this was weirdddddd. I tried to give it a fair shot but it didn't work out and I stopped at about 35%. im hoping I can pick it up again and try but we will see.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and this is my favorite type of historical fiction. I LOVE when I learn about something new. After reading, I get to go down various internet rabbit holes learning even more.

This book taught me about the Tryweryn drowning. A Welsh village was flooded to make a reservoir in order to supply Liverpool with water. These kinds of stories just kill me- it is so sad.

So, other than getting to learn about something new, this story is a romance between Al and Elin. Al is a member of the US Navy and meets Elin, a nurse, while in port. It is love at first sight, but things do not go smoothly. 65 years later, Al returns to find Elin.

I loved the historical part of this book. The romance was mostly good, but I found some storylines with secondary characters distracting. I really, really, really loved the 1950s part of the story. It was the present day part that I did not enjoy as much.

The audiobook is narrated by Josh Wichard, who does an excellent job.

I received an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Drowned Village is a beautifully written story about lost love, regret and the ability to move on.

The story begins as a love story between an American naval officer and young Welsh girl (Al and Elin) during WW2, but fate and misunderstanding have a cruel way of interfering and the two end up parting ways. A lifetime of years pass and Al returns to Wales to further research of his family and hopes to find Elin, but much to his surprise, the entire village as he once knew is completely gone, the entire village was forcibly flooded to create a reservoir for Liverpool.

This is a quiet read, the pacing is slow, and while the overall tone left me feeling somewhat melancholic, I still felt a sense of peace, hope and comfort. The author did a fantastic job vividly describing Welsh countryside, its dramatic landscape with high mountains, lush green valleys and glittering lakes. I felt as though I were actually there experiencing that first view with Al. I found the historical backdrop to be interesting. I had never heard of the forced flooding of the village of Capel Celyn in 1965 and found myself googling to learn more.

Josh Wichard’s narration was well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for access to the audiobook. I would be delighted to read more works by Norma Curtis.

I started listening to this book and really wanted to like it but somehow it didn't work for me. I'm grateful for a chance to listen to it though. Like I always say, all books are not meant for everyone. I wish the author all the best.

A story about lost love, misunderstanding, secrets and forgiveness which spans 65 years, The Drowned Village is a historical fiction that is set against the backdrop of the Welsh village of Capel Celyn which sees its identity being turned into a reservoir. Listening to the audiobook I admit I wasn't initially sure if I would like it and I was also a bit skeptical about a male narrator narrating such a book; but a few chapters in and I began warming up to both the story and the narration done by Josh Wichard. The ending was bittersweet but a realistic one. Also, I got to learn something new about Abraham Lincoln and his ancestry and that's one of the reasons why I enjoy reading historical fictions i.e. getting to know a few unknown titbits about history.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture Audio and the author Norma Curtis for the audio Arc of the book.

It was okay. I struggled to connect with the story. It didn't really hold my interest and I couldn't really root for the romance because it seemed so easily thwarted. The most interesting part of this story is the village that was drowned, which is a real place.

The narrator did a good job, I enjoyed listening to his voice which made it a restful audiobook to listen to.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the audio book in return for an honest review.

This is a great story about a village in North Wales that was deliberately flooded to create a lake covering a sacred area and hidden secrets. A very unique tale. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator did a brilliant job. With fantastic accents that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the fact the story is set in Wales as its my favourite place to go. So this added to my enjoyment of the book. I felt the author did a fantastic job creating the characters each with there own quirks. Which I loved and connected with them straight away. With the exception of the captain but this could be done deliberately as he keeps his emotion to himself. Although I really enjoyed the story I felt it just need a bit more atmosphere and tension and they ending didn't leave me satisfied. It had so much potential for that wow ending we all love. Maybe im just being picky I will leave it upto you to decide. I am so glad I read the book as I did enjoy it.

Thank you to the author and publishers for bringing us this great unique and interesting novel. 

The above review has already been placed on goodreads, waterstones, Google books, Barnes&noble, kobo, amazon UK where found and my blog https://ladyreading365.wixsite.com/website/post/the-drowned-village-by-norma-curtis-bookouture-3-5-stars under my name or ladyreading365 or lady Reading365 or ladyc reading

When you try to find old love, even when you have moved on or you think you have moved on. Al Locke, the 85 year old Navy veteran returns to the Welsh village where he met the love of his life, Elin Jenkins. Their love story in 1954, their separation and Locke's search for her and a mystery about Abraham Lincoln's ancestry forms the story.

