Regular visitors to Linda’s Book Bag will have noticed far fewer ‘staying in’ posts of late, as I am still assessing how I might go forward with my blogging, but as today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day I simply had to invite Dr. Janet Bond Brill to the blog today to tell me about her latest book.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in With Dr. Janet Bond Brill

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Janet. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought Little Edna’s War, publishing today January 27, 2026, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Happy publication day! What is Little Edna’s War about?

It’s the true story of my mother-in-law, Edna Stefania Brill, who became the youngest decorated soldier in the Polish Home Army at age ten. I knew and loved her for thirty-seven years of my life before I understood her story needed to be preserved. She passed away in 2019, and this memoir is my promise kept.

Having recently lost my own mother, Janet, I imagine that keeping that promise feels very emotional. What can we expect from an evening in with Little Edna’s War?

This is a WWII survival story told through a child’s eyes. At four, Edna hid under a table as Nazi bombs destroyed a friend’s birthday party. At seven, she smuggled food through the ghetto wall to keep her family alive. She and her sister escaped to the Aryan side before the deportations began, living under false identities as Polish Catholic orphans. At nine, still disguised, she joined the Polish resistance under the nom de guerre “KAJTEK.” She ran messages through sniper fire during the Warsaw Uprising and was wounded by a grenade. On her tenth birthday, as the Home Army surrendered, she received two military decorations. Her disguise was so complete that Pope Pius XII later decorated her as a Catholic war hero, never knowing she was Jewish.

My goodness! What a remarkable girl. No wonder you felt the need to tell her story.

What else have you brought along and why?

I’ve brought a photograph of Edna and her sister Miriam. You cannot tell Edna’s story without Miriam. Six years older, she became mother, protector, and guardian angel in one. Through the ghetto, the false identities, the smuggling, the uprising, the POW camps, every step of survival they took together. Miriam taught Edna how to cross herself, how to recite Catholic prayers flawlessly, how to bury everything Jewish so deep it couldn’t slip out even in sleep. When a Nazi soldier tried to assault nine-year-old Edna, fifteen-year-old Miriam offered herself instead.

Edna and Miriam on Miriam’s wedding day, just after the war ended

They both survived the war. But survival takes different tolls on different souls. In 1978, in Tel Aviv, Miriam couldn’t carry the weight anymore. She took her own life.

That’s absolutely tragic. How was Edna affected? 

Edna understood. Her life had been purchased with her sister’s pain. So she lived it fully, for both of them. She built a life in Israel, married, came to America, and created an extraordinary life filled with happiness, love, and joy. At its heart, this is a story about two sisters, about defiance, and about a nine-year-old girl who fought back, helped defeat evil, and built a beautiful life from the ashes. Today, three generations carry her legacy forward.

Edna and her husband Harry at their 50th wedding anniversary gala

It’s been my absolute pleasure to learn about Edna. Thank you so much for telling me about her and about Little Edna’s War.

Little Edna’s War

They tried to erase her.

Instead, she became a legend.

At just seven years old, Edna Szurek risked everything to smuggle food through holes in the Warsaw Ghetto wall, knowing each step could be her last. By the age of 10, she was the youngest decorated member of the Polish resistance. And by the end of the war, she had defied every Nazi plan for her destruction.

Though she fought armed with a pistol, Edna’s true weapons were wit, bravery, and an unshakable love for her sister. Disguised as a Catholic girl, she even earned a medal from Pope Pius XII, who never knew he was honoring a Jewish child who had outsmarted the Reich.

Drawn from over five hours of her firsthand testimony recorded by the USC Shoah Foundation, this powerful memoir traces Edna’s impossible journey: from the ashes of a shattered birthday celebration to the brutal reality of a POW camp, escaping the deadly confines of the Warsaw Ghetto to find the hidden safety of a convent sanctuary.

Edna Szurek should not have survived the Holocaust. But she did. And her story will stay with you forever.

Published by Amsterdam Publishers today, 27th January 2026, Little Edna’s War is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

About Dr. Janet Brill

Dr. Janet Brill is a bestselling author of health and nutrition books including Cholesterol Down and Blood Pressure Down. Little Edna’s War is her first memoir, drawn from over five hours of Shoah Foundation testimony, her brother-in-law’s testimony, tapes of Edna’s presentations, and thirty-seven years of personal conversations. Dr. Michael Berenbaum, former Project Director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, wrote the foreword. She holds a PhD in Exercise Science.

For further information, visit Janet’s website. You can also find Janet on Facebook, and Instagram.

My thanks to Peter Dean for sending me a copy of his anthology Best of Poems in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share that review today.

Published on 15th January 2024, Best of Poems is available for purchase here. 

