THE BRAND NEW NOVEL FROM BESTSELLER JENNY ASHCROFT‘Moving and beautifully written, this enchanting story of love and loss touched my heart’ DINAH JEFFERIES‘Emotional, evocative and enthralling’KATE FURNIVALL’An epic, bittersweet love story that will draw you in and grip you to the last page’GILL PAUL****All he needs is to find her. First he must remember who she is. An injured soldier has lost … PAUL
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All he needs is to find her. First he must remember who she is.
An injured soldier has lost everything, even his past. His dreams hint at his old life; flashes of a woman. His only wish is to return to her, but will his broken mind let him? And will she still be waiting for him, if it does?
Back at the start of 1914, at a party on the shores of Bombay, Madeline Bright and Luke Devereaux meet. Strangers in a foreign world, in the sweltering heat and colour of colonial India they fall in love. They want to believe nothing can come between them, not even the disapproval of Maddy’s mother. But war looms and Luke, like so many, has no choice but to fight.
Maddy’s mother urges her to move on. Yet still she clings to the promise Luke left her with: that the two of them will meet again in Bombay…
Meet Me in Bombay is a story of fierce love set against the exotic and colourful world of colonial Bombay and the tragedy of the First World War. Perfect for fans of Dinah Jefferies, Lucinda Riley and Kate Furnivall.
Praise for Jenny Ashcroft:
‘Beautifully described . . . a moving love story.’ Tracy Rees
‘An evocative, absorbing story… A rich and satisfying read..’ Gill Paul
‘This lushly detailed debut is a summer-must read.’ Red
‘Impossible to put this book down.’ Kate Riordan
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Failure of this book to acknowledge the colonialist issues of the times aside, the story simply did not capture my interest as an historical romance reader. The characters did not draw me into any sort of empathetic relationship. The slow pace coupled with the wordy descriptions and inadequate dialogue pushed me to abandon this passively written book without finishing it. Too melancholy and full of dramatic issues for my taste.
Meet Me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft is a World War I story that doesn’t mostly take place at the front. It takes place, mostly, in India where Maddy had come for a vacation before she started her teaching job. She had been born there, but had left when she was eight years old because she was sick all the time. Hope that England might solve that problem, her parents sent her off to her aunt Eliza and uncle Fitz, but as things turned out, she no longer had that job and would probably stay in India for the time being. She had gone to a dance at the club with her parents. Her mother and her friend, Della wanted her to dance with, and probably marry, Dr. Guy Bowen, who was 40 years old to her 22. She didn’t think much of that idea, and even less of it when she saw him. She didn’t know him. She didn’t even know his name. After several days a package arrived for her. It was a travel book his own. He had sent it, hoping she would use it to learn about India. Then he sent her postcards every few weeks. At last he was coming back and they had a luncheon date.
This was a lovely romance, although fraught with problems. Luke, that was his name, had to fight in World War I. That was his job. They got married and he left her. It had been a wonderful few days, but then he left her, with child. She was a strong woman and managed all that was thrown her way, and plenty was. She lived with her parents: a mother who never wanted her to leave. The story is heart-wrenching as we live with Maddy for years as her heart is broken and she finally gives in. The description of the deceit, although not intentional, reminds the reader of how the world really works. What she goes through to protect her daughter, the love of her life, is a gripping tale of parenthood. She missed Luke. She never believed him dead. It is also a story of shell shock and the other injuries inflicted on warriors, the people they leave behind, and the people who care for them. War is not for the faint-hearted. It was a compelling and beautiful story of memory loss, both as part of war and part of aging. So many parts of other peoples’ stories. There is so much to love about this book, I cannot tell all of it. I recommend it.
I was invited to read a free ARC of Meet Me in Bombay by Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #meetmeinbombay
Really lovely novel! Takes you right there, and oh, what a story. I am never tempted to flip to the end to see what is going to happen, but I reached a point in this book where I ‘almost’ did!! I had to stop myself and keep reading. I’m glad I didn’t peek! It’s been a long time since a book totally swept me away like this one. Highly recommended!
Excellent story set in India. Great plot and characters.