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When Lewis Harley has a health scare in his early 40s, he takes it as a wake-up call. So he and his wife, Charlotte, leave behind life in the fast lane, and Lewis opens the antiques shop he has dreamed of. Bonnie Brookland was brought up in the antiques trade and now works for the man who bought out her father's business, but she isn't happy there. So when she walks into Lew's shop, she knows this is the place for her.
Merham is a well-ordered 50s seaside town - the kind of town where everyone knows their place (and those who don't are promptly put in it). Lottie Swift is an evacuee who has grown up with the respectable Holden family and loves Merham. The Holden's daughter Celia, however, chafes against the constraints on the town and longs to escape....
Out of Practice is based around a large country medical practice, which proves to be a hotbed of rivalry, resentment and romance - and that's just the doctors. Think James Herriot meets House.
As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood in the ancient Tarachand Empire, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she's an unlikely candidate for even a servant's position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood's mountain temple. But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda's life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home.
Gripping and packed with twists and turns, this stunning thriller will make you question whether we can ever really trust the ones we love.... What if your whole life was based on lies? When Joe Lynch stumbles across his wife driving into a hotel car park while she's supposed to be at work, he's intrigued enough to follow her in. And when he witnesses her in an angry altercation with family friend Ben, he knows he ought to intervene.
Coventry, 1939. Days before the outbreak of World War II, a terrorist bomb explodes on a busy street, killing and maiming innocent civilians. A man is hanged on the evidence given by a young witness. As time goes on, the witness doubts her recollection of events, but her testimony has already had far-reaching consequences. Over sixty years later, in the wake of the 7/7 London bombings, Sara returns to her childhood home to find that her sister, Polly, missing for more than ten years, has finally come back too.
When Lewis Harley has a health scare in his early 40s, he takes it as a wake-up call. So he and his wife, Charlotte, leave behind life in the fast lane, and Lewis opens the antiques shop he has dreamed of. Bonnie Brookland was brought up in the antiques trade and now works for the man who bought out her father's business, but she isn't happy there. So when she walks into Lew's shop, she knows this is the place for her.
Merham is a well-ordered 50s seaside town - the kind of town where everyone knows their place (and those who don't are promptly put in it). Lottie Swift is an evacuee who has grown up with the respectable Holden family and loves Merham. The Holden's daughter Celia, however, chafes against the constraints on the town and longs to escape....
Out of Practice is based around a large country medical practice, which proves to be a hotbed of rivalry, resentment and romance - and that's just the doctors. Think James Herriot meets House.
As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood in the ancient Tarachand Empire, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she's an unlikely candidate for even a servant's position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood's mountain temple. But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda's life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home.
Gripping and packed with twists and turns, this stunning thriller will make you question whether we can ever really trust the ones we love.... What if your whole life was based on lies? When Joe Lynch stumbles across his wife driving into a hotel car park while she's supposed to be at work, he's intrigued enough to follow her in. And when he witnesses her in an angry altercation with family friend Ben, he knows he ought to intervene.
Coventry, 1939. Days before the outbreak of World War II, a terrorist bomb explodes on a busy street, killing and maiming innocent civilians. A man is hanged on the evidence given by a young witness. As time goes on, the witness doubts her recollection of events, but her testimony has already had far-reaching consequences. Over sixty years later, in the wake of the 7/7 London bombings, Sara returns to her childhood home to find that her sister, Polly, missing for more than ten years, has finally come back too.
Everyone knew Alicia Harrison's marriage to Ilya Stern wouldn't last. They'd grown up on a remote stretch of Quarry Street, where there were two houses, two sets of siblings, and eventually, a tangled mess of betrayal, longing, and loss. Tragedy catapulted Allie and Ilya together, but divorce - even as neighbors - has been relatively uncomplicated.
Then Ilya's brother, Nikolai, comes home for their grandmother's last days. He's the guy who teased and fought with Allie, infuriated her, then fled town without a good-bye. Now Niko makes her feel something else entirely - a rush of connection and pure desire that she's been trying to quench since one secret kiss years ago. Niko's not sticking around. She's not going to leave. And after all that's happened between their families, this can't be anything more than brief pleasure and a bad idea.
But the lies we tell ourselves can't compete with the truths our hearts refuse to let go...
I've heard a lot about Megan Hart, but never read her books and I believe this is a departure from her normal style. I would class this as a family saga/women's fiction with a medium pace. The story rotates around Alicia from late adolescence to present day in her 30s and her relationship with two brothers. I wouldn't technically say this is love triangle territory but there is an element of forbidden love.
