her family from yet another crisis?
As the war clouds retreat and the victory bells ring, tears and joy mingle with those of sadness as the world counts the true toll of war and celebrates peace.

Victory Bells for the Harpers Girls is the sixth book in the Welcome to Harpers Emporium series, and is set towards the end of World War One. Rosie Clarke knows how to write wartime fiction, so I knew I’d be in for a treat! Sally Harper, Becky Stockbridge and Marion Jackson are the main characters of our story, all of whom have men fighting in the Great War. With the war finally coming to a close and all families rocked by its effects, these women from Harpers Emporium lean on each other for support as they learn to live with the aftermath of such a devastating time in history. Sally Harper runs Harpers Emporium alongside her husband Ben. With Ben being required to carry out important war work, Sally finds herself caring for her newborn daughter, supporting her friends whilst also seeking stock to ensure Harpers Emporium can continue on as the successful store it is known to be, despite the war causing significant issues. With Harpers Emporium being such a lifeline for so many people, she knows how important it is to ensure it’s future beyond the war.

Victory Bells for the Harpers Girls is yet another excellent example of Rosie Clarke’s ability to create wonderful female friendships during times of hardship. I love her Mulberry Lane series, and the Welcome to Harpers Emporium series is no different. The love and support these women have for each other is admirable, and it really highlights how women together were able to keep the country running in the absence of their beloved men who were away for fighting for their freedom. It also really highlights the strength of these women as they fought for their families as their men began to return home, or in the worst cases, never returned home.

I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you all. It is a lovely example of historical fiction, and really shows womens efforts both during and after the war.

Thank you to Rosie Clarke and to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Links

Amazon

Author Bio

Rosie Clarke is a #1 bestselling saga writer whose most recent books include The Shop Girls of Harpers and The Mulberry Lane series. She has written over 100 novels under different pseudonyms and is a RNA Award winner. She lives in Cambridgeshire.

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BLOG TOUR A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

February 9, 2022 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ 1 Comment

Today it is my pleasure to help bring to a close the fabulous blog tour for Rosie Clarke’s latest offering in the Mulberry Lane series, A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane.

London 1958
Life has moved on since the war and the youngsters of Mulberry Lane are growing up fast.
Peggy’s Ronaski’s family is struggling with growing pains but she is always there, strong, reliable and ready to help whenever a crisis hits.
Meanwhile, Maureen Hart has family problems of her own to contend with.
Together they will work hard to conquer all of what life has to throw at them…
Join Peggy and Maureen as their siblings embark on life’s new adventures and try to forge a partnerships for success.
What does the future hold for the families and friends of Mulberry Lane?

Imagine my delight at discovering that Rosie Clarke was providing us with another novel in the wonderful Mulberry Lane series! If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you will know that I have read and reviewed each novel, and loved them all!

A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane allows us to revisit characters that we have grown to know and love, including Peggy and Able and Maureen and Gordon. World War Two is long since over, but the friendships that were forged during that time are as strong as ever. However this novel really brings forth the next generation. Both Peggy and Maureen’s children feature heavily, as we watch them grow in both age and character. In Peggy’s case, her beloved grandchildren also play a large role within the novel. We follow them all as they find their way through post-war Britain, with big expectations for their futures. There is of course trials and tribulations, new friendships, love and even a wedding! But the stories I enjoyed the most were those of Shirley, Faye and Maggie – watching these young women and their ambitions grow, with such supportive family behind them all the way was lovely. You could really get a sense of the way times were changing, particularly for women. Rosie Clarke does such a great job of immersing us wholeheartedly into a time gone by, whilst providing us with characters that we are happy to revisit time and again. I love the Mulberry Lane series, and A New Dawn Over Mulberry Lane is a worthy addition to what is already a rich, character-based series. Peggy is, of course, the glue that holds together this fabulous community and I will always enjoy reading about her, her family and her friends. I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you, but I must insist that you work your way through the entire series!

Thank you to Rosie Clarke and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

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BLOG TOUR War Clouds Over Blackberry Farm by Rosie Clarke

November 9, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ Leave a comment

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review of War Clouds Over Blackberry Farm by Rosie Clarke as part of her fabulous blog tour!

Cambridgeshire – March 1939
As the clouds of war begin to gather in Europe, the Talbot family of rural Blackberry Farm will be torn apart, just as so many families all over the world will be. Life will never be the same again.
Whilst in London, the Salmons family will feel the pain of parting and loss.
Brought together by war, the two families become intertwined and, as the outlook looks bleak, they must draw on each other’s strength to fight through the hard times.
Lizzie Johnson and Tom were sweethearts until a mistake caused a terrible rift. Lizzie takes herself off to London to heal the pain in a glamorous new job but she still loves Tom. His pride has been hurt – but deep down inside Tom still cares. Can they find happiness before their chance is gone and the whole word is swept into the terrible madness of war?

