Goodreads Review ~ Drowning Rose

Drowning Rose by Marika Cobbold

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I first read Marika Cobbold a while back when a publisher recommended her to me. I had yet to care for someone with dementia. When I had come through that life experience, ‘Guppies for Tea’ became all the more poignant for me. Simply, Marika Cobbold writes real people, beautifully, and always balanced with just the right amount of humour. People you can identify with and recognise your own strengths and weaknesses through. I always feel as if I’m settling down with a huge box of chocolates when I pick up one of MC’s books. But unlike Forrest Gump’s Momma, I do know what I’m going to get: a hugely satisfying read. I wasn’t disappointed when I read Drowning Rose – in one sitting. I was delighted by the switch of point of view from (present) forty-one year old Eliza, to Eliza at sixteen, the story narrated then by new girl to the school, Sandra/Cassandra, who is desperate to be seen as one of the inner circle of a group of more-privileged peers. A rather unique twist in the telling, then, and not easy to do, but Marika Cobbold pulled it off without a hitch. I’d rather not throw in spoilers – the book has to be read, so I’ll just say that the story looks at the cracks beneath the veneer (Eliza’s job as a ceramic restorer being a perfect metaphor). It examines how a traumatic event can shape one’s future, the tragedy, which is the drowning of Rose, rippling out to touch and transform the lives of all those who loved and lost her. It looks at guilt, at grief, the burdens we carry and the impact on future relationships. It looks at ‘what ifs’ and whys. I loved it, truly. Anyone aspiring to write should read it. Anyone who loves reading – you are in for a real treat!



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Goodreads Review ~ Bagpipes and Bullshot

Bagpipes & Bullshot by Janice Horton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you are so impressed by the important but unobtrusive detail of the story, you find yourself assuming the author has experience of the subject she is writing about, you know you are settling into a good book. Janice Horton has clearly done her research, all kudos to her.

So, to the story: The impressive, but rundown, Buchanan Estate needs a large injection of cash. Laird Innes Buchanan therefore seems duty-bound to marry into the wealthy neighbouring McKenzie family. Indeed, as far as his intended, the beautiful but manipulative Davina McKenzie is concerned, Innes is hers, bar the actual ceremony, which she immediately sets about arranging. Small problem, Innes doesn’t love her. His younger brother does. Deciding not to go through with the marriage, Innes embarks on a mission to save the estate by other means. To this end, he enlists the help of Texan cattle expert, Orley McKenna, to help him breed a hardy new herd of cattle, which might eventually generate enough income to sustain them. Innes, though, admires Orley for more than her brains and sassiness. He’s fallen for her, big time, and Orley’s heart belongs to Innes.

The course of true love never did run smooth though. Not only does Orley have to contend with disapproving Lady Buchannan’s haughty frostiness, local gossip, and the unforgiving climate of the Scottish Highlands, she also has to survive the vengeful plotting of a woman scorned: Davina, who still believes herself to be engaged to Innes, and whom Innes has neglected to mention.

All the elements for a terrific story, then. Throw some humorous escapades into the plot and some beautifully descriptive writing around the geography – and you have a hugely satisfying read. Loved it!



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