Make do, mend and carry on...

Returning to Coronation Close was like coming home. Even with the nosy and often bad neighbours. Catching up with the lives, loves and times with all those who reside there and beyond is like catching up with old friends. Life has not been easy to those living on the Close, and even less so now that war rages on around them.

We see something more of Mary Dawson as she has grown into a young woman working at the tobacco factory (a feature of and a nod to Ms Lane's previous series) whilst making friends with a Canadian airman Beau Blackbird. Though it is on a bus ride home one evening after work that thrusts Mary into something a little more exciting in the weeks to come. A man claiming to be from the Channel Islands begins quizzing them about the local airport and things roundabout. Mary is at once suspicious as she and her friends corner the passenger, prompting the driver stop and call for police to come sort the situation.

Unfortunately the responding policeman is none other than pompous resident know-it-all of Coronation Close, PC Percy Routledge. The stranger laughs the women off and Percy, such as he is, laughs with him. Mary is furious not to mention suspicious. The stranger makes an offer Percy couldn't refuse and all sorts of promises which leaves the constable puffing with pride. But what is he really after?

Meanwhile, Percy's poor long-suffering wife has done his bidding for far too long and when Percy refuses point blank for her to call a doctor on their sick son then leaves in the night, Margaret decides to call for him herself. But then matters are taken out of her hands as her neighbours offer their assistance.

Jenny is still lovelorn after Robin who cannot see the manipulation of his ex-wife in their children, even to the point of danger. Thelma has one blow too many but then another offer comes along on the horizon.

The lives and loves of those on the Close continue as war rages on and I look forward to seeing what's in store for the residents and their loved ones in the next installment.

I would like to thank #LizzieLane, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #ToughTimesOnCoronationClose in exchange for an honest review.

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

"Tough Times on Coronation Close" looks like another warm and entertaining addition to Lizzie Lane's bestselling "Coronation Close" series. Based in Bristol in 1941, during the dark days of wartime, the book promises to take readers into the lives of Coronation Close's residents as they face the trials and tribulations of war.

Lizzie Lane skillfully weaves together a story about the determination and character of the people. How the effects of rationing, call-up orders, and stricter regulations were brought into the every-day world is portrayed with doubtless and rich description, allowing the reader some insight into life on the home front.

Personal dilemmas of the characters come to the fore. The terrible news for Thelma Dawson that her son Charlie's ship was torpedoed creates a heart-rending thread of anxiety and doubt which most families would have felt during these times. In the meantime, the temptation of a foreign visitor soldier to seventeen-year-old Mary illustrates strands of young love and temptation in a world where the future is very uncertain. This plot promises to unfold the intricacies of relationships forged in the darkness of war.

Lizzie Lane has a reputation for crafting believable characters and atmospheric historical settings. Those readers who like saga fiction with an emphasis on community, friendship, and women's strength in times of war will find "Tough Times on Coronation Close" a good read. The guarantee of friendships being fostered, relationships being strained, and the coming of tragedy reveals a story with both heartwarming and emotionally resonant moments.

Readers of Rosie Clarke, Fenella Miller, and Kitty Neale, all authors who specialize in this style of novel, will enjoy reading this book.

Finally, "Tough Times on Coronation Close" is to be another solid entry in Lizzie Lane's popular series. It has a good mix of historical detail, compelling individual stories, and the resourcefulness of a community in times of trouble that makes it eagerly awaited by readers of the genre.

I feel like I'm coming home when I return to Coronation Close. The neighbors make the street lively and quite interesting.
I am quite fond of Thelma and Jenny. They have had hard lives but they stand tall in times of trouble. They are there for each other as well as all the other neighbors.

War is hard for the men who are fighting in it. But the women and the families left behind find it difficult as well.

My Mom lived in a town close to London during WW II. She has told me about rationing, going to the bomb shelter and living without many things we take for granted. It was touched upon in this story. Jenny and Thelma had to reuse old tea leaves for three or more times to have a "cuppa". We just grab a tea bag after one use and toss it.

I'm looking forward to reading the next chapter about these amazing women. The next book will introduce new relationships and the further adventures of Coronation Close.

