I liked this book. I loved the way the present and past collided. Lexie must make her way back to the Loch that her mother called home. As she tries to make a future for her and her daughter, she uncovers her mother's past. Coming to terms with her past brings Lexie the future that she always wanted. A good very well written book.

It is a beautifully written book, but unfortunately not one that I could get into. Possibly my unfamiliarity with the setting, Scotland or that I have read too many dual storylines recently. Flora, during WWII and Lexi, her daughter during the late 70's. It was just OK. Not the worst, but definitely not the best. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

In the late 1970s, Lexie Gordon returns home with her daughter, Daisy, to Aultbea, a small fishing village on Loch Ewe in the Scottish Highlands. She has come to live in her family’s cottage after a vocal cord injury ended her singing career in London. Embarrassed at first that the town gossipers might judge her for her lost career or single parenthood, Lexie slowly begins to reconnect with her town. She also begins to discover, through the townspeople, secrets of her family’s past.

In 1939, Flora Gordon lives with her family in the Keeper’s Cottage in Aultbea. Her father is the gamekeeper for the Laird, a surly and imposing man. Aultbea is suddenly tapped as the location for the Royal Navy’s Arctic convoys and is turned into a military base virtually overnight. At the same time, Flora finds herself falling in love with the Laird’s son.

Valpy paints a gorgeous word picture of the beauty of Scotland, both before and after the war, as well as the scars left behind in Loch Ewe when the war is over. I also enjoyed the description of everyday life in a fishing village and how that is suddenly changed by a military presence. The characters are well developed. The love between Flora and her family, and the love Lexie has for her daughter, is palpable. I was often furious at the cruel tactics of the well-crafted and despicable Laird. The town comes alive through its people and their connection to each other. This is a well written novel involving WWII fiction, Scottish history, and family dynamics with a touch of romance.

I received a free copy from Amazon Publishing UK and Historical Novels Review Magazine via Netgalley. This appeared on The Historical Novel Society Website/Historical Novels Review Magazine

Mother and daughter Flora and Lexi's lives are deeply rooted in Loch Ewe, Scotland.
Their stories are intense, happy and sad, tragic and glorious, desperate and hopeful and most of all linked to their village and harbor which became an important naval base during World War II. Flora looses the love of her life at sea and gives birth to Lexi whom she raises alone without the support of her could have been in laws who are well endowed and despise her for inferior social class. Many years later, Lexi will follow a similar path. She comes home with her little girl Daisy in tow after having tried to make it in London and what seemed like a failure at first will in fact save her and lead her to joy, love and a bright future. This is a lovely story about motherhood, courage, truthfulness, memories, and most of the power of love.

I really enjoyed this WWII era historical fiction novel. It’s split between present day and 1930/1940’s. I have spent time hiking in the area where the novel is set so it has added appeal. I liked the characters and it had a bit of romance added but not too much. It was a quick read and I even stayed up late to finish the book. It made me want to return to the North Western coast of Scotland for some more hill walking, warm pubs with a fire and mugs of hot tea.

The Skylark’s Secret is one of those novels that sit with you after you have finished. The strength and purpose of the men and women who helped fight in WWII is highlighted, but it is not the main theme of the novel. The wild landscape of Scotland and the Loch Ewe is a key element of the story, but the story is really about the strength of a woman during WWII and her story as it happens and how it continues to resonant a generation later. To me the main theme of strength - when people need to be strong and love - for the people in this remote village.

The story is told in two parts. Flora’s story is told during WWII in the wilds of Scotland, when the Loch became a base for the Royal Navy and its Arctic Convoys. Flora is the game keeper’s daughter. Her father Ian works for the MacKenzie-Grant family in the small village of Aultbea. Flora and Alec fall in love, but his father, the head of the MacKenzie-Grant family strongly disapproves. After all, she is the game keeper’s daughter.

The second part of the story is of her daughter Lexie when she returns to live in the village. She had been working as a singer and actress in London, when she realized her voice had been damaged and she was pregnant. Lexie is feeling ashamed that she has to return and feels she let everyone down including herself. What Lexie learns about her parents and the village of Aultbea helps her move forward.

I love stories that are told in two voices. Flora and Lexie’s stories weave around each other with bits of each storyline eeking out as the story continues. I fell in love with the Loch and the characters. The twist at the end and the subsequent conclusion made the story even more unforgettable.

The Skylark’s Secret by Fiona Valpy is a wonderful read for anyone who loves historical fiction with an underlying romance that adds to the quality of story.

Well written and the character developed to a point you really feel like you know this.
Thanks netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Strong characters and a Scottish setting resonate in this tale of World War II. A must read for historical fiction fans, and a bit of a twist as to what the Skylark's secret really entails.

Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I felt like I knew each character personally by the end of the book.

II loved this book told both from the mother's and daughter's perspective. It was a wonderful WW2 story and was very heart felt. I loved the deep connections between the characters and how the story played out till the end. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC for an honest opionion. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Wonderful book - really enjoyed it! This is the first Fiona Valpy story that I have read but I will definitely be downloading more now. Her writing is very easy to read, whilst her descriptions of the characters and places are great. You really start to picture the village and the wonderful loch & countryside around it. Have to say that I love Scotland so any novels set there are always likely to be a hit with me!

I loved the way the story moved between Flora and her daughter, nearly 40 years later - I didn't find it confusing, it worked really well. It was great to discover more and more as the book went on, where there were surprises right up until the very end.

