If Only I Could Tell You by Hannah Beckerman

If Only I could Tell you
By Hannah Beckerman
Published by Orion (21 February 2019)
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher

Publisher's description

Audrey's family has fallen apart. Her two grown-up daughters, Jess and Lily, are estranged, and her two teenage granddaughters have never been allowed to meet. A secret that echoes back thirty years has splintered the family in two, but is also the one thing keeping them connected. 

As tensions reach breaking point, the irrevocable choice that one of them made all those years ago is about to surface. After years of secrets and silence, how can one broken family find their way back to each other?

My verdict
If Only I Could Tell You is a moving story of a family torn apart by secrets, grief and loss.

Audrey wishes she could reunite her daughters Jess and Lily after 30 years of estrangement - in doing so, she would also enable her two teenage granddaughters to be part of each other's lives. But some wounds are embedded so deeply that they seem impossible to mend. Now the clock is ticking, is it possible for them all to move onwards, forwards and upwards?

If Only I Could Tell You is cleverly plotted, with a mystery at its heart - what caused Jess and Lily to fall out those years ago? It switches seamlessly from past to present, and back again, as secrets are unlocked and emotions are laid bare. This is a story about sisters, mothers and daughters, fathers and daughters, and tragic secrets that can bring families together but also rip them to shreds.

There was a game-changer around halfway through the book, which floored me and then put everything else into perspective, switching my views on the different characters and the parts they played. By the time the truth was there, I had tears rolling down my cheeks.

This book is an ideal choice for a book club or reading group. It's heartbreaking, poignant and uplifting, and raises many moral questions about serious issues by the end - perfect for discussions.

Follow the Blog Tour

Coming Home to Island House by Erica James

Coming Home to Island House
By Erica James
Published by Orion (11 January 2018)
I received an Advance Reader Copy through the Lovereading Readers' Panel.

Publisher's description

It's the summer of 1939, and after touring an unsettled Europe to promote her latest book, Romily Temple returns home to Island House and the love of her life, the charismatic Jack Devereux. 

But when Jack falls ill, his estranged family are called home and given seven days to find a way to bury their resentments and come together. 

With war now declared, each member of the family is reluctantly forced to accept their new stepmother and confront their own shortcomings. But can the habits of a lifetime be changed in one week? And can Romily, a woman who thrives on adventure, cope with the life that has been so unexpectedly thrust upon her?

My verdict
I smiled my way through Coming Home to Island House, with its uplifting writing and gentle humour. Not many books give me a warm feeling inside, but this one certainly did.

Author Romily Temple, who is used to leading an independent adventurous lifestyle, and her dysfunctional stepfamily are thrown together unexpectedly after Romily's husband Jack falls ill. His family have grown apart over the years. Not only do they not know Jack married Romily but they hadn't even met her - so this is a shock when they arrive.  Each member of the family is very distinctive, with their own little quirks and beliefs, creating a diverse array of characters. It's their diversity that keeps this story flowing, as they learn to accept one another for who they are - and as Romily copes with her new role in life.

This book is about family dynamics and sibling relationships but also political uncertainty at a time of war. The story takes place mainly in the UK, but also covers the situation in Germany and Italy, highlighting the plight of Jews as the Nazi movement rises in Europe. In many ways, the book's theme is war itself - between family members and also countries - and the impact it has on people's lives.

I highly recommend Coming Home to Island House if you're looking for an easy read - perfect for cold winter nights with a mug of hot chocolate at your side. Go on... treat yourself!

MY PUBLISHING LIFE with Rebecca Gray

Welcome to my latest MY PUBLISHING LIFE feature, an interview with a literary agent, publisher, publicist or editor about their publishing career to date. Some serious questions, and some just for fun!

Today I'm delighted to welcome 

REBECCA GRAY

Head of Fiction Publicity

at
Orion Publishing

What and when was your first job in publishing?
I started at Midas PR in 2002 as an Admin Assistant. 

How long have you been working in your current job/role?

I’ve been Head of Fiction Publicity at Orion Publishing for about a year, but I worked in the company as Publicity Manager and Senior Publicity Manager for nine years before that. 

Which books have you worked on recently/are you working on?

I’m currently working on an amazing debut called FEAR by Dirk Kurbjuweit, which we’re publishing in January 2018 and is getting an extraordinary reaction from booksellers – it’s the most original literary debut of 2018.  Another exciting debut for 2018 I’m working on is THE LIDO, which we’re publishing in May.  Recently I did the campaigns for GREATEST HITS, Laura Barnett’s follow-up to THE VERSIONS OF US, HISTORY OF WOLVES which has just been longlisted for the Man Booker prize, and I also run the in-house publicity for Ian Rankin. 

Which qualifications/life skills/experience have helped you get to where you are today?

I read English at the kind of university that more or less leaves you to get on with it yourself and definitely expects you to form your own opinions without much assistance, and I’ve found that very useful in being able to talk confidently about books to journalists and booksellers.  In terms of being a publicist, you really have to learn it on the job – every time you do a campaign you learn something new, and the business of making and selling books changes so regularly that you have to rethink your approach constantly. 

How do you relax after a busy working day?

I have two children so my version of relaxation is different to some other people!  I make sure I get home to read them a bedtime story and listen to their day, which helps me switch off, and I love running as well.  I also sing in a choir and listen to a lot of music.  And, busman’s holiday as it may seem, reading is the thing I love to do most in the world. 

What was the last book you read for pleasure?

I’m currently reading WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES (I’m late to that party), which is incredible in terms of marrying an unusual structure and narrative style to a compelling story.  I read LINCOLN IN THE BARDO on holiday, which is one of the most moving novels I’ve read for a while.  I thought the structure might be off-putting, but he never lets it get in the way of the story. 

Describe your job in 15 words or less...

When you read, see or hear about a book in the media, that was my work.  (That’s sixteen words but I hope you will forgive me.) 

What have been the highlights of your publishing life so far

I did the campaigns for GONE GIRL, which was a rollercoaster of a ride the like of which I doubt I’ll ever see again.  I loved doing the campaign for THE VERSIONS OF US and seeing all that hard work pay off once it became a bestseller.  I once toured with Julie Walters, who was as lovely as you could expect.  I really love working with my team now and helping them to become brilliant publicists. 

If you could try out any other job for one day (with no limits on money, travel etc.), what would you choose?

I think I would like to try being a film director.  I don’t think I’d be very good at it, but I’d love to be at the centre of a huge enterprise like that. 

If your publishing life was a book, what would the title be?

Oh lord, we put so many agonising hours into getting titles right….  I’ll have a brainstorm and get back to you.

  

Thanks so much for taking part, Rebecca!

Look out for more MY PUBLISHING LIFE features coming soon.

Click here to read more MY PUBLISHING LIFE features.

If any literary agents, publishers, publicists or editors would like to take part, please contact me through my blog or Twitter for the full list of questions.