The English Wife
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4.2 • 13 Ratings
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- £2.99
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
Two women, a world apart.
A secret waiting to be discovered…
VE Day 1945: As victory bells ring out across the country, war bride Ellie Burgess’ happiness is overshadowed by grief. Her charismatic Newfoundlander husband Thomas is still missing in action.
Until a letter arrives explaining Thomas is back at home on the other side of the Atlantic recovering from his injuries.
Travelling to a distant country to live with a man she barely knows is the bravest thing Ellie has ever had to do. But nothing can prepare her for the harsh realities of her new home…
September 11th 2001: Sophie Parry is on a plane to New York on the most tragic day in the city’s history. While the world watches the news in horror, Sophie’s flight is rerouted to a tiny town in Newfoundland and she is forced to seek refuge with her estranged aunt Ellie.
Determined to discover what it was that forced her family apart all those years ago, newfound secrets may change her life forever…
This is a timeless story of love, sacrifice and resilience perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Lorna Cook and Gill Paul.
What readers are saying about The English Wife:
‘An emotive and engaging read’ Rosanna Ley
‘Rich, evocative and utterly immersive, this beautifully written book swept me away’ Jenny Ashcroft
“An epic tale of family, tragedy & love… I highly recommend this book!!” Books, Wine, Cats 5*
“The sense of suspense makes this story a page turner! Highly recommend this book, especially if you’re looking for a WWII era book without all of the historical stuff” To Read is to Breathe, 5*
“I couldn’t put it down. It was not your typical historical novel & I think that’s what I loved about it. Great book!” Dabbookclub, 4*
“A book that drew me in from the first pages! The characters come alive, they’re so well written. Fans of historic fiction will love this story. An author to follow” Consumer review, 4*
Reviews
‘An emotive and engaging read’ Rosanna Ley, author of From Venice with Love
‘Rich, evocative and utterly immersive, this beautifully written book swept me away’ Jenny Ashcroft, author of Meet Me in Bombay
“An epic tale of family, tragedy & love… I highly recommend this book!!” Books, Wine, Cats 5*
“This story is so sensual and so touching… The sense of suspense makes this story a page turner! Highly recommend this book, especially if you’re looking for a WWII era book without all of the historical stuff” To Read is to Breathe, 5*
“I couldn’t put it down. It was not your typical historical novel & I think that’s what I loved about it. Great book!” Dabbookclub, 4*
“A book that drew me in from the first pages! The characters come alive, they’re so well written. Fans of historic fiction will love this story. An author to follow” Consumer review, 4*
Customer Reviews
Well written and thought provoking
I’m thrilled to share my thoughts about this time slip historical novel today. Thank you to One More Chapter and Rachel’s Random Resources for a digital review copy via NetGalley – my thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift.
Synopsis:
Two women, a world apart.
A secret waiting to be discovered…
VE Day 1945: As victory bells ring out across the country, war bride Ellie Burgess’ happiness is overshadowed by grief. Her charismatic Newfoundlander husband Thomas is still missing in action.
Until a letter arrives explaining Thomas is back at home on the other side of the Atlantic recovering from his injuries.
Travelling to a distant country to live with a man she barely knows is the bravest thing Ellie has ever had to do. But nothing can prepare her for the harsh realities of her new home…
September 11th 2001: Sophie Parry is on a plane to New York on the most tragic day in the city’s history. While the world watches the news in horror, Sophie’s flight is rerouted to a tiny town in Newfoundland and she is forced to seek refuge with her estranged aunt Ellie.
Determined to discover what it was that forced her family apart all those years ago, newfound secrets may change her life forever…
This is a timeless story of love, sacrifice and resilience perfect for fans of Lorna Cook and Gill Paul.
My thoughts:
This is the first historical fiction novel I’ve read involving Newfoundland – I must admit that I had to look up Newfoundland to check exactly where it is. If you read some of the other blog tour posts for The English Wife, you can read about the author growing up in the area.
This book involves two distinct time periods – we follow Ellie through the war years in the UK, then her early years in Newfoundland. We also meet her again when her niece Sophie has an unexpected visit to Newfoundland in September 2001, returning again in 2011. This is not a ‘light read’ due to the time periods it is set in (war and terrorist attacks) and needing to move between the different time periods. However it is a well written and thought provoking book, looking at how the events of the 1940’s impacts on the life of Sophie.
I enjoyed travelling to the different time periods, each with their own challenges for the characters of this story. There is romance, love, loss, hardship, new friendships, in-laws, mystery and lots of secrets. My favourite time period was 2001 when Sophie met her aunt and other family members for the first time.