I’m delighted today to be joining the blog tour for Written in the Stars by Helen Rolfe, the second in her new Skylarks series, and sharing my review: published by Boldwood Books on 19th September, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
I do wish I could read every book from the authors I always think of as my favourites – Helen firmly included – but there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and I was really sad to have to miss the first book in this new series, Come Fly With Me (available free with Prime). You’ll find reviews of lots of her books if you pop her name in the search bar – I particularly loved The Little Café at the End of the Pier (I read it in four parts, but you’ll find the complete book here) and The Little Cottage in Lantern Square (also read in four parts – but you’ll find the book here). I was a little late discovering Heritage Cove – the fifth book in the series, Finding Happiness at Heritage View (you’ll find my review here) – but liked it there so much that I went on to really enjoy Christmas Nights at the Star and Lantern too (review here). So, my first visit to Dorset’s Whistlestop River and the air ambulance crew – and I was rather looking forward to it…
A hidden secret
Live every day as if it were your last – that’s the motto Bess has lived by since her father died unexpectedly. As a critical care paramedic, Bess sees every day just how easily life can be taken away. But carefree living has risks, and as Bess’s debts mount, she discovers her actions could have terrible consequences…
An unexpected arrival
Nothing gives Gio more joy than his work saving lives in the fire service. And on the days when his call-outs put him in the path of the air ambulance, and one paramedic in particular, things are pretty perfect. Until Gio’s world is spun on its head, first by the arrival of his estranged mother on his doorstep, and then by an accident that could put his career on hold indefinitely.
A new beginning?
Gio and Bess have always worked well together, but could they be the solution to each other’s problems beyond the frontline as well? And will they let their guard down enough to give each other a chance before snow falls over Whistlestop River?
Paramedic Bess had her life turned upside down by the sudden death of her father, followed by a health scare of her own, and she so wishes he was still around to help her with the mess she’s in – her emotional spending has become totally out of control, the final demands are arriving, she might even lose her home, and she can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.
At work, her sunshine personality brightens everyone’s days however difficult they might be – and she particularly enjoys it when her path crosses that of Gio, the fireman, who’s often at the same calls and there’s always been a bit of a spark between them. But he has his own issues too, when his mother Marianne turns up – her drinking meant he had a very difficult childhood, and he’s not entirely convinced that things have changed. And things only get many times worse for him when he’s involved in an accident – with a real possibility that he might never be fit enough to do his job again, so the future’s looking particularly bleak.
Their lives become entangled when Bess decides to take in a lodger – his mother – to help her financial situation, and her friendship with Gio might just become something more as they help each other heal. But she’s shaken once more when she finds her mother has started to move on from her loss, with a new partner – who she’s determined to compare unfavourably with her dad, but, in time, might have good reason to change her mind.
This was a really lovely emotional read – two damaged people finding strength through each other – with quite a few difficult issues so sensitively handled. And I was just as invested in Marianne’s story – her difficult journey to turning her life around, and hopefully reuniting with her family despite all the past hurt. In fact, I loved the whole way the different family issues were dealt with – when Bess finally shares her problems with her mum, her offer of help (welcome, but nowhere near enough) really touched me to the heart. And the book’s emotional depth is all the greater because it’s Christmas, that time of year when everything should be festive and bright – a time for family, and having fun in the recently fallen snow. And there is a good measure of joy and laughter, as Bess and Gio begin to grow closer – a slow burn romance I really enjoyed – and the future begins to look a little brighter for everyone.
I really must mention Bess’s work with the Skylarks, responding to emergencies in the air ambulance, dealing calmly and efficiently with so many difficult calls – well researched, dramatic at times, and very real. And I enjoyed the relationships between the crew – it would have been nice to have known their back story from the first book in the series, but I had no problems at all picking up this book as a standalone. I’ll certainly be looking forward to the next in the series – this was a book I very much enjoyed.
About the author
Helen Rolfe is the author of many bestselling contemporary women’s fiction titles, set in different locations from the Cotswolds to New York. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and children.
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