Having selected lovely Clare Swatman’s The Garden of Shared Stories for one of my The People’s Friend column choices this month, I wasn’t going to write a full review here on Linda’s book Bag because I didn’t have time to write complete reviews of all the books I featured, but there are several reasons why I simply must.

Firstly, there’s a typo on Clare’s name in the magazine which is mortifying – even if it is correct later on, so I need to pass on apologies. 

Secondly, I have a very personal reason for wanting to share my thoughts. You see, I was lucky enough to bid in a charity auction to name a character in Clare’s book and to win. Some of you know that my great-niece, Emma, died some ninety minutes before birth at full term and as she would be coming up to her 10th birthday in 2026, I wanted to give her a life she didn’t otherwise have through Clare’s writing. Clare has given her the most wonderful story and I could not be more grateful. Emma has a starring role in The Garden of Shared Stories. 

What Clare doesn’t know is that two other minor characters she has named have Emma’s mum’s name and my Mum, Emma’s great-grandma’s, name. Given that Mum died this year, The Garden of Shared Stories feels all the more special.

Lastly, I have loved Clare’s writing in the past and you’ll find my reviews of some of her books here.  

The Garden of Shared Stories was published by Boldwood on 3rd December 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here. 

The Garden of Shared Stories

Emma is at an all-time low the day she meets Nick. She sits down in a quiet rose garden in her local park, and from nowhere a handsome man sits next to her and turns her world upside down.

Over the weeks, she and Nick meet regularly, always in the same place, always at the same time. They discover they have a lot in common – shared heartbreak, and shared dreams. They tell each other stories about the people they’ve lost – things they’ve never told anyone else. Bit by bit, they get to know each other, and fall in love.

But there’s a catch, because however much they have in common, they have one big thing keeping them apart… twenty years apart. Because when Nick is sitting in the garden it’s 1999 – two decades before Emma is there.

Emma never expected to fall in love again, but now she has, she’s not going to give up on it without a fight. But how do you turn something impossible into a happy ever after?

My Review of The Garden of Shared Stories 

Emma and Nick have both lost someone they love.

Oh. What can I say about The Garden of Shared Stories? I attended a panel discussion involving Clare Swatman earlier this year where she said she likes to break a reader’s heart and then mend it again. If that is her desired aim then she’s done so magnificently here. I adored this book.

The plot is so unusual. The timeslip aspect is unique and as Emma and Nick’s lives come together and move apart, the beat of the novel feels very much like a heartbeat to me. It’s a story that simply pulsates with emotion. Indeed, the two perspectives from Emma and Nick feel like a living cardiac rhythm, bringing vitality and life to the story as we get their perspectives in turn.

Essentially, The Garden of Shared Stories draws on tradition where two grieving people meet up by chance and fall in love, but there are obstacles in the way of their happiness. If that makes the narrative sound mundane or ordinary, think again. The structure is fabulous. I was held spellbound as I wondered how, or even if, the two time frames might be brought together. 

And I adored the characters. Both Emma and Nick are relatable. I loved the way their previous relationships were positive ones because it added to their sense of loss and felt cathartic to encounter and to grieve alongside them. 

Grief is only one of the themes explored in this narrative. The nature of relationships and how age is perceived within them is important. Parenthood and marriage feature strongly alongside friendship and a wonderful sense of place. Equally vital is the nature of life and fate and how our choices, actions or inactions, can affect our lives and those of the people around us. All these aspects give incredible interest and depth to the narrative.

But what is so captivating in The Garden of Shared Stories, so utterly all enveloping, is the love story between Emma and Nick. I felt it like a physical ache in my chest as I read and found myself experiencing all manner of emotions around their relationship, from fear to how it might evolve, frustration that their lives were so inextricably interwoven and yet so separate, joy at the moments they shared so positively and heartbreak at the times they couldn’t – or wouldn’t – be together. 

I really loved The Garden of Shared Stories. It’s engaging, entertaining and emotional so that it’s one of those narratives that swirls in the reader’s mind long after the final page is turned. I really recommend it.   

About Clare Swatman

Clare Swatman is the author of 11 women’s fiction novels. Her latest, The Garden of Shared Stories, is a time travel love story about fate and overcoming the impossible. It was released worldwide on 3 December 2025. Her next book, as yet untitled, will be released later in 2026.

She also writes psychological thrillers under the name CL Swatman. Her debut thriller, No Son of Mine, was released in December 2024, and her second, After the Party, was published on 13 September 2025.

