Written by Anne Allen⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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I would firstly like to thank Anne Allen for providing me with a free digital copy of her latest novel
Her Previous Self to review.
Her Previous Self is on a blog tour organised by Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources, and for my stop, I am today sharing my review.
You'll also be delighted to know that there is a raffle to win a copy of Her Previous Self at the bottom of this post.
Her Previous Self to review.
Her Previous Self is on a blog tour organised by Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources, and for my stop, I am today sharing my review.
You'll also be delighted to know that there is a raffle to win a copy of Her Previous Self at the bottom of this post.
The blurb:
Mary, miserable in her marriage to Thomas Carre, a merchant and privateer and living in the newly-built family mansion in Georgian Guernsey. Lucy, separated from her husband after a tragic loss and now acting as an unwilling sitter for her elderly grandfather, Gregory Carre, who has inherited the same mansion.
Lucy is haunted by Mary’s continued presence in the house and finds herself being pulled more and more back in time. How is it possible for her to live as Mary? To experience scenes from her tragic life? Lucy is forced to come to terms with Mary’s grief as well as her own.
The more enmeshed she becomes the more anxious Lucy is to discover the truth. Why is Mary still restless? What caused her mysterious disappearance two hundred years ago?
And can Lucy move on from her own loss to find happiness again?
Fiction
Saga
My thoughts:
Having read two other novels in this series I was excited to be invited to join the blog tour for Her Previous Self, which is another dual-timeline story. This time we travel back in time 200 years to Georgian Guernsey, to uncover a Carre family mystery.Lucy Stewart has returned to Guernsey following a personal tragedy which led to the breakdown of her marriage. Her parents have been living in the ancestral home with Gregory Carre, her grandfather, for the last three years as he has been unwell. Upon her arrival, they announce they are off on a cruise and leaving her to look after her grandfather. In the beginning she resents the idea, but soon comes to enjoy his company, finding a softer side to the gruff old Advocate she remembers from her childhood.
Lucy finds herself drawn to a painting of a man with an unhappy woman on their wedding day. That's when she starts to slip through time, and learn what happened to her ancestor Mary Carre, as though she were Mary herself.
I loved the main characters, Lucy and Mary, and was invested in both their stories. Lucy is very likeable and recovering from her own troubles. I wanted her to be well again and find happiness. She takes a couple of knocks along the way, but with support from her friends and family, is making a new start for herself. In contrast, Mary's life was tragic from the day she married. Her fiancé, Nathaniel, died in mysterious circumstances a few days before their wedding, so her father insisted she marry his brother Thomas instead. Nothing like his brother, Thomas is abusive and married Mary for her dowry. Only her two children and Nathaniel's dog Storm bring her any joy. Mary's story cannot be undone, but as Lucy relives fragments of Mary's life, she discovers what happened to Mary and is able to help the restless spirit.
This is the eighth book in Allen's Guernsey Novels series, but is easily read as a standalone. Her Previous Self is another well-written and intriguing story of healing and moving forward which I very much enjoyed.
| Author Bio – Anne Allen |
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 Anne Allen lives in Devon but originates from Rugby. Finding early on in life that she loved the sea she spent most of her adult years moving from one coast to another. Her happiest time was spent in Guernsey where she lived for nearly 14 years and her books are all set on that beautiful island. Until recently Anne was a psychotherapist but has now retired to write full time. So far she has published Dangerous Waters, Finding Mother, Guernsey Retreat, The Family Divided, Echoes of Time, The Betrayal, The Inheritance and Her Previous Self, forming the Guernsey Novels series. The books focus on love, mystery, drama and relationships. In her spare time she dabbles in art and very occasionally housework. |
| Social Media Links – | |
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| Facebook Author Page | https://www.facebook.com/Anne-Allen-Author-176883759173475 |
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| X | https://twitter.com/AnneAllen21 |
Giveaway to Win 1 x Paperback Copy of Her Previous Self (UK winner)
or e-copy for an international winner.
*Terms and Conditions – Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
or e-copy for an international winner.
*Terms and Conditions – Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
ReplyDeleteHi Deborah, thank you for taking the time to read and review my latest offering. I'm glad you enjoyed it and I love your review. Best wishes. Anne☺