The beauty of the story is how much emotion the characters bring forth. They frustrate you, sadden you and at times you wonder if it was even possible to be done differently. It's a beautiful story with strong emotions and heart breaking situations. Definitely worth the read.

This one was the first ARC Audiobook I experienced using Net Galley.

Rounded up from 2.5 stars
I didn't really care for this book. The characters felt very flat to me and Sophie, specifically, was very unlikable. I initially chose this because I thought it would fit my Read Harder prompt of an "over 40 romance", but it really wasn't even a romance. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed this historical fiction romantic novel about Elin and Al, and their romance, forced separation and then Al's journey back to try and find her again. The novel is set in the past, in Wales, and I liked the setting, the characters, and the story. I found it all to be heartwarming, heartbreaking, moving, beautiful and emotional, and I think the narrator of the book did a good job. He had a nice voice, which was well suited for the story.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Drowned Village" introduced me to many aspects of Welsh culture, language, and geography with which I was unfamiliar--and now I very much want to visit! The setting was unusual and intriguing; while I know of other places where reservoirs have been created, I have never encountered this concept as a plot point. The village of Capel Celyn at the heart of the story--both in its existence in 1955 and as a ghostly relic in the present--serves as the focus of this dual timeline story. The protagonist, Al, returns to Wales as an 85 year old man, seeking information on a genealogy project about Abraham Lincoln's Welsh ancestry, but it is quickly apparent that he is also searching for his lost love, Elin. His shock at discovering that the village is gone, buried underwater, is palpable. While the actions and reactions of many of the characters puzzled me, and they did not always ring true, I enjoyed the story. The notion of miscommunication is central to many tales--especially romances--and it keenly figures into the plot here. Most significantly, it reminds us of how communication in the 21st century is in stark contrast to that of 65 years ago, when Al and Elin fell in love. I very much enjoyed considering these changes and imaging the world of not-so-long-ago in this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

The Drowned Village begins in the tiny Welsh Village of Capel Celyn in the 1950s. Al Locke is staying at a nearby B&B and meets Elin Jenkins, a young girl living on her family's farm. They fall in love and plan to be married before Captain Al Locke, a Navy Captain, has to report to Japan. At the same time Capel Celyn is fighting to save itself from being leveled and flooded for a reservoir to supply Liverpool. With plans for their marriage progressing, Elin is convinced to stay and help her families and friends fight. Sending Al a short telegram to let him know she has been delayed, to be followed by a letter explaining what was going on, things don't happen as planned. The letter is delayed by five months and changes both their lives. Present day. Al returns to Wales 65 years later to find Elin and find out what happened to her as well as to share why he made the decisions he did. He had no idea that instead of a village, he finds a lake. Will he be able to find Elin? Will they be able to finally learn the truth about what happened all those years before.

The Captain’s Wife is my first book by Norma Curtis and I will be watching for other books by this author. The story was different from other historical fiction I have read, but what it has in common is an enjoyable story, with great characters and an event I did not know about. I do not read a lot of stories set in Wales, so that was unique as well. The story is a slow burn, taking some time to get into, but when it does pick up you become lost in the story of one man’s journey to right wrongs and misunderstandings and in the process he hopes to reunite with the one he has never stopped loving. The romance of Elin and Al was sweet, but turned to heartache for both of them. One decision let to another and another that made Elin's life difficult, I felt so bad for her. As much as Al regrets the past, I was frustrated with his actions. He spent 65 years thinking 'what if' and wishing things could have been different, until he finally took the step to find out what really happened. This is a story where a marriage that didn’t occur, causes lovers to separate, and dreams unrealized. The ending was not what I was looking for, but thinking about it after a bit, I think it was realistic and perfect. As always I went off to learn more about "The Drowned Village" and was very interested in what happened to the places, graveyards etc. The synopsis describes the book perfectly "A beautiful and heartbreaking story about lost love, forgiveness and family secrets." It illustrates the repercussions of acting rashly and impulsively. I did a read listen and enjoyed both formats. The audiobook was narrated by Josh Wichard, who did a beautiful job narrating the story. His voices were excellent, especially changing between American and Welsh accents. Overall a lovely albeit heartbreaking story that I highly recommend.

This is a story of love lost - and the constant 'what if's' that come into play. Setting the scene - it is the 1950s in Capel Celyn, a tiny village in Wales. A whirlwind and passionate romance ensues between Elin Jenkins, a local girl and a visiting American naval officer, Al Locke.