Whilst this isn't first and foremost a romance novel, that theme remains strong alongside a backdrop of intrigue, family feuds and love, death and complex connections. I found myself invested and mostly captured by the story and one of it's strongest points was that there was little ability to predict events. I'm definitely looking forward to catching the next instalment of these characters in book two.
The narration was great and I knew it would be because I've listened to Kate Rudd before. She excels at small nuances between character voices and she is able to convey male dialogue well.
I always said I was a diehard fan of Megan Hart, but what the hell? Do not waste your money on this garbage; it was boring, difficult to make out, etc. The whole book was skimmed over, sort of an abridged version. There were so many questions not answered (in every single chapter)......the confusion, ...... it was just down right weird. And to top it off the narration was boring as hell. The books starts out with Alisha who is unhappy but allows her ex to get away with being irresponsible but remains in his life and and chooses to stay connected as business partners., Then his long lost brother comes home. Apparently, she always liked his brother but nothing came of it; flash back to the past, tragedy struck, he couldn't get along with his mom, so, he left without saying good bye to her. Due to the connections her and the ex husband had with her sister, they got together, so they could somehow keep her sister's memory alive(apparently, her sister and the ex-husband used to be a thing (we were left to make assumptions because no one ever came out and said it). Now that the brother is back, they begin to get close - what's even more weird, as adults, the issues they faced (basic communication) in their so called "relationship" was more of something you would expect from kids. By the time they admitted their feelings for each other they are separated again but this time by choice but apparently this separation won't be for long. Seems all over the place? Well it was. This was just horrible.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I started & stopped this book originally when it didn't catch my attention but restarted it later when I needed a break from my recent horror addiction. This book is badly written & all over the place. The characters aren't consistent, sometimes they would say or do something and it was completely out of left field like she forgot which person she was writing about. The book would randomly have these erotic sex scenes out of nowhere, all I could think was "what a whore" and NOT in a good way! I love some erotic fiction but this was BLEGH. Also was waiting for something to come with the whole random floating story line with the sister but nothing ever happened, assuming that will be in the next book but I could hardly make myself get through this one so I'll just read a spoiler & be done with this I'll written story.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This story felt a bit flat for me. The sex scenes where Hart usually excels In we’re basic and uneventful. But I’ll still be a fan forever. I know she’s a great writer
Just enough crazy in tangled drama with a little heat thrown in to be enjoyable and feel realistic. Kate Rudd narration lovely as always
It starts off slow and could have been edited a bit better, but ultimately satisfying. It touches on the little lies we tell ourselves and others and cloaks our emotions in protective denials. Stick with it, it's worth it.
I have thoroughly enjoyed Megan Hart's story telling abilities. The narratir did a great job of portraying the personalities of all the main and supporting characters.
I have mixed feelings with this book. It never really felt like a romance novel, more just a family drama story. That's typically not my kind of read but it was very well written. I never once thought of stopping and I was never bored with it, but I didn't like the characters.
This book is Alicia and Nikolai's story but there are 5 other characters that were in it so much that they all felt like main characters. It's based around the two families who were neighbors and grew up together
Jennilynn - popular girl in school who partied too much and was in love with Ilya even though they were never really a couple. She drowns when she is 18 but plays a huge role throughout the book.
Alicia - the less noticeable sister who had a thing for Nikolai. Nikolai left right after graduation to get away from his family drama. Alicia then leans on Ilya after her sisters death and Nikolai's absence. They get married and built a business together. My biggest thoughts on her is she was pretty much treated like crap. Constantly being compared to her dead sister and left by the guy who was suppose to love her, only then to be pursued by the brother who couldn't let her sister go.
Babulya - Mother to Galena, Grandmother to Ilya and Nikolai. Was well loved and passes in the beginning of this story that brings everyone back together.
Galena - Mom to Ilya and Nikolai. Galena is the very definition of family drama. She is flaky and had major mood swings that made her sons tip toe around her. She was not a likable character. she seemed very selfish.
Ilya - In love with Jennilyn, but marries Alicia and starts a business with her not long after Jennilyn's death. I really didn't like his character. He seemed very selfish and needed to grow up. It seemed like he used Alicia to keep a tie to Jennilyn.
Nikolai - Leaves right after graduation. He loved Alicia but not enough to stay for her. I didn't dislike him but felt he needed to man up...even when he came back.
This was not the most interesting story I've read recently, but it was captivating enough to hold the attention of the listener/reader. Several of the characters were incredibly frustrating with their over all lack of urgency for anything. However, the ending remains the best part of the story for me, and make the entire book worth reading because of it.