Clare lives in Hertfordshire in the UK with her husband and two boys. Even the cat is male, which means she’s destined to be outnumbered forever.

For further information, visit Clare’s website or find her on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.

A little while ago I had the pleasure of having lunch with author Lorna Hunting which I wrote about in a post you’ll find here. Consequently, I am delighted that Lorna agreed to stay in with me and chat about one of her books today.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Lorna Hunting

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Lorna and thank you for staying in with me.  Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I have brought New Beginnings on Vancouver Island which is book one of the Colville trilogy and my debut novel. 

You’re a Lincolnshire author. Why Vancouver for your debut?

It is historical fiction based on fact. My great grandparents, John and Rhoda Malpass travelled around The Horn to Canada in 1854 to open up the coal mines for The Hudson’s Bay Company. 

Crikey. That must have taken some courage! Is New Beginnings on Vancouver Island about John and Rhoda then?

I’ve taken the bare bones of their journey and created fictionalised characters and events. There was much deprivation and hardship during the journey, but all the real people – true pioneers – who emigrated saw out their 5-year contracts and settled in Canada. I am one of their descendants through my Canadian mother. Colville is now known as Nanaimo and as a personal aside, I understand I took my very first steps there, although I don’t remember it!

It must have been fascinating to delve into family history as part of your research. How has New Beginnings on Vancouver Island been received by readers?

Looking through the reviews, it seems my readers have enjoyed learning about pioneer life in the mid-19th century and appreciate the research I put into my books. As a historian, (I lectured on Chinese history) I do like my settings to be as historically accurate as possible. I was lucky enough to be able to read a relative’s diary of the original journey and to source other familial papers deposited in the British Columbia archives in Canada.

That all sounds as if there’s more than enough for one novel. You say New Beginnings on Vancouver Island is the first of a trilogy…

There are two more stories in the Colville trilogy – Called to Vancouver Island and Farewell to Vancouver Island. I am currently writing book 4 of my Shackleton saga books which are set in Whitehaven in Cumbria.

You sound incredibly busy. What motivates you to write?

My aim is to tell a good story with interesting characters that will entertain my readers with action, romance, tragedy, and joy. One of my Canadian reviewers has written “She spins a good tale in a superbly intriguing style” and I’m happy with that. 

I imagine you are. How brilliant!

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I have brought the Staffordshire figures that John and Rhoda Malpass, my 3 x great grandparents took with them when they left England in 1854. These figures have travelled round The Horn in winter and miraculously been passed down through the generations from log cabin in Colville to Vancouver town house, and then on to live with me in Stamford.

That’s just wonderful. I wonder why John and Rhoda chose to take something so fragile?

My guess is that my forebears wanted to take a piece of England with them. Something to remind them of home. A home they’d left forever. I like to think that because they are still in one piece that all the generations that followed on knew they were special and have looked after them with care. It’s quite a responsibility, but one I’m more than happy to take on and hopefully to pass on to the next generation.

I think it’s wonderful that you have such an important family artefact Lorna. You have really whetted my appetite for your books. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about New Beginnings on Vancouver Island. It sounds fabulous and I’ll just give readers a few more details:

New Beginnings on Vancouver Island

The year is 1854 and Stag Liddell, a young collier from Whitehaven, signs up to work in Vancouver Island’s new coal mines. Whilst waiting for his ship to Canada, he meets ambitious school teacher Kate McAvoy who is also making the trip.

As the ship nears its destination, Stag and Kate’s relationship begins to blossom, but damning information comes to light and a pact made years before comes into play.

Will their budding romance survive these devastating revelations? And will they both achieve their dreams in this new land?

New Beginnings on Vancouver Island is available for purchase here.

About Lorna Hunting

Lorna Hunting was born and brought up in north Lincolnshire and now lives in Stamford. She writes Historical Fiction set in the mid-19th century. Her aim is to write stories about interesting fictional characters set in historically accurate settings.  

After teaching the piano and raising a family, Lorna exhibited and lectured on antique Chinese textiles in the UK and abroad. Following on from this she taught Chinese history at the School of Oriental and African Studies [SOAS] in London, and at Bristol and Sheffield universities. 

Lorna is a member of the Leicester chapter of the RNA – Romantic Novelists’ Association -, The Society of Authors, and the Retford Authors’ Group.

