Blogtour – Friday 24th May
Hi all!
Today, I don’t bring you just ONE BLOGTOUR POST, I bring you TWO! Two amazing books, Two amazing authors, and Two Amazing reads…both different in their genres and style, but both brilliant reading material.
As always, I must thank the people who invite me along to this tour. Without our blog host, Rachel of Rachels Random Resources (https://www.rachelsrandomresources.com), and the fantastic writer, Barbara Claypole White, I would never have been introduced to this thought provoking, heart-wrenching story of a mother who is torn from her daughter by her poor mental health. This book is 100% a 5 star read! I don’t give 5 stars away very often, but this book totally deserves it. My Feels were definately hit hard with this story.
Before I tell you more about this story and give you my thoughts on it, lets have a bit about the author.
About the Author
Bestselling author Barbara Claypole White has created her own idiosyncratic niche in mainstream fiction: hopeful family drama with a healthy dose of mental illness.
Originally from England, she writes and gardens in the forests of North Carolina, where she lives with her family.
Her novels include:
The Unfinished Garden, Mira Books, 2012, winner of the Golden Quill for Best First Book 2013;
The In-Between Hour, Mira Books, 2014, chosen by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance as an Okra Pick;
The Perfect Son, Lake Union, 2015, Goodreads Choice Awards Semi-finalist for Best Fiction;
Echoes of Family, Lake Union, 2016, WFWA 2017 Star Award Finalist;
The Promise Between Us, Lake Union, 2018.
(View the book trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLW9XFo0nlg&t=5s)
Barbara is also an OCD advocate for the A2A Alliance, a nonprofit group that promotes advocacy over adversity.
To listen to Barbara’s 2018 interview with Frank Stasio on The State of Things, click here: http://www.wunc.org/post/her-family-grapples-ocd-author-tackles-stereotypes-through-writing?fbclid=IwAR08E-DQ73f31jWBP2uKlix-eFsV7OOSQk_pXfS4uX3kqgnuHkbtVeB1Wvc
To watch Barbara’s 2018 interview with Linda Hurtado on Fox 13, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJUPUBZLCf8&t=33s
For more information on Barbara, please visit – www.barbaraclaypolewhite.com
Social Media Links –
https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraClaypoleWhite
https://twitter.com/bclaypolewhite
https://www.instagram.com/bclaypolewhite/?hl=en
About the Book
“If you leave your newborn child because you have unstoppable thoughts of harming her, are you a good mother or a terrible one? This dilemma is at the heart of Barbara Claypole White’s novel, a wrenching story of how one woman’s OCD has a ripple effect on those around her—including the people she tried hardest to protect. This is an eye-opening and realistic exploration of mental illness—a topic that greatly deserves to be front and center.”
Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things.
Metal artist Katie Mack is living a lie. Nine years ago she ran away from her family in Raleigh, North Carolina, consumed by the irrational fear that she would harm Maisie, her newborn daughter. Over time she’s come to grips with the mental illness that nearly destroyed her, and now funnels her pain into her art. Despite longing for Maisie, Katie honors an agreement with the husband she left behind—to change her name and never return.
But when she and Maisie accidentally reunite, Katie can’t ignore the familiarity of her child’s compulsive behaviour. Worse, Maisie worries obsessively about bad things happening to her pregnant stepmom. Katie has the power to help, but can she reconnect with the family she abandoned?
To protect Maisie, Katie must face the fears that drove her from home, accept the possibility of love, and risk exposing her heart-wrenching secret.
Purchase Link:
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Promise-Between-Barbara-Claypole-White/dp/1542048982/
US – https://www.amazon.com/Promise-Between-Barbara-Claypole-White/dp/1542048982/
My Review
How on earth do I leave my review about a story that I loved and NOT give away any ‘Spoilers’!?
This story was brutal, honest and fantastically written. I was pulled into the story from the very first pages and was hooked instantly. The story had a flow which was easy to read, but which also offered lots of emphasis on Katie and her mental illness which plagued her incessantly after the birth of her baby daughter. I felt each torturous struggle in those first few pages, as Katie tried in vain to control the unnatural images which assaulted her daily life. The writing was powerfully accurate and I found myself reading with a racing heart as I read deeper into the story.
The pace was brilliant and I felt connections to the characters, enabling me to care about them and there part in this story. I love a story that writes from differing angles and this helped to bring this story together nicely, as we found more out about the characters involved. I was absorbed by the connecting characters and felt the dialogue and character interactions were relatable and realistic.
It was interesting to read more about OCD and I felt like I came away having learned more about this disorder. I will be ensuring that I read more works by this author, because fantastically satisfied by the conclusion!
Fab Book! Fab Read! Please add this to you TBR list! You will not be sorry!
Conclusion
I love all of the books that I get sent through for review, but this by far is one of my favourites! Fantastic read from start to finish! I highly recommend!
Rating – 5 out of 5!
If you would like to read more reviews from fellow bloggers who are on this tour, then please go on over and check out their blogs
Thanks for reading guys!
S x
The summary of this story had me intrigued and I was looking forward to getting started on this book. A few pages in and I was eager to read more into the story and to see how it concluded. The flow was very well done and I read smoothly throughout the pages.
Writing from the Heart 