What an amazing writer Pam is. She draws you in from the first page. As you read through her description of her characters you can easily imagine them.
Great to revisit The Raiders and see the other side of their lives.
This book and the others with The Raiders are comical, sad, and frustrating. But I loved every page.
Thank you so much, NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this great story. xx

This is the second book in the Mersey Square series. Again this was another fantastic read and I devoured this book in one day. Whilst it’s an easy read it’s also one that you won’t want to put down as it’s full of great characters and a superb story. I loved it.

This is book 2 of the series and I read this in one sitting. Pam howes is one of my favourite authors

This book just flowed from book one and I really loved it, can’t wait for the next.

The characters are so loveable.

Book 2 of the series and again another brilliant and absorbing read. Loved the characters and how they survived life’s ups and downs. The plus side for me is how this book continued from the first one with ease and was concluded with a proper ending rather than being left wondering like so many other book series do.

Loved catching up with the Mersey girls. Jane and Eddie maybe on again and Mark Fisher dosnt like it though he has some devastating news of his own which he’s not coping with. The rest of the Raiders are still together planning their futures. Eddies ex has been handing a secret but what is it and what are the consequences.
Loved this and finished in one sitting

This is a review for both Mersey Square novels
I love Pam Howes' series as the characters become sort of book friends and I root and feel for them.
This is a new to me series and I like to read about life after war, the rocker and how it was going to change.
Both Mersey Square books are moving and entertaining, features a cast of well thought characters and a vivid historical background.
I can't wait to read the rest of the series as I want to know what will happen.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Great books by Pam Howes. Having already read these as the Rock n Roll series I couldn’t resist reading them again in the new titles. These are my all time favourite books, with great and believable characters. Following the lives a group of young people in the 50’s fresh out of school and full of hope for the future. Roy, Ed and Tim form a band and dream of stardom, Jane, Sammy and Pat dream of a life with the boys. Things don’t run smoothly for them, there’s lots of obstacles in their way but they always stick together. This is a fantastic series a definite can’t put down book, I cannot wait for the next instalments of this wonderful series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After finishing The Girls of Mersey Square, the first book in this series, I couldn’t wait to make a start on The Mothers of Mersey Square as I really wanted to find out how Jane, Eddie and the rest of the characters, were getting on with their lives. We pick up the story just a few years later when they are all a little older, and maybe just a little bit wiser, however, as we soon discover, there is much in store for them.

I’ve enjoyed the continuation and found that I could very easily pick up the story where it left off and enjoyed observing how the characters grow in maturity especially when life deals some of them a devastating blow. The dynamics of relationships, both good and bad, is expertly defined as we follow Eddie’s tempestuous relationship with his wife Angie, and Jane’s uneasy relationship with her boyfriend. Fate has a nasty way of intervening and as the story progresses both Eddie and Jane will face many difficult challenges. Time and place comes to life, the small town nosiness, where everyone know’s everyone else’s business and the way the characters all interweave into and out of each other’s lives is done with a fine eye for detail. The music of the early sixties forms a delightful soundtrack to the story and the excitement of those heady days, and vibrancy of the music scene, makes the story all the more enjoyable. Whilst it is possible to read this as a standalone story it does make sense to read from the start of the series in order to enjoy the development of the characters.

Overall, The Mothers of Mersey Square is a lovely continuation, I’ve certainly enjoyed being back in Stockport, and hope to meet up again with Eddie, Jane, and the rest of the characters in the next book in the series.

Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour for “The Girls of Mersey Square” and “The Mothers of Mersey Square” by Pam Howes. Get ready to be transported back in time.
Get your dancing shoes on!
“The Mothers of Mersey Square”, picks up where the first story ends. Jane and Eddie are trying to get together but nothing is ever easy! Make sure you have the tissues ready.
I loved all of the music references in the stories. I could hear the songs on my head while I was reading. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The Mothers of Mersey Square by Pam Bowes

I loved this book! You can’t help but get caught up in the story and not let up until the very last page… I’ve laughed and I’ve cried. I do warn you to have a supply of tissues ready, as I certainly needed them!… Kept me reading until the early hours. I just didn’t want it to end.’
‘Utterly impossible for me to put down

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Another good old fashion read from this author with great characters and a wonderful storyline. Loved it.

It's 1961 and eighteen-year-old Eddie Mellor has the world at his feet. His group, The Raiders, are about to be signed by one of Manchester's Leading theatrical agents. He is head over heels in love with Jane Wilson. The pair are looking forward to an exciting future until his ex-girlfriend Angie Turner announces she's expecting his baby. Eddie d forced into a hasty marriage, gives up the group, and finds menial employment in a paint factory to support his wife and son. His dream of becoming a famous rock drummer is the only thing keeping him going. Eddie's luck is about to change for the better when he hears that Jane has broken off her engagement. The pair meet secretly and begin a passionate affair. Roy Cantello, lead singer with The Raiders, persuades him to rejoin the group.

This book was previously published as Three Steps To Heaven. The story revolves around the rising fame of the band The Raiders, There's plenty going on in this book and it also has a subplot. There are a few twists. There is a great camaraderie between the main characters. My heart went out to Eddie. With some good old-fashioned Rock and Roll, drama, and all the other things that went on in the sixties, this well written novel is quick and easy to read.

