★★★★★ “Spa Girl is an authentic saga showing the true tenacity of the human spirit. With captivating prose, Virginia Gray will take you along this fascinating journey of one woman’s fight to find her place in this world.” —Kay Bratt, International Bestselling Author of Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters
★★★★★ “This is one of my most valuable reads of this year…This heart-warming story reminded me of some great classics and their quality in storyline. And definitely gave me a lot to think of in the things we have and take for granted, while others have to fight and burn for them.” — Goodreads
Inspired by a true story…
Armed with an eighth-grade education and a centuries-old set of traditional values, Mei Zi leaves her remote farming village in search of a better life. When an elusive businessman lures her a thousand miles from home, she quickly discovers dazzling Shanghai has its own brand of desperation. Soon penniless and on the brink of starvation, a stranger sets her on a collision course with an ex-pat.
Is his love enough to change her fate, or are his promises of a better life in America just as empty?
A must read for Amy Tan and Lisa See fans.
Inspirational & Awe-Inspiring!
What a tale – both gripping and all-consuming!
Mei Zi comes from a poor Chinese family; she really shouldn’t exist as she is a second child and, what’s worse, a girl. But her parents love her and her brother Ming and do their very best for them but she spends a lot of her childhood hungry. Lured from home with promises of immense riches, she discovers the man who did so is not what he seems. But Mei Zi is nothing if not tenacious, and she never gives up her search for a better life. This is her story.
Towards the end of last year I was lucky enough to win a copy of this novel which the author was kind enough to send very promptly. This is the first chance I’ve had to read it – and what a read it is! Virginia Gray has based Spa Girl on a true story and she has done it full justice. An amazing read which has absolutely everything in it – poverty, riches, despair, hope, depression and self-motivation. I read long into the night with this one as there was always something going on. Both inspirational and awe-inspiring this is an expertly thought-out and beautifully delivered novel which will make every reader consider the opportunities which come so easily to us in the western world. This one has tugged at my heart-strings and left me full of admiration for anyone who never gives up trying to improve their lot. A super five star read, and one I’m delighted to have had the chance to read and enjoy.
My grateful thanks to the author for my win; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.
Tags: women’s cultural fiction, historical fiction
- Format: ebook, paperback
- Size: 425 pages
- Publication Date: 16 November 2020
- Book Links:
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55934835
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spa-Girl-Virginia-Gray-ebook/dp/B08CXBHHNN
Bestselling Author Virginia Gray is a crafter of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Comedy. A former university professor, she stepped away from academics to pursue her love of writing. Ms. Gray is American, but because she was raised in the South, you must never call her a Yankee–at least not to her face. And though she has traveled extensively throughout Europe, it remains a mystery to her why anyone would want to eat blood pudding.
Virginia Loves her readers! Please visit http://www.virginiagray.com to sign up for contests, fan-appreciation giveaways, and to receive a free book.
- Website: www.virginiagray.com
- Twitter: @VirginiaGraybks
- Facebook: @virginia.gray.novels
- Instagram: @virginia.gray.novels
Grace J Reviewerlady 