Now Lorna writes full-time in what she calls the Command Centre in what used to be her upstairs spare bedroom. 

For further information, visit Lorna’s website where she writes occasional blogs and publicises her books. You’ll also find Lorna on X @lornahunting, Facebook and Instagram. 

It’s my very great pleasure to welcome Ros Rendle to the blog today. Ros lives just up the road from me and we have served together on the Deepings Literary Festival committee. I caught up with Ros in person recently and realised she’d never actually featured on Linda’s Book Bag so we’re putting that omission right today.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Ros Rendle

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Ros and thank you for staying in with me.

It’s lovely to spend an evening with you, Linda.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along this evening?

The book I’ve brought is Sisters At War. It’s the first of a series of books about three sisters in times of early 20th century turbulence in Europe and beyond. 

A series of books in that era must have taken considerable research. 

With the extent of research I’ve done for the subject matters, the stories have the possibility of being grim but, while painting a picture of those times, WW1, WW2, and the Cold War, each is definitely interesting (I’m told), and ultimately uplifting. In each, they look at the position of women in a ‘man’s world’ and how they show bravery, and conquer setbacks to reach fulfilment.

I love a bit of ‘herstory’ as a counterbalance to history Ros! Tell me more…

Sisters At War is set during WW1, and covers life for men in the trenches but also the things women did to contribute and survive. I’ve brought Rose, my main character from the first book along with me. Let me introduce her to you.

  Rose gives a small self-conscious smile, pushes her glasses up her nose, and pats her fly-away hair. 

  “She has agreed that we might tell the background to her story.” I glance at her. “Rose, you  are serious and intelligent, and I know you’ve loved Michael for as long as you can remember.”

  “Yes, It’s true but I’ve secured a place at Oxford university. I know, as a woman, I can’t win the degree even if I qualify but it will be marvellous, and Father is so generous to let me go. It’s causing problems, though.”

  “Oh?”

  “Delphi is far from happy. She’s so vivacious and beautiful, exotic-looking, really, but she’s always struggled as the middle sister. She’s envious of me and this opportunity, and Iris, Izzy we call her, is the young one and spoiled, I suppose.

  “I gather Delphi has told you a secret.”

   “Yes, I’m not sure whether to believe her or not. Perhaps she’s being malicious. She’s complex, but I do love her dearly. She told me Michael has said he loves her and has asked her to wait for him when he goes away to France. It shouldn’t be a surprise. She’s so lovely.” Rose needlessly brushes her skirt and takes a moment.

  I give her time, and say, “I’m not giving anything away to say that Delphi will eventually go to France, too. She will grow and develop but she’ll have a major life-changing experience.”

  “Indeed, and maybe I’ll even develop some sense of my own place,” Rose says.

  “My dear Rose, it’s not always wise to be too self-deprecating. I know you try to see the best in everyone but if it’s at the expense of your own worth and well-being, well…”  I pause. “Michael’s going to France, you say?”

I like the sound of Rose. What made you decide on WW1 as your narrative background for Sisters at War? 

My grandfather, who fought at the battle of the Somme, survived those ordeals and when we went to live in France we weren’t far from the battlefields. 

My grandfather was at the Somme too – reported missing in action, blinded in one eye and with shrapnel embedded in him for the rest of his life. I find the battlefields fascinating so I think I’d love Sisters at War.

Through significant research and looking at war diaries of the time, my husband and I found him mentioned, and were able to walk within ten metres of his positions on that first day – 1st July 1916. When he died, a small memento was found among his effects. It was a tiny ‘touch wood’ figure. He would have worn it on his watch chain. They were given to soldiers  for good luck and a swift return, hence the four-leaved clover stamped on its little wooden head and the wings on its heels. The arms can be raised to touch the wood. This one has a silver body but others were brass or gold, and some had precious stones for the eyes. I have a collection of nearly forty now and each is slightly different. 

Oh! I haven’t heard of them. I’d love to see that collection sometime. What else have you brought along?

I’ve also brought some slices of trench cake. The women at home sometimes made this and sent it out as a taste of home to their men in France. Sometimes eggs were in short supply, and were substituted with vinegar and baking soda to make it rise. I shan’t be offended if you don’t want to try it. It’s a little dense, shall we say!

I think I’d better just give it a quality control test Ros, even if it doesn’t sound the most appetising! Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about Sisters at War. You serve up a couple of slices of cake and I’ll give readers a few more details about Sisters at War:

Sisters at War

In the shadow of war, a young woman battles with her heart…

England, 1913

Eighteen-year-old Rose Strong has loved childhood friend Michael Redfern for as long as she can remember.