Best of Poems

Best of Poems is a collection of Peter Dean’s poems taken from the best of the poems in his poetry books. They are family friendly and very diverse in theme but they all tell a story through rhyming verse.

My Review of Best of Poems

A collection of poetry for all readers.

If your poetic preference is for the challenging literary verse of the likes of the Metaphysical poets or perhaps the Romantics, Best of Poems is not for you. However, if you want to be entertained by an accessible, varied and relatable set of poems that can be shared amongst all age groups, then Best of Poems could be just what you’re looking for. 

Peter Dean has a lively and engaging style that feels light and often quite humorous as he understands just what makes humanity tick. Yet, underneath that seemingly casual approach, is a much deeper set of themes. Peter Dean considers all kinds of human experience and emotion from love to guilt. His poems are varied and wide ranging, covering everything from the experience of an asylum seeker, to the loneliness of an elderly and increasingly frail woman, right through to the effects of cowboy power washers, the weather and kittens at Christmas. This means that there really is a poem for any reader in Best of Poems. I certainly identified with Leanne’s attitude to garden gnomes in Beauty.

I enjoyed encountering the wide cross-section of humanity between the pages of Best of Poems. It was heart-warming to encounter those who’ve loved and lost, those who know the value of tomato soup and even Sir David Attenborough! I think Bombshell was my favourite poem in the collection because it encompassed the concepts of fame, appearance, truth and the impact of celebrity that so affects many in society, but you’ll need to read Best of Poems to see if you agree that’s it’s your favourite too! 

About Peter Dean

Peter has been writing for pleasure and publication since 1989 when he had a poem published in a magazine. Since then Peter has self-published several books of stories and poems, and has had stories in magazines such as Dream Catcher, Dandelion Arts Magazine and Take a Break.

You’ll find all of Peter’s books here. 

My enormous thanks to Isabel Williams at Harper Collins for sending me a surprise copy of Very Slowly All At Once by Lauren Schott. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Very Slowly All At Once today. 

Very Slowly All At Once is published by HQ on 29th January 2026 and is available for pre-order through the publisher links here. 

Very Slowly All At Once

Mack and Hailey Evans are on the cusp of living the American Dream. Established careers, two beautiful children, and a new house on a coveted lakefront estate.

But modern life is expensive, so the anonymous payments they start to receive are spent before they know it. Could this money be from Mack’s estranged father? Or one of Hailey’s clients? Does it really matter?

Then they discover that this mysterious benefactor expects a return on their investment. How far will the couple have to go to pay them back?

As it turns out, the best things in life are not free. And the price is far steeper than they could have imagined …

My Review of Very Slowly All At Once

Mack and Hailey have it all – almost!

Very Slowly All At Once is utterly brilliant. It is one of those reads that kept me entranced throughout. The short and pacy chapters, the italicised interspersions of commentary that make the reader complicit in the action, and the unbearable tension all combine to make this a fantastic read. 

I thought the characterisation was so clever. I really didn’t like Mack much as he felt selfish, weak and immature with his hedonistic desire to be another Hemingway. Equally, I thought Hailey was rash, conceited and far too concerned with societal appearance, so that at times I was glad they were finding their lives hard going – it served them right! This had the effect of making me feel as evil as the ‘Instigator’, ensuring I was totally wrapped up in the narrative. But at the same time I was completely invested in what happened to Mack and Hailey. Lauren Schott might have made me feel a slight contempt for her protagonists, but she made me care about them at the same time. That is such skilful writing. 

I loved the setting too. The social divide in Cleveland as Bratenahl residents feel superior to those in less salubrious areas seemed totally authentic. The disregard of the less fortunate by the privileged in a community, sectioning off public rights of way, and the literal and metaphorical fracturing of place was so deftly handled and made me far more grateful for my own life and modest surroundings.

The plot of Very Slowly All At Once simply races along with so many ‘what if’ suggestions and decisions to be made that it really is a breathless read. Its impact also comes from the twisted morality presented. Throughout the story it’s impossible not to question what the reader might do in similar circumstances to Mack and Hailey. I defy a reader not to have to reconsider their own ethics when faced with the same situation. In addition, the concept that actions have consequences is like a punch in the solar plexus. This is a book to make you think as well as to entertain and leaves the reader realising how easy it is for a life to unravel.

Other themes add layers of depth and interest too. The role of money and technology in the modern world features strongly, as does the concept of being careful what you wish for. Family dynamics are explored, alongside nature and nurture so that whilst we might disapprove of or judge the actions of the characters, we understand them completely. I found the portrait of marriage between Mack and Hailey very authentic, even as I despaired at their behaviour towards one another at times. All these aspects combine to create a story that is simply gripping. 