Due to a misunderstanding, interference from others and really bad timing, their relationship ends abruptly when Elin calls of her wedding with Al.

Life moves on, like it always does, but sixty-five years later both Elin and Al have emotional memories of those blissfully happy days. What will happen if Al decides to go back to Wales, after all this time?

In general, this is a heart-breaking love story that will keep you wondering right up to the end, a tale that will keep the romantics amongst us intrigued.

I really struggled to get into this book though, I did find it a bit slow and couldn't really find a comfortable flow in the story.

As we are taking about the audiobook, the narrator, Josh Wichard's style suited the story very well. His reading was elegant and easy to listen to.

Rating 3/5

Thank you to #NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audio book, in exchange for an honest review.

The Drowned Village, which was formerly known as The Captain's Wife, is a bittersweet, historical romance that kept me interested until the very end. It's a sad story and there's no real happy end, but it's worth a read or a listen. The narrator did a very good job. You do have to suspend disbelief at times. 80-something year-old Al is very active and youthful!

With thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the advanced digital copy.

This is a tragic, emotional, historical fiction love story. I was totally caught off guard by this one. Secrets, lots and lots of secrets in this one. "Friends" that can turn on you in an instant if your life doesn't benefit theirs. A complete village wiped from the face of the earth, yet love can last a lifetime regardless of the circumstances. Josh Wichard does an excellent job of narrating.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, LLC for this advanced review copy. In return, I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Firstly I am pleased that the title of this book has been changed. This new one suits the contents so much better and gives a better impression of what is to follow.
I will not try to rewrite a description of this book as I believe that the blurb writers do a better job without giving away any of the plot.
I listened to the audio addition and found it rather slow going so I listened on 1.5 times speed! As I was busy doing household tasks it was OK but if I had been reading I probably would have skip read it.
It was reasonably researched but little points annoyed me such as the quest for Lincoln's ancestory. Surely that would be better documented? Also why is the reservoir drained? Makes no sense other than to fit the story. I've been to exposed drowned villages in reality and you cannot just walk in them and find stuff eg a specific stone, it's just too muddy!
All that aside it's an OK story and passes the time well.

A heartbreaking love story involving WW2, rash decisions and crossed messages. It is unclear quite how it will end until the very last bit.

It was a sweet unfolding that also drew emotions of frustration and sadness for the way the characters handled the arising circumstances.

Though It was an easy listen/read I was just not able to make sense of the Lincoln part of the story. For me, it just didn’t flow easily and I found myself anxious for the main storyline.

Overall, a beautiful story but a bit slow for me. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC. And a great job to the narrator, Josh Wichard.

Norma Curtis has written a look back in time at young romance during war times, family secrets, and bittersweet love. Present day Al is revisiting a Welsh village where he found love that had heartbreaking misunderstandings and lost chances. There is a gift of story-telling here in the vibrant descriptions of the village, the hostel, and even the Quaker meeting hall (without giving anything away). There are a variety of characters to learn about and distinguish - some of them you like and find endearing and others you don't necessarily root for. But they all leave a mark on you. The turns in the book are sometimes surprising, disappointing (on behalf of the characters) but endearing and there is still a hope. A snippet out of time of someone revisiting the site of a lost love, and the conclusions and impact on future actions. It is a story with "hiraeth" .... heart.

I did actually download this but then it vanished! I was so intrigued I got a copy using my Audible credit and I am so glad I did. I spent today in my home office listening from start to finish and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the characters, and unlike some books the switching between past and present was seamless. A love story, yes, a happy ever after not so much.

Sixty-five years ago, Elin Jenkins agreed to marry Al Locke while he is stationed in Wales during his stint in the US Navy. Once they get her parents’ blessing, he has to return to the United States with his ship, and Elin makes plans to join him there. Three days before their scheduled wedding date, Al receives a telegram: “Cancel wedding. Regrets, Elin”. Now, he is back in Wales to look for the ancestor of Abraham Lincoln and hopefully to see Elin again. He wants to hear from her why she called off their wedding and explain to her why he couldn’t face coming back. However, when he heads to Elin’s village, he is shocked to find that it no longer exists; it has been turned into a levee for England’s drinking water.

This story was interesting but rather slow paced. I never quite connected with the characters, and I’m not quite sure I believe that they would make all the choices they did in this story. The title change was a good idea, as the actual captain’s wife in the story is barely mentioned.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.