BEAUTIFUL BOW BANGLE AND EARRINGS...

Here is the wonderful Charlie the Chocolate Magic Monkey (CCMM) doing his modelling stint again...

These little trinkets came from Quiz Clothing in the sale- the bow bracelet was £10, reduced from 15, and the earrings were £5, reduced from £15.

They are just lovely- like my cuddly model!

NETHERWOOD by JANE SANDERSON

NETHERWOOD

BY JANE SANDERSON

THE BLURB:-

Above stairs:- Lord Netherwood keeps his considerable fortune, and the upkeep of Netherwood Hall, ticking over with the profits from his three coal mines. The welfare of his employees isn't a pressing concern- more important is keeping his wife and daughters happy and ensuring the heir to the family wealth, the charming but feckless Tobias, stays out of trouble.

Below stairs:- Eve Williams is the wife of one of Lord Netherwood's employees. When her life is brought crashing down, Eve must look to her own self-sufficiency and talent to provide for her three young children. And it's then that upstairs and downstairs collide in truly dramatic fashion...

THE REALITY:-

This novel was a wonderful and elaborate study of life in a Yorkshire mining town during the reign of Edward VII. Gloriously detailed and inspiring, the writer sketches all the quirks of this life; the job of mining itself, the union movement, and the lives of the miners' wives, with finite precision.

You can't help but get a great feel for all of the characters, as everyone seems real, with good points and shortcomings. There is a good mix here, and not just in the contrast of “upstairs and downstairs”. You can't help but like the super-talented but uncertain Eve and the industrious Anna. And you can't help but hate the smarmy, snake-in-the-grass bully that is pub landlord Harry, and the very singular and nasty Absalom.

Various worlds collide as you learn about Anna's previous, wealthy Russian lifestyle and get taken down to the London house with its set-in-its-ways and almost cruel bunch of staff.

It's lovely to see the upper class- often portrayed as inhumane and selfish- shown as normal, fun people who, despite being against vast union movement are all for the cause of people trying to better themselves. It was also fun to read of the masculine Henrietta's antics (and feel her frustration) and the fornications of naughty Tobias certainly delivered a laugh. Their younger, manipulative, spoilt sister, Isabella, was another unlikeable character, one that needed a good slap.

It was great that Eve's cookery was discussed in detail as that was really what the novel was all about. But I was disappointed when the novel ended abruptly, without really coming to a conclusion. Then I learned that there are, in fact, two sequels to this book. Ah well, so the author is being clever and encouraging readers to fork out on two further books. You know, I might just do that! A charming novel and a bloody good read.

THE MOMENT YOU WERE GONE by NICCI GERRARD

THE MOMENT YOU WERE GONE

BY NICCI GERRARD

THE BLURB:-

Gaby and Nancy were inseparable when they were young. They had no secrets and believed nothing would break up their friendship, even when each found love- Gaby with Connor and Nancy with Gaby's brother Stefan.

Then one day Nancy left Stefan and walked out of all their lives. Gaby has not seen her now for nearly twenty years, and in all that time she has never known where Nancy went or why.

Now long married to Connor, Gaby is preparing to take their only son Ethan to university for the first term when, quite by chance, she spots Nancy on a television report about a flood in a tiny village in Cornwall. And in a recklessly impulsive moment, she turns up on Nancy's doorstep, unannounced.

Nancy's secret explodes into all their lives, wreaking havoc on long-held assumptions and beliefs, and Gaby is forced to examine her own past in order to try to save what is precious to her.

THE REALITY:-

I've read Nicci Gerrard before, but only as part of Nicci French- her writing double act with her husband, Sean French. I remember the crime chiller Killing Me Softly (although the film was a load of unadulterated shite), Beneath The Skin (think that appeared as an okay TV mini-series) and The Memory Game. I maybe also read one or two more, but I can't remember much about them. I do, however, remember that they were good!

This book deals with the subject of middle class affairs, and also the horrible issue of having your friend sleep with you husband. I recently read a book which sprang from a very similar storyline, and the trouble with both novels was that the actual sex bit seemed meaningless and unspectacular. Which is probably the point- that out of something pretty base, a massive trail of destruction can occur.

The characters are vividly described and the “secret” that causes Nancy to disappear does make you want to read on and on until you find out why. Us human beings are curious, nosey sods, which is why intriguing novels like this sell!

I think that from the discovery of the secret though, the book does go a bit downhill. One the suspense has gone, the story, although never boring, does go into freefall, and the fallout doesn't come across as being that massive (another symptom of middle class affairs). I did question whether we needed to know quite so much about Ethan, but then I suppose that the story had to be fleshed out.

I would definitely read Nicci Gerrard again. This book was likeable and sometimes intense, but next time I'm expecting something better!