I don’t want to reveal too much about the narrative action for fear of spoilers, but Very Slowly All At Once made my heart thump with excitement and my brain whirl with possibility and questions. I absolutely loved reading it. It’s fantastic and not to be missed. 

About Lauren Schott

Lauren Schott is a freelance editor and ghostwriter with over 20 years experience in book and magazine publishing. She was a literary agent in New York and London for 15 years and has written children’s books published by Scholastic and Orion. She was born and raised in Ohio but now lives in Henley with her husband and two children.

For further information, find Lauren on Instagram. 

It’s my very great pleasure to welcome Lulu Morris to Linda’s Book Bag today to tell me all about her latest book. My enormous thanks to Kate at Canelo for putting us in touch with one another.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Lulu Morris

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Lulu and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Absolute pleasure! Hopefully, I can bring some Caribbean sunshine to warm these long dark nights of winter!

That would be wonderful. I love the Caribbean. That said, tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

I’ve brought my first romcom, The Dating Pact.

And it’s out today! Happy The Dating Pact publication day. Isn’t romcom a change of genre for you?

I’ve been writing historical romances since 2021 with Mills & Boon, but I was desperate to write a contemporary romcom with a plus-size heroine and a Hollywood hero, and so, The Dating Pact was born! 

I think a plus-size heroine is so relatable for many readers. How has The Dating Pact been received so far?

So far, I’ve had some lovely comments from reviewers and fellow authors who received an early copy, but I think Laura Carter’s comment that it’s, ‘At an intersection of Notting Hill and The Proposal…packed full of heart and humour,’ is a brilliant description.

You must be delighted with that description. Is The Dating Pact a one off?

This book is part of a three book series, showing the lives and loves of people who work behind the scenes in film and tv.

It sounds as if it could become a film or television series itself! What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

Well, I live in Essex and my heroine Ellie is from East London, so it has to be a bottle of prosecco – we can celebrate the new year and the official release of The Dating Pact, out today. 

I’m very fond of a glass of prosecco Lulu. 

But I’ve also brought a tropical cocktail, called a Bahama Mama (Pineapple and lime juice, grenadine, two types of rum – we can make it a mocktail if you don’t like rum), it’s full of sunshine fruits. 

I love a cocktail even more – I could tell you a story of excess rum punch in Barbados after a snorkelling trip, but that’s for another occasion. Let’s just say that walking in a straight line was beyond me. But why a Bahama Mama?

Ellie and Alex agree to fake date at his brother’s wedding on a private island in the Bahamas, and they drink this cocktail by the pool.

That sounds perfect. 

Food wise I’ve got plenty of nibbles, home-made sausage rolls, crisps and dips, scotch eggs – with soft yolks- of course, and a box of Guylian Belgian chocolate seashells… 

So, we can bring the beach to us. We’ll put on some fun pop music and banish the January blues away.

This is almost as good as heading off to the Caribbean on a cruise – something I love to do in January! I think The Dating Pact sounds like the most glorious escapism. But who’s that with you?

I’m inviting Ellie and Alex’s family to our get together. Ellie’s family are Londoner’s born and bred, her Nan is hilarious, and although her mum and brother can be hard work sometimes, their heart is in the right place. They own a flower shop, so they’ll probably bring you some lovely flowers too.

Food, prosecco, cocktails, music, flowers…I’m inviting you back Lulu. You’re my kind of guest!

Alex’s family are all Hollywood actors, and will keep us entertained with stories of their showbiz life. But be warned, there’s a lot of family rivalry and hurt feelings behind those mega-watt smiles.

You’re making me think of Tolstoy here – ‘All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way’. 

Family drama is a huge theme in my book, and even though everything works out in the end, there’s some painful home-truths learned along the way.

I think The Dating Pact sounds utterly wonderful, Lulu. Thank you so much for telling me all about it. I think you should mix us all a Bahama Mama and I’ll give readers a few more details.

The Dating Pact

He’s acting royalty. She’s a nurse at The Royal hospital. What happens when their scripted romance starts to feel too real…?

When Ellie bluffs her way into a high-end party with her best friend, the last thing she expects is to end up going home with infamous actor Alex King, because he’s too drunk to remember what hotel he’s staying in. But when the paparazzi catch them together the morning after, their new friendship suddenly becomes the tabloids’ front page.

Alex needs a plus-one. Not only is his brother marrying his ex, but he’s become the villain in the eyes of the press. With a loved-up date by his side, the public might finally see him as moving on and his new play might finally get the ticket sales it needs to not close down.

