A Midwinter Promise by Sunday Times top ten bestselling author Lulu Taylor, is a dramatic story of loss, grief and the legacy of secrets. ‘Don’t you just want to grab this, switch off the phone and curl up on the sofa? Winter bliss from Lulu Taylor’ Veronica HenryThe pastA lonely and imaginative child, Julia loves her family’s beautiful and wild Cornish home with all her heart. But, marked by … and wild Cornish home with all her heart. But, marked by dark troubles, she enters her adult years determined to leave and seek a new beginning in London. It’s there she meets the handsome David. They fall in love, but when Julia becomes pregnant, even he can’t stop the terrible echoes of the past from ringing in her ears. The only sound to be heard above the noise is the old Cornish house, calling her home . . .
The present
For Julia’s adult children, Alex and Johnnie, the house hides the history of their family within its walls. For Alex, it is full of memories of her late mother. For Johnnie, it is the house that should have been rightfully theirs after Julia died but has been stolen from them instead. With their father now lying in a hospital bed, time is running out for Alex and Johnnie to uncover the secrets of what happened to their mother all those years ago. Can they discover the truth before the house closes its doors to them forever?
more
A Midwinter Promise is predominantly set in Cornwall during the 1980s and 90s, as well as present-day that takes you into the lives of Alex and Johnnie Pengelly, two middle-aged siblings who are struggling to come to grips with the complicated relationship they have with their dying father, the hostility between themselves and their stepmother, and the truth behind the life and loss of their mother, Julia when they were children.
The writing is captivating and vivid. The characters are genuine, distressed, and intriguing. And the plot, alternating between timelines, unravels and intertwines into a sweeping saga filled with life, loss, family, heartbreak, parenthood, mental illness, substance abuse, secrets, deception, and friendship.
Overall, A Midwinter Promise is another compelling, intelligent, heartwarming tale by Taylor that reminds us that life is short, psychological disorders are a very real concern with often devastating consequences, and people often do the wrong thing for the right reason.
Loved every minute of this book. It is a good meaty read, five hundred pages or more, really talented author, will definitely bet more from Lulu Taylor. Hauntingly brilliant and engrossing read.Gillian Dance
A Midwinter Promise by Lulu Taylor is an epic contemporary novel that consumes from the start. The reader glimpses the end from the beginning and the questions arise.
The novel surrounds a family with action set in the present day and from 1980 moving forwards. Running parallel to the main story are the lives of Prince Charles and the very beautiful Princess Diana. A feeling of dread built in my heart as that fateful day in August 1997 approached. It was a time frozen in history. One of those momentous days where you remember exactly what you were doing and how you felt when you heard the dreadful news. This element of the story helps to make the whole novel feel personal and adds realism as we care about the lives of the characters.
There are the difficult themes of depression, self-harm, mental illness and suicidal thoughts. All are sensitively portrayed and the reader feels empathy for the character.
Guilt weighs heavy. If it is not dealt with, it is a millstone that will drag us down.
Secrets from the past need unlocking in the present to enable lives to move forward.
Our heritage is important. We need to preserve it. It is more than just bricks and mortar, there are memories of lives that need to be preserved.
A Midwinter Promise was a powerful read about the complexities that make up family life. Although there were disturbing topics at times, I enjoyed it. I felt a personal connection because of the Princess Diana element that awakened memories in me.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
Told from two timeframes the past and the present.
In the present, we have Alex and Johnnie siblings struggling with many things in there average day to day lives.
When their father David has a stroke and their stepmother Sally summons them to his bedside the past and present for them collide as both especially Johnnie are dealing with the recursions of a lifetime of resentments and unspoken hurts.
The catalyst of there fathers potential passing brings forth all these hidden feelings bringing them all clawing to the forefront.
Also surfacing are hidden questions they both have regarding there mother Julia’s death when they were children and just what there father’s and sally’s role in it was all those years ago.
So In the past, we get to focus on Julia herself, her early childhood and upbringing at Tawray and her exposure to her mother’s miscarriages and her eventual death contributing to her daughter’s later fragility and downward spiral.
We get to experience alongside Julia her falling in love with her future husband David a handsome naval officer in service to the palace, her love for her children and also her downward despair.
I was fascinated by the contrast in regards to Julia’s David compared with Sally’s they just seemed poles apart and at times didn’t even seem like the same individual.
I came to the conclusion early on that after the chaos and whirlwind that was Julia David just needed a calm and stable hand and this is what Sally brought to the table.
Julia was his everything, the love of his life, his light and after she was gone Sally was comforting and uncomplicated and just easier.
I also felt so much emotion for Julia and surprisingly as time went along Sally although she seemed like the villain of the piece here I couldn’t help thinking she deserved some unconditional love herself here instead of settling for the crumbs.
I was so very angry with David and how he dealt after Julia’s death and I detested Mundo with a passion.
At its heart, this was a story focusing on family dynamics and relationships and the repercussions of mental illness.
But it was also rather depressing and I was just left feeling rather sad and deflated by the whole sorry saga.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of A Midwinter Promise.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
http://www.beckiebookworm.com