The Blue Bench by Paul Marriner – Book Review

PUBLISHERS BLURB

Margate 1920

The Great War is over but Britain is still to find peace and its spirit is not yet mended.

Edward and William have returned from the front as changed men. Together they have survived grotesque horrors and remain haunted by memories of comrades who did not come home. The summer season in Margate is a chance for them to rebuild their lives and reconcile the past.

Evelyn and Catherine are young women ready to live to live life to the full. Their independence has been hard won and, with little knowledge of the cost of their freedom, they are ready to face new challenges side by side.

Can they define their own future and open their hearts to the prospect of finding love?

Will the summer of 1920 be a turning point for these new friends and the country?

MY REVIEW

This is told from several points of view, Edward, badly wounded in battle, Evelyn, a wonderfully empathetic soul, Catherine, full of life and a passion for fun and just being alive, and William, a bit of a loveable rogue.

It tells of the horrors of war, its effect on those fighting, those left at home and the constant fear and worry. It also tells of the emotional and physical struggles faced by everyone, once the war is over and those that survived return home back to a ‘normal’ life.

This is not a fast paced read, but slow and melancholy, something to lose yourself in, beautifully written and full of characters that will touch your heart a little and will stay with you for a long time. A heartbreaking and also heartwarming epic of historical fiction. A stunning read.

Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book  in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

You can buy a copy here (click on the image)

The author