A Mother's Secret
The heartwrenching family saga series set in WW2 Battersea
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4.4 • 23 Ratings
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- £4.49
Publisher Description
The heartwrenching new novel from bestselling author Kitty Neale
Can she put right the secrets of the past?
London, 1939. Winnie Berry has been the landlady of the Battersea Tavern for nearly twenty-five years, and the pub is like home to her - a place of tears and laughter, full of customers that feel like family. A place where she's learned to avoid the quick fists of her husband, and where she's raised her beloved son, David.
He's inherited his father's lazy streak and can't seem to hold down a job, but when war is declared Winnie is determined to keep her son safe. She's still haunted by the choice she made years ago as a desperate young woman, and she won't make the same mistake of letting her family be taken from her...
But when a young woman crosses her path, the secrets of Winnie's past threaten to turn her world upside down. There's nothing stronger than a mother's love - but can it ever have a second chance?
The first book in The Battersea Tavern series
Customer Reviews
A great, wartime read/listen
Wow! This was such an awesome listen. Those of you who are regular readers of my reviews will know that I love a good Audiobook and often lose myself in someone else’s world for hours at a time! A Mother’s Secret was no exception, and I quickly fell in love with the characters (well, most of them)!
Winnie is running The Battersea Tavern at the onset of the Second World War, and alongside her faithful barmaid, Rachel, they welcome their regulars in with pleasant conversation and the promise of a pint. Winnie’s lazy husband, Brian, spends most of his time in his armchair, whilst their son, David, doesn’t have an honest bone in his body.
Kitty Neale introduces a wide variety of characters into the book, each with their own story to tell, many of which are sad and which will definitely tug at your heartstrings. Dealing with alcoholism and domestic abuse, these subjects are managed delicately and in keeping with the era in which the book is set. We need to remember that back in the 1930s and 40s, subjects were not discussed as openly as they are now and what we would see as simply not right would have been normal and expected during those years.
Annie Aldington reads A Mother’s Secret with enthusiasm, compassion, and love. She immersed herself in the characters’ lives as the book continued and seemingly wanted to share her passion for the Battersea Tavern with her listeners.