Fiona McIntosh: The Last Dance

An intriguing story of family secrets and deception
This is a thoroughly enjoyable and intriguing story by talented author Fiona McIntosh time set in 1930's England. Stella, an impoverished but well educated young woman takes a job as a French/Piano governess/tutor to support her much younger brother and sister.

It all starts with a chance meeting with an unusual man at a Piccadilly ballroom who orchestrates a job with the wealthy but strange Ainsworth family at their huge home in Sussex. While Douglas Ainsworth welcomes her, his wife and teenage daughter don't want her help. Slowly Stella learns something about the family secrets and more about the world of the mysterious Douglas.

Things come to a head when Douglas decides to take his whole family and Stella on a cruise calling at North Africa, Egypt and the Holy Land leading to two unexpected endings. MonicaD read and enjoyed her previous book NIGHTINGALE and considers that this one is as good if not better.

Five star by MonicaD and four star by Suncoast.

Thanks to Penguin Australia for an advanced copy of this book for review.

Fiona McIntosh: Nightingale

Engaging and memorable romantic tale of WWI
Fiona McIntosh has written an engaging and memorable romantic tale of WWI that stretches from the beaches and hills of Gallipoli to Cairo, Istanbul and London.

Claire Nightingale is a British nurse on a hospital ship who is briefly allowed to go ashore at Gallipoli to give emergency treatment to the wounded. She meets Australian Light Horseman Jamie Wren, bloody and muddy as he brings a friend for medical help under heavy fire. Despite the atrocious and dangerous  situation there is an immediate bond and attraction between them. While Claire loses touch with Jamie she never loses faith that she will meet him again at the end of the war.

This is historical romantic fiction at its best, despite the harrowing circumstances of war, especially the terrible conditions faced by the Australians at Gallipoli. Despite the war McIntosh captures the touching and personal side of war when Jamie briefly meets, and makes a commitment, to a young Turkish soldier during a truce to clear No Man's Land of the dead.

I really loved this book because I have visited, albeit only briefly, many of the places in the book - Anzac Cove, Istanbul, Cairo and London - which McIntosh brought to life so well at a time of world calamity. I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to The Reading Room and the publisher for a copy of this book. This review is posted by MonicaD.