Life in Cockney London was tough in the post-war years. The government’s broken promises had led to a chronic housing shortage, rampant crime and families living in squalor. But one thing prevailed: the unbeatable spirit of the East End, a tight-knit community who pulled through the dark times with humour and heart. Drawing on both family history and her own memories of growing up in … Continue reading A Child of the East End ~ Jean Fullerton #BookReview #BlogTour #Corvus #EDPR #4*

A daughter’s search for her mother’s past reveals secrets and lies – changing both their lives forever. Born out of wedlock in Dublin in 1937, Phyllis grew up in a tough, church-run orphanage. She thought by fulfilling her dream to become a nurse in England, her life might change, but her loveless childhood predisposed a loveless marriage and things began to spiral out of control … Continue reading The Missing Pieces of Mum by Sally Herbert #BookReview #MardleBooks #3.5*

For four young sisters, being left in a church run care home led to a heartbreaking secretthat haunted them all for 50 years. Suzanne Walsh was a survivor. She suffered five heart attacks and made it through open heart surgery. But even that pales in comparison to the horrors she faced as a young girl. Her childhood became the ‘stuff of nightmares’ after her father … Continue reading Vow of Silence by Suzanne Walsh #BookReview #MardleBooks #4.5*