I literally jumped for joy when I learned Jenny Ashcroft had written a new book! Ms. Ashcroft's novels are historical fiction at its best, with a meticulously researched plot, heart-wrenching drama, warm and fuzzy romance, action and adventure, and a twist or two. I always devour her books in a few hours and "Under the Golden Sun" was no exception.

The story follows Rose Hamilton, who travels from war-torn England to Australia while escorting a young child back to his family there. Of course, things are rarely that simple and Rose find herself in the adventure of a lifetime. My heart ached for both Rose and the child, Walter, and I desperately wanted all to turn out right for them. Ms. Ashcroft's writing transported me from snowy Pittsburgh to sunny Australia and her character development was top notch.

"Under The Golden Sun" will make an excellent book club selection because there is so much to discuss. Billed as a historical romance, it really is so much more than that, and even readers who aren't a fan of romance will appreciate the exquisite writing and adventurous plot. Rose is a strong female character that will earn many admiring readers.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.

Under the Golden Sun is a WW11 historical fiction with a solid romance arc. Rose Hamilton, whose essentially a bit stuck in life when she sees an ad for a young orphaned child in need of a companion. Having suffered a miscarriage, she jumps at the opportunity to help a young one arrive safely to his Uncle Max, a wounded war hero . Leaving behind her family and fiancé, she travels with young Walter to Australia and isn't meet with the welcoming scene she expected. Having already formed a bond with Walter, she stays to make sure he's alright . While a war is going on she deals with Walter's well-being , making new friends, worrying about her family , reevaluating her personal life and finding love if she's brave enough.

I'll be honest it took me a while to get into this book and I think it was because I'm in a book slump, but I really became invested at the first big plot twist. From there, I was extremely curious to discover how it would all work out. Wanting to see Walter loved and accepted, anticipating the bond of companionship that would form between Max and Rose as she slowly chipped away at his emotional walls, and to see Rose find her happy ending.

There's much going on in Under the Golden Sun but at the heart of it, it's Rosie's story of self growth and finding and letting herself be happy. A clean romance with family drama, morning rendezvous, heated glances, yearning and a satisfying happily ever after that will leave a smile on your face.

Its the early years of WWII and Rose needs a new start in life. She answers an advertisement for someone to act as guardian and companion to 4 year old Walter as he travels back to the cattle station that is his family's home in Australia. The first part of the book is about Rose and Walter getting to know each other and the strong bond that's formed between them. Then it's on to Australia and the war in the Pacific. I've read alot about the war in Europe, but I must confess not too much about WWII in the Pacific. Wow! Talk about eye opening!
This book iso also a love story. It's about the love between Walter and Rose, Walter and his new family, Rose and Max, and especially Rose's love for Australia. I really enjoyed this book!! It's definately going to be one I'll read again.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
!

I started this book in the afternoon and would have read it in one sitting if I could have kept my eyes open. I was so invested in the characters and the predicament of the child, Walter, I didn’t want to put it down.

The interactions between Rose and Max, Walter’s wounded fighter pilot uncle, are what kept me reading late into the night. I was so invested in the slow-burn smolder between Max and Rose! Plus, I will take a grumpy, good-guy hero any day.

There is also a mystery that is intensely foreshadowed in the start of the book. The reader knows that something is not as it seems, but will have to wait until Rose arrives in Australia to solve the riddle. This is just another thing that made the book unputdownable for me.

This is the first book I have read by Jenny Ashcroft and I can’t wait to read more!

Note: I have posted this review to my Goodreads account and will post it to my Amazon and Instagram accounts during publication week.

4.5 rounded up

This lovely book is set in Australia during WWII. It is a lovely story of family and the family you choose. I hadn't read a WWII book from this point of view before and really liked it.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the free book.
I wanted to love this one - and I zoomed through the first 50%. However, the second half really slowed down for me and there were a lot of characters to keep track of. I wanted this romance to be as sweeping as her last book, and I just didn’t quite get dragged into this story like the previous. I did enjoy the authors descriptions of Australia. It was easy to picture the land and animals.