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you will know that I am a huge fan of Rosie Clarke’s Mulberry Lane series so when I was offered the opportunity to read War Clouds Over Blackberry Farm, the first in a new saga series, I jumped at the chance! I am pleased to confirm that I was not disappointed – Rosie Clarke knows how to write a good saga series!

In this first novel we are introduced to Lizzie and Tom, childhood sweethearts who are living under the cloud of a looming war. When a shocking incident occurs, Lizzie finds herself fleeing her home and heading for London where she aims to throw herself into her hairdressing. She has always wanted to compete with her hairdressing, and when she finds herself safe lodgings and a good salon, she finds herself attempting to heal, despite pining for her lost love with Tom.

Tom is hot headed and sometimes struggles to contain his anger. But he knows he would never hurt Lizzie, and he finds himself caring for her, despite what has happened in the past. As war becomes inevitable, Tom finds himself longing to bring Lizzie back home, away from the city in order to keep her safe.

I really liked both Tom and Lizzie’s characters – their thoughts and actions are very fitting for the time period but it was nice to see Lizzie’s ambitions shining through, despite what has happened to her. Rosie Clarke’s real success in her storytelling is her characterisation, and War Clouds Over Blackberry Farm is no exception. The themes of family, love and loss run strongly through her novels and they are clear to see here. The love and support within the Talbot family is beautifully described which left me keen to know more about other family members. It was also nice to see the clear contrast between rural and city life in 1939. With the Mulberry Lane series being set in London, I actually really enjoyed reading more about rural life in Britain as war started to become a certainty for all.

I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you all – I personally can’t wait for the release of the next in this historical saga series!

Thank you to Rosie Clarke and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be part of this fabulous blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

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BLOG TOUR Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

February 7, 2021 ~ ChapterAndCake ~ 1 Comment

Today it is my pleasure to bring you my review of Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke, as part of her wonderful blog tour.

London 1950
Peggy Ronoscki is happily settling into life running her guesthouse on Mulberry Lane, surrounded by close friends and family. Life just seems too good…
But then disaster strikes.
Pip, her beloved son is left in a coma following a devastating car crash and a young girl collapses in the market leaving Peggy no option but to nurse her back to health.
As things begin to go awry, Peggy worries she has brought trouble to her doorstep?
Can her life ever return to normal? Or has Peggy’s good nature led her astray?

If you are a regular follower of my blog, you will know what a fan I am of the Mulberry Lane series – if you’re new then please check out my other reviews below;

The Girls of Mulberry Lane

A Wedding at Mulberry Lane

Mulberry Lane Babies

New Arrivals at Mulberry Lane

The Women of Mulberry Lane

A Reunion at Mulberry Lane

Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane is the seventh book in this wonderful series, and once again it focuses on our heroine Peggy Ronoscki. She has finally returned to the lanes, both for herself and for the opportunities that it provides her children. She is once again surrounded by her beloved friends and family and she is content with her life. The war is over, rationing has eased and she loves to look after those that stay at her guesthouse. But when Peggy finds a collapsed girl in the marketplace, her good nature pushes her to take her in and care for her. Her son Pip is also involved in an awful car accident, leaving Peggy to hold together everything in the lanes so that her daughter and daughter-in-law can rush to be by his side. Peggy’s good nature may finally come back to bite her, as trouble starts to follow in her wake!

Whilst Stormy Days on Mulberry Lane can definitely be read as a standalone novel, I would not recommend it because you’d be missing out on the wonderful, colourful stories that bring you to this point in the lanes. Peggy Ronoscki is such a central character in the Mulberry Lane series, that it would be a shame to miss out on understanding her story and how she came to be at this point in her life. She is such a kind and caring character, who clearly suffered during WWII, but it made her stronger. Her strength of character is a delight to read, and her husband Able compliments her so beautifully that they are really a pleasure to read about. Maureen and her daughter Shirley are also favourite characters of mine, and I’ve really enjoyed watching them grow and evolve as characters throughout this series. Shirley in particular really comes into her own in this novel,.

So whilst we have left WWII behind us in this novel (and I am a big fan of fiction set during WWII, particularly when its following the strength of women), I continue to love this series as it shows us how that period in time continues to have an effect on all those who made it through. I love revisiting characters, and continuing to watch them evolve and grow, and the Mulberry Lane series is no exception to this. I am more than happy to recommend this novel to you (along with the other 6 in the series!). If you haven’t get discovered the ladies of Mulberry Lane, a snowy, lockdown day like today is the perfect opportunity! So grab yourself a hot chocolate and blanket, and curl up with the women of Mulberry Lane!

Thank you to Rosie Clarke and Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Purchase Link

Amazon UK

Author Bio

Rosie Clarke is a #1 bestselling saga writer whose most recent books include The Mulberry Lane series. She has written over 100 novels under different pseudonyms and is a RNA Award winner. She lives in Cambridgeshire.

Social Media Links