It’s a real pleasure today to share my review of Then Time Stands Still by Mary Georgina de Grey. Published by The Wild Rose Press on 18th September, it’s now available via Amazon for kindle and in paperback. My thanks to the author for my advance reading e-copy, along with my apologies that my review has taken me rather longer to write than I’d originally planned.
This isn’t the first of the author’s books I’ve read and reviewed – having met the author a few years ago at Exeter Literary Festival, I was very happy to try her writing with Then the Earth Moved in March 2023. And I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it – set in the Abruzzo region of Italy with its vividly drawn hilltop towns and dramatic scenery, a really engaging romance and particularly well-told story, along with some especially well-written drama that made the pages turn even faster (you can read my full review again here). It’s not something I often do, but I even drew a few comparisons for readers who might not have come across her writing – definitely TA Williams’ Italian romances, certainly a little Linn B Halton (the settings, and the same eye for design…), and a touch of Victoria Springfield and Sue Moorcroft too. This was her first romance, and I enjoyed it so much that when she asked if I’d like to try another, I didn’t hesitate – I was very much looking forward to reading more…
English archaeologist Dr. Amancia Harding has looked after her family for five years. Now it’s time to take care of herself, and leading a team on a dig in Spain is the perfect way to propel her career forward. Her good intentions are threatened when she meets vineyard owner Max Serrano.
Damaged by war in Ukraine and a tragic event in his past, Max has given up on relationships and taken refuge in making wine, but the attraction he feels to Amancia forces him to confront painful issues. There’s also the gulf between their two cultures to consider if a relationship is to have any chance of success.
Ambitious and fiery in character, can either accept that compromise is sometimes necessary to find happiness?
Undervalued at the Bristol museum where she works and unjustifiably passed over for promotion, an alternative opportunity comes Dr Amancia Harding’s way – running an archaeological dig at a vineyard near Zaragoza in Spain. It also has the advantage of taking her away from her controlling and abusive boyfriend – although he’s plainly reluctant to allow her to walk away. The schedule for the dig is tight – the team’s accommodation will be needed for the workers brought in to harvest the grapes, ripening fast because of the unusually hot summer, and her assignment becomes even more challenging with some acts of sabotage and other small accidents caused by thoughtlessness rather than malice. And then there’s Max, the vineyard’s owner, who has a troubled past of his own – the attraction between them is immediate, and she’s grateful for his friendship and supportive presence, while neither of them was really looking for a relationship.
The book’s romance though was something I very much enjoyed – strong and convincing, with plenty of obstacles and complications, all handled with the perfect emotional touch. Amancia herself is never anything but sympathetic – I liked her feistiness and determination, but she’s very real with a distinctly softer side and particular vulnerability. Max is a wonderfully developed love interest – with real depth and sensitivity, and a darkness in his past that has left both physical and mental scars.
But although beautifully handled, this book is far more than the developing love story at its centre. The detail about the dig – the slow uncovering of significant features of the Roman site, the detective work to discover more, the way the artefacts found are sorted and handled – is simply fascinating, and a superb insight into the way such things work. The detail about the workings of the vineyard are equally well researched – as is the whole northern Spanish setting that’s so vividly brought to life in a way that appeals to all the senses. I felt entirely immersed in the culture – and that cultural difference between Amancia and Max, and the need to understand their backgrounds and heritage, at times became quite central to their story.
I have to say I loved it – a romance with real heart, but with some real-life issues that raised it from the light read it might have been and turned it into a totally compelling and engaging story. And the writing really is excellent – easy to read, drawing you into the story and the individuals’ lives, and with a page-turning quality that made it difficult to set aside. Highly recommended – and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
About the author
Mary Georgina de Grey is a romantic novelist living in Torquay in South Devon, UK. A linguist, she has lived and worked in many European countries – and in some further away.
She is currently engaged on a series of books, each of which is set in a different country. The setting and the language of the country are paramount. Each novel features a strong, educated woman, determined to make something of her life, even if it’s tough at times or if there are things in her past which fight against success.
The first in the series, Then the Earth Moved, set in Italy, was published by American publisher The Wild Rose Press in March 2023.
Mary Georgina lives on the beautiful South Devon coast with her husband – and a constantly-changing stream of visitors. Interests begin with reading and foreign languages of all kinds, of course. Cooking and gardening are high on the list, and she loves to design and make elegant jackets to wear at any event where she gets the chance. And did she mention writing? That has always been important to her.
Ooh a romance set in Spain with a troubled hero – sign me up!