But a wedding in the Bahamas, surrounded by gorgeous celebrities, with the paparazzi lurking everywhere, is plus-sized Ellie’s worst nightmare. Even as Alex’s displays of affectionate become more real and less fake, will she lose a part of herself during their pact?

Published by Canelo today, 15th January 2026, The Dating Pact is available for purchase here.

About Lulu Morris

Lulu lives in Essex, UK, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She writes funny, sexy and uplifting romances. She is a director for the RNA where she has volunteered for 4 years and has published 10 historical romances for Mills & Boon which have been translated into German, French and Italian.

For further information, visit Lulu’s website or find her on Instagram and TikTok.

I’m not entirely sure whether I owe thanks to Robert or Sophie at Viper for sending me a surprise copy of Vivian Dies Again by C.E. Hulse, but either way, I’m very grateful. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Vivian Dies Again today. 

Vivian Dies Again is published by Viper on 29th January 2026 and is available for purchase through the links here. 

Vivian Dies Again

Time heals all wounds. Except blunt force trauma.

Vivian Slade is a cautionary tale. The wrong side of thirty, she’s no longer the life and soul of the party – she’s a party of one. But she’s determined to turn over a new leaf, even if that means going to a family gathering where everyone hates her.

Turns out, someone really hates her – enough to push her off a balcony to a very messy end. But then Vivian wakes up! Only to be murdered again. And again. Stuck in a baffling time loop, Vivian’s only ally is a sleep-deprived waiter who just wants to finish his shift. Will Vivian be able to solve her own murder? Only time will tell…

My Review of Vivian Dies Again

Viv is having a bad day – again.

I have one tiny criticism to get out of the way before my review proper of Vivian Dies Again and that is that I could have done with slightly fewer expletives throughout. That said, they absolutely fit Viv’s life! Indeed, they do add to the humour and despite having murder at its heart, Vivian Dies Again is incredibly funny. Viv’s insight into the world around her is brilliant and her pithy statements frequently summed up my own opinions so that I laughed aloud on several occasions.

I thought Viv was a magnificent creation. She’s truly dreadful, so it’s no wonder people might want to murder her, and yet I loved her unreservedly. Her attempts to be a better person are thwarted at every turn and she still manages personal change and growth. She drinks to excess, takes illegal substances, steals and offends as if all these vices are all going out of fashion but she is the perfect anti-hero. She may not follow societal rules but she has a strong sense of morality, knows she is often in the wrong and, actually, is emotionally appealing because all Viv really wants is to be loved and accepted. I may have laughed at her as well as with her, but I was rooting for Viv throughout. Beneath her loud partygoing exterior is a vulnerability that balances her character perfectly. 

And my goodness does Viv experience a torrid time in this refreshingly different type of groundhog day. The plot is so entertaining and engaging. I loved the Shakespearean Touchstone nature of Jamie who helps lead both Viv and reader through the events of Vivian Dies Again, ensuring that Viv is able to change, murder is solved – though not necessarily the murder the reader is expecting – and solutions of many kinds are reached – though to say more would spoil the read.

The themes are just fantastic too. Certainly Vivian Dies Again can be read as a witty, entertaining story, but underpinning the narrative are thought-provoking and interesting considerations. Morality is questioned, but so too are concepts of family, friendship and marriage, making the reader think. I thought the exploration of chance and possibility was brilliant and, although I approached Vivian Dies Again expecting an easy, diverting read, it actually made me question aspects of my own life in a rather surprising manner so that it had depth as well as entertainment value.

It’s quite hard to categorise Vivian Dies Again. It is quite mad, huge fun and I thought it was fabulous. I really recommend it.

About C.E. Hulse 

Photo credit : Nathan Cox

C.E. Hulse lives in Manchester with her husband and a small controlling dog. She is the author of four books under the name Caroline Hulse: The Adults, Like a House on Fire, All the Fun of the Fair, and Reasonable People. Her work has been published in fourteen languages and optioned for television. Vivian Dies Again is her debut crime novel.

For further information, visit Caroline’s website or follow C.E. Hulse on X @CarolineHulse1 and Instagram.

My enormous thanks to Will Dean for giving me a very early copy of Adrift at Capital Crime last June, as one Lincolnshire dweller to another. I’ve been desperate to share my review of Adrift for months and, although there’s a few weeks still to go until publication, I can’t wait any longer. Consequently, I am delighted that Adrift is my first review of 2026.

I adore Will Dean’s writing and you’ll find my reviews of other books by Will here.

Adrift is published by Hodder and Stoughton on 19th February 2026 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Adrift

Three of them adrift on the narrowboat.

Mother, son, and wickedness.

