BEST BOOKS
Zoe West picks the best reads for you
Wedding Bells For The Victory Girls
by Joanna Toye (£7.99, Harpercollins, PB)
The last book in the heartwarming, nostalgic Shop Girls series from Joanna Toye sees best friends Lily, Gladys and Beryl looking to the future as the country moves on after World War Two. But life is never simple and the girls must now fight for their happiness. Lily is adjusting to her new role as wife, but does she have to give up her job at Marlow’s to do so? Gladys’ husband, returning from service, is struggling to find work, and it seems changes are afoot again for Beryl at the bridal shop.
The Moon Over Kilmore Quay
by Carmel Harrington (£12.99, Harper Collins, HB)
Where is your heart’s home? In this compelling dual-timeline saga we encounter Bea, living in an Irish-american community in present-day New York, and Lucy, who emigrated from Ireland to America in the 1990s. Their multigenerational stories flip back and forth, full of life parallels; of family and friends; of joy and sadness; and long-buried secrets. When Bea visits Ireland and Kilmore Quay for the first time, will she finally learn the shocking truth of her connections with Lucy’s family? A life-affirming and emotional story on the importance of family and friends.
Hidden Depths
by Araminta Hall (£16.99, Orion, HB) Why is it that stories of the Titanic still fascinate us to this day? Many would say it’s the people on board – their lives and stories capturing our imagination. And so it is that we welcome Hall’s latest novel, which draws on her own family’s real-life experiences. In it, we meet Lily, who is pregnant and travelling to America to escape her husband; also on board is Lawrence, a prisoner who faces danger and knows he won’t be disembarking in New York. Can they help each other before it’s too late? This suspenseful novel is an absolute gem.
After the Rain
by Lucy Dillon (£7.99, Transworld, PB) Lucy Dillon fans will be delighted with this heart-stirring story capturing messy and wonderful lives. Therapist Tara Hunter’s life is not going particularly to plan, with only her cat for company, so when there’s a flood she goes on a mission to restore community spirit. But what of her own issues? Like all floods there’s damage, and with that comes the return of her dad, who she hasn’t seen since she was 10 years old, and an intriguing doctor who seems to have a knack for reading minds. Is the cataclysm about to get worse for Tara?