I really enjoyed this story based on fictionalised versions of real events which were well researched. A skillful blend of fact and fiction woven around two generations of the same family and their shared experiences. Very well written with engaging characters. Will read more by this author.

I'll admit I hadn't heard of this author before I read this book, and didn't know what to expect, but now I think it won't be long before I read her other novels! I found this to be a delightful book, one that I wanted to get back to and devoured in a short space of time. I found the characters to be likeable (apart from the one who wasn't meant to be!) and thought the story was good.

I can never go wrong with a historical fiction book, and this one did not disappoint..much. It’s not that there was anything wrong with it, by any means, I just wasn’t ‘wow’ed’ by it. It checked all the marks for what a historical fiction book needs but maybe that was the problem, there was nothing to make it stand out from any other, except perhaps the location.
Thank you to Book Club Girls for the chance to read this in exchange for my opinions.

I have fallen in love with this author very recently after reading The Dressmaker’s Gift, and after reading I want to read every one of her novels. I love how she weaves historical fact with a fictional narrative, because she treats the history with such respect and adds to my understanding of the events she’s portraying. She manages to create such well rounded characters that you’re rooting for them, it gives me a sense of how people might have felt at the time; she illuminates history in such a special way, Based in Loch Ewe, Scotland, this book shows the crofting community’s part in the war effort, something I didn’t know much about.
The story is told in two timelines: 1940s Scotland and the area’s importance as the base for the Royal Navy’s Arctic Missions, and 1970s when singer Lexie Gordon is forced to return to Scotland, because it’s where she spent her early life in a tiny crofter’s cottage. Flora is a gamekeeper’s daughter and her father works for the local laird. Despite this she is falling in love with the laird’s son Alec. Lexie returns to her childhood home with her own daughter, after straining her vocal cords. The backdrop is incredible, such beautiful descriptions of the landscape I now want to take a holiday in Scotland. Alec and Flora’s love story starts out so sweet and tender, Her tale develops slowly and I was captivated by it. I was also sucked in by the detail of how the area changes as the Navy arrives and the impact of WW2 on such a small community where the losses seem magnified as everyone knows each other.
I loved this book and it has really settled this author as one of my favourites. I would pre-order any of her future releases without question.

I was new to this author and thoroughly enjoyed this book. So much so, that I went and added her books to my TBR pile.

The story is believable and heart warming. I had to have some tissues handy!

I really enjoyed this book. The author really catches the feelings of the characters and the anticipation of waiting for loved ones to come home.

I loved this book! I have read multiple books by Fiona Valpy and each one is so well done. Her writing style is amazing and the worlds she creates blows my mind. This author is an automatic buy for me.

Thanks to net galley and Fiona Valpy for my copy of this book. This was such a delightful read to put it in short. Historical fiction is a genre I can never get bored of and this book was no different. Also Its my first reading a story set in Scotland during WWII. The story alternates between Lexie and Flora and we get to see how their past unfold and the screws that lay within. Both the storylines just flowed effortlessly and made the reading a pleasant experience. The beauty of the landscapes and the details of the time during war were wonderfully narrated. Goes to show the amount of research involved. The class system that was very much rampant at those times was quite well explained and am thankful it no longer exists. The beautiful way in which the community looks out for the daughter even after all these years was heart warming. The romance was well thought out too. Overall its a lovely tale of love, loss, and new beginnings.

Another great book by Fiona Valpy, hooked me in from the start. Great location, well written and heart-warming story.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Lexie Gordon has had to return home to a village in the Highlands of Scotland after her career on the stage in London comes to an early end thanks to damage to her voice. Facing life as a single mother along with grieving the recent loss of her mother, Lexie takes a journey through her family history, discovering just how close-knit the community is and how much she owes to the people in her life.

This book was beautifully written and had such poetic descriptions. Highly recommend this, but have tissues ready!

Due to its location and terrain, Loch Ewe in the northwest Scottish highlands became a temporary naval base during World War II. This is the location and history behind The Skylark's Secret. The book is a story of two women - mother and daughter. As is the case in books with parallel stories, one usually takes precedence. In this case, it is definitely Flora's story. The story is not all that unique, but the history is one I am glad I learned.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/02/the-skylarks-secret.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Fiona Valpy is keeping up her status as one of my favourite authors, especially in terms of historical fiction. I thoroughly enjoy the storylines she chooses and her way of writing.
The Skylark’s Secret is based during World War II. It flips between Flora’s story during the war and the life of her daughter Lexie in the 1970s as a single mother.