Peggy Jenkins and her teenage son, Samson, live on a remote stretch of canal in the Midlands. She is a writer and he is a schoolboy. Together, they battle against the hardness and manipulation of the man they live with. To the outside world he is a husband and father. To them, he is a captor.

Their lives are tightly controlled; if any perceived threat appears, their mooring is moved further down the canal, further away from civilisation. Until the day when the power suddenly shifts, and nothing can be the same again.

My Review of Adrift

Sam and his parents, Drew and Peggy, are living on a narrowboat.

My goodness! I don’t think I’ve ever read a more tense novel in my life. It’s astonishing. What Will Dean has done in Adrift is, quite literally, prevent the reader from breathing normally. My heart was pounding as I read and I was frequently aware I hadn’t exhaled for some time. And the most effective aspect of this is that much of the menace, the evil and the fear, is often merely suggested, so that the reader’s imagination is manipulated and disturbed. With coercive control as one of the themes of the novel, the author manages to create on the reader the same effect that Drew has on Peggy. 

That’s not to say that there are not highly dramatic moments too, from the very opening of Adrift through to the end, but rather than being the most disquieting elements, I found them more of a release from the tension. It was a relief when something awful happened! A couple of moments truly shocked me as I simply hadn’t seen them coming. Obviously I’m not going to spoil the story for others, but I found the plotting painfully exquisite in its construction and its impact on both characters and reader. Adrift is a masterclass in storytelling.

There’s a claustrophobic atmosphere in the way the family live on the houseboat. As Drew isolates Peggy mentally and emotionally, he also moves the family increasingly physically further away from society. Whilst what Peggy endures is filled with simmering menace that is mesmerising,  I found the developing relationship between Drew and Sam utterly terrifying. Drew is threatening and dangerous, frequently belittling Sam and yet he teaches Sam how to stand up for himself in the face of school bullies so that Sam’s life improves. There’s a chilling realisation that nothing in life is straightforward. Through their relationship, Will Dean explores the impact of nature and nurture, and the role of a father figure. Whilst Drew is abhorrent and we believe he carries out atrocious actions, there is also a seed of doubt that what has happened ‘off screen’ may not have been Drew’s fault. This is brilliantly manipulative.

I thought the themes of family, mental health, control, misogyny, friendship, love, marriage and relationship were superbly interwoven. I also adored the love letter to libraries and librarians that underpins the action. There’s a real affection for libraries as places of education and refuge, hope and solace that ameliorates some of the awful events and provides pitch-perfect balance in the narrative. 

I’m aware I’ve not really said anything tangible about Adrift, but it is so, so difficult not to provide spoilers. Adrift is one of those books that you find yourself thinking about in the middle of the night, wondering what is happening to characters after this particular part of their lives is over. It’s beautifully written without a wasted word so that it’s taut, terrifying and thrilling. I adored it. 

About Will Dean

Will Dean grew up in the East Midlands and had lived in nine different villages before the age of eighteen. After studying Law at the LSE and working in London, he settled in rural Sweden where he built a house in a boggy clearing at the centre of a vast elk forest, and it’s from this base that he compulsively reads and writes. His debut novel in the Tuva Moodyson series, Dark Pines, was selected for Zoe Ball’s Book Club, shortlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker prize and named a Daily Telegraph Book of the Year. Red Snow was published in January 2019 and won Best Independent Voice at the Amazon Publishing Readers’ Awards, 2019. Black River was shortlisted for the Theakstons Old Peculier Award in 2021. Will also writes standalone thrillers: The Last Thing to Burn, First Born, the top twenty hardback bestseller The Last Passenger and One at a Time.

For further information, visit Will’s website, follow him on X @willrdean and Instagram or find Will on Facebook.

Having selected lovely Clare Swatman’s The Garden of Shared Stories for one of my The People’s Friend column choices this month, I wasn’t going to write a full review here on Linda’s book Bag because I didn’t have time to write complete reviews of all the books I featured, but there are several reasons why I simply must.

Firstly, there’s a typo on Clare’s name in the magazine which is mortifying – even if it is correct later on, so I need to pass on apologies. 

Secondly, I have a very personal reason for wanting to share my thoughts. You see, I was lucky enough to bid in a charity auction to name a character in Clare’s book and to win. Some of you know that my great-niece, Emma, died some ninety minutes before birth at full term and as she would be coming up to her 10th birthday in 2026, I wanted to give her a life she didn’t otherwise have through Clare’s writing. Clare has given her the most wonderful story and I could not be more grateful. Emma has a starring role in The Garden of Shared Stories. 

What Clare doesn’t know is that two other minor characters she has named have Emma’s mum’s name and my Mum, Emma’s great-grandma’s, name. Given that Mum died this year, The Garden of Shared Stories feels all the more special.

