Men are coming home from war. Some are made welcome, others not so much. Some women have lost their husbands. But they are all there for each other. Zelda Flock's husband is abusive and a thief. Zelda eventually gets help from Zinnia Makepeace.

This is the prequel to Not All Tarts Are Apples. This time it's the story of Zekda Flock. The characters are well rounded and believable. You are drawn into the story from the first few pages.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #RandomHouseUK #TransworldPublishers and the author #PipGranger for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a story about how people, especially women, join forces and survive during difficult times. Even though they are all very different, they manage to pull together and be supportive of each other when needed.

A brilliant read really enjoyed it
Fantastic characters and a really good storyline
Would recommend to others definitely
Well worth a four star

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have not read anything from this author for ages and I am kicking myself. I really enjoyed this, well written with absolutely great characters and also attention to detail. Loved it.

Trouble in Paradise by Pip Granger
The neighborhood is Paradise Gardens, but it is anything but that. Even though the war is winding down and supposedly over , it has only heated up between Zelda’s family & friends against the Ma Hole Gang. Zelda is married to a wicked evil relative of this gang which doesn’t exactly calm down issues.
Zelda is a fixer and peacemaker of her family & neighborhood, unfortunately she hasn’t been able to do that in her own household. Zelda is a victim of spousal abuse and while the War was active she was in seventh heaven because her loser of a husband was stationed elsewhere. Unfortunately, he was due home and she knew the beatings would resume. What she does next to help herself and others is what sets off World War III in the neighborhood.
The author has a great plot but with trying to connect all the different characters and stories with families and who was doing what to whom got confusing at times. The book tended to drag in sections. I believe the secondary characters who played major roles throughout the novel should have more of a final resolution at the ending. I can only contend the reason they were left up in the air intentional because of possible future series. The book tended to drag in sections and that is where the author might have evolved the development of the characters tighter.
Thank you to the author and publisher for diligently working so hard to provide us the readers books!
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and this is my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Life in London after the war and things start to change. Men coming home both welcome and unwelcome. Women who have lost their husbands.. All living together in a group of houses. They all depend one each other for backup and advise. Kept together by one Zinna Makepeace the story centers around Zelda who's husband is abusive. Good story line Keeps you reading.

Trouble in Paradise is the literary equivalent of mac-and-cheese: not fancy, but comforting, tasty, and satisfying. London's East End and Soho in the days immediately after the end of World War II seemed to be evoked perfectly, from the tin tubs that needed to be filled for a bath to the finagling required to make a halfway decent meal from rations and veg grown on allotments. The story zipped along, the characters were for the most part believable (though I do wonder if East Enders of that time really were so tolerant of effeminate gay men and of Black Yank soldiers dating white London women). I quite enjoyed the time spent with this crew of characters, and it almost made me nostalgic for a past that I'd never experienced.

Thank you, Random House/Transworld and NetGalley, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book 3 again is so enjoyable to read i just love these types of books with a caring community thats makes sure everyone is ok.5*