I've recently begun reading historical novels set during World War II, and I've really enjoyed what I've read so far. Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft is my first book by this talented author. Not only that, but it's my first book about WWII set in Australia. What a wonderful start to my acquaintance with this author! When I wasn't smiling as I read, I was bawling my eyes out. And yes, that is a good thing, one my husband simply cannot grasp.

Rose Hamilton was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and happily engaged in England during the second World War. However, she was cruelly dismissed from the WAAF after a tragic personal loss, and is now working on a Devon farm as secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture. Rose is still feeling lost, but she is oddly drawn to an advertisement in the paper for a companion to escort an orphaned boy to Australia. Rose immediately falls in love with adorable four-year-old Walter Lucknow, and accepts the job from Walter's elderly and quite ill great aunt Vivian. Walter is the heir to an Australian cattle station, and Aunt Vivian believes it's time for the boy to return to his homeland and family. Leaving her family and betrothed behind, Rose and Walter cross the dangerous Pacific and eventually makes it to the Lucknow home...but things aren't what Rose was led to believe they were. She learns the truth about the family and knows she cannot leave Walter until she knows he will be happy and loved. She begins to get to know the Lucknows, especially Walter's scarred fighter pilot uncle Max. Will Rose be able to part from Walter and Max and return to her old life when the time comes?

This was simply a heartbreaking - and heartwarming - book that drew me in immediately and kept me enthralled until its conclusion. Rose was a marvelous character and I loved her from the start. She was dealing with a devastating personal loss and was torn about her relationship with her fiance Xander. On the way to a birthday lunch with her uncle, she impulsively decides to find out more information about an advertisement she reads in the paper. By the time she reaches her uncle quite late, she has already decided to meet Walter. When she does, she falls for the adorable little lad immediately. Heck, I did, and I'm not particularly fond of children! (Once again, don't judge me!) They sail across the Pacific and after a long, exhausting trip they arrive in the pouring rain at night at the family ranch, and the welcoming is NOT what she was expecting. No wonder Aunt Vivian hoped Rose was the forgIving type! I went from hating the Lucknow family to loving them all, especially Max. Max was disfigured from being burned when the plane he was flying was shot down over Africa, and he tended to keep to himself; he couldn't resist Walter, though, and eventually Rose. Rose was a mama bear to Walter and did everything she could to make him happy and accepted. The war broke through Rose's growing happiness and devastated her, and Max helped her as best he could. Another part of Rose's prior life also caught up to her, and my heart just broke for her. I cried my eyes out, fearing what would happen! I'm so grateful I ended up being satisfied. I will definitely be searching out more of this author's work!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I really struggled to get through this book. I loved the idea and the history (although i wish there was more historical details), but I found that the story dragged on. I wanted more from the characters and their relationships. More of those “i cant put this book down because i want to know what comes next” moments, instead of a more predictable romance.

What a intriguing story!
What a incredible story!
What a heartwarming story!
Definitely a very complex story with a plot that pulls you in from the first pages.
I encourage you to read Under the Golden Sun. Though some parts may seem slow, do keep on reading. You will be happy you did. You will find yourself immersed in family, hope, romance, intrigue, friendships and personal challenges.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Rose's life changes the moment she picks up and reads an abandoned newspaper on the train. It's WWII, she's had a tragedy, she's unsure of her fiance Xander, and the idea of accompanying 5 year old orphan Walter to Australia, well, that sounds wonderful. Walter's great aunt Vivian assures Rose that there's a welcoming family on a large cattle station in Queensland, but that's not entirely true I bet due to Walter's parentage. Rose's brother Joe is a pilot, her parents are in Ceylon, and there's nothing holding her back so she sets out with Walter on a shabby cruise ship on the very long voyage to Australia. Wonderful atmospherics for this trip! What she finds is a family still torn by things related to Walter but one which is open to her. Then there's Max, a pilot who was terribly burned and now is back on the station. This is a big emotional novel with good characters you'll able to visualize and root for. Even Xander, the fiance who can't quit. Loved the wires sent back and forth between Rose and others- so much expressed in so few words. No spoilers from me but Ashcroft has thrown in some good twists that elevate this from what you might expect. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read especially for fans of historical fiction.