Lastly, I have loved Clare’s writing in the past and you’ll find my reviews of some of her books here.  

The Garden of Shared Stories was published by Boldwood on 3rd December 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

The Garden of Shared Stories

Emma is at an all-time low the day she meets Nick. She sits down in a quiet rose garden in her local park, and from nowhere a handsome man sits next to her and turns her world upside down.

Over the weeks, she and Nick meet regularly, always in the same place, always at the same time. They discover they have a lot in common – shared heartbreak, and shared dreams. They tell each other stories about the people they’ve lost – things they’ve never told anyone else. Bit by bit, they get to know each other, and fall in love.

But there’s a catch, because however much they have in common, they have one big thing keeping them apart… twenty years apart. Because when Nick is sitting in the garden it’s 1999 – two decades before Emma is there.

Emma never expected to fall in love again, but now she has, she’s not going to give up on it without a fight. But how do you turn something impossible into a happy ever after?

My Review of The Garden of Shared Stories 

Emma and Nick have both lost someone they love.

Oh. What can I say about The Garden of Shared Stories? I attended a panel discussion involving Clare Swatman earlier this year where she said she likes to break a reader’s heart and then mend it again. If that is her desired aim then she’s done so magnificently here. I adored this book.

The plot is so unusual. The timeslip aspect is unique and as Emma and Nick’s lives come together and move apart, the beat of the novel feels very much like a heartbeat to me. It’s a story that simply pulsates with emotion. Indeed, the two perspectives from Emma and Nick feel like a living cardiac rhythm, bringing vitality and life to the story as we get their perspectives in turn.

Essentially, The Garden of Shared Stories draws on tradition where two grieving people meet up by chance and fall in love, but there are obstacles in the way of their happiness. If that makes the narrative sound mundane or ordinary, think again. The structure is fabulous. I was held spellbound as I wondered how, or even if, the two time frames might be brought together. 

And I adored the characters. Both Emma and Nick are relatable. I loved the way their previous relationships were positive ones because it added to their sense of loss and felt cathartic to encounter and to grieve alongside them. 

Grief is only one of the themes explored in this narrative. The nature of relationships and how age is perceived within them is important. Parenthood and marriage feature strongly alongside friendship and a wonderful sense of place. Equally vital is the nature of life and fate and how our choices, actions or inactions, can affect our lives and those of the people around us. All these aspects give incredible interest and depth to the narrative.

But what is so captivating in The Garden of Shared Stories, so utterly all enveloping, is the love story between Emma and Nick. I felt it like a physical ache in my chest as I read and found myself experiencing all manner of emotions around their relationship, from fear to how it might evolve, frustration that their lives were so inextricably interwoven and yet so separate, joy at the moments they shared so positively and heartbreak at the times they couldn’t – or wouldn’t – be together. 

I really loved The Garden of Shared Stories. It’s engaging, entertaining and emotional so that it’s one of those narratives that swirls in the reader’s mind long after the final page is turned. I really recommend it.   

About Clare Swatman

Clare Swatman is the author of 11 women’s fiction novels. Her latest, The Garden of Shared Stories, is a time travel love story about fate and overcoming the impossible. It was released worldwide on 3 December 2025. Her next book, as yet untitled, will be released later in 2026.

She also writes psychological thrillers under the name CL Swatman. Her debut thriller, No Son of Mine, was released in December 2024, and her second, After the Party, was published on 13 September 2025.

Clare lives in Hertfordshire in the UK with her husband and two boys. Even the cat is male, which means she’s destined to be outnumbered forever.

For further information, visit Clare’s website or find her on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

A little while ago I had the pleasure of having lunch with author Lorna Hunting which I wrote about in a post you’ll find here. Consequently, I am delighted that Lorna agreed to stay in with me and chat about one of her books today.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Lorna Hunting

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Lorna and thank you for staying in with me.  Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I have brought New Beginnings on Vancouver Island which is book one of the Colville trilogy and my debut novel. 

You’re a Lincolnshire author. Why Vancouver for your debut?

It is historical fiction based on fact. My great grandparents, John and Rhoda Malpass travelled around The Horn to Canada in 1854 to open up the coal mines for The Hudson’s Bay Company. 

Crikey. That must have taken some courage! Is New Beginnings on Vancouver Island about John and Rhoda then?

I’ve taken the bare bones of their journey and created fictionalised characters and events. There was much deprivation and hardship during the journey, but all the real people – true pioneers – who emigrated saw out their 5-year contracts and settled in Canada. I am one of their descendants through my Canadian mother. Colville is now known as Nanaimo and as a personal aside, I understand I took my very first steps there, although I don’t remember it!