Even without reading the earlier books in the series, I found The Close to be a richly woven, emotional story that swept me into the lives of its characters from the very first page. Set during the hardships of wartime, this book beautifully captures the daily struggles of ordinary people—especially the women—trying to protect their families and hold their community together.

Jenny and Thelma, neighbors and close friends, are at the heart of this story, and their bond felt authentic and deeply moving. The challenges they face as mothers, especially with their teenage daughters growing into young women, added a relatable and heartfelt layer to the narrative. I also really enjoyed the introduction of the new family on the Close—and the mystery surrounding Percy Routledge added a fascinating twist!

Though I didn’t have the background of previous books, I never felt lost. The characters are so well written and the setting so vividly drawn that I quickly felt connected to this community. I truly appreciated the quieter, reflective moments, and I found myself invested in each of their stories.

This was a tender, immersive read with warmth, tension, and a strong sense of place. I’m now eager to go back and read the earlier books—and even more excited to see what comes next for the residents of the Close!

Book four in the Coronation Close series was another really good read. I’ve been reading and loving this series from the very start. Life isn’t easy for the residents of Coronation Close as the w@r continues on. The women of the close are doing their best to cope even though life can be a struggle at times . Food and clothing have been rationed and there are also rules to be adhered to. However in spite of all this the women are determined to stay strong and get on with life. I just love this series and the characters. Once I started reading I was right back with all women who are part of this close knit community. We get more of an insight into Police Constable Routledge who I found to be rather a pompous character and his poor wife Margaret had a lot to put up with. This is another engrossing read in this historical saga series and I look forward to the next book in the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The latest addition to the Coronation Close series by the incredibly talented Lizzie Lane is Tough Times on Coronation Close.

The residents of the Close continue to grapple with family challenges and the ongoing war, much like countless other neighbourhoods in towns and cities across the country. Thelma is heartbroken to discover that her son George’s merchant navy ship has been bombed, leaving him missing. Will the local, overly strict, and self-proclaimed expert bobby on patrol, PC Routledge, who emotionally mistreats his wife, eventually face the consequences of his actions?

You won't want to miss this installment; it's a must-read to witness the strength of women in action! Inspired by her mother's tales of resilient women during the war, Lizzie aims to tell these stories in the hope that such tragic events remain a thing of the past.

Make sure to grab your copy today!

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This WWII saga is the first in a series, and follows the residents of Coronation Close in Bristol. I found that once I started reading, Coronation Close and its characters came to life easily for me. I was interested in following the characters, to see how they interacted with one another. I connected with some characters a little bit more than others, and found some more likeable than others. I think the character that made the biggest impression on me was Mary, as she was quite a feisty character, and sure of herself.

This was an easy and relaxing read, and I found it a little bit comforting in some ways.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

I have read all the previous books in this series and this book is just as readable as the previous ones! The same neighbours, with a few new names, but how they have to deal with missing and dead family members is quite eye opening for one family!
Easily read with humour thrown into the pot at times. Enjoyed this book and wonder how many more may be in the pipeline!
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this book

Another delightful instalment in the lives of those that live in Coronation Close.

It’s been a while since we met these, mostly, ladies and I had to delve a bit to remember their storylines. But again we get to know Thelma and Jenny, their children and their neighbours.

I felt that sometimes the detail slipped a little - I would have loved to have known more about PC Percy and what happened and who the mystery person was.
But in some ways Percy deserved what happened and it will allow his wife and children to flourish when out from under his thumb.
I also wanted to know more about how Thelma’s son got home - he just arrived - and was due to leave again.

The resilience and community of the Bristolians was a joy to read though - even though the end was terribly rushed and seemed unfinished somehow. Hopefully that means there will be more to follow - along with Lizzie Lane’s other series’ which we wait for.