I was excited when I was granted an ARC of Jenny Ashcroft's newest book since I was such a fan of Meet Me in Bombay. Ashcroft once again did not disappoint.

As with Meet Me in Bombay, I would say this is light on the historical fiction and more of a story about love, family, and those we choose as our family. The story is set during WW2. There are historical facts and aspects but it is light in my humble opinion. I would not say that this is a bad thing.

Rose, a British young woman, accepts a job to accompany a young boy, Walter, who recently lost his mother tragically. Rose and Walter set off to Australia so Walter can live with his "family". I found the Australian setting to be intriguing and one that I had not read much about in the past.

I will be looking for future releases from Ashcroft.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

“Under the Golden Sun” tells the story of a small boy, orphaned in wartime London, and the woman hired to take him to his family in Australia. This is historical fiction at its best, rich in details about the time and place. Walter, Rose and their separate families create an international extended family that I came to love and admire deeply by the end of the story. I didn’t want to put this down, and was sorry to have to say goodbye to all of them.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft is a story of how one decision can change the course of one’s life. March 1941, England, Rose Hamilton is desperate for a change when, by chance, she comes across a want ad. A companion is needed to escort a young orphaned child to Australia. There are so many reasons she should ignore the ad but she is drawn to the plight of this poor child. On a whim, she meets with the child’s dying great-aunt and within weeks boards a ship on her way across the treacherous seas during wartime against the misgivings of her family and her fiancé. After the long journey, Rose and Walter arrive at his family’s cattle station home but their arrival isn’t as welcomed as she thought. Rose is determined to leave Walter when he is happy and settled and his wounded fighter pilot uncle, Max Lucknow, is the key. It becomes clear that she has grown to love Walter and his new family. How can she leave him behind when he isn’t the only reason she wants to stay?
Ms. Ashcroft can be counted on for a beautiful story and Under the Golden Sun is no exception. I enjoyed each character as they are hardened by life’s harsh circumstances but through the magic of love and forgiveness, they find themselves softening and open to a better life. Though it doesn’t come easily, I liked the progression the characters go through as they face the demons they’ve been running from. I particularly like Rose as she battles feeling in limbo as she had suffered a terrible loss and life went on but she wasn’t the same. Even though the question of whether Rose stays or goes back to her life in England was fairly obvious; however, how it was answered was beautiful and heartwarming. It certainly brought a huge smile to my face. It was a hard book to put down as I was engaged in the family’s history and drama. I also enjoyed reading about the events of World War II through the eyes of another country. It isn’t just Americans or Europeans who experienced the war. I highly recommend Under the Golden Sun.

Under the Golden Sun is available March 15, 2022 in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook.

I am skimming at chapter 4. It’s such a slow moving book and I’m just not connecting with the characters or the storyline. Unfortunately, I’m going to pass on this one. I enjoyed Meet Me in Bombay - check that one out

UNDER THE GOLDEN SUN
by Jenny Ashcroft
St. Martin’s Press
Out Mar 15.

Jenny Ashcroft's latest is a sensitive histfic novel set in England and Australia during WWII. As London is hit by the blitz, Rose Hamilton is let go from the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force after terrible tragedy strikes.

She takes a risk for new life by accepting a position to serve as companion to four-year-old Walter Lucknow, an orphan and heir to a bustling Australian cattle station. Down Under is his home where family live.

But when they arrive, Jenny learns that they've not been told the whole truth. She meet's the boy's Uncle Max, still suffering war injuries and PTSD, and as he grows close to Walter, Rose finds her heart deeply touched too.

Will she return to England to be with her family and fiancé again, or find home now with Walter and Max? A must-read for histfic lovers entranced by Australia and compassionate tales about finding "family" by following your heart.