It must have been fascinating to delve into family history as part of your research. How has New Beginnings on Vancouver Island been received by readers?

Looking through the reviews, it seems my readers have enjoyed learning about pioneer life in the mid-19th century and appreciate the research I put into my books. As a historian, (I lectured on Chinese history) I do like my settings to be as historically accurate as possible. I was lucky enough to be able to read a relative’s diary of the original journey and to source other familial papers deposited in the British Columbia archives in Canada.

That all sounds as if there’s more than enough for one novel. You say New Beginnings on Vancouver Island is the first of a trilogy…

There are two more stories in the Colville trilogy – Called to Vancouver Island and Farewell to Vancouver Island. I am currently writing book 4 of my Shackleton saga books which are set in Whitehaven in Cumbria.

You sound incredibly busy. What motivates you to write?

My aim is to tell a good story with interesting characters that will entertain my readers with action, romance, tragedy, and joy. One of my Canadian reviewers has written “She spins a good tale in a superbly intriguing style” and I’m happy with that. 

I imagine you are. How brilliant!

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I have brought the Staffordshire figures that John and Rhoda Malpass, my 3 x great grandparents took with them when they left England in 1854. These figures have travelled round The Horn in winter and miraculously been passed down through the generations from log cabin in Colville to Vancouver town house, and then on to live with me in Stamford.

That’s just wonderful. I wonder why John and Rhoda chose to take something so fragile?

My guess is that my forebears wanted to take a piece of England with them. Something to remind them of home. A home they’d left forever. I like to think that because they are still in one piece that all the generations that followed on knew they were special and have looked after them with care. It’s quite a responsibility, but one I’m more than happy to take on and hopefully to pass on to the next generation.

I think it’s wonderful that you have such an important family artefact Lorna. You have really whetted my appetite for your books. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about New Beginnings on Vancouver Island. It sounds fabulous and I’ll just give readers a few more details:

New Beginnings on Vancouver Island

The year is 1854 and Stag Liddell, a young collier from Whitehaven, signs up to work in Vancouver Island’s new coal mines. Whilst waiting for his ship to Canada, he meets ambitious school teacher Kate McAvoy who is also making the trip.

As the ship nears its destination, Stag and Kate’s relationship begins to blossom, but damning information comes to light and a pact made years before comes into play.

Will their budding romance survive these devastating revelations? And will they both achieve their dreams in this new land?

New Beginnings on Vancouver Island is available for purchase here.

About Lorna Hunting

Lorna Hunting was born and brought up in north Lincolnshire and now lives in Stamford. She writes Historical Fiction set in the mid-19th century. Her aim is to write stories about interesting fictional characters set in historically accurate settings.  

After teaching the piano and raising a family, Lorna exhibited and lectured on antique Chinese textiles in the UK and abroad. Following on from this she taught Chinese history at the School of Oriental and African Studies [SOAS] in London, and at Bristol and Sheffield universities. 

Lorna is a member of the Leicester chapter of the RNA – Romantic Novelists’ Association -, The Society of Authors, and the Retford Authors’ Group.

Now Lorna writes full-time in what she calls the Command Centre in what used to be her upstairs spare bedroom. 

For further information, visit Lorna’s website where she writes occasional blogs and publicises her books. You’ll also find Lorna on X @lornahunting, Facebook and Instagram. 

It’s my very great pleasure to welcome Ros Rendle to the blog today. Ros lives just up the road from me and we have served together on the Deepings Literary Festival committee. I caught up with Ros in person recently and realised she’d never actually featured on Linda’s Book Bag so we’re putting that omission right today.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Ros Rendle

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Ros and thank you for staying in with me.

It’s lovely to spend an evening with you, Linda.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along this evening?

The book I’ve brought is Sisters At War. It’s the first of a series of books about three sisters in times of early 20th century turbulence in Europe and beyond. 

A series of books in that era must have taken considerable research. 

With the extent of research I’ve done for the subject matters, the stories have the possibility of being grim but, while painting a picture of those times, WW1, WW2, and the Cold War, each is definitely interesting (I’m told), and ultimately uplifting. In each, they look at the position of women in a ‘man’s world’ and how they show bravery, and conquer setbacks to reach fulfilment.

I love a bit of ‘herstory’ as a counterbalance to history Ros! Tell me more…

Sisters At War is set during WW1, and covers life for men in the trenches but also the things women did to contribute and survive. I’ve brought Rose, my main character from the first book along with me. Let me introduce her to you.

  Rose gives a small self-conscious smile, pushes her glasses up her nose, and pats her fly-away hair. 