Flora’s story is of a young female during WWII. She lives with her father and brother in the Keeper’s Cottage on the Ardtuath Estate. Flora and Alec, childhood sweethearts, can finally let their romance bloom, but it isn’t long before war and Sir Charles get in the way. A story of love, hardship and loss.

Lexie moved to London to sing, but the loss of her ability to sing moves her back home to Keeper’s Cottage with her young daughter Daisy. Her Mother Flora has passed away and Lexie never knew her dad. She goes to investigate the story of her Father but the community seems to be keeping something from her. What is the story behind her parent’s?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will definitely be recommending it. In general I love historical fiction, and I’d not yet read a book around WWII in Scotland. This storyline is catching and I like the flip between 1940s to the 1970s, the life of mother and then daughter.

Lexie was living her best life singing on stage in London until she met a man who betrayed her and a medical condition that forced her to return to the Keepers cottage in her little seaside village.
After returning home Lexie and her baby are reunited with her friends. The people in the village helped Lexie learn more about her Mother’s life and the Father she never knew.
This story is about resilience and very heartwarming.

This arc was gifted by Lake Union, Amazon Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction has long been a favorite genre of mine, and The Skylark’s Secret was no exception. The Skylark’s Secret was the first book I have read by this author, but I will most certainly look for more. The setting in the Scottish Highlands was absolutely mesmerizing. The author’s ability to weave the individual characters and their struggles into historical events allowed me to get lost in the pages. The beauty of the land and the integrated usage of Scottish phrases made for a lyrical tale. I was truly enamored by the author’s dedication to creating an authentic work of art, and indeed, this book is a work of art.

I’ve never met a Fiona Valpy novel I didn’t like and The Skylark’s Secret was no exception! The author has a way of beautifully transforming tragedy. The Scottish setting was fantastic and the characters unforgettable.

I’m a huge fan of this author and The Skylark’s Secret did NOT disappoint. Flora and Lexie’s narratives were intricately woven and it’s clear that this structure of storytelling works well for Valpy (Beekeeper’s Promise, anyone?!). It’s a very different WWII novel- especially with its setting in the Scottish Highlands, but I SO appreciated the fresh perspective and new lens of history, I loved this book!

A lovely story about finding oneself by looking to the past. Storyline is split over two different timescales and eventually merges at the end.

As a passionate fan of historical novels with asynchronous perspectives, especially novels set in Scotland or during World War II (of which The Skylark's Secret is both!), I was drawn to this book. The idea of one never really knowing one's mother is a plot that beckons us all, I think, in part because even though we all have mothers, they were once young women whose futures were still unknown. What did their lives look like then? What choices did they make that paved the way for us to come after? And how different would the world be if they had chosen differently?

I enjoyed the beautiful Scottish setting of this novel, as well as the look back at one of my favorite periods of history, but the pacing of the story was slow and I had a difficult time maintaining my concern for Lexie's desire to find answers. Flora's story was much more engaging and I would have been more than happy to read an entire novel with her as the sole narrator. Indeed, the twist at the end was more than worth the wait, but I could have skipped Lexie's chapters completely and been just as happy without them.

The Skylark's Secret is a satisfying tale if you're looking for a solid WWII novel, but you might find the pacing a bit slow and overdone. Still, it's a good weekend read.

I love Fiona Valpy and this didn’t disappoint

In fact I made a list of all of her books which I aim to work my way through

Highly recommended

This is my first book by this author and I am impressed. I will be seeking out additional books to read by this author for sure. Thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Fiona Valpy for my copy of The Skylark’s Secret.
I enjoyed this book because it is the idea of leaving home for a career and returning home without quite what one might hope for and the connections that can be rekindled. The story is told in alternating timelines by Lexie in 1978 and by Flora from 1939 with the outbreak of World War 2, tells the story of her love affair with lairds son Alec MacKenzie-Grant. The story takes place in the Scottish Highlands. Loch Ewe, is a very remote highland village that becomes the base for the Royal Navy’s Arctic convoys. I enjoyed the historic facts that were woven into the story line as well as the ships being docked by Scotland to protect them as well as protect England from a different front. This is a different perspective that I have not read about thus far. Three thousand men lost their lives on the Arctic Convoys. They were fraught with danger and conducted in extreme weather conditions. Fiona Valpy conveys this in Flora’s story alongside the courage of the servicemen and women and the community spirit fostered by the local people whose lives were changed forever by a naval base of 3,000 military personnel and the constant coming and going of naval and merchant ships. A beautifully written story about the sacrifices mothers will make for their children. A heartwarming tale of love, loss, courage and bravery. I enjoy books of people learning about who they really are and what has helped form and shape them.. I just reviewed The Skylark's Secret by Fiona Valpy. #TheSkylarksSecret #NetGalley
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