Rosie Clarke is a favorite historical fiction author of mine. I have now reviewed seven books from the Mulberry Lane series.

Life and Love at Mulberry Lane is the ninth novel in the series. Having not reviewed historical fiction for awhile, I jumped at the chance to review Rose Clarke's latest.

Life and Love at Mulberry Lane is the ninth book in the series, and there's a useful character list at the beginning.

London, 1961.

People are starting to travel more, both within England and the UK and abroad. I have always really liked Peggy and how she cares so much for people and how the pub is such a symbol in the area of East London Mulberry Lane is in.

I especially liked Freddie's story, and how he helped children with disabilities and wanted to more in the future. He and the other lifeguards in Hastings in Sussex were great people.

I liked the setting of Hastings and Sussex since I lived near Eastbourne in East Sussex for some years when I was little,

Peggy and her husband are in need of a much-needed break in the USA.

Themes are love, personal challenges and how the residents of Mulberry Lane always pull together to help each other out.

The Mulberry Lane series is a real stand out series from Rosie Clarke, and I definitely want to review more books.

Rosie Clarke is incredibly talented in character description, atmosphere and making her books homely and heartwarming, but capturing the personal struggles and dramatic moments of the time period, too and showing how that plays out in the lives of the characters.

Thanks to Rosie Clarke, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars

I felt as though I was visiting well-loved family and friends while reading Life and Love at Mulberry Lane! Although it can be read as a standalone, you will get more understanding of the characters if you do read the previous books in the series.

This story focuses on the younger generation of the family in the swinging sixties. It's 1961, matriarch and patriarch of the family, Peggy and Able go on a long awaited holiday to his home country of America which unfortunately ends with an incident; Maggie and Fay are finishing the renovations to the Pig and Whistle pub and restaurant while Freddie takes a temporary job in Hastings as a lifeguard.

It was fantastic to catch up with the family and residents of Mulberry Lane and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Life And Love At Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke is the most delightful historical novel that entertained me from the start.
The action is set in 1961 as we follow residents of Mulberry Lane in London. It is a time of opportunity as new ventures are opening up. We also travel to the south coast to accompany the life guards there.
Foreign travel is on the horizon. The world appears to be shrinking as planes become accessible for ordinary folk.
We hear of the brutality in Alabama as Martin Luther King jr leads peaceful protests for equality. The people are met with cruelty and violence. A huge heart from London is not used to the laws of segregation, seeing only people in need of help. She cannot stand by and do nothing but there are terrible consequences.
Young love is blooming. We see the value of good hearts over appearances. Kindness is always attractive.
Family and friends are important. We see a close knit community in action.
Life And Love At Mulberry Lane is a wonderful warm novel. Community and care are the order of the day and the heartbeat of the novel. I adored my trip to Mulberry Lane.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Life and Love at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke takes us back to Mulberry Lane where The Pig & Whistle is closing for renovations. Peggy and Able Ronoscki are heading to America on a much-deserved vacation. Maggie Rowan will handle the food for the bar and the new restaurant while Fay Ronoscki is handling her new catering venture. Both ladies are excellent chefs, and they want to make of success of both businesses. Love may derail their plans when an up-and-coming singer sets his sights on Fay and a racing car driver fancies Maggie. The family is shocked when they receive news that Peggy has been injured, and she is in critical condition. The family will need to rally together to get through this difficult time. Life and Love at Mulberry Lane is the ninth book in The Mulberry Lane series. While Life and Love at Mulberry Lane can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the series in order to get the full experience. It is spring of 1961 which brings changes to Mulberry Lane. Clothes, music, and attitudes are different. It is great to catch up with Peggy, Able, Janet, Pip, Maggie, Fay, Freddie, and the other characters. The author has created a great cast of characters for this series. I find the characters to be realistic and relatable. As with each book in the series, we are introduced to new characters. Freddie, Fay, and Maggie are growing up. While each one of them says they wish to delay getting married until their careers take off, cupid has a way of striking when you least suspect it. I have enjoyed seeing the characters grow up and begin their own families. I like how the family members are close and are there for each other. The people who live on Mulberry Lane are part of the extended family. We get to see how each member of the family copes with change, setbacks, and injuries. I thought the accident that injures Peggy and Able suited the time period and events happening in America. Peggy’s injuries were unexpected. The author captured 1961 with local and world events, the music references, the books, movies, and the change in people’s attitudes. I like that we get to see more career opportunities opening for women. While the younger generation is open to the shift in values, some of the older generation is still clinging to traditional values. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next with the residents of Mulberry Lane. Life and Love at Mulberry Lane is a historical tale about family, community, friendship, and love.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

It was lovely to be back at Mulberry Lane, meeting up with the characters and their families.

In this book, stories are connected, The Pig and Whistle is being refurbished and Peggy and Able go to America where she has an accident, which leaves her in a serious condition.

Back in Mulberry Lane, Fay falls in love with Jace, a pop star and Freddie is off to Hastings, to work as a lifeguard. Maggie also has an encounter with Greg!

We also read about the other characters lives. This was beautifully written and a page-turner.

A series I highly recommend.