A thoroughly enjoyable book despite my comments - I recommend the whole series

Another great book in the Coronation Close series. It is 1941 and PC Percy Routledge is taking his job a bit too far with his neighbours and ruling his wife’s .Thelma Dawson is worried about her son who’s ship has been torpedoed and sank ,will he have been saved and come home too his Italian pregnant wife .Thelma is also worries for her job at the up market dress shop and why is her gentleman friend avoiding her.Mary her daughter is going out with a Canadian soldier but is it series .Jenny is still working for the love of her life Robin but his astranged wife is still causing trouble for them.What will happen next on Coronation Close. Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

War is ongoing and in Coronation Close the residents are trying to keep their teenage daughters who are growing up safe and away from temptation.

The new family that lives on the Close has a police officer as the head of the household, which is a good and not so good thing.

It was lovely to meet up with the characters and see how they’re coping with the ongoing war. They have moved on with their lives, and the story highlighted this.

The story had some happy and sad moments..

I highly recommend this book.

Another delightful book from Lizzie Lane!

Set during the Bristol Blitz, this story captures the challenges faced by women as the men are away fighting in the war. Life is tough for these women, but you can warm to some characters. The descriptions of the houses are vividly portrayed.

PC Percy Routledge is a man to admire; however, he also spies on and reports any wrongdoing to the appropriate authorities.
Home truths begin to emerge, leaving the residents uncomfortable, and tested.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. If you like a good saga, this book is definitely for you

This was the brilliant next installment of the coronation close series, a Great War time story based on when everybody helped each other out and looked out for each other.

Really excited to see what’s next and I hope the series continues…

This is set during the war and follows a number of residents living on Coronation Close.

Mary is the one that stood out to me first because of her tenacity. She's an interesting character trying to find her way in life but also getting caught up in something along the way. She has good instincts although still very young and has a lot to learn.

Percy is another that stands out for all the wrong reasons and you can't help but feel annoyed that he holds a position of trust despite being a nasty man.

The community is an interesting one and you learn about the difficulties they experienced given rationing and the blackouts. I always find this time period intriguing as it's the erra my gran lived through. It must have been tough to bring up a family during a time of fear, uncertainty and little in the way of necessities such as food and clothes. My gran said it was a hard life but a good life. The people living on Coronation Close seem to look out for each other despite their own hardships.

I thought this was a brilliant next instalment of the Coronation Close series. The story was exciting and, as always with Lizzie's books, left me wanting more. I can't wait to read what happens next!

The next instalment in the lives of the residents of Coronation Close, I found this a little harder to get into but only because I didn't like Percy's character! As always there are ups in downs in the life of the close residents, with some happy times and definitely some curveballs thrown in this time! Thelma's life is turned upside down with her son being lost in action, her daughter finding love with a Canadian and does Thelma herself finally have her happy ever after? Jenny although doesn't appear as much in this novel with a storyline, she still manages to have a curveball thrown into her life. Another great instalment, I look forward to see what happens next for them.

Coronation Close is in the throes of war and Thelma and Jenny are trying to keep a check on their teenage daughters who are growing up fast. There is also a new family on the Close and he is a police officer. It was great to visit with the characters I have come to know and love and too find more. The plot is filled with sadness and laughter and plenty of authenticity. I couldn't seem to get as invested in the characters as I have in previous books because they seem to have changed a lot especially Thelma. Despite that it is still a brilliant historical saga littered with facts. I enjoyed the melodrama and the emotionally charged tale and I hope to see the characters back to themselves in future books.

Tough Times on Coronation Close by Lizzie Lane

I love Lizzie Lane books and this series has been great. The author writes these types of historical dramas as the very best in the business .
Sadly this is 4 of 4 and will be a great miss .
Times are hard for the residents of this Bristol street and especially Thelma who finds out her son's boat has sunk after being torpedoed.
Without giving anything away , the story all comes together and the end of the saga is very emotional.

You know you’ve just finished a really special book when it comes to a close and you miss the main character already. I came to this thinking it was going to be a quirky little story about a quirky little character and I was looking forward to it, I’ve never been so glad to be wrong, it’s so very much not, yet so very much more than that.

I really enjoyed this book. After the first 3 books I knew i was going to love it. Its such a cosy book. This book is full of that British spirit everyone had during the war and really gets your mind thinking. There is so many side plots happening at once it grabs your attention from the firsg page. Highly recommend!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Lizzie Lane and Boldwood Books📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