Funny, poignant, endearing characters, a good spattering of relatable everyday truths, a few unexpected plot twists . . . everything a good book should be! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book in the series

wow where to start with this one... it was lovely to catch up with eddie and jane and to see how their lives evolved and to see how the other characters in the book were also getting on...

plenty of drama with this one some expected as eddie is such a player and typical young man and also knowing that its set in the early 60s makes for a fun read

and also some not so expected drama with mental health issues that werent so high lighted back then...

all in all though this is a brilliant book in the mersey square series and i for one am looking forward to reading the rest of them as i love all of the characters in the book

What a lovely story, very nostalgic and it brought back memories of my childhood. I loved that era as it was so exciting, fashions and especially the music. I enjoyed this book very much and hope to read more from this author. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Mothers of Mersey square book two.
With dark times ahead she'll need her friends around.
It's 1964 Jane Wilson now engaged to Mark Fisher, the most stupid thing she has ever done, she was still in love with Eddie but he is now married with a two year old son, they both could not go on hiding their feelings.
Breaking up with their partners Eddie gets a new job, and is back working with the group The Raiders he is with the love of his life Jane, happy days and motherhood are about to occur as we read on.
The Raiders are making it in the rock n roll business even hitting America. But nothing runs smoothly for this couple with lots of heartache, you will need a box of tissues.
Once again loved this book reading for the second time, and looking forward to more.
The authors work never faults me her stories are so real to read like your one of the family

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

In this book, we meet up with Jane,Sammy,Pat, Eddie,Ron and Tim.

The story was well-written and you definitely need tissues for this one. I found myself hooked, turning the pages to know what happens next.

I highly recommend this book.

The British invasion reborn! Sex, drugs and rock and roll entwined with family secrets, marriage, motherhood and a kidnapping...

Though I was born after all this (fictionally) happened, my love of the TV series "Heartbeat" gave me an appreciation for the British invasion of early sixties music - though I'm more a Stones fan that a Beatle. And Pam Howes' love of this era of music radiates through the pages as she charts the teenage boy band The Raiders' rise to fame. As with the first book (originally published as the prequel) I read yesterday, this tale transports me back to an era I've only ever read about or seen played out on TV.

Beginning early 1964 from where "The Girls of Mersey Square" left off, 18 year old Eddie Mellor is trying to settle into married life with Angie after she fell pregnant with their baby son Jonny. But try as he might he still longs for his two loves that he had to leave behind - his band The Raiders and his girl Jane Wilson. He and Jane were making plans to marry when Angie dropped her bombshell and in an attempt to do the right thing, Eddie broke it off with Jane and married the mother of his child. That also meant giving up all his dreams of fame and fortune and becoming a responsible adult by getting a normal 9 to 5 job that pays the rent, puts food on the table and provides for his wife and child.

Heartbroken, Jane falls into the arms of Mark Fisher who has always held a torch for her and though her heart is not in it, she ends up engaged to him when he proposes. She doesn't love Mark but he offers security and her mother adores him never missing an opportunity to compare him to "that Mellor lad who would amount to nothing". Since becoming engaged, Mark's behaviour towards changed and he became more possessive and controlling, disapproving of the clothes she wore and instead buying her new ones from the Victorian age! As her relationship with Mark comes to a culmination at the beginning of the book with a trip to the Lakes District for Valentine's Day, Jane is feeling trapped with no idea how to get out of this farce of an engagement. While Mark wants to control Jane's every move and doesn't care how devious he has to be to keep her. Meanwhile, she continues to work at Flanagan and Grey Records, having been promoted to manager with a charming little assistant in Carl who rises in the ranks further into the story. A job, I'm sure, Mark plans to put a stop to as soon as the vows are exchanged.

Back in Stockport, Eddie's life is getting duller by the second. In a fit of temper and boredom, he chucks in his job at the paint factory knowing the grief it will cause with Angie when he gets home but he doesn't care. As usual, the couple row causing Jonny to burst into tears and he storms out and meets up with the lads instead of going to night school. Roy had called his mum to say he had some good news to tell him and Eddie knew he needed something to brighten his otherwise dull existence.

The news that Jane has broken off her engagement with Mark was music to Eddie's ears and soon the pair are meeting secretly, partaking in a clandestine affair since Eddie was still married. Added to that, the lads want Eddie back in the band. His replacement was never up to parr and before long everyone is happy again. Everyone, that is, except Mark, who continues to rear his ugly obsessive head.

Eddie is going through the process of getting a divorce from Angie when she and her lover are tragically killed and he and Jane move in together to take care of his nearly three year old son Jonny. Their plans to marry are brought forward, no longer hampered by a divorce, and finally after half a decade of hankering after each other they are wed. But their happiness is shortlived when their young baby is kidnapped when the band are on tour and their world comes crashing down. Will they ever see their baby again?

So many questions are raised throughout this story, some of which are carried over from the first. The biggest hangs like a shadow (I thought) throughout and isn't cleared up till the end though it could prove a shock for those not expecting it. I read too many thrillers to be shocked...lol The sixties is an era that is fast becoming forgotten now that it is over half a century ago so it is good to relive the era through these delightful tales penned by someone with an obvious love of the era and its music.

I enjoyed every minute of the journey back in time and invite you step on the back of Eddie's motorbike and be transported back to the sixties for a tale full of love, betrayal, family as well as sex, drugs and rock and roll. Originally published as "Three Steps to Heaven", THE MOTHERS OF MERSEY SQUARE is an enjoyable saga filled with such likeable characters (plus a few shady ones) that you just can't help but enjoy being in their company. Are five stars even enough?

Another cracking read by Pam Howes! Delightful from start to finish.

I would like to thank #PamHowes, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheMothersOfMerseySquare in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Another wonderful book I. The series.I sobbed and sobbed using boxes of tissues.The characters the relationships drew me in kept me emotionally involved.in the story.#netgalley #bookouture

A absolute great follow on from the last book. Alot of tears in this. But it's a great and enjoyable read.