Friday, August 3, 2018

BLOG BLITZ - Telegrams and Teacakes


Today is my day for the Blog Blitz for Telegrams and Teacakes by Amy Miller.

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Telegrams and Teacakes is a romantic World War Two saga full of heartbreak and hope, perfect for fans of Diney Costeloe, Nadine Dorries and Sheila Newberry.

‘There was no denying it, being cheerful was a challenge. You just had to be grateful for small mercies: a sunny day, a night without an air raid, an extra rasher of bacon from the butcher.’

England, 1942: 23-year-old Betty runs away from Bristol to make a new life for herself. Betrayed by her husband, Betty flees to the seaside town of Bournemouth, where she has fond memories of childhood holidays. There, she finds a small family bakery, in desperate need of a new shop girl…

At the Barton Bakery, Betty finds a sanctuary with shopkeeper Audrey Barton, but Audrey is fighting battles of her own. Her husband is at war and in grave danger, she is heavily pregnant, and her customers are horrified by the demands imposed by rationing.

Audrey’s stepsister Lily receives a letter from a man she once loved very much, a man she thought was lost to her forever. He offers her a new future with him, but one that will mean sacrificing so many of her hopes and dreams…

As Winston Churchill tells the country to ‘never give in’, the women of the Barton Bakery struggle on to keep their families, homes and loved ones safe in a time of turmoil.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amy Miller lives in Dorset with her husband and two children. New to saga, she has previously written women's fiction under a different name.

Links:
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MY REVIEW:

My rating: 4.5 Stars

During 1942 in England, 24-year-old Betty Mitchell is devastated by the ultimate betrayal of her husband, Robert. In addition to that, their house was bombed, leaving Betty with a very very hard decision to make. With the clothes on her back, she flees Bristol and heads to Bournemouth as she discovers an ad for employment at a the Barton's Bakery shop there. Although times are incredibly difficult, the bakery is especially busy. The bakery's owner, a very pregnant Audrey Barton, is running it alone while her husband is away at war.

Meanwhile, Betty eventually meets Sam, a Canadian soldier, and they hit it off quite well. The thing is, Robert was also married to another woman and he suddenly shows up at Betty's door with his three children and Betty ends up having to care for the children. She was just getting on her feet and now this! Also, Audrey is nearing the delivery date for her baby. The whole lot of characters are absolutely marvelous and they all pull together - not just for Betty and the three children now in her care, but for Audrey as she prepares for motherhood, all while she is sadly and desperately missing her husband Charlie.

This is a story that very well includes Bettty's plight, but it also pays acute attention to Audrey's family and friends, as well as the townspeople who frequent the bakery. As this is the third in the series, I took a chance reading this first, as I may have missed the continuity of the characters and stories. Despite missing the previous titles, this story is so well-written that I was quite comfortable while reading this story.

This story was fiction, no doubt, but very affecting when it came to understanding what it was like living in the throes of World War II. There were the rations, air raids and bombings, along with the constant worry as to whether or not loved ones would return home from the war. The story was quite sad as everyone is greatly affected by the war. My emotions were ripped apart as I was left in tears more than once. But there was also a fantastic sense of camaraderie and family. Telegrams and Teacakes was truly engaging, filled me with warmth, and and truly leaves me wanting more from this series.

After just a few pages in, I was already in love with Audrey with her generous, kind and loving personality. I have read a handful of historical fiction stories this year set in times of war. It seems that the stories are getting better and better, and this one certainly is no exception. The connected characters are marvelous and I do wish that I'd had the time to read the first two books in the series so that I would have really known all of them. Amy Miller is an exceptional author and penned a remarkable story. I look forward to reading much more from her.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

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