However, believing that Michael loves her beautiful but aloof younger sister, Delphi, Rose vows to keep her feelings hidden.

When war breaks out, Michael enlists, and Rose fears for his life as he heads to the trenches in France.

As the war rages on, Rose strikes up a friendship with Thom, a budding engineer. And when Thom’s feelings for her grow warmer, Rose must decide whether she is prepared to betray her heart.

And with Delphi joining the Women’s Legion while Rose remains at home, it seems Michael and Delphi may grow closer. But Delphi is harbouring a secret of her own…

Will Michael make it home safely? Is he destined to be with Delphi?

Or could Rose be the one to win his heart…?

Published by Sapere Books on 13th July 2021, Sisters at War is available for purchase here.

About Ros Rendle

After taking early retirement as a headteacher, when Ros Rendle had to write many policy documents and also had fun story-writing for children, she moved with her husband and dogs to France. She lived there for over ten years and began writing seriously for adults. She joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme. This afforded a detailed critique of her first novel and subsequently she was fortunate enough to gain a publishing contract. Ros has twelve historical and romance books published and another three contracted, frequently featuring the French countryside and sometimes even a handsome, enigmatic Frenchman!

The new mediaeval series (first book published 25/07/2025 and two others, so far, to follow), is published under the pseudonym of Cara Clayton.

Now, as well as writing, Ros and her husband are raising a guide dog puppy for the blind and enjoy walking him and their new pet dog.

For further information, visit Ros’s website, follow her on X @ros_rendle or find Ros on Facebook and Bluesky.

Having spectacularly failed to get beyond page 30 of my U3A Reading Group book in November, I’m delighted actually to have read this month’s choice, Miss Austen by Gill Hornby, which we will be discussing today. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Miss Austen here on Linda’s Book Bag. 

Miss Austen was originally published by Penguin imprint Arrow in 2020, was given a rebranding to coincide with the BBC television series in 2025 and is available for purchase through the publisher links here.

Miss Austen

Throughout her lifetime, Jane Austen wrote countless letters to her sister. But why did Cassandra burn them all?

1840: twenty three years after the death of her famous sister Jane, Cassandra Austen returns to the village of Kintbury, and the home of her family’s friends, the Fowles.

She knows that, in some dusty corner of the sprawling vicarage, there is a cache of family letters which hold secrets she can never allow to be revealed.

As Cassandra recalls her youth and her relationship with her brilliant yet complex sister, she pieces together buried truths about Jane’s history, and her own. And she faces a stark choice: should she act to protect Jane’s reputation, or leave the contents of the letters to go unguarded into posterity?

My Review of Miss Austen

Cassandra Austen is on the hunt for her sister, Jane’s, letters.

What a super book! I thoroughly enjoyed Miss Austen.

Gill Hornby’s narrative style is pitch perfect, being accessible to the modern reader, but with a tone that Jane Austen herself would recognise. I loved the wry, observational humor threaded throughout the narrative that echoes the type of wit found in Jane Austen’s novels. The direct speech, the societal norms, the place of women in society added a fabulous sense of the era so that the historical setting of the book feels every bit as engaging as plot and character.

What I found so brilliant was that Miss Austen stands as a fascinating story in its own right without the need to know anything about Jane Austen or her writing. However, a little knowledge adds absolute delight in seeing where themes and characters have been woven into those books from real life. It makes reading Miss Austen great fun.

Normally I am not a fan of narratives that range backwards and forwards across timeframes, but in Miss Austen I loved it. The letters, the times before and after Jane’s death, the meticulous detail that is never intrusive – all add up to a satisfying and entertaining read. 

I loved discovering more about Cassandra – and indeed Jane. Gill Hornby writes with such assured knowledge that, whilst Miss Austen is a work of fiction, I felt I had learnt a considerable amount whilst being thoroughly entertained. Neither sister is presented superficially, so that they feel authentic and real. Both women have flaws and I felt one of the great strengths of the narrative was the development of Cassandra’s self-knowledge by the end of the story.

The themes of Miss Austen are perfectly pitched and whilst they represent the times in which the novel is set, they have huge resonance for today’s society. Through Cassandra’s life we encounter the impact of wealth, gender, societal position and expectation, familial duty and all manner of relationships, marriage and friendship. This has the effect of providing an aspect for any reader to engage with and enjoy.

