From the book blurb:

The Mersey Mothers
Liverpool 1953

January sees the dawn of the Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation year as the mothers of Reckoners Row unite in preparation for the celebration of the new Queen.

Meanwhile Evie Kilgaren is dreaming of her summer wedding to Danny Harris, but trouble looms for Skinner & Sons with a new rival trying to put them out of business, but no-one knows why....

Ada Harris is summoned to the bedside of her estranged husband, who, in his dying moment confesses to a deadly secret - he knows who really murdered Evie’s mam Rene all those years ago and the consequences are far reaching.

Has an innocent man been jailed and is there still a murderer walking carefree?

Will Evie get the happy-ever-after she so longs for with Danny? And will The Mersey Mothers unite and still be friends?

Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication Date: April 19th, 2022

 Purchase Link

My thoughts:

This was my first book by Sheila Riley and I can see now why her novels are so popular. The book is so  engaging and easy to read that it's impossible not to fall in love with  its  fabulous characters!

It starts with a grim prologue. If you've read the previous books in the Reckoner's Row series, you already know that Evie Kilgaren's mother was murdered in 1947. Here we get a brief glimpse of what happened and know the case wasn't as clear-cut as it appeared to the investigating authorities. Is it possible that Rene's husband, Frank Kilgaren, was wrongly convicted and sent away to the Asylum for Criminally Insane?

The main events take place in 1953. Evie is preparing for her summer wedding with Danny Harris (Skinner). They are doing their best to keep Danny's delivery business afloat, but the company is in trouble. Ada Harris, the woman who the woman who raised Danny is called to the deathbed of her estranged husband Bert and finds out he knew who really killed Evie's mother Rene.
It is very easy to follow the story even if you haven't read the previous parts. Having said this, I wish I'd started from the beginning of this family saga- the writing style is extremely enjoyable and I loved all the historical detail that put the story into a wider context and brought it to life for me.
Heartwarming, family and community-oriented, full of likeable, strong characters, The Mersey Mothers has a lot going for it and will be much appreciated by the readers who enjoy the historical fiction genre!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thankyou to Rachel from Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Wartime Blues for the Harpers Girls,the fifth instalment in Rosie Clarke's popular family saga the Harpers Girls.

Wartime Blues for the Harper Girls
LONDON 1917

As the Americans enter the War, there is renewed energy in the war effort.  

With husbands and sons fighting for freedom, the women of Harpers are left to tackle the day-to-day affairs at home and work.

With Ben Harper away, Sally fears she is being followed by a mysterious woman. Who is she and what does she want?

Maggie Gibbs collapses seriously ill in the frontline hospitals and is brought back to England close to death. Can she be saved and what does the future hold for her and her broken heart? 

Marion Jackson’s father is on the run from the Police already wanted for murder. She fears he will return to threaten his family once more.
And Beth Burrows is pregnant with her second child, worried and anxious for her husband Jack, who has been many months at sea.

As Christmas 1917 approaches what will the future hold for Harpers, its girls and their men at War?
 
Purchase Link

My thoughts:

Wartime Blues for the Harper Girls is the fifth instalment in Rosie Clarke's much beloved Harpers Girls aga. From the start I want to say that it is possible to read and enjoy the book as a standalone, although itis better to go back to the beginning to appreciate the complexity of the plotlines and the wonderful job Rosie Clarke did with the character development.
Wartime Blues is set in 1917. The war is raging and lives have been touched and foever changed by its cruel hand. Sally Harper (it is impossible not to admire the strength of her character) is doing her best to run the Harpers, but like many other shops in the wartime, Harpers is experiencing difficulty in getting good quaility stock. Sally may not always agree with Jenni, her enterprising sister-in-law,but both of them want to keep the loyal customer base and the shop reputation. Ben Harper is doing his duty by overseeing logistics and procuring goods much needed by the soldiers in the trenches. While Maggie Gibbs is going through a really tough time in the field hospital in France. Heartbroken and overworked, she falls ill and is sent back to England to recuperate.

Meanwhile Beth Burrows, pregnant with her second child is anxious for the news of her husband, like Marion who is helping with window-dressing while talented Mr Marco is fighting in France, like countless women across Britain and other countries. Now that the united States are entering the war, they are daring to hope that the tide is going to turn and the nightmarev they've been living through may end soon. All they want is to do their duty, support each other and hope their loved ones are going to survive and come back home.

Rosie Clarke is a master of creating compelling characters and fleshing them out with fascinating details. Our protagonists continue to show their strength and kindness  in these difficult times. Their family stories are well-developed and touching.

It was great to see the historical context that defines these fictional characters and there's always so much to learn from reading books like this. The Harpers Girls still didn't have the Vote and, yet, they did their duty with love and selfless determination.

An enjoyable journey back in time, recommended to everyone who loves women's fiction.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood  Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

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. Rosie’s brand new saga series, Welcome to Harpers Emporium began in December 2019.

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Thank you for reading the post! Have a wonderful Saturday!