Thanks to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#underthegoldensun #jennyashcroft #stmartinspress #NetGalley

This is a beautiful story. Rose is struggling in England, worried about her pilot brother and trying to reconnect with her fiance. She sees an ad looking for a companion for a little boy named Walter during a voyage to Australia, and when she goes to inquire and learn more, she quicky realizes she must do it.
As they become acquainted and then sail together, Walter brings Rose a purpose. She finds her voice and her strength in protecting this child. This continues when they reach their destination. Being on the cattle station in Australia gives Rose time to breathe, think about what she wants, and not feel pressure from her fiance or protective uncle. Both she and Walter end up discovering an unlikely family.
There is a lot of heartache in this book - death, war, racism, loneliness. But I enjoyed it so much because there was also a lot of hop, and kindness and love.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A woman escorts an orphan child to Australia and finds much more than she expected in terms of who the child is related to and the farm and the war.

I was provided a free ARC copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
When Rose sees an ad in a paper looking for someone to escort a five year old orphaned boy to family in Australia, she realizes it is the perfect opportunity to take a step away from her current struggles. She and her fiance are in a rocky patch after going through a miscarriage, her job feels like a step back from where she should be moving, and of course there is the small thing known as World War II (with her brother serving as a pilot and her parents living abroad) going on! What Rose does not expect is the love she will grow for her young charge, and the unexpected predicament they will be placed into once they reach Australia!
This was a good storyline and it kept my attention. I loved the progress of Rose throughout. Her young charge, Walter, will endear himself on your heart and you will want to ensure his safety and well-being just as much as Rose! It also felt a bit different than most WWII historical fiction stories as its setting was different than those I have read before. Although still very much a part of the story, the war seemed more of a backdrop than a main focus compared to others in the genre.
If you are a fan of historical fiction with some action, some love, and a lot of heart, you'll love this one!
NetGalley and Amazon (US) show it to be released 15 Mar, although Goodreads already shows it published. So this month may be the US publishing date. If it sounds like something you'd be interested in, definitely check when you can get a copy, and add it to your TBR!
#NetGalley #UnderTheGoldenSun

Under the Golden Sun
by Jenny Ashcroft
Pub Date: March 15, 2022
St Martin's Press
Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.
Jenny Ashcroft's Under the Golden Sun is a captivating World War II historical love story set against the raw beauty of Australia.

Rose Hamilton is in desperate need of a life change when she reads the want ad in the newspaper for a companion needed to escort a young orphaned child to Australia. There are so many reasons she should ignore the advertisement―the war, those treacherous winter seas, her family, her fiance... but she can't help herself. Within weeks she is boarding an enormous convoy, already too attached to five-year-old Walter.This was a beautiful, emotional, heartfelt and poignant love story. It really transports you to the time and place. Such a great book to escape into. I really enjoyed these characters and story about finding a happy home! 5 star

Set in both England and Australia during WWII, Under the Golden Sun is a heartwarming and charming historical fiction about loss, love, family and hope. England is stunned and horrified at the terrible changes war has brought. Lives change forever as people are now in survival mode. Though war realities are mentioned, this is not a gritty war book whatsoever.

Young woman Rose Hamilton has suffered through tragedy of her own and was also discharged from the Women's Auxiliary Air Force in England. She then worked on a farm but was discontented and unfulfilled. Fortunately she acted on a newspaper ad and spontaneously took a job to ensure safe passage of Walter, an orphan of four, to his family's ancestral home across the Pacific in Australia. It does not take her long to become enamoured with the sweet child...they trust in and learn from each other. Walter's great aunt Vivian plays a very important part in his life as well as Rose's. The story continues with developing and changing relationships, sometimes written with an evocative tense anxiety associated with war.

My favourite aspects of this book are the historical war details and the bonds which bring people together in extraordinary and unexpected ways. The Australian setting is refreshingly different and twists come toward the end. Vivian, Esme and Max are particularly interesting characters.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this lovely book.