I would thoroughly recommend this book. Although I am not a great fan of war stories, although this was quite a part of this, it was not a detailed description of war related things; they just formed the background of village life and how it affected the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review, which is what I have given.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
This was a fascinating book about how a highland community was affected by World War II. It was made even more interesting, when the storyline was about how Loch Ewe was used as a staging post for the convoys to sail from the loch, either back to America for more supplies or to Russia to supply the troops there. The storyline was also a love story, whether it was the three young woman who fell in love during the war or the granddaughter who fell in love in the 1970’s.
I really enjoyed reading The Skylark’s Secret by Fiona Valpy and will read more books by this author.
Highly recommended

An enjoyable story set against the backdrop of a quiet Loch turned into a base in WW2 for the perilous Arctic convoys. We start in the 70s as Lexie goes back to the village of her birth with her baby after living in the bright lights of London. She reconnects with her past and learns the story of her mother and father during the war. Strong characters, a real feel for the traditions and Highlands culture, set against the tragedies of war.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.

The timeline alternates from 1977 back to 1939 where the past helps bring clarity to the present.

In 1980, Lexi carries her daughter Daisy on her back as she hikes the familiar hills of Loch Ewe in the Scottish Highlands. She never imagined while living her dream in the theaters of London that she would find herself back home in Artuath. Lexi returned to take care of the estate when her mother Flora Gordon dies. While in Artuath she attempts to learn more about the relationship between her parents. She was told that her father Alec Mackenzie Grant died in the war before she was born. Her mother was always reluctant to elaborate further on her past.

Daisy recalls her life in London and being swept away by the magnanimous Piers the director of the theatre. When Daisy discovers she’s pregnant it enrages the married man who refuses to claim paternity. Although she realizes her dream of being a stage actor will be shattered; she decides to have the baby and raise it alone. She dreaded her return to Artuath even though she was struggling financially. She felt that her home town would gossip about her and see her as a failure.

Although she tries to keep a low profile in the small town it isn’t long before she is surrounded by the community and those who loved her mother. She learns things about her mother that she never knew after moving into her cottage. Davy Laverock appears to help out as he did for her mother which raises concern for the independent single mother. She also finds comfort in rekindling a friendship with a childhood friend, Elspeth who is married with 2 children.

Lexie learns that her mother lived with her grandfather, Iain Gordon, who was a keeper of the estate of Sir Charles and Lady Helen after her mother and baby sister dies. Her uncle Ruaridh joined the Royal Navy where he befriends Alec Mackenzie-Grant who happens to be the son of Sir Charles. Gradually, Flora’s longtime friends share the love story of her parents. Mrs Moira Carmichael seemed to be the most informed being married to air raid warden, Archibald. Bridie McDonald and Mairi Macleod remained her dearest friends through the years.

The relationship between Alec and Flora was discouraged and eventually forbidden by Sir Charles. He had arranged an engagement for Alec to Diana Kingsley-Scott. Lexie is proud to learn that her mother and friends joined the Wrens to help in the war effort. They had met and befriended some of the servicemen with whom they formed close connections.

Lexie finds that a person can always go home. She discovers that by doing so she found out more about herself as well as her family. This is a touching heartwarming story about courage, determination and love during the war.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was not a novel for me as I just couldn't get into it and didn't finish.

This book has two storylines and two generations that we learn about. It's a love story but also historic fiction. . Told from the view of a mother during WWII and then her daughter in the 1970’s. Sometimes duel timelines can be hard to follow, but the way the author entwined them was enjoyable. A beautifully written story about the sacrifices mothers will make for their children. A heartwarming tale of love, loss, courage and bravery

Lexie Gordon leaves her life in London to return home to the cottage in Scotland where she grew up with her mother. As she settles into her new life with her daughter Daisy, Lexie learns past secrets from her mothers' life in 1940.
This book veers seamlessly between Lexie's life in the and 1940, when Loch Ewe was the base for the Royal Navy’s Arctic convoys. Flora Gordon, her dearest friends Mairí and Bridie all experienced life-changing events during this time. Events that paved their future paths and laid the foundations for Lexie's life.
I really enjoyed this book, the depiction of Alec's pain inflicted by his fathers' disapproval and the war was heartwrenching. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

I received this ARC from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a rollercoaster of emotions and what a well written tale. This.book is one of my first sci-fi novel. A heartwarming story. Would love to add it to my library, provided I get it in India,

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an e-arc of this book in return for a honest review

This was my first time reading a book by Fiona Valpy and it definitely won't be the last.

This beautiful book is set in Lough Ewe in the Western Highlands of Scotland.
It has a dual timeline following the story of Flora Gordon who lives in the Keepers Cottage on Ardtuath Estate with her Dad Iain and brother Ruairidh during WW2. Her little village has become a Royal Navy Base and Artic Convoys regularly leave from there heading to Russia with supplies. The author has researched this part of history well and I learned a lot about their contribution to WW2.

The second story is of Flora's daughter Lexie, who returns to Lough Ewe on the death of her mother Flora in the late 1970s with her little girl Daisy. She is a single Mum with a failed career on the London stage behind her. She moves into Keepers Cottage where her family have lived for generations and is determined to find out about her Father.

Fiona's descriptive writing puts the reader right onto the heart of the Lough Ewe community and I didn't want to leave.
A beautiful gentle cosy read that tugs on your heartstrings. Curl up by the fire and open this book. You won't regret it.

What a beautiful story!!!!!! I received this book from Netgalley & I am so glad I did. The location, the characters & plot were all amazing. Definitely reading this author again!!