I am delighted to be today’s stop on the blog tour for; The Dartmoor Girl and Hope at Holly Cottage by Tania Crosse. I am incredibly excited to be sharing these two gorgeous books with you all, I fully intended to review both books for the series, but because I received the books a little later than expected and as a slow reader I didn’t quite finish them in time to write my reviews for this post (apologies) but do come back later in the week to read my review for both books.
Now, let’s have a look at these gorgeous books!
About the Books
THE DARTMOOR GIRL
A dramatic and poignant tale of one girl’s quest for the truth.
Originally published as Lily’s Journey.
Dartmoor, 1952. When fifteen-year-old Lily Hayes loses her mother, she finds herself at a crossroads: go to a children’s home or leave the bright lights of London to live with her estranged father in the wilds of Dartmoor.
Lily moves from London to Dartmoor determined and excited to find out the truth about where she came from.
Her dour father, Sidney, can be sullen and he has a temper on him. He seems to want nothing to do with her, but Lily vows to make the best of things. There are some things she is grateful for — especially the handsome and charming Edwin Franfield.
As Sidney’s gruff manner gradually thaws, Lily learns a little more about her family’s history — and discovers that some secrets are better left untold.
Will Lily discover her true identity and find happiness among the dramatic wilderness of Dartmoor, or will the past drive her back whence she came?
HOPE AT HOLLY COTTAGE
A compelling tale of secrets and betrayal, friendship and trust, and the legacy of war.
Originally published as Hope at Holly Cottage.
Plymouth, 1954. The future seems rosy for Plymouth schoolgirl, Anna Millington, as she studies to qualify for teacher training college.
But Anna’s life is not what it seems. Her family is hiding a cruel secret that resulted from the worst night of the Plymouth Blitz.
Now, the devastating consequences are about to erupt again, ending in tragedy.
Fearing for her own safety, Anna leaves her dreams behind and flees to nearby Dartmoor.
It isn’t long before Anna secures a position as a serving girl at Ashcroft Hall. The other staff are rude and make no effort to befriend her, but she finds solace in loving Sir Gilbert, Lady Ashcroft’s son, who calls her his ‘little smoky eyes’.
But it seems Anna isn’t the only one with secrets. Will she learn who she can really trust? And will she find the courage to seek out the happiness she truly deserves?
Fans of Nadine Dorries, Rosie Goodwin, Dilly Court, Freda Lightfoot, Anna Jacobs, Rosie Clarke and Catherine Cookson will adore this haunting tale of young love, family secrets and self-discovery.
Praise
“Carefully researched and well presented.” Bestselling author Anna Jacobs
“Moments of tragedy are uplifted by a sense of empowering and inspiring strength from the main characters. The narrative is brilliantly authentic and every emotion that is expressed by the characters is mirrored in the reader’s heart.” Cindy
“Tania Crosse is an excellent story teller. She tells a story of how tragedy turns to happiness in the most unexpected way.” S.J.
“This is the first book I’ve read by Tania Crosse, but it won’t be the last. I started this just before bedtime, feeling rather sleepy, and then just couldn’t stop reading. I loved everything about this heartwarming story and will look out for all future books by this author. Highly recommended.” Sarah M.
“Totally in love with this book! Highly recommend!” Sayury
“Crosse writes with passion . . . so well you can actually envisage yourself there.” Novelle Novels
“At first, I thought it was a standard love story. Then about halfway through it became so much more.” Mrs Gray
“A thumping good read, feels like living history.” Dorset Echo
About the Author
Tania Crosse was born in London, but at a young age, moved to Surrey where her love of the countryside took root. She wanted to be an author since childhood, but after obtaining a degree in French Literature, life took over. It wasn’t until her children were older that she began writing seriously. She has now had published nine historical novels set on her beloved Dartmoor, while The Street of Broken Dreams, the last of four Twentieth Century sagas set in London and the south east, won Best Saga in the 2020 awards of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.
Chicks,Rogues and Scandals 