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The gripping new historical novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Girl from Bletchley Park and The Forgotten Secret.

A heartbreaking choice. A secret kept for centuries.

1784. When Esther Harris’s father hurts his back, she takes over his role helping smugglers hide contraband in the secret cellar in their pub. But when the free traders’ ships are trapped in the harbour, a battle between the smugglers and the revenue officers leads to murder and betrayal – and Esther is forced to choose between the love of her life and protecting her family…

Present day. Fresh from her divorce, Millie Galton moves into a former inn overlooking the harbour in Mudeford and plans to create her dream home. When a chance discovery behind an old fireplace reveals the house’s secret history as a haven for smugglers and the devastating story of its former residents, could the mystery of a disappearance from centuries ago finally be solved?

Sweeping historical fiction perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kathryn Hughes and Tracy Rees.

Buy It Here!

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Storm-Girl-Sweeping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B09VYLVP58/

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Storm-Girl-Sweeping-historical-fiction-ebook/dp/B09VYLVP58/

My Review

I have read several books by this author and have always enjoyed them.  The books I’ve read have all been similar in that they are dual timeline stories, usually in present day and centuries earlier.  This book is no different and we are transported between the modern-day coastal town of Mudeford and then the town in its smuggling heyday of the late 1700’s.  In the present-day timeline, we meet Millie Galton.  She’s just moved to Mudeford following her divorce and has bought a house which she later finds out used to be the former Ship at Anchor pub.  Hundreds of years earlier, the Ship at Anchor was run by Esther Harris and her father.  They were involved with the local smugglers bringing in black market goods to avoid paying the revenue.  Both stories revolve around the old pub and the tunnels that lead from it, and both also feature the mystery and romance from both timelines.

I liked Millie’s storyline and enjoyed her relocation to the old pub, and the subsequent renovation she had planned.  I love the historical features found there and would have loved to have ventured down the old smuggling tunnels!  Millie’s character was interesting, although she did annoy me a little when she preferred to listen to idle gossip rather than find out the truth.  I also liked Esther’s character and enjoyed her storyline.  The portrayal of the communities during those times was interesting and I loved how some of the characters and storylines were based on true stories and people.  Esther’s storyline was definitely the stronger of the two, but I did enjoy them both equally.

This was a lovely read, which held my interest right from the beginning.  It’s a mixture of history and mystery with a little bit of romance thrown into both timelines.  The smuggling storyline was intriguing and had me reading with bated breath with the suspense of it all.  There was a lot of emotion written into the book, particularly with Esther’s story, and I felt myself getting swept away with it as the storylines moved on.  The author creates perfect dual timeline stories and has caught the essence of both timelines so well.  Would definitely recommend.

The Author

Kathleen McGurl lives near the coast in Christchurch, England. She writes dual timeline novels in which a historical mystery is uncovered and resolved in the present day. She is married to an Irishman and has two adult sons. She enjoys travelling, especially in her motorhome around Europe but home is Mudeford, where this novel is set.

Social Media Links –

Website – https://kathleenmcgurl.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/KathleenMcGurl
Twitter – https://twitter.com/KathMcGurl

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