  “She has agreed that we might tell the background to her story.” I glance at her. “Rose, you  are serious and intelligent, and I know you’ve loved Michael for as long as you can remember.”

  “Yes, It’s true but I’ve secured a place at Oxford university. I know, as a woman, I can’t win the degree even if I qualify but it will be marvellous, and Father is so generous to let me go. It’s causing problems, though.”

  “Oh?”

  “Delphi is far from happy. She’s so vivacious and beautiful, exotic-looking, really, but she’s always struggled as the middle sister. She’s envious of me and this opportunity, and Iris, Izzy we call her, is the young one and spoiled, I suppose.

  “I gather Delphi has told you a secret.”

   “Yes, I’m not sure whether to believe her or not. Perhaps she’s being malicious. She’s complex, but I do love her dearly. She told me Michael has said he loves her and has asked her to wait for him when he goes away to France. It shouldn’t be a surprise. She’s so lovely.” Rose needlessly brushes her skirt and takes a moment.

  I give her time, and say, “I’m not giving anything away to say that Delphi will eventually go to France, too. She will grow and develop but she’ll have a major life-changing experience.”

  “Indeed, and maybe I’ll even develop some sense of my own place,” Rose says.

  “My dear Rose, it’s not always wise to be too self-deprecating. I know you try to see the best in everyone but if it’s at the expense of your own worth and well-being, well…”  I pause. “Michael’s going to France, you say?”

I like the sound of Rose. What made you decide on WW1 as your narrative background for Sisters at War? 

My grandfather, who fought at the battle of the Somme, survived those ordeals and when we went to live in France we weren’t far from the battlefields. 

My grandfather was at the Somme too – reported missing in action, blinded in one eye and with shrapnel embedded in him for the rest of his life. I find the battlefields fascinating so I think I’d love Sisters at War.

Through significant research and looking at war diaries of the time, my husband and I found him mentioned, and were able to walk within ten metres of his positions on that first day – 1st July 1916. When he died, a small memento was found among his effects. It was a tiny ‘touch wood’ figure. He would have worn it on his watch chain. They were given to soldiers  for good luck and a swift return, hence the four-leaved clover stamped on its little wooden head and the wings on its heels. The arms can be raised to touch the wood. This one has a silver body but others were brass or gold, and some had precious stones for the eyes. I have a collection of nearly forty now and each is slightly different. 

Oh! I haven’t heard of them. I’d love to see that collection sometime. What else have you brought along?

I’ve also brought some slices of trench cake. The women at home sometimes made this and sent it out as a taste of home to their men in France. Sometimes eggs were in short supply, and were substituted with vinegar and baking soda to make it rise. I shan’t be offended if you don’t want to try it. It’s a little dense, shall we say!

I think I’d better just give it a quality control test Ros, even if it doesn’t sound the most appetising! Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about Sisters at War. You serve up a couple of slices of cake and I’ll give readers a few more details about Sisters at War:

Sisters at War

In the shadow of war, a young woman battles with her heart…

England, 1913

Eighteen-year-old Rose Strong has loved childhood friend Michael Redfern for as long as she can remember.

However, believing that Michael loves her beautiful but aloof younger sister, Delphi, Rose vows to keep her feelings hidden.

When war breaks out, Michael enlists, and Rose fears for his life as he heads to the trenches in France.

As the war rages on, Rose strikes up a friendship with Thom, a budding engineer. And when Thom’s feelings for her grow warmer, Rose must decide whether she is prepared to betray her heart.

And with Delphi joining the Women’s Legion while Rose remains at home, it seems Michael and Delphi may grow closer. But Delphi is harbouring a secret of her own…

Will Michael make it home safely? Is he destined to be with Delphi?

Or could Rose be the one to win his heart…?

Published by Sapere Books on 13th July 2021, Sisters at War is available for purchase here.

About Ros Rendle

After taking early retirement as a headteacher, when Ros Rendle had to write many policy documents and also had fun story-writing for children, she moved with her husband and dogs to France. She lived there for over ten years and began writing seriously for adults. She joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme. This afforded a detailed critique of her first novel and subsequently she was fortunate enough to gain a publishing contract. Ros has twelve historical and romance books published and another three contracted, frequently featuring the French countryside and sometimes even a handsome, enigmatic Frenchman!

The new mediaeval series (first book published 25/07/2025 and two others, so far, to follow), is published under the pseudonym of Cara Clayton.

Now, as well as writing, Ros and her husband are raising a guide dog puppy for the blind and enjoy walking him and their new pet dog.

For further information, visit Ros’s website, follow her on X @ros_rendle or find Ros on Facebook and Bluesky.