The Secret Notebook by Julia Wilde

About the Book

 A view to the past…

When Izzie Dean’s beloved nan, Molly Blackshaw, passes away, Izzie returns to the Blackpool bungalow where she grew up, to say goodbye once and for all. When Izzie’s homecoming reunites her with her first love, Justin Swift, every emotion that Izzie has repressed since the day he broke her heart comes rushing to the surface. But then an unexpected discovery changes everything.

Between the pages of the battered secret diary Molly kept during WWII, Izzie discovers a story of love, heartbreak, and the incomparable hardship of life in a world at war. Reading her grandmother’s words soon puts her own story into perspective, and suddenly Izzie realises that the only thing holding her back from happiness, might be herself. Now she just has to convince Justin that they deserve a second chance at forever…

Title:      The Secret Notebook

Author:  Julia Wild

Published By: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 8th July

Links to buy:  UK:  Amazon      US:  Amazon

Pre-order the paperback Waterstones

Our Review

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Secret Notebook as it was just gorgeous from beginning to end. When Izzie packs up her grandmother's house she finds a secret notebook and through it she discovers the story of her gran's first love. I found the chapters about Molly were so evocative about lost love and the fragility of life throughout the war. I could feel every emotion that she went through so vividly because of the beautiful way it was written. I could practically see and feel the notebook absolutely bursting with letters and pictures.

I also loved Izzie's story too which unfolded around her finding the diary. I also loved the way she was able to get to know her gran as a young woman and see the trials and tribulations that she went through. The way she spoke about her gran and grandpops was full of love and the fact that she could share their story with someone close to her was so lovely. I'm really going to miss reading this gorgeous story.

Sincerely

Book Angel x

About the Author

Hello there!

I was born near Manchester, am married and live in Bedfordshire and have three fantastic youngsters - all adults now.

After years of submitting to the Romantic Novelists Association in the 1990s, I came through the Scheme to win the New Writers Award (now the Joan Hessayon Award) with Dark Canvas, my first published book. Illusions, which was originally published in 2002, also won an award - the RNA's Romance Prize in 2003.

I love to read romantic intrigues, thrillers, suspense and love stories, love writing them too - turning what first appears simple into something far more mysterious! Always, my books start with... 'Oh, what if...?' a wonderful, tingling question, the story developing as I work.

As well as a variety of jobs in a craft shop, solicitors, a bank, a nightclub, and I worked most recently in local libraries for 18 years and when the cutbacks came, I took redundancy and am taking some time to be self-employed, doing what I love best - escaping into the writing world with a head full of dreams and story themes.