This was another one in the Mulberry Lane series, which has been quite a light, enjoyable read so far. While I enjoyed the overall story, I would have liked a little bit more focus on Peggy. Her story line felt somewhat flat and unbelievable, but perhaps it was just because she was not one of the main focuses of the book this time around. I'll happily continue reading this series as long as the author keeps up this level of quality.

I do adore this series and I have followed it from the start. The author has now brought her characters and the story into the swinging 60s. The Pig & Whistle is due to be closed for the first time for refurbishments, even the bombs of WWII couldn't keep the place closed! Peggy and Abel are due for a well-deserved rest and are off to the US. Family members, well if you have been following this series you know there are plenty of them, and they are all doing their own thing.

The author has created another fabulous book and it follows the loves and lives of those who are at the centre of the Mulberry Lane series. As always there are more characters coming into the story, this is something that is inevitable as her characters grow up and find their own partners and then expand their families.

While it is a time of happiness there are also several underlying problems, one of which concerns Peggy and has some consequences that I didn't see coming. The way the author dealt with this was excellent and it showed how this large family rally around and cope with changes to their circumstances. It brings worries out in the open and makes people confront things that are bothering them.

As the next generation of Mulberry Lane children is getting older, they also have their own worries, life and love are something that some of them are having to deal with as well as their futures in a world that is changing. The 60s brought many changes and the author has brought some of these into the story. Opinions and expectations have altered over the years, women are able to have more freedom in career choices and the history of movements in the US is brought to the forefront.

The author does such a wonderful job of bringing the importance of family and friends to the heart of her stories. This is a book that excels in the sense of family, community and friendship. Another fabulous read that is full of shocks, and surprises and there are a few routes that I didn't expect. This book kept me addicted from the first to the last page as a have all of the books in this series. If you are a fan of historical romance and fiction then this is a series to add to your list. If you are already reading this series then you are in for another treat. I would definitely recommend it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book about the families connected to Mulberry Lane. Unfortunately I hadn’t read any of the previous books in the series but it didn’t take me long to get up to speed with who was who and how they were all connected. There isn’t one storyline but actually a few that are all interweaving. Peggy and Able go to his native America for a holiday but there is an accident, Fay falls for pop star Jace and her twin goes to Hastings to work as a lifeguard. Then there is Maggie and Greg! Along with all the lives of the other characters this is a great read. I would however recommend reading the others in the series first. Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

It was lovely to be back at Mulberry Lane and to read about the characters that live there and their families. The Pig and Whistle having undergone an upgrade. Peggy's attack leaving her in a critical condition so far away from home in America. A real tear jerking moment. Another beautifully written book by Rosie and another page turner. A lovely read whilst snuggling up in the warmth on a cold winter evening. Jut the tonic I needed,

Love this series, it's like catching up with old friends. Another great storyline focused a bit more on the younger members. I'm hopeful for another installment. Great read.

Wow! Like going to visit friends, recognisable from the first page
The Pig and Whistle is at the heart of the community of Mulberry Lane so when it undergoes renovations, Peggy who is loved by all decides to go off on a trip of a lifetime with husband Able to his hometown of Alabama. They get caught up in the marches where Martin Luther King will speak, Peggy goes to the aid of a young woman with devastating outcomes!
At home as the pub starts to take shape, Maggie is able to get her restaurant up and running . After receiving the news from America she goes of to a collection of goods and runs into Greg! Fay is trying to get catering side established when along comes Jace whom she met previously while in France, is he all he seems?
Freddie is preparing to go to university in the autumn so decides to train to be a lifeguard for the summer. While staying at the guesthouse, the young caring man that he is helps the young girl who works for her aunt. Will she read too much into this!
Loved reading about the younger members of the family this time, along with the comforting Peggy in background.

Such a wonderful book. I was pulled into the story I loved the characters I enjoyed it I read in 2 days Would recommend it to others I couldn't put it down it was amazing so well written a nice easy to read book a good read

Life and Love at Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke

The Pig & Whistle undergoing renovation, proprietors Peggy and Able Ronoscki leave the chaos behind and head off on a trip of a lifetime to America. But disaster hits and Peggy finds herself in a critical condition in hospital.
Meanwhile, business is booming for young entrepreneurs Fay Ronoscki and Maggie Rowan with their new restaurant and catering empire. It seems neither has time for love.
But when fate throws a famous global singing sensation and glamourous racing car driver into the girls paths, falling in love with Jace and Greg seems beyond their control. Cupid has struck.
Life is made up of laughter, love and tears.
Love, love , love this series and the author really managed to bring these characters and the era to life.
Long may this set of books run and that Rosie keeps Mulberry Lane and it's residents going.

Another brilliant book about Peggy and Able and their family. I do love these books having read them all they have highs and lows but always make you smile.Brilliant read 5*

As usual I'm now eagerly awaiting the next in the series!

This was my Christmas reading and it was nice to finish it on Christmas day as it felt like it was spending the evening with old friends!

The book had the usual twists and turns and at times the reader was worried about the outcome. It was nice to get to know the twins and Maggie better. I hope the next in the series flicks back to some of the other characters; I missed Tom and although mentioned I don't think he said anything in the whole book!

Thank you Rosie as always for such a brilliant series. I'll miss reading the series tonight!

Such a wonderful book. I enjoyed it very much. Would recommend it to others I couldn't put it down it was amazing
5*****