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Literary Friday: The Way to London

Friday, September 22, 2017




Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies!  Today I'm reviewing another WWII-era historical novel, The Way to London by Alix Rickloff.  

About The Way to London

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (September 19, 2017)

From the author of Secrets of Nanreath Hall comes this gripping, beautifully written historical fiction novel set during World War II—the unforgettable story of a young woman who must leave Singapore and forge a new life in England.

On the eve of Pearl Harbor, impetuous and overindulged, Lucy Stanhope, the granddaughter of an earl, is living a life of pampered luxury in Singapore until one reckless act will change her life forever.

Exiled to England to stay with an aunt she barely remembers, Lucy never dreamed that she would be one of the last people to escape Singapore before war engulfs the entire island, and that her parents would disappear in the devastating aftermath. Now grief stricken and all alone, she must cope with the realities of a grim, battle-weary England.

Then she meets Bill, a young evacuee sent to the country to escape the Blitz, and in a moment of weakness, Lucy agrees to help him find his mother in London. The unlikely runaways take off on a seemingly simple journey across the country, but her world becomes even more complicated when she is reunited with an invalided soldier she knew in Singapore. Now Lucy will be forced to finally confront the choices she has made if she ever hopes to have the future she yearns for.



 

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble



About Alix Rickloff

Alix Rickloff is a critically acclaimed author of historical and paranormal romance. Her previous novels include the Bligh Family series, the Heirs of Kilronan trilogy, and, as Alexa Egan, the Imnada Brotherhood series. Find out more about Alix at her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter. You can also follow her on Pinterest.



My Review:

When I first started reading this novel, I didn't care for the main character Lucy Stanhope at all.  I didn't care for her when she was a drunken tart in Singapore;  I didn't care for her when the Germans torpedoed her ship off the coast of Africa en route from Singapore to England (as a matter of fact, it wouldn't have fazed me in the least had she gone down with the ship);  and I especially didn't care for her when she made it to Nanreath Hall in Cornwall and didn't lift a finger for the war effort, the selfish tart.

But once she met Bill (and they meet under harrowing circumstances), I started to not have quite as much disdain for her.  Slowly but surely the selfish, hardened Lucy began to grow a brain, heart, and conscience.  I think Alix Rickloff did an excellent job with Lucy's development, and I even began to admire her by the end of the book.  In other words, if you can get over the disdain you might feel for this character in the beginning and keep on reading, I think you will be satisfied, too.

If you would like to read a World War II historical novel with an exotic setting, well-drawn characters, over the top family drama,  a sweet, yet believable romance, and one of the most farcical journeys from Cornwall to London ever written, then you should read The Way to London.

I also read The Secrets of Nanreath Hall as part of the Once Upon a Book Club Subscription, and I loved it!  Both books were set at the same time and place (Nanreath Hall) and I kept expecting Anna from The Secrets of Nanreath Hall and Lucy to bump into each other but it never happened. *sadface*  Maybe there will be another book to tie them together because I felt like The Secrets of Nanreath Hall could use a sequel.


Disclosure:

I received an ARC of The Way to London from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.





Until next time...

Happy reading!
Ricki Jill



7 comments

  1. This sounds wonderful!! Adding to my Books Pinterest board. Thanks. :)

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  2. What an interesting transformation of a main character! I appreciate characters more who I don't like at some point, but end up liking in the end.

    Thank you for being on the tour!

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  3. This one sounds right up my alley. I, too, will save the title, and possibly order it.
    My newsletter came today! So cute the way you have it all packaged up. My philistine husband said, What on earth is this supposed to be? I assured him he had no appreciation for the finer things. I look forward to the discussion on Oct. 15!

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  4. I'll have to add this one to my reading list. I just finished reading September as you recommended a few weeks ago. Thanks, I enjoyed it!

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  5. Books about WWII in France and England are my favorite kind of fiction (and non, for that matter) so I think this one would work for me. Thanks for the alert!

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  6. Gosh, another great sounding book, I appreciate the way you explained how you didn't like the main character at first and then grew to like her...I love WW2 historical fiction!
    Jenna

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  7. Thanks for the warning about the main character! It's on my list to read.

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I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

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