At a time when reading has eluded me, Miss Austen has been a great solace. I found it compelling, interesting and written with assured originality and depth. Indeed, I loved it!

About Gill Hornby

Gill Hornby is the author of The Hive and All Together Now, as well as The Story of Jane Austen, a biography of Austen for younger readers.

Her subsequent novels, Miss Austen and Godmersham Park were Sunday Times bestsellers, and Miss Austen is a four-part BBC adaptation starring Keely Hawes as Cassandra Austen. She is also the President of the Jane Austen Society.

Gill lives in West Berkshire with her husband and four children.

For further information, follow Gill on X @GillHornby and Instagram. 

Having thoroughly enjoyed Jo Middleton’s Happy BLOODY Christmas (reviewed here), I was delighted when a copy of her latest book Not Another BLOODY Christmas arrived in surprise book mail. My huge thanks to Laura Sherlock for sending it to me. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.

Not Another BLOODY Christmas was published by Harper Collins imprint Avon on 23rd October 2025 and is available for purchase through the links here. 

Not Another BLOODY Christmas 

Anna’s taking the family away for a quiet Christmas in this hilarious, standalone murder mystery…

Unlike last year, there will be no risk of her burning the turkey, far less nagging from her mother-in-law and – crucially – a zero per cent chance of finding a dead body in her larder.

All she wants is to relax with a glass of wine in front of the fire. But when another group of guests show up just before a snowstorm, her plans begin to go awry. And the appearance of a dead body threatens to bugger up Christmas once again…

Can Anna get merry and root out the murderer? Or will this be another bloody Christmas nightmare?

My Review of Not Another BLOODY Christmas 

Anna is in search of the perfect family Christmas away. 

Not Another BLOODY Christmas is enormous fun and I really enjoyed it. It was thoroughly entertaining to be back in the company of Anna, whose desperate attempts to have an Instagram worthy Christmas in a wonderful country house, backfire spectacularly. 

I think Anna is hugely relatable. The contrast between the perfection of ourselves on social media as presented by one of the characters, Everlie, and the reality of dealing with true family life feels so realistic. Anna has a disapproving mother-in-law, an endearing (occasionally slightly dim) and always supportive husband, and two children who represent youngsters any one of us might know. Indeed, I’m not a great fan of children in books (or in real life come to that), but both Ben and Lily feel authentic and add to the humour of the book.

And Not Another Bloody Christmas is funny. Anna’s thoughts resonate brilliantly and I laughed aloud. This, along with her first person narrative voice, ensures that the reader feels included in the plot because it is as if Anna is speaking directly to them. The inclusion of Jennie on the end of the phone is such a clever device. It adds detail to the humour and the plot and provides another perspective. 

It seems somehow wrong to say that a book about a murder is the perfect escapist Christmas read, but this story is exactly that. It’s fast paced, and any one of the characters could have committed the crime so that the reader is kept guessing throughout. All the familiar features of the genre create a brilliant blend of tradition and freshness. There’s a confused double booking, there’s a large country house with suits of armour, creepy portraits and there are secrets that only gradually reveal themselves. Add in a dour housekeeper who seems able to appear and disappear at will, and Jo Middleton provides an action packed, witty and engaging read. 

But there’s additional depth for consideration too. In amongst the humour and mad-cap action, Jo MIddleton drops weightier aspects for consideration, such as nature and nurture for children, family and business rivalries, marriage and relationships and so on, making the story surprisingly thought-provoking as well as diverting.

I have struggled to settle to reading recently and I picked up Not Another BLOODY Christmas thinking I might as well give it a go. How wonderful to find a story that allowed me to escape the cares of the world, that made me laugh and brought joy into my life. I thoroughly recommend it.

About Jo Middleton

Jo Middleton is a writer, mum of two grown up children and slave to a golden retriever and three cats, named after fictional detectives. Jo published her first novel, Playgroups and Prosecco, in 2019 and has since gone on to work with her good friend Gill Sims, hosting her 2022 theatre tour and co-hosting a podcast, It’s Five O’clock Somewhere. Happy Bloody Christmas was her first crime novel.

Jo lives in Somerset and when she’s not working or tending to a pet she loves reading murder mysteries, binge-watching dating reality TV shows and being dragged around the countryside by her disrespectful dog Mako.

For further information, follow Jo on X @mummyblogger and Instagram.