Book Description:
All’s fair in love and war… but what happens when the war is over?
After the heartbreak of World War Two, newlywed midwife Cathy hoped Liverpool life would offer some joy. But a terrible miscarriage and the escape of her abusive stepfather Jack from prison make happiness hard to find.
Meanwhile, Cathy’s beloved granny is ailing. Whilst at the hospital, Cathy sees her midwifery friends, who are planning to open a home for unmarried mothers. After losing a baby of her own Cathy would love to help, but for now, she must take care of her grandmother.
As her grandmother’s health worsens, she writes Cathy a letter. The day her granny dies, Cathy goes home and opens the envelope: Thank you for giving me a reason to live. Everything I have in the world is yours now, my darling. Cathy is devastated but determined to honour her granny’s memory, hoping the maternity home can be her legacy.
Just as Cathy and her friends are about to open their doors to the first expectant mothers, Jack is spotted in Liverpool. It’s only a matter of time until her cruel stepfather catches up with her, determined to pay her back for getting him locked up in prison. Can Cathy keep herself and her grandmother’s legacy safe, and see Jack sent away for good at last?
The Midwives of Lark Lane is a heart-wrenching saga about how the best friendships can help you through the worst of times. If you’re a fan of Nadine Dorries, Diney Costeloe and Kitty Neale, you’ll love Pam Howes!
My Thoughts:
I have been patiently waiting for the next book from the author in the Lark Lane saga and have to say that now it’s finally here, it has been well worth the wait.
Over the course of these books, I feel like I’ve become one of the family with the characters. I’ve been with them through all the highs and lows and shared tears of joy and sadness. What a journey it’s been.
Whilst the focus has changed from Alice to her daughter Cathy in this book and the previous one, I like how we still get to catch up and keep up to date with Alice as I had grown very fond of her from the first book. Through the characters, we get to appreciate what life was like back in the early sixties in Liverpool.
Jack is one character I’ve never been fond of. Man, he made my blood boil. I was angry and both scared for Cathy and her family and don’t think I’ve ever wished someone to drop dead before. I did with Jack though. He is a horrible character though and I was willing that everything would come out all okay by the end.
The Midwives of Lark Lane was another emotional roller coaster of a read that captivated me, yet had me on the edge of my seat a number of times. Just as you think everything is going to be okay for Cathy and her family, life has other plans for them yet again. The story had me so engrossed that I couldn’t get on with my everyday life until I had finished it. If you enjoy a heartwarming saga that makes for a compulsive read, then look no further than this authors books. They are truly wonderful.
My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The Midwives of Lark Lane is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an Amazon affiliate link).
Pam is a retired interior designer, mum to three daughters, grandma to seven assorted grandchildren and roadie to her musician partner. The inspiration for Pam’s first novel came from her teenage years, working in a record store, and hanging around with musicians who frequented the business. The first novel evolved into a series about a fictional band The Raiders. She is a fan of sixties music and it’s this love that compelled her to begin writing.
@PamHowes1
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