What a different story!
A lot of hard to read and turn pages.
Complicated ? Not really, but this book had so many heartbreaking moments it simply kept me love it and hate it at the same time. Perhaps I read too many cheesy stories, so this one was a little too much for me.
I still liked it.

This was a hard read for me.
The time period was fascinating, after the wwII and set in Hong Kong.
I didn't like the main character and didn't make a connection with her.
As a woman and reading about the brutality against another woman, it was a hard read!
Published July 11th 2019 by Head of Zeus.
I was given a complimentary copy. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This ARC was courtesy of netgalley - all thoughts and opinions are mine and unbiased
I also post to Amazon, Goodreads, Kobo and B&N

Historical fiction is very much my genre so I knew I would enjoy this and I did, immensely

Well written, the writing is so beautifully descriptive and evocative - I was totally immersed

No spoiler but there is a traumatic event so be prepared

I absolutely loved this and can't recommend enough

Hongkong WWII: A female young doctor works at the army hospital in Hong Kong. The war makes travel oversees dangerous and in the Chinese hinterland the Japs are fighting the Chinese but so far Hongkong is a peaceful place.

One evening Rowena and nurse Alice take the ferry to Chinese Kowloon to have a drink at a bar they heard rumours of. In the bar they meet the owner, an Irishman who is stationed as a sergeant major in Hongkong and owns the bar together with his best friend and commanding officer major Harry. Connor is a gregarious man who plays the fiddle and sings but refuses to serve drinks to unaccompanied women.

A guest invites them to share a drink with him. He is Kim Pheloung, a rich businessman with Chinese and maybe other genes. Rowena thinks he is the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

In the days that follow she goes out with both of the men. Connor she likes a lot but Kim she is very attracted to.

Then disaster strikes and the Japanese attack Hong Kong and the world changes in a hell full of horror.

I really liked the novel. It can be very bloody and cruel without going into extreme detail. We witness the horrors of war and internment by the Japanese and also the time shortly after the war when victims try to pick up their lives again.

Although not "romantic" I did admire the way the writer dealt with a "fiftyshadesofgrey"-element. Because in real life most people will hate to be forced unlike all those romance novel girls. Because in books that is never depicted so grimly I think it added to the value of the story even if you keep hoping someone is the romantic hero.

What I think is a glitch is the attitude of her brother towards people of mix race because his own grandmother was Indian.

I would advice the publishers to change their blurb on Amazon as it is full of spoilers! I had not read that and that makes the shock factor of the story more intense.

What a disappointment
The setting of the book was interesting but I expected more
I didn’t like the characters
I must admit that I lost interest in this book.
Other people may enjoy this but it wasn’t for me

I enjoyed the writing style of this book. I would definitely read more by her. I would recommend her books to anyone and everyone.

Not my normal type to read but i did enjoy the story and the charactors people will enjoy reading this book i give it 5*

This historical novel is a mesmerizing read, but it is also violent and sometimes difficult to read. In Kowloon, Doctor Rowena Rossiter and Sister Alice Huntley deserve a night off from their hard work and the men they meet on that fateful evening will change everything. Rowena finds herself torn between two very different men, Irish soldier Connor O’Connor and wealthy, handsome Kim Phelong. On the face of it, Kim may seem the better choice, but he’s manipulative and controlling. When the Japanese invade, both women are destroyed by violent rape. Meticulously researched, this is a story of strength and resilience

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.