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nannykaren's review against another edition
5.0
What an emotional, page turner The Orphans Secret is! I loved the whole thing : setting, characters, storyline.
teresajluvs2read's review against another edition
4.0
The Orphan's Secret by Shirley Dickson
**I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinions are my own and not solicited in any way.**
I've now read three of Ms. Dickson's books now and have to say that each one needs to have the tissue box nearby.
This is more Lily and John's story and when she volunteers with the both the Ambulance and WTC (Women's Timber Corps) in Scotland she meets Bella and Ethel. John is a soldier during WWII for England and while he's deployed. They yearn to start a family but after two miscarriages she wonders if she'll ever be a mom. When Ethel falls for a young German POW. Lily will offer her a place to stay at her North Shields home.
During a night of bombings she has the baby but a bomb takes out their shelter. How will Lily who's lost another baby keep a secret from her family, friends and John who's sent home after losing his leg. There's love, loss and death and finding love again after Lily passes away. But there's also a memory quilt that Joy will find when she's 10 years old that John will tell her a wonderful story about her mothers.
**I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinions are my own and not solicited in any way.**
I've now read three of Ms. Dickson's books now and have to say that each one needs to have the tissue box nearby.
This is more Lily and John's story and when she volunteers with the both the Ambulance and WTC (Women's Timber Corps) in Scotland she meets Bella and Ethel. John is a soldier during WWII for England and while he's deployed. They yearn to start a family but after two miscarriages she wonders if she'll ever be a mom. When Ethel falls for a young German POW. Lily will offer her a place to stay at her North Shields home.
During a night of bombings she has the baby but a bomb takes out their shelter. How will Lily who's lost another baby keep a secret from her family, friends and John who's sent home after losing his leg. There's love, loss and death and finding love again after Lily passes away. But there's also a memory quilt that Joy will find when she's 10 years old that John will tell her a wonderful story about her mothers.
creaseinthespinebooks's review against another edition
5.0
Make sure you have tissues nearby as you will shed a few tears. This was a beautiful,heartwarming story filled with courage, love and friendship. This is my second Shirley Dickson book and it wont be my last. I loved this story
robinlovesreading's review
5.0
Lily Armstrong had been heartbroken time and again. She did the best she could during a time of war, with her husband John away fighting. After she married she and John wanted to be parents. Lily had the heart of a mother. No doubt she would be an excellent mother. Unfortunately, she had lost more than one baby. Wanting to do more than just wait for John during the war effort, Lily took on a job as a Lumberjill in the forest. It was then that she met Bella and Ethel and they became fast friends, especially Lily and Bella. Ethel was orphaned, alone and pregnant during the war.
With John still away fighting, at some point, Lily took Ethel in and with both of them being pregnant at the same time, Lily begin to have hope that she would have this child. Meanwhile, World War II continued at a fever pace leaving Lily wondering for her own health as well as for John’s safety. Ethel did have her baby, although Lily lost hers. Suddenly, with dangerous bombs dropping, and not being able to find safety in time, Ethel lost her life. Sadly, this left her precious baby Joy without a mother or a father.
The story segues back to 1940 and we meet Lily and John and we see the effects of war and how Joy eventually came into their lives. She knew marrying John would be trialsome as he would soon be called to war. The story was quite tragic and it was clear to see how much love Lily had in her heart and wanted so much to have a child.
As the story develops, it is clear that it is not about Ethel. It is about Lily. From the very beginning, we as a reader begin to understand Lily and the intense pain of loss she experienced time and again. We learned that she is a very strong woman and is most certainly a fighter. This became a story of a woman’s capacity for love despite the most difficult of times and heartbreaking experiences. There is another message in this fabulous story but I will leave it to the reader to see what that message is.
I was pulled into the story from the very beginning and completely gutted as I continued to read on. Although the story dealt with very sensitive topics such as miscarriage and stillbirth, it was still a very good read, especially as we get to the latter part of the book. This is an incredibly wonderful story of hope and love by Shirley Dickson and definitely deserves five stars.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
With John still away fighting, at some point, Lily took Ethel in and with both of them being pregnant at the same time, Lily begin to have hope that she would have this child. Meanwhile, World War II continued at a fever pace leaving Lily wondering for her own health as well as for John’s safety. Ethel did have her baby, although Lily lost hers. Suddenly, with dangerous bombs dropping, and not being able to find safety in time, Ethel lost her life. Sadly, this left her precious baby Joy without a mother or a father.
The story segues back to 1940 and we meet Lily and John and we see the effects of war and how Joy eventually came into their lives. She knew marrying John would be trialsome as he would soon be called to war. The story was quite tragic and it was clear to see how much love Lily had in her heart and wanted so much to have a child.
As the story develops, it is clear that it is not about Ethel. It is about Lily. From the very beginning, we as a reader begin to understand Lily and the intense pain of loss she experienced time and again. We learned that she is a very strong woman and is most certainly a fighter. This became a story of a woman’s capacity for love despite the most difficult of times and heartbreaking experiences. There is another message in this fabulous story but I will leave it to the reader to see what that message is.
I was pulled into the story from the very beginning and completely gutted as I continued to read on. Although the story dealt with very sensitive topics such as miscarriage and stillbirth, it was still a very good read, especially as we get to the latter part of the book. This is an incredibly wonderful story of hope and love by Shirley Dickson and definitely deserves five stars.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
creaseinthespinebooks's review
5.0
Make sure you have tissues nearby as you will shed a few tears. This was a beautiful,heartwarming story filled with courage, love and friendship. This is my second Shirley Dickson book and it wont be my last. I loved this story
leona_omahony's review
5.0
Before you start reading this book can I suggest you have plenty of tissues close to hand as this book will most certainly make you cry. A story set in the North East of England during World War 2. This book wasn’t just good it was fabulous and I felt quite bereft after finishing it. This was an emotional and gut wrenching read at times but it is also a wonderful story. This author is fast becoming a favourite of mine and every time I hear she has a new book out I know I’m in for a treat.
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